Freqbox as oscillator expander for Minibrute

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calyx93
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Freqbox as oscillator expander for Minibrute

Post by calyx93 » Thu Feb 14, 2013 9:45 pm

Hi folks - got a question that will hopefully be easy to solve.

Have had a Moog ring mod, FreqBox and CP-251 for a while now, along with my Little Phatty - don't have the CV output mod for the LP yet either. So I've had a restricted range of connectivity possibilities within that four-part Moog setup. Just found an Arturia Minibrute locally and one of my reasons for buying it, other than it being a cool new mono synth, was for the CV connectivity on the rear panel. I just had the realization that the FreqBox would be a geat second oscillator for the Minibrute - it has a CV frequency input and direct oscillator output, and the Minibrute has pitch CV out and audio in.

So, I hooked them up in this manner, and it works GREAT!! Except that the lowest I can go on the FreqBox is just about a fifth above the pitch on the Minibrute. So it works fine for higher pitches. So, using the CP251, is there any way to lower the pitch of the FreqBox output by one octave? I just don't have enough CV experience to figure out how to do this.

Thanks! :)
“I have stretched ropes from steeple to steeple; garlands from window to window; golden chains from star to star, and I dance.” - Rimbaud

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stiiiiiiive
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Re: Freqbox as oscillator expander for Minibrute

Post by stiiiiiiive » Fri Feb 15, 2013 8:10 am

I think the "offset" setting of the CP-251 mixer allows to lower or raise the input without affecting the scale of it, the later being attenuated by the output setting of the mixer.

calyx93
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Re: Freqbox as oscillator expander for Minibrute

Post by calyx93 » Fri Feb 15, 2013 10:14 am

Hmm - hadn't thought of that. Thanks for the suggestion - I'll try it out tonight!
“I have stretched ropes from steeple to steeple; garlands from window to window; golden chains from star to star, and I dance.” - Rimbaud

Vitja
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Re: Freqbox as oscillator expander for Minibrute

Post by Vitja » Fri Feb 15, 2013 2:39 pm

I have Minibrute for few weeks now. It is incredible synth!
I love the way that I can integrate RingMod in same manner and also using it as the second osc (just sine wave). Uh, and tuned RingMod??? :twisted:
I thought of buying FreqBox for the third oscillator, but then I need another CP.

I don't know how can I use Gate out with 101, 102, 104, CP???

Another thing about Minibrute that I really like is that I can run a trigger mic from drumset to trigger Minibrute. It works great!
I wish that SP could have this option!
Gear:Slim Phatty, Arturia Minibrute, Casio MT-600, MF-101,MF-102,MF104Z,MP-201,CP-251,Ibanez John Scofield, PRS custom 24, circuit bent Kawai R-100,Circuit Bent Roland TR-505, Boss Dr55, Akai MPK 25, Ensoniq DP/4, RME Fireface 800, tons of guitar effects.

EricK
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Re: Freqbox as oscillator expander for Minibrute

Post by EricK » Fri Feb 15, 2013 5:14 pm

The Freqbox will go pretty low. You either have to have a wide ranging keyboard or you have to set the FB for the general range you want it to play. I haven't run into an issue where the FB was not tracking at the same pitch of the controller synth (when set properly) unless you go beyond it's upper range, then you get some sounds that are very similar to a ring modulator (the sum and difference sound). If your lowest note is lower than the Freqbox then you need to readjust something somewhere (maybe an attenuator or like Stiiiiiiiiiiiiiive said, the offset. The FB will only track 5-6 octaves anyway.

You shouldn't need another cp-251 to be able to get both the 107 and 102 to track as extra oscillators.


I’m not familliar with the Minibrute’s outputs, but you take
pitch output to multiple
mult out to atten 1
Atten out to FB freq input
FB Osc out to audio in (this makes the freq pot a coarse and the env pot a fine tune)
FB Audio out to CP Mixer input.
Mixer output to Minibrute’s audio input.

Attenuator 2 output to Ringmod Freq input
Carrier output to CP Mixer input
(optional, you can do the carrier out to audio input of the 102 and the mix knob will switch between high and low octaves and will have cv control, but this is not necessary but with other LFOs or modulation sources, you can make the ringmod dance around octaves for a nice effect.)
I have found the ringmod to be much easier to tune than the FB, but I have not performed this patch in a long time to describe how the attenuators, mixer levels, offset should be set to achieve stable tuning. It takes about 10 patch cables.

Image
Heres what this sounds like (I think there was some delay also, I don't really remember) :
Islets of Langerhan
https://soundcloud.com/rhythmicons/isle ... an-demo-of (ca.2008)


This is the patch that I used to get the FB and ringmod to track with the Micromoog, which may have a different voltage output than the Voyager. I remember this being not so complicated with the Voyager/VX combo (I don’t think attenuation was absolutely necessary and may not be mecessary with the Minibrute). THe sample and hold was also controlling the Mix amount for that random dancing between octaves.)

It just takes a little practice. What you really need is some more mults and it would be much less expensive to make some than to but a whole CP unit. Im thankful that the VX comes with two sets of mults. That satisfies my needs as far as the moogerfooger synth is concerned.


I hope this helps, but just experiment and have fun.

Eric
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calyx93
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Re: Freqbox as oscillator expander for Minibrute

Post by calyx93 » Sat Feb 16, 2013 3:59 pm

Thanks for all the suggestions. Found a solution.

MB keyboard/pitch CV out to CP251 mixer - positive output of mixer to FB frequency in. Adjusted the offset down a bit on the mixer and am able to pitch the FB's frequency way down now. Eric - thanks for the tip on using the ENV Amount to fine tune the octave scaling - very useful. Got very nice PWM going on too using the CP's LFO into an attenuator then out to the FB Wave mod input. The FB is tracking fine too - surprisingly well - decently in tune over 4 or so octaves, though it does seem to drift a tiny bit.

Very pleased now that I've got a very capable second oscillator that I'd only been using more as an effect. Really adds a huge sound to the already beefy Minibrute, and along with the LP and MF-102, makes an awesome portable rig with two distinct flavors. Now I just need to upgrade my LP to the new OS (still using the original) and get the CV ouput mod. :)
Last edited by calyx93 on Sat Feb 16, 2013 9:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
“I have stretched ropes from steeple to steeple; garlands from window to window; golden chains from star to star, and I dance.” - Rimbaud

EricK
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Re: Freqbox as oscillator expander for Minibrute

Post by EricK » Sat Feb 16, 2013 6:04 pm

The thing that I really love about the CP/107 combo is that is is an extra "voice". If you have limited inputs on an interface you can run something through the freqbox and bring in that extra "voice" via the mix knob. The CP 251 is a nice modulation buss for a 107/101 basic synth.
Moog would do a lot of is a whole lot of good to provide us with some envelopes and a vca to turn the Foogers into a totally independent semi-modular Moog synth.

Just doing some pulse width modulation with the CP/107 sounds really good when run through some delay...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAGEZi4D3kY

Goad you got that figured out...
Eric
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slabwax
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Re: Freqbox as oscillator expander for Minibrute

Post by slabwax » Sun Feb 17, 2013 1:15 am

Eric, Thats a great patch. Nice work Sir.

calyx93
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Re: Freqbox as oscillator expander for Minibrute

Post by calyx93 » Sun Feb 17, 2013 8:19 pm

Another fun trick for the FB, CP251 and MB - key-scaled audio rate filter fm! MB kybd/pitch out to CP251 mixer in (as with the extra oscillator patch), CP251 positive mixer output (master at 10) to FB frequency input. FB oscillator out to CP251 attenuator in and back out to the filter CV input on the MB. Adjust the attenuator level, the offset in the CP251 mixer and FB VCO frequency for a wide range of snarling, metallic and vowel-like effects!
“I have stretched ropes from steeple to steeple; garlands from window to window; golden chains from star to star, and I dance.” - Rimbaud

EricK
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Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 2:09 pm

Re: Freqbox as oscillator expander for Minibrute

Post by EricK » Wed Feb 20, 2013 12:47 pm

You might as well start planning your modular system.
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Vitja
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Re: Freqbox as oscillator expander for Minibrute

Post by Vitja » Sun Apr 21, 2013 12:54 pm

https://vimeo.com/64485508

In this video I'm using RM as second VCO for Minibrute. I also use Carrier out for VCF FM with some noise and S&H (which is triggered by Gate out. Gate is modified by Lag processor since note-of produces trigger that triggers new sample). So CP is a Mixer for VCF and I use multiples to distribute carrier out of RM to various destinations. Also I use RM's LFO to modulate 104z's Delay Time.
Lastly I use home made attenuator/multiple to tune RM Frequency so it track perfectly with Minibrute. Just the higher octave is little out of tune, but I like it that way.

I would love to have FreqBox for more waveforms and Hard Sync option.

I didn't try this setup with MF-101 yet. Anyway I need another CP!!! And Koma Elektronik Work Station!!! ADSR! MIDI Sync LFO, MIDI to analog clock!!! Mmmmmm. Moog should do something similar! With additional VCA! Or maybe 4x VCA!
Gear:Slim Phatty, Arturia Minibrute, Casio MT-600, MF-101,MF-102,MF104Z,MP-201,CP-251,Ibanez John Scofield, PRS custom 24, circuit bent Kawai R-100,Circuit Bent Roland TR-505, Boss Dr55, Akai MPK 25, Ensoniq DP/4, RME Fireface 800, tons of guitar effects.

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