MF-101 Experimental Fun

CTRLSHFT · Post by **CTRLSHFT** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 2:55 pm

so i was screwin' around with my mf-101 and wondered what kind of wacky stuff i could get out of it other than the usual filter goodness.

the plan:

1) crank the resonance to self-oscillation
2) use an aux send on the mf-101's input so that it was feeding back into itself
3) run the cv outputs of the mf-101 into my cv-midi converter, so i could sequence the cv input parameters

basically, i wanted to see if i could turn the mf-101 into a synthesizer, using nothing but its own signal and it's envelope/mixer/cutoff filter. by driving the crap out of the signal (sine wave), the end result is a retarded half-cousin of a saw wave. :D

if you're wondering what that looks like, i took a screen capture of it: http://www.ctrlshft.com/randomimages/retarded%20saw.gif

anyway, here's what came out of the experiment: http://www.ctrlshft.com/audio/mp3/filter%20abuse.mp3

..and here are the midi-cv assignments, if you're curious:

cutoff cv in: gate (weird, i know, but coupled with the fact that it was feeding back on it's own signal, this made some interesting effects for some reason)

mix cv in (0= no filter just drive, 10=all filter): auxillary cv (i found that this controlled the pitch of the oscillation, and at different settings, created a ring modulation effect)

envelope amount cv in: pitch cv (c-1 to about c5 scaled noticable effects, creating s&h filter sounding events, as well as becoming a noise generator, depending on where the cutoff and mix were at).

..i also made up some breaks to make it a little more interesting. :)

-------------------------------------

Part #2

in continuation with the experiment, i made another little sonic spazshow, this time going alot deeper into the automation possibilities for the mf-101 as far as synthesis is concerned.

adding to the original ideas, this time around i tried automating the resonance cv input, as well as cross patching the envelope cv out to the various cv inputs. this coupled with the fact that the unit was not only oscillating but feedingback on it's own signal gave way to some reaaaally slick commodore 64-ish sounds. lots of weird ring modulation and even some full blown pulse modulation.

i couldn't really think of a better way to describe what it sounded like, so without further-i-do:

http://www.ctrlshft.com/audio/mp3/the%2 ... ac-man.mp3

no fx on the mf-101, and again i added some breaks for continuity (although calling this thing continuitous would be an overstatement).

i love this thing. :)

p.s. links are fixed if you were having problems accessing them before!

OysterRock · Post by **OysterRock** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 8:12 pm

Cool, I dig it!

Jiggz · Post by **Jiggz** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 1:07 pm

Taking gear to it's limits is something that is sorely missing today, nice one!

CTRLSHFT · Post by **CTRLSHFT** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 2:25 pm

Jiggz wrote:Taking gear to it's limits is something that is sorely missing today, nice one!

The best part of this too is of course the limits of what the mf-101 could sound like are really only limited to the cv-assignments (provided you wanted to still keep it isolated as an audio source). i tried using some of the cv outs and ins on my Korg MS20 and wow, the possibilities just tripled!

MarkM · Post by **MarkM** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:57 pm

Very nice and very innovative.

peter ripa · Post by **peter ripa** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 8:04 am

blue_lu · Post by **blue_lu** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 2:32 pm

Cool Stuff !!!
what kind of cv to midi converter did you use? Any hints (brands,etc.).
I'm completely new to this kind ofstuff (real synthesizers and hardware). Up to this point only use Ableton live - I guess that i could use live's midi capabilites to sequence the MF101?!
Thanks,

BLue

CTRLSHFT · Post by **CTRLSHFT** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 3:16 am

blue_lu wrote:Cool Stuff !!!
what kind of cv to midi converter did you use? Any hints (brands,etc.).
I'm completely new to this kind ofstuff (real synthesizers and hardware). Up to this point only use Ableton live - I guess that i could use live's midi capabilites to sequence the MF101?!

i use a Kenton Pro Solo, pretty basic, although you can do alot with it. if Ableton can automate continuous controller data, you're good to go. and actually, even if it didn't, just making things up in the piano roll will retroactively affect whatever cv / gate are hooked into.

kb · Post by kb » Wed Sep 07, 2005 1:00 pm

I tried a variation of the above suggestion. What would this be called? Self-self-oscillating? Anyway besides groans and squeals that can come from self oscillating any pedal, the MF101 was percolating. Random blips, bleeps, etc. All of the controls -including drive- had an effect on the performance.

falseface11 · Post by **falseface11** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 6:44 am

yep, now try the same theory with the murf!!!

CTRLSHFT · Post by **CTRLSHFT** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 3:18 am

falseface11 wrote:yep, now try the same theory with the murf!!!

got one for me?

Duke Foog · Post by **Duke Foog** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:46 am

so what do you mean by an aux send on the mf101's input? do you mean plug the output into the input? then how are you hearing anyting? or is it an aux send from something else?

CTRLSHFT · Post by **CTRLSHFT** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 1:07 pm

Duke Foog wrote:so what do you mean by an aux send on the mf101's input? do you mean plug the output into the input? then how are you hearing anyting? or is it an aux send from something else?

sorry for the confusion, i should've been more explicit. The aux send would be coming from a mixer in this case.

audio signal flow:

AUX SEND -> mf-101 input

AUX RETURN (i used an i/o channel for this, so i could screw with aux amounts and eq) -> mf-101 output

CTRLSHFT · Post by **CTRLSHFT** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 1:11 pm

kb wrote:I tried a variation of the above suggestion. What would this be called? Self-self-oscillating? Anyway besides groans and squeals that can come from self oscillating any pedal, the MF101 was percolating. Random blips, bleeps, etc. All of the controls -including drive- had an effect on the performance.

self-self oscillating = feedback

Duke Foog · Post by **Duke Foog** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 3:07 pm

nice, i was listening to that clip for awhile since you first posted it and could never figure out how you were getting the signal back into itself. that's a great idea. i'm gonna have to try that out on the effects loop of my 104.