Slim Phatty and Doepfer Dark Time

[analogMan]

Hello Everyone,

I own a Doepfer Dark Time analog sequencer. I know the Slim Phatty has CV but before I buy one I want to be sure it's going to do what I want. Check out this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frzzaaYVPJA

Do you think I can achieve similar results aka Dark Time controlling pitch and filter of a Slim Phatty?

Thanks for any advice and if anyone has any videos (or know of any existing) of a Slim Phatty being controller this way let me know.

[banyek]

check the voltages
the dark time puts out 12V as far as i know, and moogs accept 5V maximum. it means that it's going to overdrive the gates too much, and won't work.
you can either use a cp-251 to reduce the voltage or there's a doepfer module that does that too: http://www.doepfer.de/a1832.htm

[Omaroo]

AnalogMan

No, you're fine. I own a Doepfer Dark Time as well as a Dark Energy and Slim Phatty (3.1.672). They all play together very nicely. I run both Logic 9 and Live 8 (8.2.5) DAWs and everything there is good too. The Dark Time sequences the two synths perfectly using both MIDI and CV links.

Dark Time:

Gate 1 / 2 Out
Gate 1 Out delivers gate signals of steps 1 – 8 (+5V).
Gate 2 Out delivers gate signals of steps 9 – 16 (+5V)

• CV 1 Out / CV 2 Out
CV 1 Out delivers control voltage of steps 1 – 8. (0V to +1V/+2V/+5V)
CV 2 Out delivers control voltage of steps 9 – 16. (0V to +1V/+2V/+5V)

• CV 1 In / CV 2 In
CV 1 Out receives control voltage to control steps 1 – 8. (0V to +5V)
CV 2 Out receives control voltage to control steps 9 – 16. (0V to +5V)

My setup (incl. Dark Energy, Dark Time and Slim Phatty)

[analogMan]

Thank you Omaroo! If you can post an audio example of your Little Phatty going through the Dark Time change pitch AND filter simultaneously via CV. I haven't seen/heard any demos of that anywhere online and it's what I am primarily interested in.

[Omaroo]

No probs.. I'll record one and post it on SoundCloud after my new MOTU Midi Express arrives today and I can put my studio back together again.

[analogMan]

Great! Looking forward to it!

[Omaroo]

OK - I have my studio back together again. Gee I like the MOTU box. Very nice.

So - exactly what sockets would you like to see and hear patched from the Dark Time to the Slim Phatty... I've never really used the CV stuff before, although I always intended to at some stage when the gear was all connected properly, which it is now. Call me a CV newbie!

[analogMan]

Ok! Dark Time CV out 1 controlling Little Phatty Pitch... Dark Time CV out 2 controlling Little Phatty filter! Keep it on a bassy sound... It should sound similar to the video above (albeit more Moogy/Less SEM). Good luck... cant wait to hear it.

[analogMan]

Hi... what happened? Did you run into any CV problems?

[multimanuel]

Hi. Just read up on the thread, and I am planning to buy a Doepfer Dark Time next week. I have a Little Phatty Stage II, and from different youtube clips, it seems like it is supposed to work just fine.

There is however one slight worry in me. In the manual on page 18 it says:

The voltage levels sent out from the CV 1 Out and CV 2 Out sockets depend on the
setting of the step controls, the transpose and the range switches. The most common
use is controlling the pitch of an external synthesizer. The sockets provide a voltage
range between -2V and +10V. Of course these voltages cannot only be used for
controlling the pitch of a synthesizer, but also for controlling other parameters like
e.g. filter cut-off frequency, VCA amplitude, you name it.

http://www.doepfer.de/pdf/Dark_Time_Manual.pdf

Now, as mentioned previously in the thread, it should be just +5V. But this little passage worries me. Anyone has ideas/experiences?

(btw. this is my first post. looks like a cool forum going here )

[analogMan]

Yeah... before I buy a LP I'd like to know for sure it works well with the Dark Time... videos?

[multimanuel]

Ok, got my Dark Time now! It is incredibly fun, for a start! Tweaking it makes me randomly dance and smile all the time.

So far I only got it hooked up to my Little Phatty via midi. The CV/Gate cables are of the smaller size on the Dark Time, so I will need new ones to fit into the LP.

The setup I'm on now is:

Generic midi-keyb -> DT midi/in -> DT midi/out -> LP midi/in -> LP midi/out -> Computer running Rebirth.

This way I can transpose the sequences with midi keyboard, and have the Dark Time sequence the LP while also keeping Rebirth in beat with the midi/clock. Drum and Bass fatness on the MOVE!!!

(Will post updates when I have been to the local music store, and/or recorded some tune)

[Brian G]

Have fun. The more your explore the DT the more you'll find it can do. I've had one since it was released and have used it via CV with the Voyage, LP and a Korg MS10.... fun and creative is the best way to put it,

Something fun to try, use 1-16 mode, set the jump switches on the 1-8 row and on the 9-16 row (CV1 CV 2) three or four steps is best between the switches. then set both to random. Next set on CV to up and turn the jump switches off and mode to up.... Things get realy fun when you use a second synth

[multimanuel]

Ok, I made a sample song. For demo purposes.

Korg M1->midi->Doepfer Darktime->midi->Little Phatty->midi->Rebirth drums. All that through a mixer, then just recorded in one track using my computer.

This means I can control the transposition of the Doepfer via the M1. But... then again, you will have to stick to chord progressions that.. well... fit with the sequence that you have set it to.

http://humaninternet.info/summersequence.mp3

Just going wild on the Doepfer and the Little Phatty is fun, fun, fun!