Analogue Bus » New ideas

New content and plans in the works

ian — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 02:19:52 +0000

After dealing with personal issues over the last few months (you know, that thing called life?), it appears that the clouds have broken. During the next few months we will be taking a more aggressive and structured approach to prototyping a few of our initial products. This means pictures and sound samples – two things that have been most noteably lacking. While this is yet another pretty vague post, we want to make sure everyone knows that things have not been idle in our “labs”. Teasers and details will become available as we feel happy with progress.

This is what is being finished tonight!

bryan — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:35:54 +0000

GOODBYE SLEEP!

CRY!!!!!

– Post From My iPhone

Finished my fraken triwave!

bryan — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:31:58 +0000

Will try to explain this beast later right now we will just settle for a picture of it resting in the modular

– Post From My iPhone

First shot of yet unamed cigar box synth layout

bryan — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:32:57 +0000

This is a silly first glimpse of what the new cigar box synth may end up being laid out like. All the parts are just sitting on the surface currently. There will be a metal tab 8 key keyboard. It will have 8 rotary controls above each key with push buttons. The controls adjust the pitch of each key to anything you want. The push button locks in the step or arpeggio step. The 4×4 RGB 24-bit key pad will be embedded down into the cigar box with only the buttons barely sticking through. The tops of the buttons will be capped with the same wood as the box. This will allow a nice glow effect around each key and not distract too much from the aesthetic I am trying to go for. The 8×8 LED RGB matrix will be embedded down in the cigar case flush with surface. It will have a fine mesh grill (dunno which metal yet) over it so it does not distract too much but is able to confer the information. Next to the LED matrix is 3 more rotary controls. One controls function and the other two are value adjustments course/fine. The button pad will also be used for entering parameters for the synth. Typically a synth that has a engine like the cigar box synth has, has many controls. The last few parts going into case are in the front is a embedded to surface linear softpot. This can be assigned to many modulation sources. On each side will be a pot that is connected to a lever or will have a knob with a gear and then a second reduction gear that turns the pot. Dunno which style yet. On the back will be power, headphone out, main out, MIDI In/Out.

Synth features:

1. 6 voice oscillators with 6 normal waveforms and then an optional wavetable lookup.

2. Oscillators can modulate each other and can do hard synch, FM, etc.

3. 4 envelope generators.

4. Formant filter

5. Two-pole ladder filter.

6. Multi-stage mixer

7. And more + magic!

The first one will use a simple main processor to handle the mundane tasks but we will be moving to the new Illuminato IXM processors. When this move happens they cigar boxes with the new processor will have a small wireless range using XBEE and will be able to work in parallel with other cigar synths to cross modulate, and do other wild things (I hope). Including if one cigar box is on an old firmware it will flash up on the led matrix a new firmware is available and be able to over the air upgrade itself (I think)

Here is a crappy layout shot:

Main circuit bending project: Yamaha PSS 170

bryan — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 07:27:41 +0000

This one is taking a bit of time for some reason. Its not that tough of a bend just cut the 8 data lines between the main CPU and the Yamaha FM synth processor.

Mods added:

MIDI retrofit using a HighlyLiquid UMR kit.
16 body contacts
10 banana jacks and a set of 15 stackable banana patch cables
8 Data bus glitch switches
8 chrome inset red LEDs that line up with the data lines from the CPU to the FM processor. It is nice for debugging (sorta) and a really cool effect.
(Attempting) pitch bend knob
(Attempting) rotary tune selector
(Attempting) loop system with rotary loop start/end rotary knobs and a loop speed pot

We have gotten into circuit bending….oh dear hide the toys and the dog

bryan — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 21:36:22 +0000

Once again a bunch of crappy shots and will go back and explain tonight…..

It has been a while since we have posted!! Sorry!! (WARNING LOTS OF PICTURES)

bryan — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:28:07 +0000

It has been very hectic around AnalogueBus!! Along with our normal jobs and lives we try to squeeze every second into getting this company going. So far it is starting to go well. Several projects are now full steam ahead on the prototypes, contacts have been made in the industry, lots of learning has been done, built lots of cool stuff, and bought some new fun toys!

So the best way to sort of show what is going on really quickly is a bunch of pictures, I will come back and update later in several posts each project and its status.

Here are a bunch of pictures of our current AnalogueBus (office/studio/workspace)

Some components from midibox to test prototypes

A Blacet bar graph module

Pictures of a Wiard MiniWave being made for a test…

Our test area/proving grounds/fun time place

Our new demo case

Yay I see a Stribe1! Oh yeah wait…nothing ever seems to be done about it… My test rig the other night using Novation + Arturia Origin

As far as I know the last of the Persephones…

Someone put a bag on my Lemur and RozzBox

Yay Blacet modules just hanging out of rack….

I need a camera

Yes it is hard to stand there and test the modular.

I love my RozzBox and my Prophet 08

Currently working on the OSC to CV module and wanted another OSC device besides the Lemur so I built two 128 Monomes…

Here are some crappy shots at the first upcoming modules…

bryan — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 06:58:41 +0000

We are currently working on three modules. One of the modules will have two auxiliary modules to go along with it. So, that brings the grand total of modules we are working on to five! It is a lot of work, we are very new, but we know we want these modules and we are going to make them. Now, if anyone else wants them that would be great!! We would love to follow in the footsteps of MakeNoise, Livewire, and The HarvestMan, oh yeah and that Doepfer guy….

Here are some very vauge, stupid, blurry pictures of what is going on (remember this finally just got into motion this weekend so be kind ):

The ideas board – currently sketched: 64 point digital patch matrix with preset memory, add-on to patch matrix which attenuates the patches, add-on to patch matrix which gives you insert points to add to the signal at all 64 points (the insert points can go pre or post patch. I know this module is hard to visualize but think of the Harvestman Evin Matrix Mixer, but made by people on crack.

On the lower board is a very ROUGH sketch of a CV step sequencer that works along the same lines of the genoQs Octopus.

This horrible mess is the first hour or two spent at getting the bulk of the sequencer together. It is not pretty, but when is a “off the cuff, sitting here playing with my Vampire Octopus and get an odd idea moment”….

Another module floating around in our heads is a bit more I dunno how to describe it….

We are working to make OSC devices and software like this:

Talk to this:

That then talks to this:

As the modules flesh out more over the next few weeks I will keep you updated as often as possible!