Motm shipping update from Paul Schreiber

Indiana has shipped about 175 kits so far, with another 40 or so shipping early
next week. The SSM2404s have arrived for the '700 kits. If you have *received*
an order that was missing a '700 (mostly orders below #190) then your '700 will
ship in the middle of next week.

I expect to get '510 rotary switches wired up for the kits a week from tomorrow.

After these 40 kits ship, we (Indiana and I) are going to take a week off to
'rest' (BWAHAHAHA!) and to do inventory. I want to order what is required to
finish out the kit run. The goal is not to be short, but not to have excess
inventory either.


Here are important dates to remember:

Last day to order kits: Dec. 1st
Last day I work: Dec 15th
Day I return: Feb. 1st (I will answer email once a week)
Last day we ship kits: when they are all ready, but on midnight, Dec 2nd, the
kits are coming OFF the order form.

Paul S.


So if you still want a KIT, order NOW! December 1st it's all over, only assembled from then on, and not until feb 1st 2007 either!
K2K Koos

Project Aries

First song by Project Aries available on the MOTM sound sample page.(see links column)
This song will be released on iTunes in the near Future. Available here is a low bitrate version for download free.
The MOTM is used to double up and fatten the bass line. Title of the track is : Victoria's Dance, and yes it's a Dance genre track.
Who said analog synths are retro?

Case design part 3

I've covered this topic before, and I just wanted to update you on my progress in this case.
I've finally finished working out the final dimensions, and have a good basic drawing of the case as I am going to build it.
Before however, I go and buy expensive real wood, I've decided to first construct the case from MDF, to see if there are any bottlenecks and plain mistakes made by me, better safe than sorry.
For those of you who who'd like to know what case it is, look at my previous posts on this topic. It is a case design inspired by the case that Dave Fulton uses for his synth (see DATT Online) . Also see the picture at this post for a more frontal (partial) view of the case. There are two of them side by side in this picture.
In my case (no pun intended), my ammount of modules is starting to grow, so by the time I have the prototype constructed I should be able to fill almost 2/3 of the case, as I've just returned from the SynthTech website, and ordered a MOTM-440 filter, a 910 patch panel, and a set of rack rails. This now makes the total modules on order for me at 4 (the 101, 390, 440, and 910).

Texas Synthesizer massacre?

For those of you living in Austin Texas, or able to travel there, see below:-)

the 2nd annual Austin Analog Synth Meet is here!

Location:
Crystal Mexico Gallery
3208 Grandview St, Austin, TX

When: Sunday, October 15, 3:00pm

Bring an analog synth (or several), some headphones (or a small amp),
and a power strip. If you don't have a synthesizer, come anyway for a
voltage-controlled mind-warping experience.

please repost as much as you like! also, be aware that the space is a
funky old house/gallery and might not have enough tables - so i would
suggest bringing a stand or something suitable as well.

see you there!
seth nemec
bananalogue.com

Sound samples

for all of you who would like to listen to a few sounds that I made , I've quickly put together a little site where you can download these in MP3 format (best with Quicktime or iTunes)
To access this: click here! Alternatively check out the link in the 'Links" column, it's the top one... :-)

currently only one sample available, it's a bassline made with only 1 VCO, and 1 VCF, and a bit of knob tweaking.
It's put through trough a delay and reverb effect in Logic, and added a drum loop for flavour, but that's all.


The site far from perfect, but it does the job, and gives me time to put together a better looking site over time.
Enjoy.

First Patch

Well, not quite, but the picture shows one of my first midi fied patches on my MOTM.
To the left is the 650 midi interface, followed by the MOTM 300, a 800 LFO, 420 filter, another 800 LFO, and the 190 VCA.
With these limited modules I was able to make a few good bass sounds(eventhough it's only a single VCO patch), and played about with the filter and other knobs, to modulate them etc.
Once I get a bit more web 'real estate' I will post audio samples of them, and I also am working on a clear method to actually post the 'patch' , in other words, which cable goes from where to where , and knob settings, so you can actually replicate them.
Until then, this picture will have to do :-)

Ramblings

I've been reading several posts on the Yahoo MOTM community today. One discussion I've read with interest is about cabinet shielding. Now I am not going to repeat everything here, but it did make me think about shielding my own cabinet that I am currently designing. Have you ever heard interference from you mobile phone in your audio signal for example?
I wonder if this would be erradicated if some form of shielding would be used. I'm thinking to use aluminium foil cladding on the inside of the wooden cabinet, and earth these to the mains earth input of the synth. But would that erradicate the interference of a phone.... I guess switching it off is better :-)
Also I read Paul Schreibers ramblings about a redesigned potmeter that Spectrol suddenly started shipping (Part of ROHS compliancy apparently) to him. One of the differences is that the pots are stiffer. I think that could be an advantage in some cases, thinking off fine tuning a MOTM 300 VCO, a stiffer pot gives the perception of better control to me, so I don't think that's an issue that causes me any concern, but it also depends on 'how stiff' the action is. I like a lighter control on my filters as I like to use filter controls while playing the synth, lighter could mean slightly faster action... But it depends on how stiff the control will be. Time will tell I guess......

MOTM update from Paul Schreiber

I have forwarded the initial ship list (~20 people) to Indiana. This is what I
expect will ship by Monday the 11th. It a tedious process to gather up the
orders (some folks sent in over *7* individual orders), charge the cards, type
up the modules, verify everything, etc. There are 5 folks that volunteered to
pre-charge their order back in late July: these will get shipped first.

Please get your debit/credit cards in order *this week* so I can smoothly get
everyone's order into the queue. If you did not get a phone call tonight, then
you are OK :) I'm giving everyone 1 extra week (this week) because in the US
it was a bank/work holiday, and the first of the month (rent). This first
batch will allow me to pay for the outstanding bills coming due in Sept and
the quarterly IRS tax bill (due the 15th, ack). No $$$ for *me*, but I can
wait a few more weeks.
But, next weekend, if I get a 'card declined' back from MC/VISA/Amex, the
order goes to the *rear* of the pile. Which means *November* delivery.

If you get an order and it's missing VCOs, power supplies or '510s, those are
not shipping now because of parts issues. The '510s need more rotary switches,
they are from the UK and due into US customs on the 12th. It will then take ~2
weeks to have them wired up into the assembly and then 1 more week to go to
Indiana and the kitting. The tempcos have arrived for the VCOs, I need to
build up the kits now. But this is after I ship this set of MOTM-650s I've been working on for 2 weeks.
Power supplies I am just low on but can drive
over to Allied and pick them up if it will stop raining (drought-to-flood in 1
day....sigh).

The fun never stops :)
Lastly: if you are in an EU country, you *WILL NOT* receive solder with your
kits. You have to obtain it yourself. If you cannot get leaded solder, then be
SURE you get solder with 2% silver content.

Paul S.

Sale Ends.

September 1st was the last day of the MOTM clearance sale. I hope that the sale was succesful and generated the extra cashflow needed to develop the new products, both analog and digital. (New module developments are currently underway with the audio engine concept) Let's hear it Paul, what's in store for us in the coming months, is the sequencer module still considered for Chrismas release or about that time?