^ £ 2 . 5 0

ELECTRONICS-MUSIC-HOME RECORDING December, 1983

SUILD: x

A DUAL CUSTOMIZE YOUR DRUM MACHINE TRIGGER DELAY CENTER CHANNEL REVERB AN INTERVIEW WITH JOHN FOXX ISSN: 0163-4534 O berhelm

THE OBERHEIM SYSTEM has Purchase SYSTEM from par­ consistently proven its worth as a ticipating authorized Oberheim compositional and performance dealer between December 1, $ ° ° tool as well as an invaluable pre- 1983 and February 29,1984. 500 production recording aid. But as we all know, the best tools are Provide proof of purchase CASH never cheap. S o .. .from Decem­ (Dated sales receipt with serial ber 1,1983 to February 29, numbers and warranty cards). 1984, Oberheim will help you get OR into a SYSTEM (or help you com­ Complete claim form; plete the one you've started). See your authorized Oberheim Simply purchase the SYSTEM dealer for Rebate claim forms. (OB-8, DSX, DMX) during this 5 0 9 5 ° ° time period and choose either a Proportionate rebate available: check directly from Oberheim for Where one has purchased a por­ $ 5 0 0 .0 0 or the Oberheim Model tion of The System prior to the 700 Professional Stereo Power rebate program, that unit or units Amplifier ($ 8 9 5 .0 0 suggested will not be eligible for rebate. POWER retail). This extremely reliable However, if one completes The amplifier, rated at 35 0 watts per System by purchasing a unit or side into 4 ohms, will assist in units during this program, they AMP making your keyboards sound will receive a proportionate rebate the way you've always envi­ as follows; $ 2 3 5 .0 0 for OB-8, sioned; full, clear, responsive $155.00 for DMX, $110.00 and POWERFUL. A SYSTEM in­ for DSX, $ 5 5 .0 0 for DX. cluding a DX in place of a DMX is eligible for a $ 4 0 0 .0 0 rebate. Offer void where prohibited by law. This rebate can be applied to a Please allow 45 days to process claim. Model 700 Power Amplifier if a certified check or money order for $100.00 is included with your OBERHEIM claim form. Either way you ELECTRONICS, INC. choose, you get the versatility, Some things are better than others.

quality, sound, and performance 2 2 5 0 So. Barrington Ave. of the best professional musical Los Angeles, CA 9 0 0 6 4 instruments available. ------S T A F F ------

PUBLISHER ISSN: 0163-4534 John S. Simonton, Jr.

EDITOR Craig Anderton VOLUME 9, NUMBER 1 EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Vanessa Else DECEMBER, 1983 MANAGING EDITOR Linda Kay Brumfield

TECHNICAL ILLLUSTRATOR Caroline Wood An Interview with John Foxx By: John K. Diliberto ...... 8 CIRCULATION Ramona French Build A Dual Trigger Delay Peggy Walker By: John Mitchell ...... 16 BOOKEEPING Cathi Boggs Center Channel Reverb: The electronic concert Hall PRINT PRODUCTION By: Ralph D. Sherman...... 26 Phuong Nguyen Customize Your Drum Machine: SEMCO Color Press Modifications for Roland TR606 Drumatix POLYPHONY (ISSN 0163-4534) is published By: Perry C o o k ...... 28 bimonthly at 1020 W. Wilshire Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73116, by Polyphony PAIA Programmable Drum Set Modification Publishing Co. Entire contents copyright By: Jeff Wheeler ...... 30 (c) 1982 by Polyphony Publishing Co. All E-Mu Drumulator Tuning Modification rights reserved. No portion of^ this publication may be reproduced in any By: Steve Davies ...... 31 manner without written permission from the publisher. Second Class postage is Polyphonic Keyboard Reviews paid at Oklahoma City, OK 73125. By: Eric Meyer ...... 6 ADVERTISING rate card and deadline schedule is available upon request. White Noise Is Not A Cliche Contact Linda Brumfield at (405) 842-5480. By: Chris Meyer ...... 40 DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS bulk prices are available upon request. Contact Linda Brumfield at (405) 842-5480. SUBSCRIPTION rates: American 1 year $12.00 2 years $22.00 Applied Synthesis: Voicing Techniques Foreign 1 year $14.00 By: Bill Rhodes ...... 20 2 years §26.00 We now accept MasterCharge and Visa payment for subscriptions, back issues, Practical Circuitry: Modifying the PAIA EKx-40 VCO ana PolyMart items. Foreign payments By: Thomas Henry ...... 32 must be by charge card, money order, or certified check in US funds drawn on a US bank. Re-View By: Robert Carlberg ...... 4 BACK ISSUES are available at $2.50 each ppd. Send SASE and request 9 ur 'Back Issue List' for a complete index of issues and their features, or see the back issue ad in this issue. CHANGE OF ADDRESS notifications must include your former address and zip Ad Index...... 34 code, and any numbers from the mailing label, as well as your new address. When you move, be sure to notify your Current Events ...... 35 post office that you DO want second class and controlled circulation publications forwarded. This will save Editor's Notes ...... 5 lost or returned issues. Polyphony is not responsible for replacement of lost Equipment Exchange ...... 42 or returned issues when we have not been supplied with change of address information.

TO POSTMASTER, send address changes to: POLYPHONY PO Box 20305 Oklahoma City, OK 73156 COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY: Linda Kay Brumfield Ph. (405) 842-5480

PoJyphor^ December 1983 3 Robert Carlberg’s WIND PLAYERS

VOCALISTS. |jp| 11||1 You can use your own instrument or voice to control any standard synthesizer, re -v ie w with more expressiveness than ______I a keyboard. : J m In order to summarize and cele­ sant enough not to disturb the brate the past year, I hereby descent into nappytime. H ' *»' t» establish the FIRST ANNUAL POLY­ BEST ALBUM TITLE: Brute Reason by PHONY AWARDS. Not all of these Bernard Szajner (Oct). Runner-up: releases were recorded in 1983, m m Music to Wash Dishes By by Tom

THE GENTLE ELECTRICv\ but all have been reviewed this Cameron (Aug). year, as indicated in parenthesis. PITCH AND ENVELOPE5 BEST SONG TITLE: "TMIU-ATGA" by FOLLOWER ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Peter Gabriel Brand X from I_s There Anything m f — Security (February). Beauti­ About? (Feb). It stands for rite for our free detailed fully recorded, fully developed, "They're Making It Up As They Go accessible yet challenging. This Along". brochure, patch diagrams, album's got it all -- even a hit and application notes. BEST ALBUM COVER: Inquietude by single, which wasn't even one of the Electronic art Ensemble ft*\ \jHSr I the strongest tracks. The produc­ (April). Sorry I can't show it to Also available 0s modules for Aries and tion work and synthesis are simply you. Se'ge synthesizers, or as circuit boards gorgeous. for custom systems. Dealers inquiries BEST ENGINEERING: Thomas Dolby — w e lco m e . SONG OF THE YEAR: Peter Gabriel — "Lay Your Hands On Me" (from The Golden Age of Wireless (Aug). Security). The best of the best. Engineered by Wally Brill, Chris gentle electric Interesting construction, great Birkett, Tim Hunt, Chris Stone, Dept P P .0 Box 132, Delta, CO 81416 synthesis, thought-provoking lyr­ Mike Hedges, Graham Carmichael, (303j 874-7171 ics . and Martin Levan. No wonder There's so much variety. ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Kit Watkins (album Frames of Mind reviewed DEBUT OF THE YEAR: Ricky Star- EXPERIMENT WITH June). This year's award goes not buster — Starburst (cassette, to Mr. Gabriel (who had plenty of Aug). Good programming, good per­ help on his album), but to this EKx Series formance, and good composing -- Virginia native who plays key­ with high hopes for the future. EXPONENTIAL boards, flute, pan pipes, autoharp and digital drum unit on his al­ COMEBACK OF THE YEAR: Peter Bau­ MODULE CARDS bum. He did the cover and pro­ mann — Strangers In The Night duced and engineered too. All of EKx 10 ADSR (Oct). After last year's Repeat these are done extremely well. envelope generator with exponential control Repeat, it's good to see Baumann of Attack, Decay and Release times over a guaranteed .002 to 20 second range. No control BEST POPULAR SYNTHESIZER ALBUM: back on Quality Street. Runner voltage feed-throuqh.. $24.95 plus $2 postage Bill Nelson: The Love That Whirls up: Mychael Danna -- A Gradual EKx 20 VCF (Diary of a Thinking Heart) Awakening (cassette, Oct). He with exponential control of pole frequency (April). A warm electrobeat al­ wasn't ever really "gone", but over a 10 octave range. Jumper programmable bum, something I never thought I'd it's good to see him doing ori­ for 24 dB/Oct. LP, HP, BP or All Pass response. see. Runner-up: The View — In a Voltage controlled resonance. Low noise, 86 dB ginal stuff now. below max. output. $26 .95 1S2.001 Strange Land (e.p., April). Three tasteful, catchy tunes which just MISTAKE OF THE YEAR: Blade Runner EKx 30 DUAL VCA happen to be by an independent. Soundtrack by the New American low noise, low distortion, wide bandwidth, low Orchestra (Feb). If they couldn't control voltage feedthrough. Both exponential Lost out to Nelson only because and linear control voltage Inputs simultaneously the Prophet 10 isn't featured more release Vangelis' original synthe­ available..... $ 2 4 .9 5 1 $2.00] prominently. sizer score, whose bright idea was it to release an "orchestral adap­ EKx 40 FULL FEATURE VCO BEST JAZZ SYNTHESIZER ALBUM: No tation"? What could have been the Full feature VCO with ramp, triangle and winner. If there was one, I voltage controlled pulse. Exponential control motivation? of frequency.over accurate and stable missed it. 100,000:1 range. Linear FM Input and hard and soft sync..... $29.95 l$2,OOI BEST AVANT-GARDE ELECTRONIC ALBUM: IRONY OF THE YEAR: 50's-style Heliograms (September). Manages rock-a-billy is now being played Each kit features the Curtis Electromusic to be both majestic and beautiful on all the New Wave stations. I.C, 's to implement a full function while being totally abstract. Circular circulation, it circles Voltage Controlled Card. All connections are brought to the card edge in a configuration Nice packaging too. continuously. compatible with Molex or 22 pin .156 center edge connectors. BEST CONCEPT: Robert Rich — It's been a good year. Have a Sunyata (cassette, June). This is happy new one. RBiA Electronics, Inc. Music for Sleeping — ambience for 1020 W, W ilshire , Oklahoma City, OK 73116 - (405)843-9626 unconsciousness -- and it's plea­ 4 Fo^ptiony ■December 1983 Editor’s Notes

Mods are a great way to increase the usefulness several dollars for a service manual; that's fair. of a piece of equipment without having to spend gobs What's not fair is depriving musicians of the one of money. Case in point: The E-mu Drumulator mod tool they really need — documentation — to cus­ in this issue, which, by adding one switch and tomize equipment to their particular application. breaking one trace, gives a completely different set of drum sounds. (The effect is not unlike running If any manufacturers would care to give a re­ the original drums through a pitch transposer set buttal as to why they are so reluctant to let sche­ for one octave up transposition.) Or how about the matics out into the world, please write in. Of Roland Drumatix mod, which lets you add individual course, we all understand that manufacturers are not outputs for the various drums as well as sync pulses set up to help out those people who get in over for arpeggiating a synth (or triggering other syn­ their heads; but still, if someone is willing to chro-sonic events). And for all you PAIA fans, void a warranty and risk blowing up a substantial there's info on how to upgrade the snare and bass investment, that person deserves at least a little drum voices for the Programmable Drum set, as well assistance. I don't think that providing a sche­ as everything you need to know to turn the EKx-40 matic to someone who has already bought and paid for VCO experimenter's kit into a quality synthesizer a piece of equipment is asking too much. module or expansion VCO. (By the way, with respect to the Drumulator mod I would like to thank the ***** people at E-mu for keeping us up to date on the latest Drumulator news and mods. All manufacturers Speaking of assistance, you'll notice a new are urged to use Polyphony as a bulletin board for name on the masthead, that of.assistant editor getting out news of this nature). Vanessa Else. Vanessa comes to us from the Univer­ sity of Illinois with a background in music, elec­ I've done quite a few mods myself, the most tronic circuit design, and writing — just the kind recent of which were done to a Roland GR-300 guitar of combination you need for a magazine like this. synthesizer (these mods are described in the January She is making her Polyphony writing debut next is­ 1984 issue of Guitar Player magazine). As always, sue in an article on building a Just Intonation it was an intimidating experience to drill holes in Generator. This device simultaneously generates all the case of an expensive piece of equipment; how­ 12 tones of a just intoned scale (see David Doty's ever, I was one of the lucky ones — I had a schema­ article in the August 1983 issue of Polyphony); the tic. Many experimenters have to work on mods with­ just intoned scale is inherently more "in tune" than out schematics, which is kind of like driving in a the conventional even-tempered scale. Based sub­ foreign country without a road map. stantially on ideas and circuits from my lab note­ book as well as some theoretical work by David Doty, Although some manufacturers are very helpful to this board is suitable for use as a stand-alone experimenters and provide schematics at a nominal just-intoned top octave generator; or, you can run a fee, the majority of companies seem quite secretive header from the just intonation board into a conven­ about their circuitry. I have never been able to tional 50240 top octave generator socket, thus re­ figure out why this secrecy is justified. If the trofitting 50240- based instruments (such as Or- companies are concerned about the competition find­ gantua, Stringz & Thingz, and Oz) to just intoned ing out about proprietary designs, I have news for operation. We think this is a pretty interesting them — most new equipment has been disassembled by article for anyone who wants to delve into alternate any interested competitors within days, if not tuning systems — watch for it. hours, of the time the first unit hits the streets. And if you're concerned about hobbyists building circuits from schematics, forget it. In most cases, it's cheaper to buy new equipment than to try and copy it (manufacturers have the buying power to get parts for far less than individuals can).

So how about it, manufacturers. If you make your schematics available to owners, you will be encouraging those owners to take full advantage of their equipment. This doesn't just benefit the owners, but the manufacturers as well — more than Craig Anderton one of my mods has ended up being adopted by a manufacturer on later production runs. Go ahead and charge a couple of bucks for the schematic, or

PofcplKjity ■December 1983 5 Polyphonic Keyb

Roland Juno 6 & Juno 60 ROLAND JUNO-6 and JUNO-60 Meyei

The Roland Juno-6 was the The Juno has both a high and bender is center-sprung (sometimes first of the under-$2000 poly­ low pass filter, which when com­ it would be nice if this could be phonic synthesizers. It has a bined give a bandpass response. defeated) and can bend the pitch five octave keyboard with a good, The filter can be made to oscil­ up or down, and/or open and close fast action; and while the actual late, thus providing another tone the VCF. I found it easier to use tone generating apparatus is rath­ source. There is only one enve­ than the standard pitch wheel er sparse (thus contributing lope generator (ADSR), shared by configuration. towards the low price), clever the VCF and VCA. The envelope The arpeggiator will play up design on the part of Roland's contour of the VCF may be inverted or up/down, and will arpeggiate engineers has compensated for much and can also be used to modulate over one, two or three octaves. A of what is missing. the pulse width in the DCO. hold button will memorize notes, The secret to the Juno's good A low frequency triangle wave chords or an arpeggiator pattern, sound is the Digital Controlled oscillator provides the only other and a transpose button allows you Oscillator (DCO), which produces source of modulation. The range, to use key of C fingerings in any three simultaneous outputs: however, is wide enough (0.3 Hz to key. Jacks are provided for a VCF variable pulse, sawtooth, and sub­ 20 Hz) to produce useful effects. pedal, hold footswitch, arpeggia­ pulse (a square wave one octave Modulation can be routed to the tor sync, headphones and stereo lower than the note actually being DCO frequency, pulse width, or VCF output. played). These three waveforms cutoff frequency; there are sepa­ The Juno-60 is basically a can be combined in any combina­ rate amount knobs for each. There Juno-6 with a built-in computer. tion; but there is no mixer and is also a delay slider, which It can store 56 patch programs and only the sub-pulse, along with an causes the modulation to fade in communicate with other Junos or additional white noise source, over an adjustable period of time computers. have amount controls. after a note has been played. While the Juno-6 (or 60) is While each of the six voices However, a note must be released not as versatile as the more cost­ has only one oscillator, the sub­ before playing the next for the ly performance-oriented synthesi­ pulse helps fill out the sound, as delay to be retriggered, as there zers, it is a well made, quality does a built-in chorus effect is only one LFO for all six instrument. It is especially (with two intensities). However, voices; otherwise, the modulation suited to those needing an inex­ the chorus produces faint white will continue as normal, with no pensive addition to a keyboard noise sweeps which are audible fade-in. The LFO can be triggered stack, or for people who want to when the keyboard is not being automatically, or by a touch pad learn about synthesizer basics. played, so judicious use is ad­ to the left of the keyboard. The panel layout is clear, and vised. Also, because there is Also left of the keyboard is patches can be created quickly and only one sawtooth wave, "brassy" an octave transpose for switching easily (making it useful in a sounds seem rather thin. All the entire keyboard up or down an studio environment). The sound is waves are, of course, in phase; octave. Most patches do not hold definitely of professional quali­ there is no detune. up well in the lowest octave. The ty. Several other manufacturers

6 POfcplKJity ■December 1983 oard Reviews

Moog Music Memorymoog

have produced synthesizers in the Unfortunately, there is only one tracking can vary the envelope same price range, but I have yet knob for both the VCF and VCOs. settings and LFO rate. Keyboard to play one which significantly VCO 3 may be operated as or audio range. The VCF envelope surpasses the Juno-6. another LFO for making click is also available for voice modu­ tracks, or used in the voice modu­ lation. The Juno-6 lists for $1295, lation section in either its low The extensive modulation ca­

the Juno-60 for $1750. You may situation. Also, the arpeggiator pabilities not only provide the obtain more information on these patterns cannot be saved in the standard chorus, echo, vibrato,

and other Roland keyboards by memory. and trill effects; you can obtain sending $2 to RolandCorp, 2401 The programmer monitors all especially unusual effects by Saybrook Ave., Los Angeles, CA functions, and tells the keyboard­ switching VCO 3 to low, turning on 90040. ist (among other things) the patch all three waves, then modulating number in use, the keyboard or it with the LFO. Overall, the arpeggiator mode, and, if one modulation section allows for much edits a program by turning a knob, musical creativity. MOOG MUSIC MEMORYMOOG what the old setting was and what The Memorymoog's monophonic the new one is. The MemoryMoog mode is as impressive as the poly­ Moog Music has based their stores up to one hundred patches, phonic mode. The player can latest synthesizer on the famous along with ten program sequences choose between low, high or last- minimoog. The programmable six- of up to twenty programs that can note keyboard priority, one to six voice Memorymoog has three oscil­ be stepped through with a foot­ voice cards (which lets you stack lators per voice, each with simul­ switch or buttons on the panel. up to 18 — yes, 18 — oscillators taneous variable pulse, sawtooth, The latter storage method makes on one note), and two trigger and triangle wave outputs. VCO 2 changing sounds easier, as the modes.

can be synced to VCO 1, and VCOs 2 program numbers needn't be The arpeggiator will play and 3 can be detuned + one octave. memorized — just their location from very slow to very fast, and There's also a useful pink noise in the sequence. boasts several modes: up, up/- source, and the low-pass filter The 5 octave keyboard, though down, down, auto trigger (which will oscillate, thus providing a not velocity-sensing, has a re­ repeats a note or notes over and third audio source. Both the VCF motely piano-like feel. Left hand over) and first-to-last-to-first and VCA have individual ADSR enve­ controls include an octave trans­ note played, all with latchable lope generators. pose switch, modulation wheel, and keyboard. Essentially, the arpeg­ A master wide-range (0.1Hz to pitch bend. While the bender is giator is more like a mini-sequen­ 100Hz) low frequency oscillator not center-sprung, it will lock cer, but it is hard to enter notes has four waveforms and a sample- into that position (albeit a lit­ into the first-to-last mode — an and-hold (S & H). It can modulate tle tightly for my tastes). extra note or two will turn up the individual VCO frequencies or There are several trigger from time to time -- making it pulse widths, or the VCF cutoff modes to suit different playing unreliable in a live performance via a modulation amount knob. styles and effects. Keyboard continued on page 19.....

P o ly p h o n y ■December 1983 7 An Interview

Now Foxx is readying his third LP after several engaging With singles, including the psychedelic Endless ly — complete with back­ wards tapes and sitars. Unlike his punk/new wave contemporaries, Foxx's musical roots are in late- sixties psychedelia and later, the J o h n F o x x Glam movement (Roxy Music, Ziggy- period Bowie). So his viewpoint and lyrics are more mature, than, say, Heaven 17 or Duran Duran. While new wave and synthi-pop is enjoying its Frankie Avalon & Fabian phase of disposable hedon- ism/sentiment and the tyranny of the beat (dance uber alles), Foxx is exploring the inter-relation­ ships of the human psyche and Ultravox! (island ILPS-9449) shuf­ technology. By: Jo hnK . fled punk imagery and power chord- The current image of John

ing with classical violin, and Foxx is more in line with the real subtle electronic manipulations John Foxx. In Ultravox he sneered courtesy of producer Brian Eno. and looked menacing, but now he's

Diliberto Synthesizers and rhythm machines friendly, highly refined and elo­ entered on Ha-Ha-Ha (Island ILPS- quent. He's careful in his 9505) and dominated the haunting speech, with its lilting northern "Hiroshima Mon Amour." Veteran England accent (he was born in

German electronic producer Conny Liverpool) and often says things Plank (Kraftwerk, Neu, Cluster, When Karlheinz Stockhausen two or three different ways to DAF) was brought in for Systems of and Otto Luening started synthe­ make sure he covers all the an­ sizing sound out of sine waves and Romance (Antilles AN 7079), a slow gles. Of the dozens of artists cutting up magnetic tape into dive into Foxx's subconscious. I've interviewed in the last year, unworldly configurations in the Songs of alienations and short- he presented some of the most 1950s, their critics probably circuited communications like thoughtful insights into how elec­ never suspected thkt the work and "Dislocation" and "Someone Else's tronics has changed music and our techniques of these electronic Clothes" were enveloped in elec­ own relationship to the creation music pioneers would ever pene­ tronic textures and synthetic of art. trate the public consciousness. screams. But now, some thirty years later, Systems was also Foxx's swan John Diliberto: How was Ultravox electronic sounds are scurrying up song with Ultravox. The band then formed? and down the popular record recruited popster Midge Ure and John Foxx: It was the 70s, and I charts; in the last three years recorded the icily lush and suc­ wasn't really interested in rock hordes of synthi-pop artists (Hu­ cessful Vienna (Chrysalis CHR music. At that time it was mainly man League, Flock of Seagulls, 1296) with prominent use of syn­ heavy metal in England or very Berlin, Afrika Bambaata, and so thesizers. Foxx, instead of form­ sinisterly bright pop music, or on) have come to dominate contem­ ing another band, just got a cou­ over-professional pop music like porary music. ple of synthesizers and rhythm Queen and Genesis and Yes. I must Curiously enough, synthi-pop boxes and recorded the starkly say I don't hate that at all, but evolved not from the spacescapes skeletal Metamatic (Virgin V 2146) it had become uninteresting to me. of Tangerine Dream, nor from 60's on an eight track machine. With Also, the bands in England were groups like Silver Apples, Fifty Kraftwerk as the obvious musical imitating American bands — even Foot Hose, or Lothar and the Hand blueprint, Foxx unveiled the elu­ singing with American accents, People. Instead, electro-pop sive patterns of memory ("Under­ which I thought was ludicrous. I segued nicely out of the anti­ pass") and technological ennui mean, I'm not really chauvinistic technology sentiments of early ("He's A Liquid"). about being English, but I don't punk, and one of the first groups His follow-up, The Garden want to adopt someone else's ac­ to make the transition was (Virgin V2194) saw the return of cent when I go on stage. Ultravox. conventional instruments, but was So I decided to design a band Put together by singer/com- still dominated by electronic tex­ that incorporated Englishness but poser John Foxx in the mid-seven­ tures, treatments and rhythms. looked over to Europe, rather than ties, Ultravox has always repre­ While the sound of Metamatic was America, for influences and ideas. sented styles in transition, rath­ cold, angular and urban, The Gar­ Also, I wanted to pursue a tradi­ er than epitomizing any one stance den was bright, mystical and ver­ tion of electronic music that or aesthetic. Their first LP, dant by comparison. started with the Beatles that had

8 Polypiiony ■December 1983 never been exploited after they JD: But even when that first FOXX: Unfortunately, yes. But I broke up. I think "Strawberry Ultravox album came out, it was didn't mind because as far as I Fields Forever" was one of the associated with the punk explosion was concerned that was pretty much first electronic records ever that which you had clearly preceded by a compliment. I thought — still was popular in England. And it a few years. think — that they were the only was electronic; there were acous­ FOXX: We always seemed to be out original force to come out of tic instruments on it, but every­ of phase with what was happening. England for years. Even Bowie, thing was heavily treated and I wanted to make angry music as for whom I have a lot of respect, reorganized via tape. I remember well at first. And some of the was still embedded in rock 'n roll that record as being one of the first songs were, though they were at that point. Roxy Music was most exciting things, in fact one mixed in with songs like "I Want not. They had all kinds of dif­ of the first things, that affected to Be a Machine". In fact, that ferent influences and all kinds of me musically. song was kind of the basic idea of different music, film themes and the band, because I did want to be so on, that I thought were wonder­ a machine. I was volunteering to ful and incredibly imaginative. I be a machine, because it acknow­ wasn't that keen on the glam as­ “ HV con hi n't n fiord to be ledged that music really did come pect that much, but overall, it (electronic /." out of a machine. The only rela­ was way ahead of its time. tionship that I would have with a JD: That's funny, because I was listener was via a machine, be­ in a record store the other day cause I was never going to meet Then a few things happened and when they put on an old Roxy with them or talk to them. That album, it sounded very contempo­ like Roxy Music that I thought song was a celebration of that rary. were very exciting. And Kraftwerk fact, rather than hiding or deny­ FOXX: It could be a hit record if were the first people who had ing it like most of the music did, it was released now, and be very isolated all the elements of pop pretending to be down-home and current indeed. Everyone I know music and synthesized them; they personal. So I wanted to say who's interested in this phase of were using no acoustic instru­ "this is great" that I can have a music refers back to those early ments, or very few. There was voice of mine coming out of a Roxy albums constantly. Ferry and also The Velvet Underground who piece of black vinyl simultaneous­ Eno, all of them in fact, were were using feedback and accidental ly, hopefully, in a few thousand very diverse and two of the main by-products of guitar/amplifier relationships, and that interested forefathers of what's happening me as well -- howling feedback, now. I can't say how much respect "I did ironI to be a machine, f I have for them. you know, is very exciting. I teas rolnnteeriny to be a JD: It seems that each Ultravox like that kind of intelligent machine, because it aehnoir- album became increasingly more crudeness and I wanted to incor­ ledyeil that music really did electronic and finally culminated porate all that into a band. in your first solo album, Metama- I put ads in the Melody Maker come oat of a machine. “ tic, which was all-electronic.

(an English pop-music weekly) and The electronics seemed to actually interviewed about 250 people and change the shape of the music. or million homes all over the chose the band. I didn't ask them FOXX: That was the thing that to play or anything because that world or planet. It's nothing to fascinated me most about synthesi­ do with vanity; it's just a fact wasn't important, that wasn't part zers. Whenever you get a new that this kind of thing happens, of the theory. It was based on instrument it changes the shape of amateurism. I didn't want very and I wanted to enjoy it, and I the music completely. You write slick or professional players. In wanted people who listened to it your music, and you write to ac­ fact, if anyone acted profession­ to enjoy it too. commodate the qualities of the al, that was it, that was the end. JD: Did you always play an in­ machines. Like drum machines: JD: This was in 1972 and 1973. strument? Because in the early you can play parts that a drummer The band wasn't very electronic days you're never credited with playing anything. would need three arms to play, or then, was it? play in very strict time; the FOXX: No. We couldn't afford to FOXX: Yes! I wrote all the basic machine relieves you of those be; we didn't even have a keyboard formats for the songs on the first tasks so that you can go on to albums, mainly on guitars because then. We later got Billy (Currie) other things. because I wanted to get a violin I didn't have access to keyboards. Every machine alters people's or something like that, and Billy Then I'd take the songs to the perceptions, like a string ma­ was a friend of a friend who band so they could do the specific chine. When string machines first played violin, and he could play lines. I'd often just whistle the keyboards. He was interested in lead line to people and they'd play that. using the violin in different "Kerry machine alters ways. He'd get feedback and make JD: The first album didn't have all kinds of amplifier noises. that much electronics, but the profile's perceptions." JD: So it was nearly five years production was very electronic. between getting the band together FOXX: Yeah, with Eno! I really and getting the first album out. wanted to work with Eno because of came out, people made them imitate FOXX: Yeah! It took a long time. what he'd done in the past. I orchestras, made them try to sound What we were doing wasn't really thought his work was magnificent. like strings. It's a bit silly fashionable; it was almost anti­ JD: You were compared frequently because they're not strings. I fashion, the opposite of what was to Roxy Music (Eno's ex-band) in always had this analogy with plas­ popular. the early days. tic. When plastic was first in- POtyphoity ■December 1983 9 a great synth player. You could organize the sound through sequen­ "That iras the oriyinalproblem cers or whatever, but finally, you " That’s trhy people lihe musie: irith synthesizers: they were would rely on your human ingenui­ It’s a hind of eode trhieh hy used to imitate other instru­ ty. That's the lovely thing about some miraele. human heinys ments. and thus last any the synthesizer; it doesn't make e a n r e e e ir e . ” inherent iliynity that they you into some kind of inhuman person, it actually does the re­ miyhi hare hatI. “ verse. It frees you from what I feel are petty problems in dealing with, and getting sounds from, ganize it into a pattern and put vented people tried to make it other instruments. Like with a it out again. That's why people look like wood, and that made it violin, you must practice for a like music: It's a kind of code very kitsch and cheap and people long time to become just adequate. which by some miracle, human beings can receive. It's a won­ had no respect for plastic. But That means that most of your youth derful means of transmission. recently we've come to see that will have disappeared. And the It's non-specific. It's not a it's a beautiful material that can discipline is so intense that much language and it's not precise in a be made to do things that other of your originality and ingenuity materials can't do. So, it has will disappear as well, except in linguistic sense, but it is pre­ cise in an emotional sense. Music inherent qualities that are unique a very few cases. But with the is much more accurate in that way to that specific material. That synthesizer you can employ in­ than any of the other arts. was the original problem with genuity without having it worn out synthesizers: they were used to of you or disciplined out of you. JD: Your next album, The Garden, imitate other instruments, and I also have that problem with is very different. Where Metama­ thus lost any inherent dignity classical musicians. They're won­ tic was stark, The Garden is lush that they might have had. derful players and capable of and also has conventional instru­ I was interested in trying to doing anything, so they do noth­ mentation. Why the move back to find the unique qualities of the ing. They aren't excited about conventional instruments? synthesizer, and the only band generating sound, because they FOXX: Well, first of all I don't think it was a move back. For me that seemed to be doing that was spend so many years generating it was an advance. After I'd come Kraftwerk. They had this kind of sound that it no longer excites to grips with synthesizers, I design intelligence where they them. Whereas for someone like me realized that they're only one could see what these machines were who's very naive, I only had to more instrument in the bank of capable of doing. touch a keyboard and I was wildly things that we have to work with, JD: But why, on Metamatic, did excited. And I wanted to organize and I wanted to acknowledge that. you go all-electronic? it into a pattern that would ex­

FOXX: I wanted to see how much, cite me even more. It's that I wanted to sit the synthesizers and in what direction, it would enthusiasm and excitement that's comfortably among all the other change the music. I mean, I real­ the fundamental thing about making things that I like and see how ly let the machines do the album music. Once you lose that it that affected the music. Also, I for me. I designed the album very doesn't matter how good your dex­ was feeling a bit more lush (laughs). I was trying to open strictly within the limits of my terity is; if you don't have the myself up a bit more to different machines. It was recorded on an 8 initial excitement, you won't do track recorder so all the tracks anything. music. In order to make Metama­ tic, I had to set myself very (songs) had to function with just JD: It seems that the electronics strict limitations and ignore cer­ eight components. The human voice have also influenced the content would be the only air-carried of your songs. tain aspects of music in order to bring in a purer sensibility and sound. It was a design concept FOXX: Yeah, but that was a mis­ discover what synthesizers could really. take though, I think. It was do. Now, after clearing the air, JD: Do you find that you relate almost kitsch, what I did with I wanted to look at old instru­ to a synthesizer differently from that album. But I felt like that. ments in the light of that album. an acoustic instrument? It was a very kind of alienated I discovered a lot of ex­ FOXX: Well, the common link for thing that I was feeling at the both of them is that you need a citing things about instruments, time. So it reflected how I was, and even acoustic spaces, making certain amount of mental agility it was a very selfish sort of to play either one. If you were music. When I did the track "Pa­ thing. ter Noster" on The Garden, I got a missing a few fingers on your left JD: Do you really think it was couple of machines that you could hand, you would never be a great selfish? Don't you think that sing into in order to make a huge guitarist (well, Django Reinhardt music is a reflection of where the did okay — Ed.), but you could be musician is at a particular mo­ ment? FOXX: Oh, we're getting philo­ "All the other eomposers laid

sophical now (laughs). Yes to cathedrals and linye ehoirs and **That's the larely thiny a hunt both questions. But I think what lots of aeoustie instruments the synthesiser: it tioesn V in a lie a good musician does, or any kind irith yooil players to play them. you into some hintl of inhuman or "artist", is act as a kind of Hut in this poverty striehen aye person, it aoinally does the receiver for what's going on around you. You're a kind of r e v e r s e ." u e 're yot a feir maehines and filter or medium and you receive iliyitally ereaied spares. “ information, probably unconscious­ ly most of the time, and you or- 10 FobptKwy ■December 1983 bank of voices. I always thought very synthetic way, or what's can be frightening, but it's one it was very surreal to have a lot known as a synthetic way. of the things that I find fascina­ of mechanical voices, but very JD: Are things a lot quieter for ting. beautiful ones. I was brought up you now than when you were with JD: Was the song "Systems of as a Roman Catholic as a kid so Ultravox? Romance" (from The Garden) written that kind of choral music was, in FOXX: Oh yeah! It was a mad time back with Ultravox? fact, more my roots than rock 'n then. The atmosphere, the city, FOXX: Yes, that was the title roll. I had also just gotten a the whole life that I was living song for that album, in fact, but Lexicon digital reverb, which was just crazy. I never really it wasn't finished. It needed a creates a computer-analyzed acous­ wanted to join in on that life. theme. But I used the title for tic space; with the touch of a Very briefly, I thought it would the album because I liked it. It button, it can give you a cathe­ be romantic and it was in a sense. was also a reaction against punk. dral sound, because the sound is But it's also counter-productive I was tired of very violent titles like what it would be if it was and not very human. I'm more and violent names. That's another released into a cathedral. By interested in the subtler aspects reason for the name "Ultravox"; it putting the various machines to­ of human beings rather than the was a reaction against the Sex gether, I had a church choir at my crasser side of people. So being Pistols, The Stranglers, The fingertips. Immediately, in the in a rock band wasn't for me at Damned, which were all good names space of an hour, I did the "Pater all. I think, but I didn't particularly Noster" piece. It just happened. JD: Your earlier lyrics and music want to be slotted into that cate­ It was a lot of memories were often very psychotic and also gory. I wanted something a lot coming out, again, without me had a certain psychedelic overtone wider than that, something that particularly intervening. It or­ to them. would last a lot longer. ganized itself perfectly without FOXX: Yes. I don't really know The idea of "Systems of Ro­ me even thinking about it. I also what psychedelic means, but I've mance" was that I was interested realized that a lot of the timing always been interested in the way in systematic music and systematic that I was doing was determined by people perceive things...also the ways of making music as well as the acoustic space. There were way memory affects the way you more instinctive ways. I was certain things I couldn't do, look at things. In lots of songs interested in a kind of romance certain rhythms I couldn't play I was trying to see people through with technology and the present because the delays would stop me. memories. For instance, if I see day world. It's meant to be a I realized that a lot of church an old lady in the street, I just paradoxical title, with systems music was made that way because of see an old lady and that's it. and romance. There's a tension the huge acoustic space. For in­ But her husband will see layers between those two words which stance, if a priest said "Pater and layers of her extending back­ makes it an interesting couple of Noster Quiestem chelis Sanctum fer wards in time from now to when she words. cheli..." very fast, the audience was a young girl that he was in JD: The Garden is interesting a hundred feet away would just love with in the summer of 1920. because the music is very modern, hear a mish mash of delays and not It's a very beautiful way of look­ but it seems to evoke a lot of be able to hear the words dis­ ing at someone. He doesn't just past images and the booklet rein­ tinctly. So the priests began to see this moment, but endless suc­ forces that feeling. sing "Pater Noster qui'est um cessions of moments. We all do FOXX: What kind of past images? chelis" (sung in beautiful, choir­ this to varying degrees to people JD: Ancient and historical boy style) and make the whole we see, and the more we know them, images. There's all this stained thing flow by using the qualities the more multi-faceted the percep­ glass and shadows going into mys­ of the reverb and echoes. The tion of them becomes. tical photographs. priests accommodated the acoustic FOXX: Good! Because that's what space and made a mode of music out I wanted to do. I thought that of this. People began to compose The Garden was a good analogy with for that space, like Mozart and "ttvinfi in a rovk bn ml wasn't making music. In England, every­ all the great composers. In a for ntv at nil." one's got a back garden to a sense, that whole mode of music greater or lesser degree -- the was largely created by a piece of aristocracy have back gardens that architecture, by a mathematical are 50 miles square and the poorer structure. It was a wonderfully It's that kind of event, when people have a back garden that's exciting discovery for me. I we're not quite in control of the 10 feet square or something. I realized that I was doing exactly moment and we're surprised by love the idea of investing some of the same thing with synthesizers what's happening behind the sub­ your time and personality into and electronics; I was just re­ conscious, that I find fascin­ nature and creating something that acting to what I had to work with. ating. I always try to write from pleases you, where you can spend All the other composers had cathe­ that point of view — it's almost an hour or two of quietness. Of drals and huge choirs and lots of like letting go of the reins. I course, the aristocracy goes out acoustic instruments with good often write lines like, "I'm driv­ there hunting and shooting and players to play them. But in this ing somewhere without steering", fishing, as well. I took a walk poverty stricken age we've got a or "I'm driving fast without the around England to look at these few machines and digitally created will to steer" in some of the car gardens and my favorite ones were acoustic spaces. I'm sure that if songs. It also implies a kind of the ones that were in a state of those people were alive today trust as well. It's a trust that decay. they'd all have synthesizers and some people don't have, in relax­ It gave me a lot of childhood they'd be composing for them in a ing their hold on the moment. It memories because the place I was

Fobpliony ---- December 1983 11 brought up in was fairly new, JD: Do you approach your elec­ Liverpool, and it was on the edge tronics and synthesizers from a 1 *1 1 1 aoirlirrr n rar as s Irani/ or of the sort of horrific Victorian keyboard standpoint? " industrialization. The towns FOXX: Not really, because I never inlrllii/i>nl as (Ihr) •folia Foxx (I would stop and there'd be fifty played keyboard. I just got a r r r a l n l f . ** miles of moorlands and you could piano, though, which I find is a walk out of the town and this wonderful instrument. Everything horror of industrialization. that I learned on synthesizer simple as that. I find that being There was a beautiful abandoned stands me in good stead on piano. on stage and touring just depletes country garden out there with So I come from the reverse direc­ me. I come back feeling like a rhododendrons and vines all tan­ tion. shadow or shell. It takes me gled together and streams running JD: Ultravox, since the split, weeks to recover and remember who through it. When we were kids we has toured heavily but you don't I am and what my real desires either played behind the gas works tour at all. are...it sounds pretentious to say or this place -- a complete con­ FOXX: Well, they enjoy that kind that it's a psychic drain, but it trast. of lifestyle and I don't. It's as is. Some kind of osmosis takes place between the audience and me that leaves me feeling absolutely exhausted. But it's intensely The Digital also contains: pleasurable as well at the time it happens, which I also can't ex­ Electro-Harmonix • DIGITAL CHORUS which can plain. There's no other area of be used at the SAME TIME my life where I get the same kind Digital Delay as the delay and flange. of feeling as being in front of an • REVERSE SW ITCH -N ot only audience. I almost feel as if I'm I The new Electro-Harmonix Digital Delay is the can you lay down up to a 16 irrelevant, again, this mediumis- first offering by the newly reorganized E-H, and if second track, but with the tic kind of thing. It doesn't V they continue in this vein, the company will really ' give the Japanese something to worry about. flick of the reverse switch have much to do with me; I'm just First of all, this is the smallest long delay unit I’ve ever everything you played will the sum of their desires. I think seen— you don’t even need a rack for it. Secondly, because it has such a long delay time, which can be used to store instantly play BACKWARDS that people design their stars. The stars think that they're res­ sounds and play them back, you have, in essence, a without losing a beat. And, “ Fripp-in-the-Box,” if you will— meaning that you can use this ponsible for the people being box to stimulate the tape loop effects that have made Mr. you can then lay forward there, and it's exactly the oppo­ Robert Fripp famous, without two tape machines. Because tracks on top of the you have such a long time beween the time you play and the site. I think the audience de­ backwards track— all while time it comes around again (from eight to sixteen seconds, signs and controls the stars very maximum), you can sound like more than one player at any you’re playing LIVE! given moment. carefully, in a completely uncon­ As a matter of fact, one of the important functions of the • DOUBLE SWITCH-Anything scious way. E-H digital delay line is to overdub yourself live using the freeze function that takes whatever is in the "circuits" at the you lay down can play at half JD: So are you the sum of their time and stores it. Then it plays it back right away. So you can or double speed. And— you needs right now? can lay down a normal speed FOXX: Well, I' m trying very hard track on top of the halved or not to be, but it's difficult. double speed track—while The design of John Foxx was from you’ re playing LIVE!! an audience's point of view, and the audience is me because I watch • You can sing through the him doing what he does and I de­ Digital, laying down multiple signed him out of desires that I harmonies on top of each had, to create someone that I'd other each time the unit like to be. But I'm nowhere near passes through its 16 second as strong or intelligent as John cycle where it instantly starts Foxx. Yet when I made him, he looping at the beginning could do all those things for me. again— all without losing a JD: How important is commercial beat— all while you’re success to you at the moment? playing LIVE!!! FOXX: Well, I honestly don't think about it that much. Things • You can invent a gigantic just seem to happen around me. I dub over that part, and layer it up. The designers have included variety of unusual new sound a click track that you can hear, but which doesn’t get recorded, effects of your own with don't design singles or think that to allow you to synchronize yourself. This unit also interfaces something will be a Top Twenty to the E-H line of deluxe rhythm boxes (and perhaps to some combinations of settings. others) so that you can automatically sync the repeats to the record. I try to do things as I tempo. Try the 16 Second Digital Delay feel. But I think that because I The E-H Digital Delay is also capable of producing a digital at your favorite music store. If am a member of an audience, that flange, which I like a lot. In sum, there is a lot that you can do with this unit, and in traditional E-H fashion it is priced at a they don’t have it in stock, it works. half or a third of any similar unit. The unit is quiet, easy to use they can get one shipped JD: When electronic music first and easy to stow away in a shoulderbag. —Peter Mengaziol within 24 hours. started with Edgar Varese, Subot- March, 1983/Guitar World Mike Matthews nick, Stockhausen, etc., one of Electro-Harmonix their underlying philosophies was that it would liberate sound from 27 West 23rd Street the diatonic scale, the restric­ New York, N.Y. 10010 elecfrorbarm onix (212) 741-1770 tions of history. Do you feel it has done that?

12 Fofyphoity ■December 1983 FOXX: No, I honestly don't. I I use lots of sounds that are It's such an easy way to organize think those are very grand not in tune. I work with classi­ the hierarchy of the sound that phrases,"liberating sound", etc. cal keyboardists occasionally and you have in a song; first, you It's like the parallel in poetry they tend to be horrified at some have this massive bass drum and when people tried to get away from of the things that I do, but it then you base everything else linear language. Most of those sounds right to me. It's not around it. It's such an easy things didn't work. What they because of any lack of perception solution. It's too facile to be actually did was make people aware on my part; I've just never had true. that there was another way of the prejudices, because I've never I was listening to some old working and it's possible and been educated into them. I think Beatle records the other day. The permissable to work in that way. that's a tiny aspect of what peo­ thinking, the intelligence and the For instance, the way William ple like Stockhausen are trying to hierarchy of layers of instruments Burroughs works is pretty much do, to break down the conservative in that was stunning. There was classical English now, dislocated framework and open things up a nothing common to any of those classical English. In doing that little. songs. Now you get an album and he's made it much more subversive But rock music is pretty all the way through there's a bass to people's thinking than some atonal in some sense, isn't it? and drum up front in the mix. very avant-garde experiment that It's not even all music. In fact, It's too easy. But if you look at most people will never receive. sometimes the music's fairly irre­ those Beatle songs, every single I think a lot of similar levant. A lot of it has to do song has a completely redesigned things happened with music. There with stances and imagery and a hierarchy of sound in it. That's are elements that are influential kind of instinctive understanding wonderful thinking. So I want to from a theoretical point of view, of what's required. In order to try, in my little way, to get back but the actual music that they look at music fully you have to to that thinking. I think people produce doesn't affect many people look at the whole spectrum of deserve it because everyone else at all. For instance, Stockhau­ fashion and the way it affects must be sick of thumping bass sen's theories are far more at­ peoples' lives. And the words are drums by now. tractive to me than his music. I important; after a couple of years I want to try to make music love to hear the theory of his people still remember lyrics. I that makes you want to sway and music, but I don't much enjoy think that the difference between move to it in a less direct way listening to the music itself, music and songs is that: A song that is more subtle...something though I will on occasion. But is an expression of how people that makes you want to sing in­ the theories and ideas make me feel. They can sing it and when stead of pummeling you into the review what I'm doing in another you hear a song you like you can ground with a big thump every few light. sing along to it. But you tend to milliseconds. listen to music and feel it. You don't sing along with music. **/ lihe listeniny to rivers That's probably a clumsy way of r a n n in y ... that's a very earn if saying it, but it's true. The tliiny to say. hat it's true." best writers reflect how things are at the time, whether it's **# use lots ofsoanils that are not trivial or silly or whatever. JD: What can we expect from your GUITAR in t u n e ." next record? Are you playing with other musicians? * C H O R D FOXX: Yeah! I've invited Steve JD: Don't you think that that (Coe) from Monsoon and some of his players, a tabla player who is kind of music can present a dif­ Quick. Think of 3 ways to play a D flat 9th really excellent. I was thinking, ferent way of listening and hear­ chord. Give up? The GUITAR CHORD

ing? We've all been brought up to in fact, of getting some tabla COMPUTER shows you all three in less

hear music in half-tones, whereas sounds and putting them into the than 10 seconds. Virtually every guitar in Japan, it's quarter-tones. Now Linn Drum So I can play tabla on player can use one of these. Here’s what maybe the Stockhausen style of the Linn. it will do: CHORDS Major, Minor, Domi­ music is still a different way. I also want to get away from nant, Augmented, and Diminished; FOXX: Certainly! I like lis­ the dominance of the bass drum, SCALES Major, Harmonic Minor, tening to rivers running. I get which I've gotten heartily sick of Melodic Ascending, and Melodic as much pleasure out of that as I over the last few years, having Descending; ALTERNATES/INVER- do listening to a symphony. been one of the people who iso­ SIONS 3 and 4 alternates are shown for most chords (Easiest-to play is displayed That's a very corny thing to say, lated it in pure pop music and used it ruthlessly. I can't stand first); TRANSPOSE Up or down by half­ but it's true. I've never thought steps; th, 7th, 9th CHORDS Displayed the damn thing now, even though I 6 that music had anything to do with at the touch of a button. Play better and quarter-tones or half-tones, be­ spent a lot of time working with easier guitar in minutes. Order yours to­ cause I didn't know what they it in studios to make the bass day! No. CC-2 Guitar Chord Computer were. When I played things, the drum massive and round and hit you $59.95 (plus $2.50 postage & handling) in the chest and synchronize your keyboard that I happened to get heart to it so you'd want to CHARGE TO VISA OR MC TOLL-FREE was divided that way so I used it. dance. A lovely interaction of 1- 8 00 - 654-8657 9AM to 5 PM CST MON FRI If it had been divided into quar­ technology and human beings. It Ask for your free catalog. ter-tones I would have used it Direct mail orders and inquiries to: Dept.i2Y just the same and I wouldn't have still is, but it's so hypy now: even considered those things. Every record goes boom-boom-boom. , Inc. 1020 W. W ilshire , Oklahoma City, OK 73116 (405)843 9626 P o ly p h o n y ecember 1983 13 pulse and he said, "oh, I've got it. They just shuffle themselves this old bass drum part by Phil together. It's quite fascinating Producers hare beenf less Collins." So we put that on and to watch. I'm always surprised by important to me than other we did it. I hope he doesn't come it because it does seem that I m a s ie ia n s . ” back for the royalties. don't have a lot to do with it. I JD: Do you write the lyrics be­ just say "Oh, that's great! Play fore or after the music? it again!" JD: Have producers been very FOXX: It varies. I think the important in your music? songs are really like little mov­ (This John Foxx interview is FOXX: Less important to me than ies...sort of mood pieces. I find taken from the "Metal Beat" seg­ other musicians, but that was a musical or verbal phrase that mainly because I could never find ment of Totally Wired: Artists in typifies the mood and that becomes Electronic Sound, a 26-part radio a producer that was good enough to like the title or theme of the documentary examining the artistic work with. I didn't respect any film. I organize it like that of them apart from (Brian) Eno and with the theme and characters development of electronic music Conny (Plank). Steve Lillywhite being announced, then the themes through interviews and music of (producer of Ha-Ha-Ha) has become rejoin them and that's it. I hope the artists. The series is cur­ a very good producer since we that's not too cliched but that's rently running in most major mar­ worked with him. He was very the way it happens. kets on public radio stations young then, well, we were all very through the fall and winter of young together and we just went '83-'84. Totally Wired was pro­ into the studio and hardly knew duced by John Diliberto and Kim­ what it was for at first. But now The synthesizer) frees yon berly Haas. It was funded by he's very experienced and he's a fn n n u'hat f feel are petty prith- Sequential Circuits, Inc., makers wonderful producer indeed, one of lenis in flea liny with . a m ly e itin y of Prophet synthesizers, Yamaha the best in England. sounds ft'inn. other instru­ Corp., manufacturers of electronic But Eno was the good one m e n ts. ” and acoustic instruments, the because he had a more outrageous Pennsylvania Humanities Council, sense of how to use studios than and the Pennsylvania Council for anyone else I've ever met. He the Arts. For more information wasn't conservative at all in the I collect phrases that people about Totally Wired, or to obtain way he did that. We used a Phil say around me or read in news­ cassettes of the programs, write Collins bass drum on "My Sex" papers or see on film. They kind to: Totally Wired, Box 5426, (from U1travox!). It was on an of attract each other into songs Philadelphia, PA 19143.) old Eno track. I said we need a without me doing that much about

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14 Polyphony December 1983 PLAY DRUMS AND GUITAR-AT THE SAME TIME?

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ELECTRO HARMONIX The Best Sounding Effects In The World!! 27 West 23rd St. • NYC, NY 10010 • (212) 741-1770 BUILD A DUAL TRIGGER DELAY

By: John Mitchell

justable from "practically zero" to discharge, and pulls "reset" When generating electronic to about one second for the given low, causing the Q output to re­ sound, it is sometimes desirable R and C values. A gate voltage at main high. When the input goes to have a second sonic event (fil­ the circuit's input will also low (key up), the inverter output tering, pulse width modulation, appear at the output after the goes high and diode D5 becomes etc.) occur at some point in time pre-determined amount of time set reverse-biased, isolating the in­ after an initial event, which is by R5, and will remain high for as verter from the rest of the cir­ usually, although not necessarily, long as a key is held down. It is cuit. pitch generation. One way to do quite important that the output Making it work. As the trig­ this is to use three transient pulse track the input pulse char­ ger delay requires very few parts, generators. The first would vary acteristics. That way, when used uses little power, and is also the parameters of the initial in conjunction with a keyboard the inexpensive, it is worth building event, while the second would trigger and pulse outputs will a second unit on the same circuit provide the desired time delay. respond exactly as they would when board. Since the 4011 chip has When the output voltage from the a key is normally pressed, but three NAND gates to spare, we need second generator reached a preset delayed in time by a specified only add an extra 4013 flip-flop level,rit would trigger the third amount. —(This circuit is also a (plus some associated components) generator — the one providing the highly recommended addition to the to make our trigger delay twice as control envelope for our second AMS-100 signal processing system versatile. The two unused NAND event. One could also set up a -- Ed.) gates are wired as a single AND transient generator and an enve­ How it works. Conceptually, gate; first, the output of each lope follower/comparator combina­ the circuit couldn't be more sim­ trigger delay circuit connects to tion so that the latter provides ple. The input pulse feeds a an input of one of the spare NAND an output pulse when its threshold monostable that triggers on the gates, then the NAND output feeds voltage is crossed. This pulse pulse's leading edge. The mono­ into the second gate (which is would then trigger a second gen­ stable stays high for a time de­ wired as an inverter). Our two erator, which would provide the termined by R5 and C3. When the NAND gates, functioning as a sin­ contours for our second sonic monostable goes low, it causes a gle AND, give us a positive output event. second monostable (which is nega­ upon receipt of two simultaneous While the above methods will tive edge triggered) to go high positive inputs. Now, if a gate work, they have several obvious for a very short time period. It signal is applied to the two delay drawbacks. They are time con­ is this second monostable which circuits tied in tandem, and the suming — dangerously so for a provides the trigger pulse. output is taken from the AND cir­ live performance situation — and So far, the circuit will cuit, no gate pulse will appear they do not provide for relatively provide an output pulse that rises until both delay circuits have long time delays, or accurate and falls quickly regardless of been triggered (have fired off) short-duration delays. Worst of whether or not the input stays while a key is held down. Just all, they tie up modules wtiich may high. This is fine if we are how this feature is used will be be put to better use elsewhere. using a trigger pulse as the in­ explained shortly. The circuit shown in figure 1 put, however, with gate pulses the While the Dual Trigger Delay overcomes the above-mentioned circuit will not remain high — works particularly well with PAIA problems by providing an inexpen­ even if the key is still being equipment, it should work with any sive, accurate, and straightfor­ held down and the input pulse system which uses a positive-going ward trigger delay. Upon re­ remains high. To remedy this, we trigger or gate and operates on a ceiving an input trigger pulse (as use a NAND inverter as a means of power supply in the range of five from a keyboard), the circuit keeping the output high (after the to fifteen Volts. Of course, you produces an output pulse with initial delay) for as long as the may obtain longer or shorter delay nearly identical characteristics input is held high. A positive times by increasing or decreasing — however, this output pulse is input (key down) causes the in­ the values of the decay pots and/­ delayed by the period of time verter stage to swing to near­ or timing capacitors C3 and C4. specified by R5. The amount of ground. This allows the timing To determine the length of the time delay is continuously ad­ capacitor of the second monostable delay time, use the formula T =

16 Pofyphoi^ ------December 1983 0.8RC. You might find it desira­ down you find the organ lacks a ble to extend the time delay of certain power and presence, it circuit A to several minutes while could be because you are neglect­ Organ Pipes keeping the delay of circuit B the ing the esoteric little detail of same, or vice versa. A rotary delay. t switch with different values of R If you have ever listened to X or C would expand the device's an orchestra augmented by a pipe timing capabilities even more. organ, you have probably noticed Applying the Dual Trigger that the organ lags the orchestra Delay. Trying to present all of by a small amount of time. This the applications for this unit is is because the pipe organ is a as futile an effort as attempting low-pressure pneumatic machine, to describe all of the uses for a which like a synthesizer, com­ transient generator. Therefore, prises many different systems. As to save space, keep our respective with any machine, an organ can do sanities, and to whet your musical no work (in this case, produce a appetites, only a few (and by no tone) in zero time. The air from means the most imaginative) appli­ the main blower is routed via a cations will be explored here. relay machine to a wind chest and • Pipe organ delay simula­ finally to the pipes, where sec­ Sound from orchestra travels distance “D” tion. Suppose you have a prize ondary eddies in the feet of the Sound from organ pipes travels pipe organ simulation and want to pipes can cause a delay. This use it at some spectacular moment delay lasts until the air pressure distance “X + D” to back up a multi-tracked, syn­ has built up enough to cause a thesized orchestra. If upon mix- tone to be produced, preceded by FIG. 2

Fobplionp ■December 1983 17 the characteristic "chiff" or "cough" on the attack portion of the note (interestingly, this chiff is always an odd harmonic of © ■ the fundamental). a While the above-mentioned process certainly results in a FIG.3 delay, it is not so long as to k cause the listener to pay it any SEQ 1 AR1 Automatic 3-Note mind. The longer delay we are Arpeggios interested in is a result of placement more than anything else. Since the pipe organ is a pretty large instrument, it presents u L ) somewhat of a problem should one wish to place it in the woodwind section of a symphony orchestra. < The problem is logically overcome k DC by placing the orchestra some SEQ 2 CM A,B Dual Trigger Delay I DTD) distance "x" in front of the organ IN pipes, while including the organ NOTES: console in the section of the Set delay ckt ‘A’ for delay of X. orchestra designated by the con­ Set delay ckt ‘B’ for delay of 2X. ductor. Now assume that the or­ DTD VC A 3. ARs chestra is placed 55 feet in front <5> Set attack for %. l i 0 of the pipes so as not to be over­ Set decay for 50%. come by their sound (see figure 2). Because sound travels at K X AR about 1100 feet per second, any 3 AR 3 sound from the organ pipes will reach a listener at point "A" 50 milliseconds later than that from the orchestra. As it so happens, 50 milliseconds is the "echo key is held down, there will be no note on the word "free" is held point" where the ear-brain per­ output until the slower of the longest, set the slower circuit to ceives two separate and distinct fire off near the end of this sounds. This brings us back to circuits has had a chance to fire off. To illustrate this point, note. The resultant gate signal electronic music. To add more suppose you want to do an elec­ from the AND output then initiates power to the "organ" when it joins tronic version of "The Star-Span­ the "skyrocket" event. While this our synthesized orchestra, we sim­ gled Banner" and would like a may be an over-simplified example, ply delay the response to the key­ synthesized skyrocket to sound off it shows just how useful this lit­ board by approximately 50 ms, and when you reach the word "free". tle logic circuit can be. To give play along with the piece as nor­ (You know. It's that spectacular any note more "emphasis" (delayed mal. This will beautifully and note that no one, save Beverly vibrato, dynamics, etc.) simply realistically set the organ apart Sills, can reach.) Using the AND hold the key down a little longer. from the other voices, but with an gate, it's as easy as apple pie: It's like having a third hand. added power since our experience Simply trigger both delays simul­ The Dual Trigger Delay is as tells us that "the sound is de­ taneously and use the AND feature habit-forming as any filter, and layed because the organ is set far as just described. Because the will find a million and one appli- back. The organ is back there .because it is large, and that which is large is powerful." • Sequencer applications. Figures 3, 4, and 5 show some ideas for various sequencer appli­ cations including automatic three- note arpeggios, extra slow clock­ FIG.4 ing, and random pulse generation. Extra-Slow Clocking Of course, myriad other sequencer applications are possible — syn­ copation, echo, you name it. This .^out Ain circuit is a natural with sequen­ SEQ DTD cers ! A out • Added keyboard expression. clock Here is where that AND gate really in gets put to work. The way it is typically used (as if anything in electronic music has a typical of various widths and use!) is to set one delay circuit unevenly spaced in time. at minimum, while adjusting the other for a longer delay. When a 18 Fofyphony------December 1983 cations in any electronic music system. It just goes to show like S BY PROFESSIONAL DEMAND! the "classical" ring modulator, a circuit need not be complex in DDC OFFERS FREE ADVICE, PERSONAL SERVICE AND ONE-DAY SHIPPING OF THE FINEST MUSIC order to be indispensibly useful. U AND SOUND EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE: ^iCrOULin iraynor Parts List B KORG PolYfXisiorj Resistors (all resistors 5%, 1/4 S e v K € LS € Y „||ilffllM Watt except as noted) ... C TEAC _ mmm[ x r j m RI, R2 470k 300k R3, R4 ) (ft 0DiMank> R5, R6 1M potentiometer R HI'*' III REMO Capacitors (rated at 15 or more I 1 7 X P C O © YAMAHA working Volts) O -R U A R — Obcriirim — [wnirlwnd —ri\ JFL 1 Cl, C2 0.001 uF (ceramic B or mylar) C3, C4 1.0 uF p R o p b e t P O J f j k (electrolytic or E tantalum) C5, C6 0.01 uF (mylar C80 preferred) s e e intersound PLEASE CALL OR WRITE FOR PRICES & ORDERING page INFORMATION - YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID! Semiconductors M «H aM D iC K STEIN DISTRIBUTING COMPANY 1120 QUINCY PPY —SCRAN TON, PA 18510 D1 - D9 1N914 or equivalent J U PHONE O RD ERS WELCOME 17171 344 7469 silicon diode 3 4 ! D10 - Dll LED IC1, IC2 4013 CMOS dual flip-flop IC3 4011 CMOS NAND gate viding a master volume function. buttons must be pounded on before There is also a voice detune, auto they will turn on or off; this Mechanical parts tune, provision for two programma­ could be inconvenient and embar­ ble foot pedals (not included), rassing on stage. I was also J1 - J5 Mono open circuit mono and polyphonic glide, and a informed some models had major jacks appropriate headphone amplifier. problems with the tuning mechanism to your system All this and more is packed and required servicing, but my Misc. Solder, wire, into a walnut trim case, which instrument has had no problems so knobs, circuit becomes quite warm with use (some far. The instrument comes with a board, etc. may also be annoyed by the soft one-year warranty. whirr of the internal fan). Be­ Buttons aside, though, the cause there are so many features, Memorymoog is a very impressive the Memorymoog is a little taller and versatile instrument. You can than some of its contemporaries so use it to play almost any type of it is harder to stack than other keyboard music, although six Polyphonic keyboards; but it sounds a lot voices falls short for some clas­ better than most other synthesi­ sical pieces. There is even room zers. From rich orchestral tim­ for expansion: Moog Music will Keyboard bres to outlandish effects, the retro-fit a Musical Instrument Memorymoog generates sounds with a Digital Interface (MIDI) plug and real acoustic feel, whether one is sequencer for about $600. The Review s simulating acoustic sounds or not. Memorymoog itself lists for $4200. There are some minor options It comes complete with 100 sample .... continued from page 7 which could be useful: a high- patches, as well as a good manual pass filter would be useful; an which details every aspect of the follow brightens or dampens the external trigger, so one voice instrument — even circuit dia­ sound, and an unconditional con­ could be played from the Moog grams. For more info check your tour mode completes the envelope Taurus pedalboard; stereo outputs; music store or send $2 to Moog cycle regardless of whether the the option for a touch-sensitive Music Inc., 2500 Walden Ave., keys are held down or not. A keyboard, or a hold for latching Buffalo, New York 14225 for spe­ programmable volume balances the the keyboard. My only real gripe cifications . patch volumes in addition to pro- is with the buttons. Some of the

P o b p l i o n y ■December 1983 19 the orchestra to add richness. However, this technique eventually runs into the law of diminishing returns, since the more instru­ ments you double, the greater the chances that this interaction will produce cancellations at certain frequencies. After all, the Applied Synthesis: flute, string, and brass lines that, when played independently, have their own separate timbre, now become a composite sound if they are playing the same line. Thus, their individual personali­ Voicing Techniques ties are obscured. A good synthe­ sizer-based analogy is the addi­ tive waveform law: When a square wave at one footage is added to By Bill Rhodes another square wave at a still different footage, ad infinitum, you end up with a totally dif- ferent waveform and timbre, (in fact, drawbar organs get their final sawtooth waveform from the terracing of square wave foot- ages.) Vangelis (of "Chariots of Fire" fame) agrees with the prin­ ciple of "the law of additive frequencies":

"With a symphony orchestra you can have a really full sound with only three or four voices. .All the technology in the "sandwich" of the chord between You don't need twenty voices sing­ world won't make you a better two melody lines (an octave apart ing parallel lines — this creates keyboard player unless you know from each other). It takes some a thin sound because you cancel where to put your fingers on the time to learn to play this way things. In order to leave room keys. You may have a reasonable because you need an extensive for each family of frequencies to understanding of chord theory, but knowledge of chord inversion. grow, you have to be as simple as unless you know how to construct That is, every time the melody possible. These are basic laws." notes so they soun/d interesting in ascends or descends the keyboard (From the Vangelis Interview, by that chord, your playing will be (whether it ascends or descends John K. Diliberto, June 1983 Poly­ one-dimensional. This concept of depends upon its melodic contour), phony. ) voicing has been around for ages; the "sandwiched" chord must follow however, with the advent of the in the correct voicing. Also, if Parallel fifths moving in the synthesizer — where, with imita­ you don't use correct fingering same direction were a no-no in the tive synthesis, we often use or­ you will be at a loss when melodic days of four-part counterpoint chestral voicings based on acous­ passages become more complex. because of the hollowness of the tic instruments -- the need to This is not necessarily a interval. With synthesizer, it's understand voicing becomes more good synthesizer technique because just as important to use the important than ever. We will the sound is very "organish." parallel fifth motion sparingly divide the subject down into While it might sound good if you when doubling because, as with twelve sections, and investigate wanted a theater organ string octave doubling, the resulting each section in detail. sound, and does sound good on some sound can produce cancellations. organ and piano patches, double­ I'm not saying that you 1. Double-lead block: Thislead blocking leaves much to be should stay away from doubling; voicing concept is reminiscent of desired with respect to electronic use it when a point has to be the early Hammond jazz and society brass or percussive patches. made. But don't get carried away organists. While these days dou­ with doubling everything in your ble-lead blocking may occasionally 2. Doubling of voices: Thisentire musical example. seem outdated, it still has its can be done be layering sound upon uses; for example, lounge and sound at the same octave with 3. Triad voicing in left cocktail piano players are fond of different instruments (as in over­ hand using perfect fourths: This this voicing approach because it dub recording), or doubling at is an interesting voicing which is gives a full sound. Double-lead different octaves with the same very popular in jazz music. It block chords incorporate the melo­ instrument. Much Top 40 music has a fresh, 20th century sound dy in both the left and right uses the concept of doubling that is great for "comping" hands simultaneously. Between the strings, piano, flute, etc. to (rhythmic chording behind a solo­ left hand and right hand melody strengthen the melody. The ist) or texturing orchestral ac­ lines lies the harmonic structure; "Philadelphia soul sound" of many companiments. Using a C chord as thus, this technique produces a years ago used this technique with an example, the root of the triad 20 P o t y p h u n y ------December 1983 in 4th is C, the second note is F position, while the other is not. music, as well as make you more (the fourth), and the last note of Or they might both be inversions aware of their presence in other the triad is B flat (dominant of both chords. If you find some people's performances. 7th). Perfect fourths allow for a interesting polytonal chords, try great deal of melodic freedom designing a progression or se­ 6. The tenth interval: since you are not encumbered by quence around them. Perhaps you Please refer to the October 1983 minor or major scales. The sound could even write a melody over a issue of Polyphony for information is more modal (displaced jazz progression of unrelated polytonal on this voicing and its dramatic scale), and is very contemporary. chords. If you do find an ideal use for synthesis. Use the triadic perfect progression, try transposing it fourth chord percussively behind a into other keys. Remember that 7. Common note to chord solo performer or solo overdub. the ideas of polytonal voicing voicing: This involves using a Neo-classically, the fourth triad were born out of the orchestra, counterpoint (non-melody) linear can be used with low strings and but can now be used for synthetic passage against a progression of horns behind an animated high approximation. moving chords. Be aware of common trumpet or violin line; this adds notes in a chord progression -- an earthy ambience to the whole 5. Voicing chords with al­for example, if a chord progres­ sound. Walking chromatically over tered basses: This voicing is sion is Bmaj9, Amaj9, F#/G# to a chord progression with the 4th exciting because it causes tension F#sus, we need to find a similar triad gives a unique sound of or "unresolvement". It involves note(s) that is included in each movement and direction in music. playing the triad or tetrachord chord to suspend over the chord Most melodic executions, within (4-note chord) in root position progression. B would work be­ reason, work well with this type and adding the various single cause: 1) it is the root of the of voicing. notes of the scale as the bass of Bmaj9; 2) it is the 9th of the the chord. Amaj9; 3) it is the fourth of the 4. Polytonal voicing: This Playing the ninth in the bass F#, and 4) it is the suspended involves the use of two different is a widely used jazz and 20th fourth of the F#sus chord. Play chordal centers played simultane­ century technique that lends it­ this note as a high flute, horn, ously. Play a C chord in root self to a tension emotion. Take a or violin line over the progres­ position with the left hand, and D chord (triad) and play the E sion and observe that the single simultaneously play a D chord in note (the ninth or second) in the note works well over a moving root position with in the right bass, then listen to its charac­ chordal sequence. Another possi­ hand. Hear it? That is poly­ teristic sonority. Experiment ble note to suspend with this tonality, where two unrelated with playing the ninth in the bass progression would be C#, since C# chords are played simultaneously. with other chords as well. is 1) the ninth of the Bmaj9; 2) (The result in this case would be Using the fourth degree of the third of the Amaj9; 3) the a C 13 omit 7th #11 chord.) This the scale as a bass note with the fifth of F#; and 4) the fifth of is also known as an Upper Struc­ tonic chord produces another in­ the F#sus chord. This C# note ture Triad (UST). This sound is teresting sound. Hindemith and will sound different from the B essential in neo-classical, jazz, Copeland use this treatment quite note because of the tension fusion, and 20th Century composi­ extensively in their pieces. This against the B tonality of the tion; the ear is being pulled and suspended 4th sound is rather progression. The B note suspended the brain tries to decide which different in quality compared to over the progression would sound tonal (or key) center is impor­ the ninth in the bass because of more tonically oriented because it tant . the half-step relationship between is the root of the chord. Of course, this UST is not the major third of the chord and the only polytonal voicing we can the fourth interval of the bass 8. Voicing a simple chord use. Playing the root (or I) note. Play an A triad with two D over the entire range of the or­ chord while playing the IV chord notes in the bass in octaves to chestra: This takes either a few also produces a musically useful hear this unique voicing. overdubs, an extremely large hand, combination. For example, play an The dominant seventh (flatted or many players to do the job! E-flat chord in root position with major seventh) in the bass is Simply, this enables us to use the the left hand, and an A-flat chord another voicing that is also used low, mid, high, and super high in root position with the right in much 20th century music. To registers of the orchestra (syn­ hand. What results, besides an hear one example of this, play a thesizer) to produce a common interesting chord, is an E-flat 13 B-flat in the bass with the left chord that sounds thunderous. A omit 7 and 9. Play this with hand (in octaves or a single note simple Csus chord (C,F,G) will strings and brass at different if you wish) while playing a C sound massive if the root is registrations and listen to the chord in root position with the played in octaves with a cello or result. This is a complex voicing right hand. low horn sound; it will also sound that may not be applicable to Note that inversions of the massive if the fourth is doubled average Top 40 songs, but is great chord (as well as root positions) in octaves in the midrange of the for creating new and unusual ex­ will also work well with these keyboard (with, for example, trum­ perimental sounds. And after all, voicing concepts. We won't go pet voicings), and the fifth is what is music but new sounds and into using the third and fifth in played on the top end of the key­ ideas intended to intrigue and the bass, since this is a rather board with a high string sound. provoke feeling. common technique in music today What we are doing is arranging the Try playing all kinds of (particularly in Top 40 ballads). chord over the whole spectrum of combinations of unrelated chords. However, the previously mentioned the synthesized orchestra and They need not all be in root posi­ altered bass chords will lend a tion; one chord might be in root new sparkle and tension to your continued on page 41..... FobptHXty------December 1983 Center-Channel Reverb: The Electronic Concert Hall

unit's input circuit. R5 and R6 also maintain stereo separation, and R3 and R4 attenuate the Dys Ralph D. Sherman original signal to help balance it with the reverb unit's output. The output at J5 and J6 thus consists of the original left and right stereo signals attenuated and mixed with a monaural reverb signal. The latter There's nothing like the naturally reverberant appears in both channels or, in terms of acoustic sound of a well-designed concert hall. No matter space, "in the center" — hence the name, center- how loudly or softly an ensemble plays, good channel reverb. concert-hall reverb always enhances the music and Although the reverb signal is monaural and does never obstructs it. But multi-track recording with not move from the center of the stereo illusion, the separate electronic reverb for each track — a listener usually perceives the reverb of a left- popular production technique — just can't match the channel sound to be on the right, the reverb of a spatial realism of "live" recording in a good hall. right-channel sound to be on the left, and the Indeed, it is often the lack of spatial realism that reverb of a centered sound to be in the center. All makes synthesists' otherwise fine recordings fall the sounds appear to emanate from the same acoustic flat. space, thus giving an electronic simulation of the The concert-hall sound can be imitated quite stage in a concert hall. well, however, with a good, single-channel, spring- Some equalization of the reverb signal will, of type reverb unit (I happen to use a Furman RV-1) course, enhance the illusion. Using the controls on and a simple coupler that you can build in an hour my Furman, I boost the high bass by 3dB at a center for less than $10. The coupler circuit is also frequency of 300 Hz and the treble by 6dB at its applicable to the PAIA "Hot Springs", and similar preset center frequency (probably about 4 kHz). As reverb units which provide "reverb-only" with no a rule, though, the less equalization you apply to provisions for mixing the reverberated and dry the reverb signal, the more natural it will sound. sounds. < In reference again to my Furman, I normally The concert-hall imitation is rightly called leave the input level control at 10 (maximum) and center-channel reverb, and it's really not new. the reverb level control between 6 and 7. The About 20 years ago, center-channel reverb units direct signal level control, which sends (such as the Fisher Spacexpander) were bought by hi- unreverberated signal to the unit's output jack, is fi buffs who wanted to add reverb to their stereos. always left at 0. Thus, reverb is instantly added Unfortunately, units like the Spacexpander — which to the system at a preset level by moving SI from you can still find at garage sales — tend to be too "bypass" to "expand". noisy by the standards set by today's noise To maximize the signal-to-noise ratio of your reduction equipment. But the reverb system system, the center-channel reverb should be inserted described in this article is mostly passive and at a point as close as possible to the end of the therefore quiet, and although the incoming signal is signal path. In my system, for example, the reverb attenuated by about lOdB, the attentuation should inserts after the mixer and preamp and before the not be a problem if you design your signal path (monitor) equalizer and power amp. The same signal properly (something I'll discuss later). that goes to the last two components goes to the The workings of center-channel reverb are stereo mixdown deck, so that reverb is added to simple. With reference to the coupler schematic, multi-track recordings as they are mixed down to when SI is moved to "expand" (a term borrowed from stereo. (My original tracks are recorded dry, the Spacexpander), some of the incoming signal from although I monitor my work with the reverb switched each channel goes to the output jacks (J5 and J6), in.) and some is sent to blend with the other channel's Since the coupler is passive, any noise added incoming signal, creating a monaural mix at J3. to your system by the center-channel reverb must This mix goes to the reverb unit (the Furman, in my originate in the reverb unit. If this article system), and the "reverb only" signal — not a mix motivates you to buy a reverb unit, choose of reverb and original signal — returns from the carefully. Ask for a demonstration and turn the reverb unit via J4 and is split between the output reverb level up with no signal input; then judge jacks through resistors R5 and R6. whether the published signal-to-noise ratio matches RI and R2 maintain stereo separation and keep what you hear. Consider that a built-in limiter is the incoming signal from overdriving the reverb necessary on a spring reverb if you're going to send

26 P o fyp lio n y ■December 1903 the strongest possible signal to the spring; without A final note on experimentation: If your a limiter, percussive sounds will often produce an studio equipment doubles as your stereo, as my annoying "boing". Remember too that the reverb must equipment does, you may find the center-channel be able to handle the output of your preamp or reverb a pleasant addition to antique recordings mixer. (e.g., Fats Waller, circa 1930). After all, it was To some extent, the value of RI and R2 in the for use in stereo systems that center-channel reverb schematic was chosen to match the input of my reverb was once marketed. Don't hesitate to try it out. unit to the output of my preamp (a Dynaco PAT-4). Another resistor value may work better in your system, however, dropping the value of any of the Parts List six resistors below 47K ohms will noticeably reduce stereo separation in most high-impedance systems. Like the resistor values, the presence of SI is RI, R2 220k, 1/4W, 5% resistor a reflection of my own needs. If you would rather R3 - R6 47k, 1/4W, 5% resistor switch the reverb in and out by adjusting the output J1 - J6 Phone or phono jacks, depending on your level of your reverb unit, and you don't mind the application attenuation of the coupler being permanent, SI DPDT switch eliminate SI and hard-wire the "expand" connections. Misc. Small metal box, wire, solder, etc.

CENTER-CHANNEL REVERB COUPLER

Po^ptiony ■December 1983 27 CUSTOMIZE Modifications For YOUR Roland TR606 Drumatix DRUM By: Perry Cook minals of the DB-25 connector. "^/hen I first considered buy­ Signals from the DIN connector are ing a drum synthesizer, my princi­ pin 1 (run) and pin 3 (clock). MACHINE ple requirements were, in order of The buffer box. The buffer importance, drum sound quality; box plugs into the DB-25 connector programming features; separate (or you just installed, and buffers at least stereo) drum outputs; all signals so that they can drive sync and run outputs compatible low impedance loads. So that I with a variety of synthesizers; could mount the buffers next to and, somewhere in there, price the Drumatix, I built them into a mattered too. The Roland TR-606 box (with an integral 9V battery "Drumatix" provided adequate supply) that sits right next to sounds and programming features, the Drumatix on a shelf. If you but lacked discrete audio outputs didn't want to mount the buffers and provided inadequate sync out­ in a box, you could just as easily puts (trigger outputs are avail­ build the circuitry behind a pan­ able only on high and low tom el. However, whether constructed attacks). as a box or panel, the buffers This article, then, is for must be located close to the Drumatix owners who want more Drumatix, as line capacitance is flexibility, or who would like to critical. incorporate some of the features Construct the sync and audio of the more sophisticated TR-808 buffers (see figure 2) on separate without paying TR-808 prices. The boards, and bypass them separately following designs take advantage to prevent crosstalk. The audio of signals already available with­ lines are buffered with simple in the Drumatix, tap these signals unity gain voltage followers that at convenient places on the cir­ can drive 600 Ohms (unbalanced). cuit board, and require only mini­ Op amp selection isn't very criti­ mal modifications to the TR-606's cal since signal levels are rela­ case. tively low. The five voltage Modifying the machine. The followers tap off the individual machine modifications are the most audio pots without interfering frightening (working while vi­ with the TR-606's internal mixer. sualizing your warranty go up in a The sync signals are buffered $400 CMOS puff of smoke is not by common-collector emitter fol­ fun), so we'll cover these first. lowers. The inputs of these one I mounted a female DB-25 connector transistor circuits tap off the directly in the back of the TR-606 high tom, low tom, clock, and run by notching out the top half of signals. The outputs have lk the case, and routed taps to it output impedances and can drive from the five instrument pots (but fairly long lines. not the accent pot), the two ex­ Each output is brought out to ternal trigger jacks (high and low a 1/4 " phone jack except clock tom), pins 1 and 5 of the DIN and run, which are brought out to connector, and the ground buss a single 1/4" stereo phone jack. connecting the pots. The instru­ I recommend using a power switch ment taps should be taken from the at the buffer box, and also input (hot) side of the pots, routing the buffer box power line since it is assumed that if you through the DB-25 connector via need separate outputs, then you pins 15 and 16. Since there is a already own a mixer to combine jumper across these pins on the these outputs. If you can't TR-606's DB-25 connector, either figure out which is the input side pulling out the DB-25 plug or of the pot, do not undertake this flicking the power switch in the project or you will surely encoun­ buffer box will turn off the bat­ ter difficulties. Figure 1 shows tery. This "fail-safe" feature which taps connect to which ter­ helps promote longer battery life.

28 Hobpliony ----- December 1983 clock into musical sub-divisions low signal when the Q outputs of sixth of a sixteenth note, Func­ IC3B and IC4A go high (binary 6). (sixteenth notes, etc.), and out­ tion 1), but with the Drumatix puts these as pulses controlled by This signal proceeds through tempo knob set at 11 o'clock or the run line. (The run line goes switch SI and inverter IC2C to the faster, this difference is hardly reset NOR gate (IC2D). Only the high when the TR-606 is running a noticeable. Remember, though, first three flip-flops are subject pattern or track.) Since the sync that the sync panel doesn't know to this type of reset; however, panel needs a 5 Volt supply, I what the Drumatix is doing (except all flip-flops are subject to run mounted it in my modular synthesi­ running or no t), and can only do reset. For three-based meters zer cabinet, which already in­ four- or three--based divisions at (Functions 3 and 4 on Drumatix), cluded an existing 5 Volt supply. any one time switch SI is opened and flip-flops . A little extra A patch cord connects the run thought and consideration in pro­ IC3A, IC3B, and IC4A act as at a and clock signals from the buffer gramming, however, can let you use *"hree bit counter, providing the box to stereo jack J1 (see figure these sync outputs to maximum necessary divide-by-eight func­ 3). The run signal is inverted/- advantage. buffered via IC1A, and taken to tion FIGURE 1 Complementary pulse outputs the clear (reset) NOR gate (IC2D). DB-25 CONNECTOR PINOUT This resets the counter when the Out and Out are brought out from Drumatix stops. The run signal is flip-flop IC4A via jacks J3 and Pin Function again inverted, taken out as a run J4. These outputs function as out signal via J2, routed to the sixteenth notes in Drumatix Func­ 1 Bass Dr. 15 Strap reset pin of the last flip-flop tions 1 and 3, and eighth notes in 2 n.c. 16 Strap (IC4B), and taken to the clock Functions 2 and 4. The fourth 3 Snare (pins 15 and 16 flip-flop (IC4B) divides the out­ 4 n.c. NAND gate (IC1C). This enables connect together) the clock signal (which is buf­ put once again to yield complemen­ 5 Toms fered by IC2A and IC2B) for divi­ tary Out/2 and OutJT signals. 6 n.c. 17 n.c. sion only when the run line is You can use the sync signals 7 Hat 18 Clock high. for triggering events, from simple 8 n.c. 19 n.c. JK flip-flops IC3A and IC3B, repetitive synchronized tambourine 9 Cymb. 20 run which are wired for toggle opera­ or maracas patches to full scale 10 n.c. 21 n.c. tion, perform the primary divi­ synchronization with arpeggiator 11 n.c. 22 H. Trig. sion. In four-based meters and digital sequencers. The 12 n.c. 23 n.c. (Drumatix Function Switch 1 and pulses actually lead the Drumatix 13 n.c. 24 L. Trig. 2), a divide-by-six function is by two Drumatix clock pulses (one- 14 GND 25 n.c.

Pofyphony -December 1983 29 RYIA Programmable

Ito same + ( + ) Drum Set as R47I ^ \ R49 F > ---- WV- M- >K X )K Iactually Is .C29 Modification a diode) ^ 47%> L J Added Components By: Jeff Wheeler work for me. However, by using this direct wire, the Woodblock cannot be activated by itself. This Having built the 3750A drum set and the Hot was not a problem since I never used the woodblock,

Springs Reverb, I'm pleased with both and use the and feel that using it to add more realism to the drum set often. However, being an electronics tech­ snare sound puts it to better use. nician, as well as amateur recording engineer, I Finally, I noticed that at fast tempos, the sought and found a few improvements to the drum set snare "noise" voice would be of uneven duration. which, in my opinion, greatly increase the quality Specifically, with two closely-spaced snare repeti­ and realism of the bass and snare sections. tions, the second pulse would be considerably longer laproving the bass drua sound. First, I wanted at fast tempos. Thanks to the "circuit analysis" considerably more volume (with most amps it's far section of the instruction manual (which described easier to cut back if you have too much volume than how IC2B is temporarily brought out of saturation), to try and boost if you don't have enough). I I was able to diagnose and cure the uneven duration

decreased the bass mix summing resistor, R41, to 6k problem (see figure 1). I theorized that on a quick ohms. Also, I wanted a lower bass drum sound, second pulse, the grounding pulse appearing at point

simulating inside-miking of the drum for more of a "F" was bringing the top side of C29 to a lower rock sound; this involved placing a 0.01 uF (micro- voltage point than the first pulse. The result was Farad) capacitor across (in parallel with) C23 and a longer duration for C29 to recharge to the satura­ another 0.01 uF capacitor across C22, thus increas­ tion point. The closer the pulses, the stronger the ing their effective capacitances to 0.015 uF each. symptoms, because C29 didn't have time to fully The sound is, at least to my ears, much more realis­ recharge (or discharge, if you will) to the satura­ tic. tion point; so, it was starting off from a lower Incidentally, I noticed when recording that the point. The solution is a DC biasing circuit, set so upper voices were all coming through too stridently that C29 cannot be pulled below a certain positive compared to the bass. So, in addition to decreasing ("+") level. I noted that when inactive, C29 was at R41 to 6k, I also changed the other summing resis­ about 1.5V for the snare duration I wanted. I then tors as follows, using my ear and some experimenta­ adjusted the 100k trimmer pot to just below that

tion: Snare mix resistor R53 to 105k; Conga mix (actually I used my ears too, since when you have resistor R33 to 40k; and Tom mix resistor R25 to the trimmer set for above a +1.5V output, you'll 40k. hear a constant snare noise). By adjusting the Modifying the Snare circuit. In my opinion, trimpot just a bit below that saturation point, now the snare sounded like someone hitting a large sheet even very fast snare repetitions come out with con­ of tin with a hammer, and spitting into a microphone sistent duration — no more "dit-dah" effect. simultaneously. The following mods give a far more That's all there is to it. One problem with realistic effect. the bias circuit is that the drum set will hiss upon I began by lowering the resonant frequency of turn-on for a few seconds until the 470 uF cap the snare section by adding a 0.0068 uF capacitor stabilizes. This is a very minor problem; just turn across C27 and another 0.0068 cap across C28. This down the amp until the thing charges, then every­ increases the overall capacitance of C27 and C28 to thing (except the woodblock) sounds just great. As 0.0073 uF. After changing the tuning, I was greatly a final note, here are my favorite trimpot set­ (and still am) pleased with the sound of the drums tings, should you decide to try any of these sugges­ — but making two additional changes to the snare tions. All trimpots are viewed from the front, with really made that voice sound excellent to me. standard rotation descriptions (i.e. 12:00 o'clock First, I noted that simply combining the Tom sound means halfway up, 2:00 o'clock means two-thirds of and Snare white noise didn't quite achieve a good the way up, and so on). snare sharpness, no matter how I tuned the Tom's trimmer pot. So, I wired in the Woodblock sound as R48 1:00 o'clock well by running a wire from Dl's anode to the junc­ R39 3:30 o'clock tion of R103 and R96. Also, I increased the Wood­ R23 10:00 o'clock block's summing resistor, R9, to 205k. Incidental­ R31 3:00 o'clock ly, I first tried using a diode (polarized the same R7 3:00 o'clock as Dl) instead of the wire to send the Woodblock R15 11:00 o'clock into the Snare sound. For some reason, this didn't

30 flofcphony ■December 1933 E-Mu Drumulator Tuning Modification

holes, wiggle the drill around a bit as the holes By: Steve Davies need to be just a hair larger that 1/16". (if you don't like the looks of the unpainted hole, you can probably find some touch-up paint at hobby shops.) Install the switch with the screws supplied. Now is a good time to pre-heat the soldering iron, as we will need it shortly. Referring to figure 2, use the X-acto knife to cut the trace where indicated. Be very careful not to cut any adjacent traces. Then, cut two pieces of wire 4" JJave you ever wished for a digital drum machine long and one piece 3" long. Strip all of them back that would also make analog-type drum machine 1/8". Solder the 3" wire to the center of the sounds? With this simple modification, the wonder­ switch and pin 2 of IC 4J. Next, solder the 4" wire ful sounding E-mu Drumulator can sound like a cheapo to feedthrough #3 (see figure 2) by touching the tip analog machine. of the iron to the feedthrough. When the solder You will need the following to complete this melts, insert the wire. Add a bit of solder after mod: the wire is in to ensure a good solder joint. At­ tach the other end of the wire to either end of the 1. Phillips screwdriver switch, then take the last wire^and solder one end 2. Small blade screwdriver to DGND (see figure 2) and the other end to the 3. X-actot™ knife remaining switch terminal. 4. 25 Watt pencil tip soldering iron 5. 60/40 rosin core solder 6. DPDT slide switch (Radio Shack cat. #275- 407) 7. 1/4" drill and two bits (3/16" and 1/16") 8. 1 foot of 22 gauge stranded wire 9. The desire to void your warranty 10. A 12" by 12" piece of foam or carpet 11. Wire strippers

WARNING: Make sure the power cord is not plugged in at any time during this mod!! I mention this be­ cause if you were to plug the molex plug back in, and didn't mate things up just right, the resulting smoke and noise would probably cause you to scream so loud that your neighbors would call the police.

Place the foam on your work surface, then turn Play O Play the Drumulator upside down on top of the foam (this Three Q9 Two protects the switches from scratches and the like). Remove the eight bottom panel screws, and open the bottom panel up to the left. Unplug the molex FIG. 2 connector on the PC board, and the top of the Drumu­ lator should now be able to lay flat on the foam. At this point, it's time for some Drumulator The mod is now complete; reassemble the Drumu­ dentistry. Chuck the 3/16" bit in the drill, and lator by reversing the order of disassembly. If drill two holes as shown in figure 1; then trim the anybody out there has any ideas for mods they would hole with the X-acto knife until it is rectangular, like to see, drop me a line: Attn. Steve Davies, E- and wide enough for the switch to slide freely. Mu Systems Inc., 2815 Chanticleer, Santa Cruz, CA Next, hold the switch up to the outside of the 95062. Incidentally, this is the first of several housing, and mark the two switch mounting holes (the mods I have planned for the Drumulator, so stay tip of the X-acto knife works well for this). tuned for more mods in the future. Change the drill bit over to 1/16", then drill out the switch mounting holes. When drilling these P o ^ io n y ------■December 1983 31 Practical Circuitry Modifying the PM A EKx-40 VCO

By: Tom H enry figure 2

The PAIA EKx-40 is a VCO kit The attenuator is needed since it stricts the sync input voltage configured around the CEM-3340 allows you to dial in the amount swing, so that a full 10V p-p integrated circuit. It was not of FM required by the application pulse may be used as the sync intended to be a complete VCO at hand. signal (10V p-p is our standard module, but rather a starting CV3 should go directly to the signal level). The 27K resistor point upon which experimenters can wiper of a 100k pot, where one of should terminate at the hot ter­ expand. In this installment of the remaining terminals connects minal of a closed circuit jack; "Practical Circuitry", we will to +15V and the other terminal the switching contact of this jack modify the EKx-40 to give it stan­ connects to -15V. This pot be­ should be wired to ground so that dard output voltages and im­ comes the coarse tuning control the sync input is grounded until a pedances. We will also beef up and sweeps the VCO over a range of plug is inserted into the jack. the input controls to include more about 1 Hz to 35 KHz. However, we This guards the sensitive sync options, and jazz up the pulse need a fine tuning control as input from outside interference. width circuitry. well. To implement this, solder The soft sync input is modi­ Fortunately, the EKx-40 cir­ one end of a 2.7M resistor to the fied in almost the same way. Put cuit board has some extra "kluge" summing node terminated by R17, a 47K resistor in series with C2 room, thus simplifying the process R18, and R19. (Essentially, you (which leads to pin 9 of the CEM- of adding additional circuitry. are just adding another control 3340). Once again, the other end In a few instances you will need input; call it CV4 if you wish.) of this resistor should terminate to tack-solder some components to The other end of this resistor in a closed circuit jack which has the board or cut some traces with goes to the wiper of another 100K been wired so that the input is a razor knife; but, all in all, pot, where again, one remaining grounded if no plug is inserted. the work is fairly straightfor­ terminal connects to +15V and the (By the way, remove the jumper ward . other to -15V. Since 2.7M is such labelled on the EKx-40 circuit Before starting this project, a large value, the pot will have a board if it had been installed be sure to review the EKx-40 much more restricted range, which prior to making these changes.) owner's manual and also look over is what you would expect from a So far, our modifications the CEM-3340 application note and fine tuning control. have involved nothing more than spec sheet. Once you've got this This takes care of the four adding a resistor here or there, all out of the way, let's get exponential type inputs. Let's and slapping in a few pots and started! examine the linear input next. jacks. To jazz up the pulse width Start by eliminating Rll, since we control, we will need to use some Modifying the control inputs. really only need one linear FM slightly more sophisticated cir­ We will begin by adding some extra input (labelled FM1). This input cuitry. In particular, we will features to the exponential fre­ should then go the the wiper of have to add an op amp and several quency control inputs (labelled yet another 100K potentiometer. more resistors. Luckily, the CV1, CV2 and CV3 on the circuit The hot side of this pot goes to a "kluge" area on the circuit board board edge connector). CV1 jack on the front panel, and the is more than adequate to accommo­ should go to a front panel jack; remaining terminal goes to ground. date our needs. this jack becomes the lV/octave This jack and pot form the linear Refer to figure 1, which input, and is a "wild" input since FM input control duo, and allow shows a schematic for the remain­ it has no attenuator associated you to dial in the required amount ing modifications to be made to with it. Next, send CV2 to the of FM. the EKx-40. One half of a 4739 wiper of a 100K pot, whose hot What about the sync inputs? dual op amp (or equivalent) beefs side and ground should go to the Well, these are quite easy to fix up the pulse width circuitry. hot terminal and ground, respec­ up as well; consider the hard sync There are two controls associated tively, of a second jack. Mount input first. Modify this input by with this structure. One is the both the pot and jack on the front adding a 27K resistor in series initial pulse width control, which panel; this pair forms an exponen­ with Cl (which leads to pin 6 of can manually adjust the pulse tial FM input with attenuator. the CEM-3340). This resistor re­ width from about 0% to 100%. The

32 Fobphofty ■December 1983 R5 RAMP O OUT 2.2 tant.

1K TRIANGLE v w OUT 2.2tant.

+15 v

All resistors in ohms. All capacitors in mfd. 4739: pin 7 = -15v pin 14= +15v

figure 1

other control is an attenuator for outputs would require quite a bit for the capacitor, and solder it the PWM input. This lets you of extra circuitry, and is hardly in place (or tack-solder it across reduce the level of modulating worth the effort. This implies the cut trace). signals. that the modified EKx-40 will not The ramp wave is brought up Use some insulated wire to be suitable for use as a low fre­ to spec by eliminating R9 alto­ carry the output of this structure quency control oscillator. How­ gether and replacing R8 with a IK to pin 5 of the CEM-3340. After ever, this in no way detracts from resistor. Another 2.2 uF tantalum adding these modifications, I its value as a good tone source. capacitor blocks DC. Once again, think you will find the pulse If you really need direct coupled the level will be 10V p-p. width to be much more manageable. outputs, then try the "VCO Deluxe" Upgrading the triangle wave Pulse width modulation yields such previously described in this output from 5V to 10V requires the a neat sound that the extra work column (Polyphony, November/Decem- other half of the 4739 dual op needed to give you more control ber 1981, pp. 28-29, 31). amp, which amplifies the triangle over this parameter is well worth Consider the pulse wave out­ wave by a factor of two (see fig­ the effort! put first. To bring the signal ure 1). You can pick up the input level in line with our standard, triangle wave at pin 10 of the Modifying the outputs. Now replace R5 with a 1.2K resistor CEM-3340. The output will have a that we've taken care of the EKx- and R6 with a 4.7K resistor. Be­ negative DC bias on it; use a 2.2 40 inputs, we want to fix up the sides adjusting the signal level uF tantalum capacitor to block outputs so that they meet the down to 10V p-p, this also pro­ this. Please note that the po­ standards established in this vides an output impedance of about larity of this capacitor is the column over the past couple of IK. To correct for any DC offset, opposite of the other two used years (10V p-p signals with output add the 2.2 uF tantalum capacitor thus far. impedances of IK). shown in figure 1. A good way to One standard that we will install this cap is to find a Building the modified EKx-40 have to forego is that of direct suitable place on the PC board VCO. Finishing up the project is coupling. To add direct coupling trace and cut it with a razor quite simple, although with the (meaning no capacitors) to the knife. You can then drill holes addition of all of these new fea-

P o ly p lio n y ■December 1983 33 NEXT Practical Circuitry Commodore 64 Music Software Reviews 3-D Video Equipment Vocals: figure 3 Getting Started tures, a standard single width While this VCO is very easy rack panel is just a bit too to build, it doesn't have quite Build: small. So, I suggest using a 3- the same versatility as the "VCO 1/2" by 19" panel. You can devote Deluxe" (see above). Nonetheless, any extra space to a two-by-five as VCOs go, it is still quite a Quadrature Function multiple. (You can never have bit better than most units — even Generator enough multiples!) compared to those found in commer­ Figure 2 shows the modified cial synthesizers. It stays in circuit board. Note the jumper tune, tracks accurately over a Just Intonation wires, and the use of the "kluge" very wide range and generally has area to accommodate the new com­ a very clean sound. And the price Generator ponents. Figure 3 shows the back is right — who would have side of the front panel just prior thought, just five years ago, that to completing the final wiring. it would be possible to build a in The circuit board is supported by quality VCO with superb features two small angle brackets and some in your own workshop for under P o l y p h o n y #4 hardware. $30! How times change! ELECTRONR ML SIC

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34 Fo^plioity -December 19B3 Tell Them You Saw It In Polyphony

QUASH on a chip. Analog for ensemble playing. The HA-5 zer, mix control, bypass switch, Devices (Route 1 Industrial Park, requires 6 AAA batteries or AC and input/output controls. List PO Box 280, Norwood, MA) has an­ adapter, and lists for $180 (the price is $795. Its bigger broth­ nounced the AD7226, a quad DAC RH-11M lists for $90). er, the REV1, offers control over which includes four 8-bit CMOS such variables as room size, room DACs (with output amplifiers and shape, contents of room, acoustic data latches) on a single chip. absorption coefficient, and lis­ The amplifier offsets are laser- tening positions. The REV1 can trimmed to eliminate offset nul­ create and control up to 40 early ling. The AD7226 operates from reflections (each with controlla­ + 15V, -5V supplies and the output ble level, relative timing between range is from 0 to +10V with an early reflections, and where they external +10V reference. begin), and provide up to 99 sec­ onds of subsequent reverberation. The REV1 also includes 60 user- programmable presets as well as 30 factory presets, high resolution LCD window, LED numeric and level displays, and an RS-232 computer interface. Scheduled introduction is April 1984 (list price to be announced).

Microphone accessories. Shure Brothers (222 Hartrey Avenue, Evanston, IL 60204) is offering a line of microphone accessories including microphone holders, grilles, windscreens, impedance matching transformers, New from Yamaha. Yamaha (PO and similar items. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622) has introduced the MT44 4-chanltiel New record source. Euro- cassette recorder ($570 list) and Collectibles Enterprises (PO Box RB30 system rack and patch bay 513, DeKalb, IL 60115) stocks a ($175 list). The latter holds the number of rare LPs from the USA MT44 and Yamaha Producer Series and Europe. Write David H. Della- MM30 portable mixer, thus creating pelle at the above address or call a portable 4 track studio package. 815/756-7865. The MT44 includes a choice of Dolby B or Dolby C noise reduc­ Roland Play Bus. The Boss tion, full logic transport con­ (7200 Dominion Circle, Los An­ trols, and independent level con­ geles, CA 90040) HA-5 Play Bus trols for each channel. lets two musicians plug in and The R1000 digital reverb pro­ play together, and also accepts a vides four different reverb time cassette or drum box signal for settings, a three channel equali­ accompaniment. It includes an overdrive circuit, stereo cho- rus/doubling, noise reduction cir­ cuit, and bass and treble con­ trols. Adding the RH-11M head- phone/mic lets players talk to each other without having to shout or remove their headsets. Several HA-5s can connect together via a single 1/4" phone plug patch cord

H o b p lK M ty ■December 1983 35 POLYMART

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MAKING MONEY MAKING MUSIC by James Dearing — Everyong dreams of being at the top, but there’s an enormous amount of “ middle money” out there for the taking. This is not a book about how to become a Millionaire Rock Star, but the strategies revealed will give you the knowledge you need to keep afloat if you decide to pursue a recording contract. A fresh and prac­ tical approach to staying alive in the music business. From the publishers of Writer’s Digest. #MMM MAKING MONEYMAKING MUSIC $12.95

REFERENCE Often used reference materials to answer the many questions encountered in everyday synthesis. THE SOURCE Book of Patching and Programming from Polyphony has over 125 pages of patches in universal flow chart notation; the largest publication of its type. AUDIO CYCLOPEDIA has 1760 pages with 3650 entries and hundreds of dawings and schematics to answer any question about ratio. Hardbound. ELECTRONIC MUSIC SYNTHESIZERS by Delton Horn devotes the first half to descriptions and functions of commercial electronic music synthesizers (Moog, Arp, PAIA, Oberheim, EML, and RMI); the second section provides schematics and projects for the ex­ perimenter. #SOURCE THE SOURCE $4.00 #CYCLO AUDIO CYCLOPEDIA (hardbound) $44.95 #EMS ELECTRONIC MUSIC SYNTHESIZERS $6.95

SCIENCE OF SOUND The physical and psycho-acoustical background to music is an important part of musical syn­ thesis. Helmholtz’s SENSATION OF TONE is, a century after its publication, still the standard text for the physiological acoustics. PSYCHOLOGY OF MUSIC by Carl Seashore, developer of the Seashore Music Test, provides an in-depth analysis of musical style and performance characteristics of many instruments. MUSIC, PHYSICS AND ENGINEERING by Harry Olson, who worked on the first RCA synthesizer, is a thorough discussion of the physical properties and design of traditional musical instruments (plus a chapter on electronic music). MUSIC, SOUND AND SENSATION by Winckel is much like the Helmotz work, with a bit less detail and more con­ centration on psycho-acoustics. #SENS ON THE SENSATIONS OF TONE $8.95 #MPE MUSIC PHYSICS AND ENGINEERING $6.50 #PSYCH PHYCHOLOGY OF MUSIC $6.00 #MSS MUSIC, SOUND AND SENSATION $4.50 ORDER FROM: POLYMART. POBOX 20305. OKLAHOM USE THE ORDER FORM ON THE NEXT PAGE

THE BEGINNERS BOOK OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC by Delton T. Horn — A fascinating introduc­ tion to synthesized sound using build-your-own circuits or commercial equipment. #BEM Beginners Book of Electronic Music ...... $12.95

MUSICAL APPLICATIONS OF MICRO-PROCESSORS by Hal Chamberlain — If you only have space in your library for one book on music synthesis, this is the book. The easily read text is entertaining and enlightening and teaches both basics and advanced theory without plowing through pages of equations. Liberal examples illustrate theory and practice of both digital and analog signal generation and processing. #MAM MUSICAL APPLICATIONS OF MICRO PROCESSORS $19.95

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SYNTHESIZERS by Devarahi — An extraordinarily thorough treat­ ment of the subject of analog synthesizers. Covers everything clearly, and the suggested ex­ periments are excellent. Well organized and leaves nothing out. #CGS THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SYNTHESIZERS $15.95

PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR CONCERT SOUND by Bob Heil — Finally, a manual that explains in very simple language those many “ magic terms” you’ve heard for years and never really understood. It’s the first book written especially for musicians, roadies, and sound technicians who want to KNOW and UNDERSTAND what their sound system is all about. #PGC PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR CONCERT SOUND $10.00

ELECTRONICS Electronic Cookbooks are a great way to stock your library with materials that are not only heavy on theory, definitions and educational material but chock full of practical applications as well. These books can easily replace stacks of manufacturers data sheets and applications notes all in an easy to use reference. Walt Jung’s OP-AMP and Don Lancaster’s ACTIVE FILTER Cookbooks are self-explanatory — required reading for synthesists! AUDIO OP AMP APPLICATIONS is an edited version of the Op Amp Cookbook by Walter Jung, containing only audio applications. Lan­ caster’s CMOS book is much more than a digital reference — phase lock loops, top octave generators, touch switches, and other things you need. ELECTRONIC PROJECTS FOR MUSI­ CIANS by Craig Anderton is almost in a class by itself. It discusses electronic construction technique for the novice and provides 27 projects with printed circuit board patterns and a demo recording of the effects. Even if you’re an old hand at musical electronics, you’ll appreciate that all of these processors, from Tube sound Fuzz to Phase shifter are compatible and work together without creating noise, signal loss, bandwidth compression or any of the problems common to in­ terconnecting effects from different manufacturers. There’s even a complete chapter on how to modify and combine effects to produce your own custom pedalboard. ELECTRONIC MUSIC CIR­ CUITS by Barry Klein covers synthesizer system design, power supplies, control voltage generators, VCOs, Filters, analog multipliers and more. Lots of schematics and data sheets on the most popular music oriented ICs. An excellent technical reference. #EPFM ELECTRONIC PROJECTS FOR MUSICIANS $14.95 #OACB OP-AMP COOKBOOK $15.95 #EMCR ELECTRONIC MUSIC CIRCUITS $16.95 #AFCB ACTIVE FILTER COOKBOOK $14.95 #CMCB CMOS COOKBOOK $12.95 #AUOA AUDIO OP-AMP APPLICATIONS $9.95 &MORE FROM POLYPHONY 4/8TRACK STUDIO LOG BOOK designed by Craig Anderton provides a place to keep all the impor­ tant information on your tape library. Log in timing, type of tape used, record patches, make notes and use the expanded track sheet to list sequential changes in tape tracks relating to the settings of the indes counter. Craig Anderton’s CONTEMPORARY KEYBOARD ARTICLES is a collected reprint of all the articles from June 1977 through February 1981, covers tips, technique, theory, maintenance, and numerous construction projects. DEVICE BACK ISSUES — during the year that this newsletter was published, it featured almost 200 pages of technical information for the guitarist/musician. A wealth of articles on design, product reviews, and modification and con­ struction projects. Sold in complete set, individual issues not available. Limited number available. CRAIG ANDERTON MUSIC TAPE — Delightful listening plus a booklet explaining how the effects were achieved. #SLB STUDIO LOG BOOK $4.95 #AA CRAIG ANDERTON’S CONTEMPORARY KEYBOARD ARTICLES $5.95 #DEVICE COMPLETE SET (12) DEVICE BACK ISSUES $18.00 #CAMT CRAIG ANDERTON MUSIC TAPE $5.95 \ CITY. OK 73156 (405) 842-5480 #0701: July/August: Guitar Electronics: Modify: Fender $2.50 each ppd Amp, MXR Phase 100, GR-500. Input/Output Structures, 55 Analog Programmer, Sample and Hold technique, Modular Synthesizer Find out what you’ve m issed! Effects, new column: Applied Synthesis, Marketing Your Records. ■ ■ #0303: 2/78: computer controled Gnome, using joysticks, mm #0702: Sept./Oct.'81: Harald Bode Interview, Live Plus Tape build a bionic trumpet, ultra-VCO modifications, voltage control New Technique, Xenharmonics, Kraftwerk Live - Review, the Mu-Tron Bi-Phase, oral joystick, patches. Psycho-Acoustic Experiments, Practical Circuitry - Super Controller, Applied synthesis - Brass, Construction Tips For ■ n #0304: April/May 78: Minimoog modifications, non-keyboard Beginners. module use, phasing and flanging (theory and circuits), memory mm #0703: Nov./Dec.'81: Dave Rossum interview, Applied expansion for programmable drunfs, digitally addressed transposer Synthesis: Strings,Details: Series-parallel/Sum-Difference. The project, polyphonic software (with software transient generators), Sound Gizmo and Pro-One Reviews, Practical Circuitry: VCO Deluxe. patches, Volume 3 index. #0704 Jan./Feb.'82: Bob Moog interview, Chip Power ■ ■ #0402: Sept/Oct 78: electronic music notation, notes on STK-050/070, Simple Square Wave Shaper, Tape Timer Ruler, the recording of "Cords" by Larry Fast, sequencer software - part Practical Circuitry: VCAs made simple. Details: Gozinda & Gozouta one, rhythmic control of analog sequencers, touch switch projects, Revisited, Korg Trident & Casiotone 202 Reviews. modular vocoder techniques, PET as a music controller, patches. ■ ■ #0705 Mar./Apr.'82: Electronic Music Math, Analog Delay ■ ■ #0404: January/March 79: add-ons for vocal F and V Clock / Modulation; Frequency Domain Modifiers; Screen-Wave for converter, shorthand patch notation, more on note to frequency the TRS-80; Touch Switches Revisited; Practical Circuitry: ADSR conversion, graphic monitor project, George Russell, super VCA the Easy Way; Getting the most out of a Cheapo (Guitar). circuit, echo software, Vol. 4 index. #0706 May/August '82: Anatomy of a Private record, Don #0502: July/August 79: hex VCA/mixer project, electronic Slepian Interview, Understanding Digital Synthesizers: A Digital music schools and studios, modify the Oberheim Expander Module, Filter, Syn-Bow Review, Optical Audio, Profiles of SSM 2033 & profile of Ernest Garthwaite, budget microphones, digitizer 2044, The PAL Filter, Bill Rhodes Applied synthesis: Bells, Pipe projects and software, bar graph ICs. Organ, Harpsichord, Electronic piano; The Realistic MG-1 Reviewed. #0505: January/February 80: Joseph Byrd, Mort Garson, ■■■ #0801 Sept/Oct.'82: Ambience in Electronic Music,Tone Larry Fast on 'Games', composing for 'live plus tape', using the Bypass for Fender Amps, 8 Track Reviews, Parametric EQ Tips, CA3280, recording vocals, ADSR circuits. Solo/Cut Circuit for TASCAM Model 3, The SSM 2011, Tube Preamp, mm #0506: March/April 80: Computers in Music: real time audio Snare + Drum Voice Circuit, Triple Pick-up Switcher, Simulated processing hardware, Powell sequencer system, Max Mathews, Stereo, When Quality Reocrd Mfg. Counts, Independent Record Mfg. advanced STG software, PortaStudio, phase modulation, Volume 5 Convention report. index. ^m #0802 February *83: AMS— 100 Gate Output, Bus Distribution i * #0601: May/June 80: Gary Numan, Microcomputers in Real Modules for Modular Synthesizers, Dynamic Touch Controller, Time Audio, Build a Digital Audio Delay Line, writing Documentation, Richard Hayman Composer/Performer Home Recording: Expanding Envelopes, MXR Limiter Review, New Age Music, An Applying Harmonizing and Pitch Transposing Techniques by: Craig Overview, Synsonics Drum Review, Interface, Practical Circuitry: A Anderton. Patch Over Scheme for Small Synthesizers, Lab Notes: Shepard #0602: July/August 80: Peter Gabriel, digital VC0 Functions. project, ream modules, optimum level settings, dynamic phrasing, patches. M #0803 April '83: Sound Interface Device, Build a Bass Pedal mm #0603: Sept/Oct combined with Nov/Dec 80: alternate System, Dr. Rhythm Mod., Switched Capacitance/Transversal Filters, controllers, add voices to Casio M-10, voltage controlled Voltage Controlled LFO, Rockman & Voyetra Eight Reviews. quadrature oscillator project, cordless patch bay, recording rules, patches. #0804 June '83: MIDI Hardware Fundamentals, What MIDI Means #0604: January/February 81: Special Construction Edition; for Musicians, The Vangelis Interview, Creative Recording on a Build: Audio Circuit Breaker, Pulse Width Multiplier, Magnetic Shoestring Budget, A One Chip ADSR, An Electronic Switch. Harp, 50 Watt/Channel Stereo Power Amp, Quad Sequential Switch, DOD Mods, patches. #0805 August '83; Donald Buchla Interview, An Overview of Digital Drums, Exploring Just Intonation, Build a simple Drum ■ ■ #0605: March/April 81: Portable Music Issue, reviews of Synthesizer, Micro-Drums part I, The Penultimate Compressor, Why Remco's FX, E-H Mini-synthesizer, Casio's VL-Tone, plus mods for Spring Reverb Will Never Die, Gate/Sample & Hold Circuit. the M-10, GR-500, mini-amp, and the Korg X-911. Introducing; Practical Circuitry and On Location, new columns. #0806 October '83 Larry Fast Interview, Basic Film Scoring mm #0606: May/June 81: Synthesizer: Hardware Mods and Math, Foxtex X-15 Review, Build the Hip Bass Drum, Applied Software.^ Modular Synthesizer Effects, Environmental music. Keyboard assignment for the 8700, new columns; Details, Practical Synthesis: Orchestral Voicings Using the Tenth Interval. Circuitry, and On Location. Volume 6 index.

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MAIL t o : POLYMABT, PO BOX 20305, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73156 Plug In To Something Hot!

• Equalizers --- Parametric and graphic equalizer sections for precision “ tuning” of any audio system.

• Image Enhancer --- Dramatically widens the stereo image while increasing am­ bience for “ concert hall” realism.

• Noise Reduction Choice of either encodedecode or dynamic filtering sys­ tems to eliminate unwanted noise from a variety of sources.

• Limiter--- Ideal recording tool for control­ ling extreme peaks in program material.

• Brilliance Controller — Regenerates high frequencies lost in signal processing while simultaneously increasing depth and def­ inition.

Many additional modules presently • Power Amplifiers- - - Distortion-free power offered with more on the way. for all your amplification needs.

The innovative design, sophisticated technology, and high performance levels of today’s audio components and signal processors are now available to the electronics kit-builder with the introduction of the Rodcar 1500/1600 Series. This complete modular building block system utilizes a central motherboard with plug-in cards, thereby allowing the builder total freedom in designing a system suited to his or her specific needs. The modular construction format also helps to provide a versatile, expandible system with high levels of circuit accessibility. Use of only premium grade components and state-of-the- art design technology assures the kit-builder of superior performance characteristics, but at substantially lower prices than compatable consumer and professional audio products. All Rodcar kits are digital ready and easily integrated into existing consumer or pro-audio systems. Detailed, simple instructions are provided along with data sheets and theoretical discussions which offer ideas for broadening the applications of your new components. If you want the finest equipment available, and don’t mind increasing your knowledge and saving money while you have a little fun, send for your free catalog today !

Also available from Rodcar: Stereo Synthesizer — Creates a stereo effect from any mono source; also en­ G - Man --- Device used in conjunction hances depth and definition. with headphones for personal listening of Power Factor Controller--- Can save up musical instruments i.e. guitars, synthe­ to 50% of the energy costs for major sizers, etc. electrical appliances.

RODCAR ELECTRONIC SALES 214-351-9895 9983 Monroe Dr. Dallas, TX 75220 White Noise is NOT a C liche By: Chris Meyer W o uld-be electronic music noise as wind was on David Bowie's composers are often advised not to "Heroes" album. Brian Eno fed use white noise, particularly as white noise through a radically wind; the complaint is that white overloaded flanger, set on a slow noise is overused, and therefore, automatic sweep. The sharp, spi- cliched. However, I feel it may key result, combined with slow, Need an amazing source of synthesized sounds at an ab­ regular sweeps, gave an excellent surd price? Here you go . . . a noise oriented pre­ be time to resurrect this old patched minisynthesizer built around a powerful LSI chip. effect (after all, aren't new wave blend of high tension and dreami­ The Dark Star provides a digital noise source with bands getting accepted, even ness. This effect can be easily variable clock, plus a noise filter, LFO, VCO, VCA and recreated by abusing a guitar- envelope generator; a whole panel of synthesizer though they are bringing back all modules in just a tiny 6 " x 4 " x 3" package. It can be the gee-whiz sounds from the early level flanger with a synthesizer's powered from + 5 , + 15, or + 9 volts [battery], is a Moog age?), particularly if an typical 10V p-p output. If you nice beginner kit and requires only an external amp. You can use it to simulate all those surf, wind, rain, cym­ effort is made towards creating are not into flogging your effects bal, explosion, spaceships hurtling across the void and unique variations on the "old devices, a similar spikey sound warping out type sounds. Careful design and wide range can be created by frequency divid­ controls give you a real sound exploration tool; don't be standard" white noise effects. fooled by the low price. Try it as a percussion kit addi­ The most common use of white ing pink noise (a filtered form of tion, a drone voice, even as a CV source. The Dark Star noise used to be the creation of white noise). Also, you can just doesn't sound like anything else—we guarantee it! PRICE: $49 PPD wind: A little filtered noise, create different timbres of wind BLACET RESEARCH, 18405 Old Monte Rio Rd. automatically or manually swept, by ring modulating white noise Guerneville, CA 95446 and tra la -- wind. Usually the with other tones. sound was so cleanly synthetic, That brings us to using white and so unimaginatively applied, noise for pitched sounds, since that it sounded like exactly what white noise is capable of doing it was — a poor imitation of a melodic voicing as well as sound real event. In a word, boring. effects. Listen to Carlos's "The However, this need not always be Well Tempered Synthesizer" for a the case. Synthetic wind often good lesson in the use of pitched sounds unrealistic because it is white noise. Also, white noise created by a single sound source; can be used as part of a more natural wind is a combination of complex arrangement. In the song many sources (for example, the "Footprints in the Snow" from Isao

The new Series V Digital/Analog Keyboard sound of many trees rustling). Tomita's first album, "Snowflakes Controllers from PAIA offer enough stan­ Multi-tracking synthetic wind is Are Dancing," Tomita uses a patch dard features and options to fill every need the simplest way to add density which sounds like a cross between from stage to studio, Standard features and interest. I often create a struck wood percussion instru­ include Pitch & Modulation Wheels, Gate three different wind tracks — one ment and a flute (or some other and Re-trigger outputs, Low Note Rule using a lowpass filter, one using type of wind instrument). He Priority, Smooth Pratt-Read Action, Light apparently used a mixture of os­ weight and only P” high. a highpass filter, and one using a bandpass filter. Manually sweep­ cillator, white noise, resonating You have your choice of: ing the filters, while listening filter, and reverb. By the way, • 37 or 61 Note Actions to the previously recorded tracks, Tomita also used the old standby • Exponential Or Linear C.V. lets you build peaks of tension of automatically swept white • MIDI or Parallel Digital and mold the windscape as desired. noise, faded in and out of the • Mono or Poly Mixing in natural wind is another piece, to create a comfortable- • Factory Assm. or Low Cost Kits way of filling out your wind but-slightly-unreal wind-through- lest of all, prices start at less than $180 tracks; you could even try fading trees effect. This effect contri­ from all natural to all synthetic butes to making this piece one of call our toll-free line wind, swept with an LFO, to empha­ my favorite electronic music 1-800-654-8657 size the surreal nature of the pieces of all time. 9AM to 5PM CST MONFRI transition. Polyphonic synthesi­ Back to natural sounds. Be­ for price & ordering details zers can also create good wind sides wind and surf, another na­ & get your free HViA catalog! effects, since the density and turally occuring white noise-like pitch of the wind can be changed sound is breath. You may not Direct mail orders and inquiries to: Dept.11 rapidly in order to develop and realize it, but breathing is typi­ relieve musical tension. cally aperiodic — it does not m iA Electronics, Inc. fall into a precise, repeated .1020 W W ilshire , Oklahoma City, OK 73116 {405)843-9626 A One landmark use of white ------40 FofypliOfW ■December 1983 -----> choose as "melody" will become the Note that the cluster members are pattern, like a heartbeat. That lowest or root note of the chord included in the C minor scale. is why most white noise "breath" melody if you build on top of the Clusters also work well with modal sounds, such as those used by note. Some of the instruments chord applications and jazz modes. Jarre on his album "Oxygene", available today that can memorize For example, the C Lydian mode (F, sound so unrealistic — thy are chords are the Korg PS-61, PS-6, G, A, B, C, D, E, F) includes too perfect. Tangerine Dream once Monopoly (MP-4), most Roland flatted 5th and major 7th. Play turned this around on their album synths, Oberheim OB-8, Prophet cluster notes A, B, C (simul­ "Cyclone"; they inserted real 600, and Rhodes Chroma (to name taneously) over a Dm9 or Dmll but a few). breath sounds between synthetic chord. runs on a Lyricon, to great ef­ When using chord memory, try using long release times for lay­ fect. Another excellent use of 11. String voicing using one breathing appears in Stockhausen's ing down basic tracks of slow moving chords. If you play highly voice or line at a time: Classi­ "Hymnen" (Fourth Region), where aperiodic natural breathing total­ percussive bell-like or brass cal quartet or trio string voicings do not need doublings or ly disarms the listener in pre­ sounds using chord memory (perfect paration for the occurence of a 4ths, suspensions, octaves, mul tiple'osci 1 lator sounds; they timed event. fifths, etc.) on top, the result­ sound much purer when a single What seems to be good general ing sound is extremely transparent melody line is played with one advice in synthesis also seems to and fresh. oscillator instead of multiple os­ apply to the use of white noise: cillators. In most cases the real violin is playing monophonically decide whether you want an imita­ 10. Clusters: Voicing in as well. If you have enough tive or synthetic sound. If you "clusters" involves the use of tracks with which to record, try close intervallic relationship want to go the imitative route, playing each individual string study the phenomenon and carefully between tones. A cluster can be line on a separate track. If you imitate the most important charac­ as many notes as you want, but use a chord chart make sure your teristics -- maybe even mix in a usually the half-step and whole voice leadings sound correct, and little of the real thing. If you step intervals are the most fre­ don't make wild intervallic leaps. want to try synthetic white noise, quent voicings. Clusters are gen­ Use a separate track for each have a clear mental vision of what erally played in raid-to-high member or note of the chord called makes your sound unique if you registration because of their dis­ don't want it to sound imitative. sonant, and sometimes cacophonic, for in your chart. Be aware of Any lack of conviction can make a nature. If played an octave or registration and the instrument sound fall short, at which point more below middle C they can sound that plays best in that registra­ it becomes just another — cliche. muddy and dreadful. tion. Don't give the violin the Playing percussive clusters cello part, or the low bass the ------• in upper registers can take on a high violin part, etc. You will "mallet-instrument" quality that find using this "separate track/ is reminiscent of the xylophone or separate voice" technique takes Applied Synthesis: marimba. In some cases clusters time and patience -- but the re­ serve harmonic purposes, while in wards are very human sounding when Voicing Techniques other cases they serve as percus­ used properly. The multiple os­ cillator ensemble sound can be continued from page 25 sive devices. They can be layered over the harmonic structures and used for some applications and the melodies of all types of music to single voiced sound can be used thereby creating a symphonic, good effect, providing that you for others. This technique is not layered sound. If you can write use care in their execution. limited to strings; also try it on music, buy orchestral scoring The 20th century music of brass, woodwind, flute, and choir paper and plot each note on the Charles Ives, Igor Stravinsky, timbres. staff of each instrument played. Paul Hindemith, and countless By doing this you can see how an others uses cluster voicing exten­ orchestra becomes "symphonized," sively (listen particularly to 12. Conclusion: Voicing is or in our case, "synthesized." avant-garde organist/composer a most important factor in orches­ But once again, be on guard Daniel Pinkham for his use of tral synthesis. If you are mostly against doubling instruments ex­ clusters). Remember that clusters interested in imitative synthesis, cessively. can be triadic or contain as many proper voicing can greatly in­ crease the realism of the final notes as you wish. They are 9. "Chord-memory" voicing: usually effect idioms and percus­ result. As usual, I would like to

Some synthesizers have the ability sive elements in most cases, but stress that these voicing tech­ to memorize chord structures on can be harmonic foundations for niques are not only limited to one note, thus enabling the key­ compositions of an avant-garde synthesizer but work well with boardist to play up to eight note nature. piano and other instruments. Be chords with one finger. This can Here's one example of a clus­ conscious of voicing next time you make for interesting combinations ter (to be played over C minor attend the symphony, listen to of intervals when the chord memory chord and minor scale): D, E- Larry Fast, encounter a recording is used for a melodic treatment. flat, G, A-flat. Right hand fin­ project, or tolerate (sorry!) com­ Layered perfect fourths and fifths gering is thumb on D, 2nd finger mercial music. make novel harmonic combinations on E-flat, 4th on G, fifth finger ------— --- -— • and layers. Remember, though, on A-flat. Play this cluster that in most cases the note you percussively over a C minor chord.

I’obpiKKty ■December 1983 41 EOUIPmEfTT GXCHPflGE

PUT POLYPHONY TO WORK FOR YOU. List equipmment for sale or trade, job openings, positions wanted, etc. Equipment exchange classified rates for individuals offering goods or services for sale or trade: 25c per word, 20 word ($5.00) minimum charge; Commercial establishments: 50c per word. Prices, zip, phone numbers count as one word each. DISPLAY CLASSIFIED: $15 per column inch, one inch minimum, camera ready art to be supplied by advertiser. All classified advertising must be prepaid. Advertisers using a Post Office Box number for responses must furnish Polyphony Publishing Co. with a complete street address and phone number. Readers should respond directly to advertiser. Polyphony is not responsible for claims made in ads, or for the results of any transactions. Polyphony reserves the right to edit or refuse any ads submitted. SALE *NEW* music equipm ent LYRICON II Wind synthesizer, new Moog MEM0RYM00G “ PLUS” : Dual Sequencer, condition $1499, Mutron Bi-Phase MIDI, Drum Machine Interface, $2950 ppd. with pedal $130. Rick Edwards, ELECTRO-HARMONIX Mini-Synth MOOG SL-8 DIGITAL SYNTHESIZER: Call for price. 1613 Mohle, Austin, TX 78703, W/Echo 190.00. 16 Second Digital CASIO CT-7000: 8-voice Poly, internal sequencer (512) 477-1370.

& drum machine, cassette interface, $665 ppd. Delay, perfect for GARFIELD ELECTRONICS’ DR. CLICK: $1795.00 ppd. frippertronics effects, $385.00. SIMMONS DRUMS’ CLAPTRAP: Handclap synthe­ Small Clone Chorus 49.00. (314) sizer, with external trigger, $255 ppd. 429-2858. Electro-Harmonix FREQUENCY ANALYZER: Ring Build a: Modulator. Quiet, AC-Powered, $139 ppd. WANTED: Korg SQ-10 Sequencer, Compander/Noise Redaction DECILLIONIX DX-1 Apple Audio Recorder: Use will pay $400. Reply to Layne your Apple-compatible computer as a digital audio Negrin, 11 Kevin Ct., Jericho, System For Recording recorder, $239 ppd. DX-1 Accessories: ECHO NY 11753 (516) 822-3209. Hardware/Software $149.00 ppd.; Four PRE­ Simplified RECORDED SOUNDS DISKS: $79.00 ppd. FOR SALE: P4700/J Computer DIGITAL Synthesizer, Factory calibrated. $550.00. Analog Delay Clock 360 SYSTEMS DIGITAL KEYBOARD: Incl. Anvil Soundchaser Computer Music ATA case, 16 instrument sounds, $3995 ppd. System; Digital 4 track ELECTRO-HARMONIX: recording, stereo, polyphonic, 16 SEC DIGITAL DELAY: With looping, $395 ppd. create your own unique 64 SEC DIGITAL DELAY: Rack-mount, $995 ppd. NEXT ELECTRO-HARMONIX “ INSTANT REPLAY": 2 sec­ waveforms. Many options ond digital recorder w/looping, triggered by percus­ available: 16 track recording, in FVrtvphony score print out, etc. Still in sion controller (included)i or transposed by synthe­ ELECTRONIC MUSIC & HOME RECORDING sizer control - the “ Poor Man's Fairlight", $195 ppd. Box. $1025.00. Call Between COMPUTER 7-8 PM (609) 478-6033 ask for Dave. S0UNDCHASER II: Complete system including Turbo Traks, Demo disk, $1350 ppd. Passport’s MUSIC BUSINESS SOFTWARE . . . Write for information. FOR SALE: 5 octave keyboard and MOUNTAIN COMPUTER MUSIC SYSTEM: $349 ppd. various modules ( some need When writing to change the address work) in wooden cases. Also (2) on your POLYPHONY subscription MOOG it is important that you enclose the All current and vintage synths available. road cabinets and OZ (needs mailing label. Our computer cannot SOURCE: $549.00 ppd. MEM0RYM00G: Demo work). Will sell all for $200 locate your name on the subscription unit $2350.00; Sequencer/MIDI retrofit, $ CALL. freight collect. Call (317) list without it. SERVICE 529-6301 for details and ask for Tom Conley. All items carry a full factory warranty. Musitech™ is an factory-authorized Service Cen­ ATTACH OLD LABEL HERE ter for Moog, Chroma, 360 Systems, E-mu, Sim­ mons Drums, and others. We service what we sell. We do custom mods. R e c o r d in g s NEW ADDRESS SHIPPING All items are now shipped via UPS or PRIORITY "SHOOT TO KILL", new Everfriend Mail. Free shipping on prepaid orders. Name______LP: A musical interpretation of Address______It's an exciting time to be involved in electronic KAL FLIGHT 007. Orchestrated music. City------State------Zip______Synthesizer Arrangement. Plus 4 Musitech ™ new songs. $6.98 to: Jazzical Records, 1 Wyndmere Rd., 1631 -A East 25th Street mail to: P.O. Box 3717 Piscataway, NJ 08854. POSyphorsy PO BOX 20305 Chattanooga, TN 37404 Oklahoma City,OK 73156 (615) 624-5600

42 flo fy p h o n y -December 1983 LINEARS RESISTORS 5% , 1/4 watt SIGNAL DIODE TL061...... B iF e t...... 72 All EIA values available from 2.0 ohm to 5.1 Meg. 601-60...1N914 (1N4148) signal diode . 5/.35 TL062...... Dual B iFet...... 99 Also availble is 10 Meg. TL064...... Quad BiFet...... 1.95 TRANSISTORS TL071...... B iF et...... 65 100 each of same value ...... $1.50 2N3904...... 2N3904 NPN Transistor...... 25 TL072...... Dual B iF et...... 1.15 50 each of same value ...... 98 2N3906...... 2N2906 PNP Transistor...... 25 TL074...... Quad BiFet...... 1.95 25 each of same value ...... 75 NE555...... Tim er...... 39 10 each of same value ...... 40 POTENTIOMETERS <0 NE570...... Compander...... 3.80 (3/8 long shaft. 5/16 mounting hole) 5 each of same v a lu e ...... 25 NE571...... 2.95 854-401.....10K Linear ta p e r...... 1.09 NE572...... Compander...... 4.95 ASSORTMENTS 854-501.....100K Linear taper...... 1.09 UA741...... Comp. O pAm p...... 29 10 each of 10 values (1 00 )...... 3.00 854- 505.500K Linear taper...... 1.09 MC1456...... Low Noise OpAmp...... 90 25 each of 10 values (250) ...... 6.50 o RC1556...... Low Noise OpAmp...... 1.48 855- 401.10K Audio taper...... 1.09 50 each of 20 values (1000)...... 16.00 CA3080...... OTA...... 94 855-501.....100K Audio taper...... 1.09 CA3280...... Dual O T A ...... 1.98 855- 505.500K Audio taper...... 1.09 CHORUS/DELAY KIT RC4136...... Quad O pAm p...... 1.10 856- 401.10K Audio taper with RC4739 Dual Low Noise 1.19 This chorus/delay unit, designed by Craig Anderton on/off switch...... 1.25 4 and featured in Guitar Player magazine, provides NE5532 Dual High P e rf 3.70 , flanging, slapback echo, and automatic double NE5534...... High Performance 2.65 tracking effects. The delay range is from 2 ms to 80 TRIM POTS (vertical mount) ms. Due to the use of compression and expansion 802-251 250 ohm trim m er...... 40 SPECIAL PURPOSE techniques, the unit has dead-quiet operation up to 802-103 10K trimmer...... 40 □ □ SAD-1024. .... Analog Delay...... 17.50 about 50 ms and only minimal noise out the full 80 ms. SAD-4096. .... Analog Delay...... 37.50 This project kit consists of all electronics, pots, jacks, MINI TOGGLE SWITCHES MK50240...... Top Octave Div...... 5.95 etc. Also included are the two circuit boards (etched, 403-20....SPDT (on/on) sub-mini (3A).... 1.20 SN76477...... Sound Generator...... 3.45 drilled, and legended) needed for the project. Not included is wire, solder, case, knobs, etc. The 403-40....DPDT (on/on) sub-mini (3A).... 1.50 Chorus/Delay unit also needs a well regulated 405-10....SPST (on/off) bat handle (6A). 1.85 SANYO HYBRID POWER AMPS bi-polar 15 volt power supply (not included). (A STK050...... 50 Watt Power A m p ...... 19.40 punched and legended rack mount panel will soon be LED s STK070...... 70 Watt Power A m p ...... 24.20 available for this project.) Please note that the typical DC forward current (l-fwd) Order KT-CD777...... $78.00 SSM- SOLID STATE of these LED ’s is less than those offered elsewhere MICRO-TECHNOLOGY making these LED ’s ideal for battery circuits or others "SNARE +" DRUM VOICE KIT where current consumption is a factor. SSM 2010...... VC A ...... 7.50 This percussion synthesizer was designed by SSM 2011...... PreAm p...... 5.75 Thomas Henry and appeared in POLYPHONY 305-201...... Red T-1% jumbo diffused (20 m a.)...... 30 SSM 2012...... VC A ...... 9.50 magazine. Here's what Craig Anderton had to say 305-202 Green T -13/« jumbo diffused (30 ma).. .40 SSM 2020...... VC A ...... 7.50 about the “ SNARE + ” . “ At last - an inexpensive drum 305-203...... Dual T-1% jumbo diffused (50 ma)...... 90 SSM 2022...... VC A ...... 7.50 voice that has a punchy, full sound...... All in all, the SSM 2030...... VCO...... 7.50 Snare + delivers a lot of drum sounds, and I would 305-204...... Tri T-1% jumbp diffused (20 ma)...... 1.50 SSM 2033...... VCO...... 10.00 unhesitatingly recommend it to anybody who’s tired Note: 305-204 is a three lead, tri-color (green, red, SSM 2040...... V C F ...... 7.50 of the thin sound found in most electronic drum yellow) device. It is essentially two separate LED’s in units.” SSM 2044...... V C F ...... 7.50 one package. (The yellow is obtained by turning on We offer the kit with or without a panel. Kit 3770 both green and yellow.) SSM 2050...... VCTG ...... 7.50 contains all electronic parts, switches, jacks, pots, SSM 2056...... VCTG ...... 5.75 etc, as well well as etched, drilled, and legended circuit board. Kit 3772 includes all this plus a punched JACKS and PLUGS and legended rack mount panel (standard 1 3/4 by 19 1 /4 In. PHONE JACKS THERMISTER (Temp. Sensing Resistor) inches) available in black or blue (both with white legends). 901-101...Mono standard phone jack ...... 45 TSR-Q81.. ..Tel Labs Q81 1k ...... $3.50 Not included with either kit is wire, solder, mounting 901-103...Mono with n/closed contact...... 52 hardware, etc. The SNARE + also needs a bi-polar 15 901- 105...Mono end. jack (open back)...... 55 OPTO-ISOLATOR volt power supply (not supplied). 902- 211...Stereo standard phone jack ...70 CLM6000.....Clairex C LM 6000...... $2.85 KIT 3770 Basic SNARE + k it...... $33.95 902- 213...Stereo end. jack (open back).. .77 CAPACITORS (25 volt) KIT 3772 SNARE 4- with rack panel... $44.94 1 /8 In. MINI JACKS 701-100...... 100 pf polystyrene...... 25 903- 351...Mono with n/closed contact...... 32 701-180...... 180 pf polystyrene...... 25 THE "CLARIFIER" GUITAR 701-1000.. ... 1000 pf polystyrene...... 25 EQ/PREAMP 903-353...Mono end. (open back)...... 26 701-2200.. ... 2200 pf polystyrene...... 25 The “ C LARIFIER” is an onboard preamp/EQ 903-355...Mono enclosed with contact...... 35 701-2200.. ... 3300 pf polystyrene...... 25 module for guitar. This design, by Craig Anderton, R C A JA C K S 701-3900.. ... 3900 pf polystyrene...... 25 was first seen in the pages of GUITAR PLAYER magazine. Here's what the CLARIFIER will do: 921-100...RCA jack, chassis mount...... 34 702-005...... 005 uf m ylar...... 12 Replace the guitar’s standard passive tone control 921-200...RCA jack on phenolic mount... .25 with a two control, active circuit which provides over 702-01...... 01 uf m ylar...... 12 921-300...Dual RCA on phenolic mount... .43 702-05...... 05 uf m ylar...... 16 12 db of bass and treble boost and up to 6 db cut.... Buffer your pickups from external loading, giving 1 /4 In. PHONE PLUGS 702-1...... 1 uf m ylar...... 21 additional output and improve high freq response.... 911-201...Mono, black phone plug ...... 48 702-22...... 22 uf m ylar...... 33 Add a nominal 6 db of gain to give your signal a bit 911-203...Mono, red phone plug...... 48 703-1.0...... 1.0 uf ta n ta lu m ...... 39 more punch, as well as improve the signal/noise ratio in multiple effects systems... make your guitar 911-205...Mono, chrome (metal) plug... .1.20 703-3.3...... 3.3 uf ta n ta lu m ...... 49 immune to the high freq loss caused by long cable 911-211...Stereo, black phone plug...... 65 ... .59 703-4.7...... 4.7 uf ta n ta lu m ...... runs. 1 / 8 In. MINI PLUGS 704-2.2...... 2.2 uf electrolytic...... 21 The C LARIFIER kit is available in two options, both 704-4.7...... 4.7 uf electrolytic...... 21 of which include a high quality drilled, legended, and 913-251...Mono, black mini plug...... 38 masked circuit board, as well as complete step by 913-253...Mono, red mini p lu g ...... 38 704-10...... 10 uf electrolytic...... 21 step instructions. Kit 2450 contains everything 704-100...... 100 uf electrolytic...... 31 needed for a complete unit.. Kit 2455 contains 913-255...Mono, chrome (metal) plug ...... 56 everything execpt the pots (for those who prefer a IT 705-10...... 10 pf ceramic disk ...... 15 particluar brand of potentiometer). Batteries are not SWITCHING JACKS 705-.01...... 01 uf ceramic d is k ...... 12 included with either kit. These are stereo phone jacks that contain an 705-.1...... 1 uf ceramic disk ...... 17 KIT 2450....Complete CLARIFIER k it. $18.95 independent switching sywtem that is controlled by the insertion of the plug. Jack 905-301 contains the KIT 2455.....CLARIFIER less controls ..$14.95 IC S O C K E T S (soldertail) equivalent of a DPST normally on switch. Jack IC-S-08...... 8 pin high quality s o cke t...... 27 905-302 contains the equivent of a DPDT on/on TERMS: (Check, Money Order, Cashiers Check - IC-S-14...... 14 pin high quality socket ... .30 switch making it ideal for switching bi-polar power Add .75 if under $10.00)— ($10.00 minimum on supplies on and off in effects boxes, etc. IC-S-16...... 16 pin high quality socket ... .34 C.O.D. (UPS only) add $1.50)— (Mastercard and IC-S-18...... 18 pin high quality socket ... .40 Visa: $10.00 minimum. You must supply exp. 905-301...Stereo jack with SPST switch.. .90 IC-S-28...... 28 pin hgih quality socket ... .60 date.)— (Indiana residents add sales tax.) 905-302...Stereo jack with DPDT sw..... 1.00 IC-C-08...... 8 pin economy socket...... 13 SHIPPING AND HANDLING: $1.00 plus 5% of IC-C-14...... 14 pin economy socket...... 15 purchase. We will credit any amount over our PGS ELECTRONICS IC-C-16...... 16 pin economy socket...... 17 standard rate. Route 25 - Box 304 IC-C-18...... 18 pin economy socket...... 20 SA TISFACTI0N GUARANTEED! IC-C-28...... 28 pin economy socket...... 40 Terre Haute, IN 47802 MOTION FILTER m iA STOMP BOX EFFECTS An envelope follower/filter combination translates the normal dynamic properties of your axe into modulated timbral AT LOWER THAN 1980 PRICES changes as well, the effect is like a wah-wah pedal being used These new stomp boxes from PAIA are designed to give elec­ by someone with magic feet. The first time you get your tronic guitarists the highest quality effect at the lowest possible MOTION FILTER working you won’t believe that so much funk price. Cases are formed of heavy steel and covered with the and soul can be squeezed into such a tiny box. most scuff-resistant baked-on finish available. All feature Independent Initial Frequency and Sensitivity knobs give heavy duty switches for long life and electronic effect switching you the control you need to realize a wide range of effects for pop-free punch-in and punch-out. All are high input and allow the MOTION FILTER to be used with either electric impedance, low output impedance, non-inverting, low noise bass or guitar. No. 5720 MOTION Filter Kit.. $34.95 (3 lbs.) devices designed to meet all proposed FX standards. Each provides hour after hour of operation from a single 9 volt GATOR™ Noise Gate/Envelope Controller battery and provide automatic power switching; you’ll never The almost un-noticeable “hiss or swish" that each unit have to worry about forgetting to turn them off. in a multiple-effects system adds to your music can sum to annoyingly noticeable background noise just when things HOT LYX SUSTAIN are supposed to be quiet. GATOR listens while you play, and when you stop, electronically isolates your effects from your Probably the most used effect by any electronic guitarist, amplifier, zapping noise completely. a sustain unit is essentially an amplifier that automatically increases its gain to compensate for a guitar’s normal decay And despite its low cost, GATOR has added features that let you do more than just make other effects sound good. characteristics. The result is the ability to hold notes and chords It’s an important effect in its own right. much longer than would otherwise be possible. The ATTACK control lets you re-shape the normal percussive Hot Lyx gives you all the control you need, continuously envelope of your guitar for bowed string and organ effects variable sustain from just enough to make your Silvertone with attack times up to 1.5 sec. and an AUXILIARY TRIGGER sound like a Les Paul to “pedal to the metal” controlled feed-back settings that give rock-guitar its “all-out” quality. SIGNAL INPUT allows the dynamics of one instrument to be gated by another (drums, for example) to impart unique Level control allows for either lower or higher volume levels “synchro sonic” rhythmic characteristics to your sound. when you’re punched into the effect and can also be used as an over-drive control to give you the sweetest fuzz/sustain Other features include High Impedance In/Low Impedance Out, Electronic Footswitch for quiet punch in/out, wide range sounds you’ve ever heard. No. 5710 HOT LYX Sustain...... $39.95(3 lbs.) Threshold Control, Single 9v. battery supply (not included). GATOR (tm) Cat. No. 5730...... $39.95...... 3 lbs. MIDRANGER™ Midrange Equalizer Sure, your amp has bass and treble controls — but what about the all important midrange? When you need more sound from your axe than most amps can give, but don’t have the bucks for a fancy equalizer, the MID-RANGER is for you. Featured in Craig Anderton’s June 1982 Guitar Player column, this special purpose equalizer gives more presence and “punch” by providing continuously variable boosts of up to 12 db. at switch selectable frequencies of 90, 200, 1000, 2000 or 4000 Hz. Designed for guitars, voice, rhythm boxes and keyboards, the MIDRANGER features High Input/Low Output Impedance, quiet electronic switching and single 9v. battery supply (not included). MIDRANGER (tm) Cat. No. 5740...... $37.95...... 3 lbs. 5750 — AXE GRINDER(tm) A classic fuzz to FX standards. The AXE GRINDER might be a pretty routine fuzz if it weren’t for a couple of subtle but significant features. Like a Distortion Intensity Knob that provides smooth control of clipping from just a hint when you really get it on to pure square waves when you even think of picking. And the Distortion Tone, Distortion Level, and Clean Level controls are like having a built in mixer and E.Q., letting you precisely set the amount of distortion and its tone as well as the mix of clean and distorted signal. You probably never realized you could get so many sounds from a “simple” fuzz. The AXE-GRINDER also features totally pop-free electronic switching and adherence to uniform FX standards that allow any Effect to work with any other without concern for mismatch noises or phase incoherence. 9 volt battery power (not supplied). 5750 Axe Grinder(tm) Kit. .. $34.95...... 3 lbs. 5760 ROCKTAVE DIVIDER(tm) Whereas most effects that alter the harmonic content of a signal can only produce or accentuate frequencies higher than the fundamental frequency produced by the instrument, the ROCKTAVE DIVIDER fills out your sound by adding in wave­ forms that are sub-harmonics of those produced by your axe. Compandor stages are used to stabilize input for reliable triggering of the divider circuitry and to impress the original dynamics of your playing onto the newly created subharmonics. Independent level controls on the extracted fundamental and first and second sub-octaves allow you to produce just the mix you're after and master tone control lets you round the square wave sub-octaves off to near-sinusoidal purity. The ROCKTAVE DIVIDER also features automatic power switching when in use, pop-free electronic cancel function and single 9 volt battery power source (battery not supplied). 5760 Rocktave Divider(tm)...... $44.95...... 3 lbs. ORDER TOLL FREE WITH VISA OR MASTERCARD 1-800 -654-8657 DIRECT MAIL ORDERS & INQUIRIES TO: B liA Electronics, Inc. 1020 W. W ilsh ire , O klah o m a C ity, O K 73116 - (405)843-9626