HARDWARE FUNDAMENTALS

WHAT IT MEANS FOR MUSICIANS

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.

THE VANGELIS INTERVIEW

IS S N : 0163-4534

f EXPLORE THE WORLDS

one of the world’s largest private computer music laboratories. OP COMPUTER MUSJC Did you think you’ve “ heard it all” when it comes to computer music? THINK AGAIN. Think about full bodied choral and orchestral music or arabic sounding heavy rock, or uncannily realistic East Indian music or Japanese flute themes. Think about audio universes you can’t even begin to imagine, derived from a combination of synthesis and digitization of real sounds, such as voices, instruments, whales and much more. In fact think about all the music of mankind through the ages blended into textures and compositions never before possible, all rendered 100% under program control. THINK SYNTHESIS IN ITS BROADEST MEANING. THINK MACROFUSION®.

Send $3 for half hour sampler cassette and descriptive color catalog for 12 other cassettes. MflCRQFUSJQU*™™ 40879 Hwy 41 Suite 12-b Oakhurst, CA 93644 STAFF ISSN: 0163-4534

PUBLISHER Polyphony John S. Simonton, Jr. Volume 8, Nymber 4 EDITOR Craig Anderton June, 1983 MANAGING EDITOR Linda Kay Brumfield

TECHNICAL ILLLUSTRATOR Caroline Wood Creative Recording on a Shoestring Budget by: Del ton Horn ...... 16 CIRCULATION Ramona French Peggy Walker An Electronic Switch For Musicians by: David diFrancesco ...... 19 BOOKEEPING Cathi Boggs MIDI Hardware Fundamentals PRINT PRODUCTION by: Stanley Junglieb ...... 34 Phuong Nguyen MXR Omni effects system a Review SEMCO Color Press by: Peter Montgomery...... 39 POLYPHONY (ISSN 0163-4534) is published bimonthly at 1020 W. Wilshire Blvd., The Vangelis Interview Oklahoma City, OK 73116, by Polyphony by: John K. Diliberto ...... 20 Publishing Co. Entire contents copyright (c) 1982 by Polyphony Publishing Co. All rights reserved. No portion of this What MIDI Means For Musicians publication may be reproduced in any by: Jim Wright ...... 8 manner without written permission from the publisher. Second Class postage is paid at Oklahoma City, OK 73125. ADVERTISING rate card and deadline schedule is available upon request. Contact Linda Brumfield at (405) 842-5480. Applied Synthesis: Poly-61 Review DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS bulk prices are by: Bill Rhodes ...... 41 available upon request. Contact Linda Brumfield at (405) 842-5480. Book Review: The Complete Synthesizer SUBSCRIPTION rates: by: David D o t y ...... 32 American 1 year $12.00 2 years $22.00 On Location: Alaska Foreign 1 year $14.00 2 years $26.00 by: Dale Stirling...... 5 We now accept MasterCharge and Visa payment for subscriptions, back issues, Practical Circuitry: One Chip ADSR ana PolyMart items. Foreign payments must be by charge card, money order, .»or by: Tom Henry...... 30 certified check in US funds drawn on a US bank. Re-View BACK ISSUES are available at $2.50 each by: Robert Carlberg ...... 6 ppd. Send SASE and request

Polyphony June 1983 3 hearing from any Polyphony readers who would care to relate their personal experiences in regards to the DTC module -- successes or failures, and new and interesting ways of using the device.

Bobby Beausoleil PO Box 1033 Grover City, CA 93433 UPDATES/CORRECTIONS design presented in the February '83 issue: NEW AGE NEWS R*e: My "Meet SID" article, 1) Performance of the sus­ here's some additional information tain and hold outputs can be im­ Thank you, Don Schwartz, for of interest. In 1983, Commodore proved by putting the first sam- your wonderful article on new age will release a "synthesizer" key­ ple-and-hold (S/H) under control music. Readers interested in board containing 3 additional SID of the inverted gate and the se­ hearing the "classical" works you chips as an add-on for the Commo­ cond S/H under control of the dore 64 computer, making it a 12 mentioned by Wolff and Hennings, trigger. The modification is most Paul Horn, and Tony Scott you may voice synth. Add-on price is easily accomplished by removing slated to be under $100. Also, wish to receive a copy of The R17 and R18, which can be elimin­ Wholis tic Health Music Catalog, expect a 3 head drum unit (plus ated from the circuit, making available from: software) to produce electronic soldering points available. The percussion as an under-$60 add-on pad which connects to pin 13,of San Francisco Medical Research to the Commodore 64. Finally, IC2 is the control input to the Foundation readers might like to know that first S/H -- route a wire from 803 Fourth St., Suite 7 the 64 is now available for under this location to one leg of R16. $230. The pad which connects to pin 12 San Rafael, CA 94901 of IC2 is the control input to the Judging from the mixed bag of James Lisowski second S/H — route a wire from offerings, the SFMRF has a S. Milwaukee, WI this location to the spare pad refreshingly broad notion of just left from the removal of R17 where what constitutes the "new age" it was formerly connected to pin 4 sound. Among the sixty or so LPs Referring to my article of IC1. It is important to note and cassettes listed is everything "Build a Bass Pedal System" in the that the trade-off for this im­ from Lul laby from the Womb April '83 issue, the parts list provement in performance is that should read: (recordings made near the head of the sustain and hold outputs will an eighth-month-old fetus), to R5-R17, R33, R34 = 270k. no longer be pressure sensing. If Balinese gamelan music, Miles Otherwise R6-R16 can't be accoun­ this type of response is desired, Davis, and Terry Riley. As there ted for. Q1-Q3 are 2N3906 or a pressure sensing signal will be are lots of surprises along the 2N5158 PNPs. available at pin 12 of IC3. way, the catalog is delightful There are two different R45s 2) Further improvement in reading whether or not one plans listed. Referring to figure 4, response of the sustain and hold to buy any records. the R45 connected to the main out outputs can be realized by using a and C25 should be R46. 220k is 1 uF capacitor for C3, preferably Tim Dowty correct. The R45 connected to pin tantalum. This will keep output San Diego, CA #2 of IC3 is 22k. levels constant for a much longer The parts shown in the dotted period of time. Those who pur­ areas are located off the circuit chase the DTC kits will find a 1 IS NEW AGE NEW? board. uF tantalum capacitor included in Finally, re the suggested the parts bag. I enjoyed Don Schwartz's pinouts, pins 1 & 2 of the edge 3) Concerning the piezo overview of "New Age Music" in the connector and circuit board should transducer, I have found that Feb '83 issue. He does a good job be low voltage AC in as shown in about one transducer in five will of describing the similarities figure 1. have reversed polarity; that is, between diverse "New Age" artists.

I hope this clears ’up any the device will respond with a He does not seem to acknow­ questions, but I'd like to hear negative-going excursion of the ledge, however, that this attitude from any you readers as to how pulse preceding the positive-going in music has cropped up periodi­ this project worked out for you. excursion, resulting in poor DTC cally at least since the late 19th performance. If this happens, century. Wagner's proclamation of Steve Hawk simply reverse the connections of a new totally-involving music- Hawk Music Systems the two leads that attach to the drama spawned a counter-revolution 2011 W. 11th St. transducer and everything will of composers to whom music was Upland, CA 91786 come up right. Also, piezo trans­ simply music, to be enjoyed for ducers are now available to Poly­ itself and not theorized over. phony readers from the address These included the English new- T ■ keen Pol^honj readers below for $2.95; DTC circuit Renaissance composers Eiger, De­ apprised _> r developments in an boards are available separately lius, and Vaughn Williams; the evolving design, here are some for $4.95. French Impressionists Debussy, improvements to the original DTC I would be interested in Ravel, and Les Six; and scattered

4 P o lyp ho n y ------June 1983 ON LOCATION*------. ...______f i b a & o ------BY: DALE STIRLING er one carries much of an electronic music inven­ Let it be known that synthesists in Alaska do tory. Thus, my annual trips to Seattle end up as not live in igloos. Seriously though, the develop­ record buying binges; why pay $9.98 when you can pay ment and growth of electronic music in the United $7.98? I have hope for the future, however; Anchor­ States is reflected in the small but hardcore elec­ age's population, and indeed the population of the tronic "crowd" in Alaska. As a serious synthesist state, is on the increase, which means a larger and collector of electronic music I have closely turn—over of LP merchandise and a greater diversity watched the involvement of Alaskans in the field of of music from which to choose. electronic music over the last decade. There is a Alaska also has players and composers of elec­ growing awareness of the viability of electronic tronic music. Perhaps best known was the group music in the mainstream of traditional musical "Gary Sloan and Clone", an ensemble of musicians who styles. existed in the mid to late 70s. All of the members With a population not exceeding 500,000 people, played electronic instruments, and Mr. Sloan spe­ there are probably only 50 (at the outer limit) fans cialized in a harmonica interfaced with a synthesiz­ of electronic music, and even fewer of these own er, a really quite advanced unit at the time. There synthesizers, analog or digital, and compose elec­ are of course many "closet" nuts around, myself tronic music. Part of the problem in acquiring an included. Many of us own small recording studios or electronic instrument is the paucity of products are band members. I suspect that in the future available in the state. Only four music stores there will be more of these people about. carry synthesizers, and of those four only six dif­ At this point in time I own a Kitten II synthe­ ferent brands of electronic gear are represented. sizer, Hohner string ensemble (which I traded for a For instance, if I wanted to order a modular Roland 1973 Fender Mustang bass and some cash), and a polyphonic system, I would have to go through an Yamaha PS-2 keyboard — one of those little wonders. outside dealer, a practice that not only takes time I consider getting the string machine a real coup, but adds considerable cost in shipping and shipping as they are nearly impossible to find in Alaska. charges; this tends to discourage the prospective Most recently, it was used by the Beach Boys when buyer. But still we persevere. While in London in they played at Anchorage's new sports arena in 1982, I purchased an Octave-Plateau Electronics spring 1983. Kitten II synthesizer; interestingly enough, it cost As for the future of electronic music in Alas­ less for me to buy this synthesizer in England ka, the picture looks good. I manage to keep cur­ (about $500) than it would for me to order it from rent on things electronic by reading Polyphony maga­ the factory in New York while in Anchorage (it would zine, a real beacon in the desert of electronic have cost up to $700). One dealer in Anchorage, music in Alaska. I hope to form an association of though, is beginning to carry quite a thorough line synthesists in Alaska in the next year or two. In of KORG products, and at what seems like stateside the meantime, I plug away at my home studio, waiting prices. for my first polyphonic modular system to show up at Aside from the difficulty in purchasing equip­ my doorstep, or to win a keyboard in some contest. ment in Alaska, there is a lack of electronic music I would be interested in communicating with other LPs available in record stores. Anchorage has two synthesists; write me at 3809 Barbara Drive, Anchor­ record shops, both charging stiff prices, and neith­ age, AK 99503 (telephone 907-248-1294). — ......

lessly from Faure's "Pavane" to follower/trigger module to control the heart of the New Age. Synthe­ some of the synthesizer modules sizers or no, there isn't much such as envelope generator, VCF, truly "new" in music. VCA, etc. The envelope follower/- trigger will take a control vol­ Robert Carlberg tage & trigger from a microphone. nationalists Respighi, Grieg, Si­ Seattle, WA Another idea is rather similar to belius, and Saint-Saens. To a what Polyphony suggested: using a large degree, the birth of the fuzz and volume pedal, followed by structureless "tone poem" is the VOICE/CASIO COMMENTS an octave box (to get voice into beginning of New Age music. the pitch range required by the Aging hippies may make up the In your May/August issue, next effect), followed by an Elec- bulk of the current crop, but they George Western wrote to you for tro-Harmonix "Bassballs" effect. certainly don't have any claim to help with a couple of ideas. To title. Listen for example to respond to his first question, one continued on page 32 Peter Davison, who slips effort­ idea would be use PAIA's envelope

Pofyphor^ June 1983 5 Robert Carlberg’s Matt Johnson Burning Blue Soul (4 A.D. CAD 113). The previous album to the The The E.P. reviewed in the last issue. Though not as catchy as the hit, it shows the re -v ie w same brilliant use of sound tex­ tures and recording techniques.

Kit Watkins Frames of Mind (Azi­ Weather'Report Procession (Co­ disagree at all with the mood of muth 1002). With the addition of lumbia 38427). This truly is a the music. Robert Rich apparently Brad Allen's vocals, Kit takes a "pro session" of hand-picked musi­ encourages audiences to doze off much more commercial stance than cians, immediately recognizable as at his concerts, and this tape on his first solo album (Sept/Oct Weather Report even though 3/5 of presents three of his electronic '82). And if there's any justice the group is new. As usual Zawi- lullabyes. He uses Prophet 5, in the world, the track "My Tele­ nul carries most of the weight, bamboo flute, and taped natural phone" will be a monster hit by and introduces several useful new sounds to form extended droning the time this review comes out. synthesizer sounds. For fans, pieces which are as close to a It has all the hooks and has a lot it's another fine chapter in an musical womb as you could ask for. of fun with telephone noises, and already epic book. In the past I have criticized Kill's done a video of it too. music for being "somnolent",, but Watkins is a Major Keyboard Artist when it's intended this seems like and it's easy to forget that he the logical extension of the New plays almost all the instruments Nightcrawlers Midwinter Daydream Age/ambient/cosmic music movement. himself, records at home, and this (cassette). Group electronic im­ $7 from Rich at PO Box 8891, Stan­ is a private record. But prove it provisations which owe a lot to ford, CA 94305. to yourself, send $6.95 to PO Box the German "Kosmische Musik" of 3495, Arlington, VA 22203. the early '70s. Recorded live in one take, it shows the Nightcrawl­ ers to be every bit the equal of K. Leimer Land of Look Behind Tangerine Dream, Popul Vuh, or (POL NMS .06), Savant The Neo- Dagen Julty Limited Occasions 1 Eberhard Schoener of that period. Realist (At Risk) (POL .15). The (cassette). Unselfconscious early $4 postpaid from Peter Gulch, 1493 technique is this: all eight material from a developing artist Greenwood Avenue, Camden, NJ channels of Kerry's new 8-track with lots of good ideas. You will 08103. are filled to the gills with unre­ hear guitar, voice, piano, bass, lated stuff -- jangling percus­ and drums, but you won't hear any sion, synthesizer squawks, vocal "tunes" in the conventional sense. loops, Prophet chords, bass, and $4 from Music Studio "A", 257 7th Peter Davison Star Gazer (Avocado drums. From this he mixes in and Avenue 3rd floor, New York, NY 103; cassette), Forest (Avocado out (mostly in) to make a changing 10001 . 104; cassette), Mountain (Avocado but undeveloping collage. Some 105; cassette). Drifting New Age people will probably like it, but meditation music. Along with mel­ it seems like a fairly tedious Rudiger Lorenz Invisible Voices low synthesizers, Forest includes exercise to me. Palace of Lights, (Syncord 001). The first vinyl release by a dominant force in harp, M o u n t a i n includes flute, PO Box 4141, Seattle, WA 98104. sax, and some Oriental instru­ cassettes (see May/Aug '82, Nov/- ments, and Star Gazer includes Feb ’83). Basically, it's similar everything plus piano and a string to his tapes: a rhythmic founda­ quartet. Davison's principle has Joe Sample The Hunter (MCA tion of electronic percussion, always been (see also May/Jun '81, 5397). A not-very-adventurous altered acoustic percussion, and/­ Sept/Oct '82) to combine the "New outing by the gentleman keyboard­ or gated synthesizer. Over this Age" concept with similar ideas ist of jazz. He sticks mostly to is a droning chord (or slow suc­ from the past and other cultures. acoustic piano with only the occa­ cession of chords) on, usually, a Mountain uses many Oriental motifs sional Prophet fill. His previous string-like synthesizer. Last, and develops some real anthemic (reviewed May/June '81) would be a one or two other synthesizers play passages. Star Gazer (like its better bet. around with a simple melody and predecessor Glide) is almost clas­ fill in assorted sound effects and sical in places, recalling influ­ noises. This is over-generalizing ences from Keith Jarrett to Mau­ a lot, since no two tracks sound rice Ravel. A captivating body of The Crusaders Royal Jam (MCA 2- alike, but after about twenty work. $9 each from Avocado Re­ 8017). I never bothered with this tries it's the best I can do. He cords, 1925 Euclid, Santa Monica, until a copy turned up in the has the world's cleanest Dokorder CA 90404. local used record shop, since it's too. $10 postpaid all the way only a live rehash of some old from Bingerstr. 6, D-6507 Ingel- tunes with the Royal Philharmonic heira, West Germany. Robert Rich Sunyata (cassette). and B. B. King as guests. In all, I once fell asleep at a Terry it hasn't been a vintage year for Riley concert, and found it didn't The Crusaders.

6 FoSyphciny------— June 1983 Guitar Tuner

$ 3 9 . 9 5

Accurate

M idi is here, and we all issue of Keyboard) probes the Easy to use stand to benefit from it. MIDI is cosmic and plilosophical attitudes the tool whereby electronic behind the public personality. It Unbelievably inexpensive instruments can interact with each makes for fascinating reading — . . . .that’s our new BANANA quartz guitar other — but there's no need for even if you've read the many other tuner. Thru-jacks let you tune electric me to describe it here; just turn Vangelis articles. guitars without unplugging. Acoustic to Jum Wright's article on "What guitars tune with built in condenser mic. MIDI means for Musicians". I Internal speaker produces by-ear tones if Finally, I'd like to say a you want them. think you'll be as excited with few words of appreciation for Two easy to use tuning indicators — a MIDI's potential after reading those authors whose articles are meter to indicate pitch deviations up to Vz this as I am. MIDI could easily sitting in Polyphony's files. As semi-tone and LED go-no-go indicators, be as important as the someone who writes a lot,. I know both with quartz accuracy. introduction of voltage control, what it's like to write something Runs for months on a sinqle AA penlight and one 9v. battery. and that's why Polyphony is right and wait — and wait — for it to on top of this new development. appear in print, and sometimes, to No. 9700A...... only $39.95 never see it appear in print. plus $2.00 shipping. For more MIDI information, (The Log LFO" I wrote for the Order yours today... . Stanley Jungleib from Sequential February issue sat around since Circuits is back again (his last September '81 before being CHARGE TO VISA OR MC TOLL-FREE article was how to add a digital published). Of course, if you 1-800 654-8657 9amio5pmcst mon fri interface to the Pro-One) with an want an article back, that's fine Ask for your free PAIA catalog. article describing the with us and we understand. But Direct mailorders and inquiries to: Dept.8Y specifications from a detailed, our files represent one of BMA Electronics, Inc. technical standpoint. Polyphony's greatest assets; when 1020 W. W ilshire , Oklahoma City, OK 73116 (405)843-9626 we need a particular type of Between these two articles, article to balance out an issue, you'll have a pretty good idea of we just dig into the files, and what MIDI is all about. And best what we want is bound to be there. of all, we're looking at some So, please don't think that your possible future articles which work is unappreciated. It would will make MIDI readily accessible be great if we could publish for experimenters ...so stay everything that cane in as soon as liusic tuned. it came in, but things just don't work that way. Nonetheless, Teacher If you think you know what thanks for your patience, and keep Vangelis is all about, think the faith. I again. In this issue's interview, John Diliberto (who did the Klaus a Box? Shulze cover story for the May 10 get ahead in music, you need to know music theory. PAIA’s Chord Compu­ Craig Anderton ter helps you understand both music and keyboards better by cramming the equiva­ lent of pages and pages of music theory into a compact, calculator-style package. ""...... i The Chord Computer is easy to use. f PLUG INTO Simply select a chord letter, and the Chord Computer's LCD 31-key piano keyboard display will show which notes to play for the selected chord. Press another button ' * — m - rut^piiui sy to choose sharp, flat, major, minor, aug­ mented, diminished, 6th, 7th or 9th chords — including inversions. The Chord Compu­ FOR ELECTRIFYING IDEAS! ter can also display complete scales for all keys, or even transpose them at the touch ( ) One year $12 US/$14 foreign VISA/ Mastercharge accepted. of a button. Serious about music? The Chord Com­ (6 issues) Card No. puter could be the best investment you’ll ( ) Two years $22 US/$24 foreign Expiration date: ever make, only $59.95 (plus $2.50 postage/handling) Order yours today... (signature) CHARGE TO VISA OR MC TOLL-FREE Name: Mail to: 1-. 800 - 654-8657 9anho5pmcst mon fri Address: POLYPHONY, P. 0. Box 20305 Ask for your free PAIA catalog. City: state: zio: Oklahoma city, OK 73116 Direct mail orders and inquiries to: Dept.8y DON’T MISS AN ISSUE SUBSCRIBE TODAY! HEMA Electronics, Inc. 1020 W. W ilshire , Oklahoma City, OK 73116 - (405)843-9626

Ptrfyphorey June 1983 7 What M IDI Means for Musicians

By: Jim Wright

(Jim Wright is a Product Engineer for Unicord, The "words" used to describe or request a par­ where he helped develop the Korg Polysix, Mono/Poly, ticular event are identical. The only difference is and subsequent products. He attended the Guitar whether a given unit is sending or receiving that Institute of Technology and received a B.A. in Music "word". If you play middle C on a keyboard-* the and Musical Technology from Hampshire college.) synthesizer will sound the note, and also send a short "phrase" through the MIDI port that means MIDI (the Musical Instrument Digital Interface "Note Event: ON, Pitch: MIDDLE C, Velocity: (ATTACK specification; see Polyphony, February 1983, pp 36- VEL. VALUE)". Release the note, and another phrase 38) will have both immediate and long term effects will be transmitted that means "Note Event: OFF, for musicians. This article gives an overview of Pitch: MIDDLE C, Velocity: (RELEASE VEL. VALUE)". MIDI so that we can consider what MIDI can do for If a sequencer records this pair of phrases, to play musicians. back that note later all the sequencer must do is transmit the very same pair of phrases to the syn­ Basics. The MIDI specification covers both thesizer, at the appropriate times. The synthesizer hardware and software. The hardware portion covers will play Middle C, even though no key is pressed. a connector spec (5 pin DIN plug); interface spec We'll describe the MIDI vocabulary shortly, but (opto-isolated current loop, to prevent ground loops first, we need to understand what "channels" are and and avoid noise pickup); and transmission spec how they are used. (serial, 31.25 kBaud — the beginning of a new note, including velocity data, takes just under a milli­ "Channels" for directing musical traffic. In second to transmit). addition to a basic set of "words", MIDI provides a The software portion is more involved. MIDI is way to identify particular "talkers" and "listeners" essentially a specialized language for describing on a single MIDI "party line". The channel concept and controlling musical events in real time (in allows a home computer (or similar device) to use other words, as they occur). MIDI also includes a only one MIDI interface link to communicate with: "channel" concept (more on this later) for organiz­ ing equipment resources. • Several simple instruments, of similar or different types (mono or poly synths, rhythm units, A software language. MIDI provides "words" for etc. ) describing (or requesting) musically related events. • A complex instrument with split/doubling These "words" are short pieces of machine-language capability or separately programmable voices. data; they provide a foundation upon which larger • Any combination of the above (up to 16 programs can be built, thus creating "friendly" ways channels on one MIDI link). for musicians to interact with their equipment.

8 Fo&yphoret' June 1983 FIG. 1

Different units are connected on a single MIDI rate control over each voice, it could conceivably link by "daisy chaining" cables between each unit require 16 different channels! and the next (see figure 1). Note, however, that a "channel" is NOT the same Software channels allow information to be sent thing as a single voice or set of synthesizer between selected units on a single MIDI link, voices: it is not a physical "thing", but a method without confusing other units connected to the same of handling information. You can think of a channel link. However, for this approach to work, MIDI- as a "software pipe" (figure 2) which directs musi­ compatible equipment must be able to send and re­ cal event information to a desired destination. ceive information on one or more "channels". A synthesizer like the Korg Polysix or Prophet 5 would Modes for changing channel behavior. Since need only one channel to handle musical information these channels are software, not hardware, they can travelling between a home computer and the multiple be redefined easily. MIDI provides three different synthesizer voices. This is because all voices are modes for using channels, in order to provide the programmed for the same sound, and it doesn't matter most flexibility. These are: much which voice is assigned a given note. Synthe­ sizers such as the Oberheim OB-8 and Prophet T-8 • OMNI mode (figure 3). In this mode, a would require at least two channels in "split" or synthesizer will respond to "words" coming in on ANY "double" configurations. With instruments like channel. This is like a studio piano player sight­ these, two different programmed sounds (and related reading an orchestral score — he plays EVERYTHING, sets of voice circuitry) are involved — either side from solo flute parts to ensemble parts (assuming he by side in "split" mode, or one on top of the other has enough "fingers", i.e. synthesizer voices). You in "double" mode. Since the Chroma provides sepa­ get this basic MIDI mode when you turn on the power,

FIG 2

Channels are separate inside home computer

High-End Synth Mono Synth 2

I\>JyphoiA June 1983 9 Now that I know how to say it, what can I say? MIDI includes a basic vocabulary of "words", and also provides a means for individual manufacturers (or experimenters) to define new "words". Some of these "words" are designed to address only a se­ FIG.3 lected channel (any 1 of up to 16), while other "words" address EVERYTHING connected to a particular Midi Synth

Channels Voices MIDI link (set of wires). The basic set of "words" can describe the following types of events:

(A) Events for Specific Channels

• Note ON events (i.e. beginning of note. Velocity data is optional). • Note OFF events (i.e. end of note. Velocity data is optional). • Pressure or After Touch (for individual notes). • Overall Pressure or After Touch (for all notes in a given channel). • Program changes (different channels can have different programs). • Control changes: — 1 Pitch Bender — 3 Primary Controllers (not bound -to specific parameters) — 28 Secondary Controllers (undefined) (Note: The above controllers are continuous controllers such as pots or sliders. They can be either low resolution (128 different values) or high resolution (16,000 different values). — 32 ON/OFF switches — 29 "Open" (completely undefined) so that it doesn't matter if channel IDs are assign­ locations for future use ed correctly — notes will still be played. The other two modes must be specifically requested. — Channel MODE selection (Omni, Poly, or Mono). Also serves as "all notes off" command. • POLY mode (see figure 4). In this mode, a synthesizer (or part of a multi-channel synth) will respond only , to "words" received on its assigned channel. Information sent on other channels will be ignored. It's important to note that "words" sent on a POLY mode channel can describe chords or poly­ phonic lines as well as single notes. Different FIG.4 instruments (or sections of the same one) can be assigned to different channels. This is like a Midi Synth piano player, guitarist, and sax player all reading from the same score — the separate parts are print­ ed on different staves (channels), so the musicians can keep their lines coordinated but separate.

• MONO mode (see figure 5). While similar to POLY mode, only single note lines can be sent to a given channel. Two other major differences between MONO mode and the other two modes are: 1) MONO mode allows legato, and 2) MONO mode assigns note events directly to a specific synthesizer voice, bypassing the normal internal note assignment algorithm.

To keep things simple, I've only used synthe­ sizers as examples so far. However, channels can also direct information to other equipment, such as rhythm units, programmable effects units, automated mixes, and so forth. The logical separation pro­ vided by channels ensures that a synthesizer won't get confused by commands intended for a rhythm unit, and vice-versa — even though both units connect to the same set of wires (see figure 6).

10 PoSyphorty June 1983 (C) System Real Time Events (for all Channels)

• System Reset Code — sets all equipment to its initial condition (i.e. just after power is turned on). • Timing-Clock-in-Play — provides a clock at FIG.5 24 steps per beat while the transmitter is Midi Synth in Play mode. (Only one master clock should Channels Voices be used throughout a complete system.) • Measure End — used instead of Timing-Clock- 1 <■ > in-Play at the end of each measure. • Timing-Clock-in-Stop — used instead of 2 < ------Timing-Clock-in-Play when the system is NOT playing. This is needed to keep internal circuitry synchronized while the system is 3 _ < ------stopped, or for fadeouts. • Start-From-lst-Measure — sent just before ~ < ------> □ □ the first Timing-Clock-in-Play timing pulse, when the PLAY button on the master unit is pressed. • Continue-Start — used to resume a musical passage from where it was stopped, without 6 <- restarting from the first measure. .D) Sytem Exclusive Information External assignment Ignored over midi • Used to add new functions (like programmed Mono Mode data transfer) which are specific to parti­ cular manufacturers or products.

NOTE 1: All of the Real Time Codes have priority over Channel or System Common "words". This means that timing information may be "woven" into long passages of other data without causing confusion. (B) System Common Events (for all Channels! This prevents Note Event data and Timing data hap­ pening at the same time (for example) from either • Current measure number. sounding wrong notes or throwing the system out of • Song Select (command) — selects one of 128 sync. different songs, by number. • Tune Request — asks a connected unit (such NOTE 2: The MIDI specification has provision for as an expander module) to go through an the creation of new "words" as the need develops. internal "auto-tune" routine. These words can be either general purpose (such as • End of Block — used only to terminate words for automatic channel ID assignment), or spe­ System Exclusive information (special cific to particular manufacturers (such as words for function codes or information for products dumping or loading program data). of specific manufacturers).

FoSyphorsY June 1983 11 Now that we've established a good overall un­ assignments made by a home computer when the system derstanding of what MIDI is, we can go on to consi­ is powered up. Since each method has its advantages der its broad effects, some possible problems, and and disadvantages, different manufacturers may use specific effects. different methods. There are several other unre­ solved points which may produce conflicting imple­ Broad effects of MIDI. While MIDI will init­ mentations in the future. (Editor's note: however, ially make it much easier to interconnect equipment, MIDI will hopefully be a living specification, which it is probably the software part of MIDI which will implies that those manufacturers who support MIDI have the greatest impact over the next few years. will periodically get together to introduce new Remember, MIDI is really a specialized language for features or resolve potential conflicts). describing and controlling musical events. Since it Another problem would be units that don't im­ is receiving broad commercial support, and only plement MIDI completely. The MIDI specification can requires relatively low-cost equipment, the charac­ handle things like panel control changes, timing ter of music-making may change in very interesting codes, song and measure IDs, and velocity and pres­ ways as people learn to speak the MIDI language sure data — but that doesn't mean that all "MIDI- fluently. For example, MIDI allows musicians — not compatible" products will handle all of these func­ just manufacturers — to construct and modify new tions, meaning that certain marginal but very useful musical instruments which have a large software features may not be included in some products. For component. Exactly how this is done is beyond the example, the Prophet 600 and Prophet 5 (with MIDI scope of this article, but the major points are that retrofit) can only operate in OMNI mode (receiving user-changeable software will be the foundation of and transmitting data on all channels, regardless of such instruments, and that MIDI accesses the "in­ channel ID). This limits flexibility when several sides" of equipment without having to open it up. units connect to the same MIDI line, because in OMNI At last — something you can modify without breaking mode you .can't address them separately. However, the warranty! the limitation to OMNI mode may, in some cases, make The modifiable nature of software means that it easier for musicians to connect units together, software-based instruments can be easily customized. since they won't have to worry about matching the The modular nature of MIDI will make it economical Channel IDs of different instruments. (On the other and simple to expand a "music system". These two hand, the Prophet T-8 provides OMNI mode when turned factors will create instruments which actively in­ on to minimize problems, but can provide POLY and teract with musicians, or provide substantial help MONO modes on request.) while composing or working in the studio. Other features that are not absolutely required Of course, most of these ideas are already for MIDI compatibility include the ability to trans­ familiar to Polyphony readers. Why does MIDI put mit and receive control changes, and the ability to all of this suddenly within reach? Because it pro­ send keyboard data directly to a computer (bypassing vides a well thought-out, clearly structured, rea­ onboard synthesis circuitry) in order to produce sonably efficient and low cost means of handling computer-controlled arpeggiation or other note pro­ most of the problems involved. This is good for cessing. While many musicians will not miss these experimenters as well as manufacturers; trying out "fine points", some will probably find that it's the new ways to use computers with synthesizers is much "marginal" features that make a big difference in easier when the basic groundwork is already done. how much they can do with MIDI. Those who need a Just as important, MIDI will be supported by more complete set of features may want to wait for many (if not all) synthesizer/electronic music manu­ second generation MIDI products. facturers. This will eventually make MIDI compati­ A final problem area involves trying to use ble equipment commonplace, and also encourage a lot MIDI-compatible equipment with older gear. Although of smaller companies to make software and peri­ adapters may become available in some cases, often pherals that will work with MIDI equipment. (Many the basic design of a product is simply incompatible will remember how Apple Computer became successful with a MIDI retrofit. This is clearly a problem partly through making it easy for other people to when no type of interface is provided, but an inter­ make things that worked with Apples; the same thing face alone may not be enough. For example, Roland is going to happen with MIDI.) currently has four separate interfacing specifica­ tions: MIDI, the Micro Composer bus, the Juno 60 Possible problems. Although MIDI really is a DCB bus, and the GR-series guitar synthesizer inter­ language, it only provides a very basic set of face. Conversion kits between all of these specifi­ "words". Building things like multi-track sequen­ cations are not currently available and may never cers on top of that foundation requires significant be. General purpose or "homebrew" MIDI interfaces work. Good programs will take a while to develop, may allow retrofitting of earlier products, but and it may be hard for musicians to tell good pro­ thorough knowledge of interfacing details will be grams from mediocre ones before they buy them. required. Furthermore, different MIDI dialects will pro­ Some specifics. Now that we've considered the bably develop which are not compatible except on the broad effects of MIDI, let's take a look at what basic level. For example, there is currently no these wild claims really mean. standardized way for different units on the same MIDI bus line to identify themselves. Possible 1. Compatibility. MIDI provides low-cost solutions would be: Having musicians punch IDs by "plug in" compatibility between equipment made by hand into a home computer (or the units themselves) various manufacturers (see figure 7). No longer every time equipment is turned on; providing fixed will you have to worry about switch triggers vs. IDs for different units of the same (or different) voltage triggers, linear or exponential control types (which is easier, but less flexible); or hav­ voltages, 5V vs. 10V, etc. (although you may have to ing units automatically respond to ID requests, with watch out for occasional proprietary MIDI dialects).

12 RlfyptHMiV June 1983 FIG.7

o o o o o o o o o°o6o° o o 6 O O . o o '- S a m u o o ooi T f u n m u n/iuiiii imr a y / / / / / / / nnri

Prophet - Plus Jupiter - Gem Omni - Poly

Compatability

Note that not ail manufacturers have agreed to impact on this. Hopefully, general purpose, "user- support MIDI. Some manufacturers have already de­ friendly" music languages built "on top of" MIDI veloped proprietary interfaces, while others make will be developed. Such languages would allow musi­ very high-end equipment that needs more speed or cian to create software tools by themselves which flexibility than MIDI provides. However, the ad­ reflect their own concepts and preferences for or­ vantages of a common specification are so overwhelm­ ganizing sounds into art. ing that most manufacturers will probably comply simply to help advance the state of the art; the 5. Coping with obsolescence. While it will list so far includes Kawai, Korg, Moog, Oberheim, never be possible to "cure" the problem of obsoles­ Octave-Plateau, Roland, Sequential Circuits, and cence, MIDI can make future shock less painful be­ Yamaha. cause you will be able to connect the latest device directly to equipment you already own. MIDI is a 2. Fewer hardware problems. MIDI also pre­ good enough specification that it shouldn't become vents ground loops which could cause hum problems, obsolete for at least a few years. and works fast enough to avoid noticeable lifting In the meantime, you'll be able to upgrade your delays between when you play a note and when it equipment gradually, a piece at a time. This will sounds. The hardware interface is sufficiently be much easier on your wallet, and also means that inexpensive to include in almost any microcomputer- you will be able to get the most current technology based product. Neither the RS-232 standard nor any every time you buy something. With MIDI as the other existing hardware standard could provide all connecting link, equipment made three or four years of these features, which is why a new hardware apart, with vastly different capabilities, should specification was needed. still be able to work together smoothly.

3. Flexibility. We can expect MIDI-compatible 6. Sharing of resources. MIDI also makes it synthesizers, rhythm units, sequencers, mixing con­ possible to do more with less. Expensive items such soles, home computer interfaces, and effects systems as touch-sensitive keyboards can now be shared within the next year or so, all of which will be throughout a system — you will no longer need se­ easily connectable. In this new type of "modular" parate keyboards for each synthesizer. Another system, individual "modules" will be complete units possibility is a MIDI Master System Clock, which including many functions and local intelligence. would replace the various sequencer and rhythm unit clocks in a system. Besides offering easier con­ 4. New computer and software "tools". These trol, the money saved by using only one system clock will provide assistance in such areas as creating will allow you to get a unit that's directly compa­ and transcribing music or improving music skills. tible with SMPTE time code, for industry standard The most obvious possibilities are: sync-to-tape and autolocate capabilities. Both high-capability remote keyboards (with no • Multi-track poly sequencers synthesizer voices) and sophisticated expander mod­ • Intelligent arpeggiators and accompaniment ules (voice circuitry with no keyboard) will surely systems. be developed as manufacturers catch on to the full • Music transcription aids implications of MIDI. Systems that are fully res­ • "Toolkits" for composers (the possibilities ponsive to your specific needs will be easy to here deserve an article by themselves!) create (see figure 8). Imagine a custom system • Sight reading, ear training, and music where you could use the same floppy disk drive to theory tutorial hold several different music synthesis and composi­ • Aids for creating, modifying, and analyzing tion programs, the percussion and melody scores for

sounds. your current piece, the automated mixdown for your last piece, and an article you're writing for Poly­ phony . You won't even need to switch wires to As time passes, it will become relatively easy change applications! to add new features and modify old ones, although the quality of available software will have a great 'As soon as off-the-shelf MIDI interfaces for

FoSyphony June 1983 13 home computers and experimenters are developed, necessary clock pulse inputs. Unfortunately, the resource sharing will become a very effective way to Master Synchronizer cannot be directly connected to create high-capability music composition and perfor­ a MIDI link, since the form of digital data used by mance systems without going broke. MIDI would confuse it (hopefully some sort of adapter could be designed — Ed.). 7. Performance advantages. MIDI equipment will generally be more compact and easier to set up 9. Homebrew or D.I.Y. equipment. MIDI makes than older equipment. Because all information is it much easier to "tinker" with complex systems, digitally combined and transmitted over single ca­ since the basic hardware and basic software has been bles in a MIDI system, loose wires are far less of a standardized. You no longer have to invent your problem. Furthermore, you will almost never need to own, or reconcile widely different systems. Consi­ change .wires once they're set up, since all switch­ der these advantages: ing functions are again handled digitally. The "software tools" discussed elsewhere also have major • A solid foundation — 50% of the work is implications for live performance. done. • Assure compatibility with other equipment. 8. Synchro-sonic capabilities. A 24 pulses- • Easy modifications. You can use MIDI (at per-quarter note clock pulse can be woven into the least on some units) to change the behavior of the stream of MIDI data. Since this stream of timing instrument. To do this, a unit must allow control goes everywhere in a MIDI-based system, everything parameters to be changed over MIDI, and should can potentially be synchronized together. A single ideally have separate "channels" and control set­ SMPTE-compatible Master Clock module would be an tings for each voice (or else be operated in Mono/- ideal addition to a basic MIDI system. Unison mode). If you don't have enough envelope Programmable clock decoding circuitry could be generators — just add some! Software envelope built into advanced instruments to allow all sorts generators can be created in a home computer and of processes to be linked synchro-sonically (arpeg- then coupled directly to desired parameters in a giators, EGs and LFOs for synthesizers, rhythm unit synthesizer. MIDI can change parameters a thousand and sequencer clocks, etc.). The benefits of syn­ times per second, which is more than fast enough for chro-sonic capabilities are fully discussed in a most purposes. recent two-part article by Craig Anderton (Keyboard • Versatile software tools can be created with magazine, 1/83 and 2/83). His Master Synchronizer a MIDI interface card and a home computer (such as module was designed before MIDI was adopted, but the VIC 20, Commodore 64, or Radio Shack Color nonetheless uses the MIDI clock specification — so Computer). Polyphony will doubtless be publishing it could be used with MIDI equipment that doesn't articles on what you can do with this type of equip­ have built in clock dividers but does have the ment .

FIG.8

14 Fofyphony June 1983 • Homebrew and commercial controllers and Not all Wireless synthesis equipment can be readily combined. All that's needed to connect do-it-yourself designs is a Microphones general purpose MIDI interface, which should become available soon. are Created Equal • A MIDI retrofit (or even programmer) could be added to older keyboards. It shouldn't be long before cost-effective, music-oriented controller boards are available which are relatively easy for technically-aware musicians to use.

*****

I hope this article has given you a sense of what MID has opened up for all of us. MIDI is just as much of a step forward as the invention of vol­ tage control or programmable synthesizers. The fact that it was developed through joint action of several manufacturers is also a landmark, and a very positive sign for the future. MIDI will not only provide new and powerful equipment for making music, but, in giving us the ability to customize instruments ourselves, it will help personalize electronically produced music in ways that simply haven't been possible before. In turn, this will fundamentally change and enlarge the shape of music. The possibilities are truly ex­ citing — I can't think of a better time for musi­ cians to be alive! This One Is A Telex Recommendations by performers, as well as engineers, have made Telex the fastest growing wireless mic system in the industry. Performers tell us they prefer Telex wireless mics because of the rich, full-bodied sound. And because the mics feel and look like conventional microphones. To quote performers:. ..the Telex wireless mic sounds superior to any I’ve used for vocals—wired or wireless...... the freedom it gave our group sold me on the concept, and the sound sold me on Telex... Audio and broadcast engineers stated that they prefer Telex because with just the addition of a second antenna, they have the most reliable diversity* wireless mic receiver available, indoors or out. And because the compander circuitry provides dynamic range from a whisper to full fortissimo. To quote engineers:...the Telex wireless is the best we've tested, and we've checked them all...... from a quarter mile, the signal was still crisp and clear...... for the money Telex outperformed all others we tried... When you're ready for wireless mics, Telex offers you a choice of three VHF frequency groups, hand held or belt-pack trans­ mitters, dynamic or electret microphones and a host of accessories. Compare our specs against any others, and by all means, compare the price. We’re quite certain you’ll also prefer Telex. Made in USA. Please write for full details. *US Patent No. 4293955. Other patents applied for

/ / Quality Products for the Audio Professional / / / / / >

TELEX, TELEX COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

9 6 0 0 Aldrich Ave. So., Minneapolis, M N 5 5 4 2 0 U.S.A. PoSyphorsy Fumne: Le Bonaoarte-Office 711, Centre Affaires Paris-Nord, 9 3 1 5 3 Le Blanc-Mesml, France. able to find one for about $500. I started out with a Realistic 999B; this was a low-priced deck with reasonable quality for the price. This particular unit has been discontinued for a few years now, but I want to emphasize that a budget model is fine. Used machines might cost even less. However, a standard cassette deck will not do, at least not as your primary deck. Editing cassettes is next to impossible, and you are severely limited in the type of special effects you can create. My Realistic deck has sound- on-sound capabilities, which allow for some simple mono mixing. Af­ ter playing around with this fea­ Creative Recording ture for a while, I realized its limitations can outweigh its ad­ vantages. If the machine you choose happens to come equipped this way, fine — it might come in handy now and then. But don't On a Shoestring Budget make it a deciding factor in se­ lecting a tape deck. You can easily do the same thing with external connections anyway. Getting started: the dual­ deck approach. There are two basic routes you can take for multi-channel work (or for the greatest versatility, combine the two). The first possibility is more expensive, but a lot easier: simply get two decks. With two By: Delton Horn decks you record the first track (part) on deck 1 (which becomes the playback deck), then play it back into the right channel of deck 2 (the recording deck), while also putting new live material on much money on something you might to the left channel. You now have Creative recording is a fas­ decide isn't for you in a few a simple stereo duet. cinating and dynamic hobby. Maybe months. Or perhaps you only want Notice that one of the tape you want to make your own "live" to dabble in creative recording on decks doesn't even have to record, tapes, and edit them into a pro­ a now-and-then basis; it would be since the tape may be physically fessional sounding package; per­ wasteful to invest a lot of cash moved from deck 1 to deck 2 for haps you play an instrument or two in a casual hobby. playback and re-recording. I and want to record your own duets So what can you do? Should picked up an old, used German deck (or trios, or quartets, or what­ you just shrug and give it all up that played back fine, but the ever); or maybe you just want to to turn to something less finan­ recording circuitry was shot. experiment, and have some fun with cially demanding, like bottle This lowered the price to a mere the recording medium. cutting or collecting beer cans? $35! The thing was ugly, and While a number of .books and Not necessarily. There are a weighed a ton, but it did the job. articles have been published on few ways to cheat a bit and get In some cases, you could use the subject of recording, and many that bill down to a manageable a cassette deck as the second of them are excellent, they almost level. Of course, the end results deck, but it will be to your ad­ universally assume you have a few may be a little shy of profession­ vantage to have two decks that thousand dollars to spend on your al quality, but you can still have take the same kind of tape. hobby. After all, two or more a lot of fun exploring the intri­ If you want more than two reel-to-reel decks, mixer, micro­ cacies of creative recording on a parts, you will need to add some phones, plus accessories such as budget. And, with a little in­ kind of mixer. Commercial units equalizers, noise reduction, echo genuity, you can create some very can cost you more than what you units, and so on can quic-kly add nice recordings indeed. paid for the recording itself — up to a hefty investment. That's You will first need a fairly but you really don't need anything fine if you're really serious good (preferably three-head) open fancy. In fact, you can build about recording, but if your in­ reel tape deck. Yes, reel-to-reel your own mixer yourself; figure 1 terest is on the hobbyist level, decks do cost a bit, but with some shows the schematic for a "quick you might not want to risk that careful shopping you should be and dirty" mixer that would be

16 Pofyphony June 1983 through the dual recorder/mixer setup described earlier. But now,

FIG.1 A simple mixer circuit you're using fewer generations of Input 100K tape, so you can add more parts with less overall noise build-up. Record part A on the right channel of the sync-capable re­ corder. Add part B on the left channel. Then play the tape back on the other recorder, and mix it down to one channel along with a new part C, recording the results into the right channel of the sync Output recorder. Now use the sync func­ tion to add part D onto the left channel, and start all over again. Of course, you can alter this sequence-as needed to get a better sounding stereo mix. In this simple example, all of the parts would end up in the right channel, enough to get you started. For better recorders nave this feature with a the single exception of the stereo, you would need a mixer for built-in, but it's not hard to add last part recorded on the left each channel. it add it yourself -- you just channel. Naturally, a third re­ With a mixer between the need to install a few switches. corder would greatly increase your playback and recording deck, you But, I would advise you not to try studio's versatility, but it adds can theoretically add as many this while your deck is still to the expense (see figure 3). parts as you like. There is a under warranty. Wait. Any kind There's another slight modi­ practical limitation, however. of modification like this would fication you can make on your deck Each time you re-record onto an­ completely invalidate any warranty while you have it open to add the other generation of tape, you policy I've ever come across. sync switches. If you can switch inevitably add more hiss and dis­ Basically, multi-sync simply out the erase head, you can add tortion, until eventually the sig­ involves using the record head as more parts to a single generation nal becomes totally unuseable. a monitoring playback head. All of tape (see figure 4). With this Experimentation is the only way to you need to do is add a 4PDT arrangement, you record the first determine the limits of your par­ switch, as1 shown in figure 2. two parts as described earlier. ticular setup. This will rarely Now, after recording your original Then shut off the right channel be a significant problem, unless signal on the right channel, you sync and erase head, and switch on you're trying to get very fancy. can put that channel into the sync the left channel sync. You can Getting started: the multi­ mode while recording new material now record a third part without sync approach. The second method onto the left channel. Once erasing the first. Note, however, for creative recording, using mul­ again, you end up with a two-part that if you make any mistakes you will have to re-do both parts one ti-sync, is practical only with piece in stereo. To get more than and three. three-head decks. Some of the two parts you still need to go There's a limit to how many times you can pull this trick on a single generation of tape. After about the third pass on a single channel, the sound will start to get a bit muddy. If all this is still too complex for you, you can still do mono mixing (bouncing) on a single stereo, three-head tape deck. For example, you would record part A on the right channel. You would then play back part A, along with new part B, through a mixer and record the results on the left channel (see figure 5). Next you would repeat the process, playing back the left channel with a new part into the right channel. You can record three of four parts without significant degradation of the sound.

•k 1c k k k

to a three -headed tape deck These tricks will give you a versatile, small scale recording

Pofyphony ------June 1983 17 18 PoGyptiony June 1983 An Electronic Switch for Musicians

By: David DiFrancesco

Here's a simple switching changes the state of the two in­ any N-channel type, but the J-113 circuit which uses a minimum of verters, while capacitor C3 re­ has a very low pinch off voltage, parts, draws 0.5 mA with the LED charges through R13 to prepare for giving a large dynamic range. off and 2 mA with the LED on, and the next switch closure. Rll, Dl, Also, the J-113's channel resis­ can be operated at voltages up to Cl (and R12, D2, and C2) form a tance is only 100 Ohms maximum. 15 Volts (after that point, the filter to de-glitch the switching Points X and Y may go to addition­

CD4007 will blow). FETs. R3, R4, and C8 for a bias al switching FETs, and all sorts In figure 1, inverters IC1A network for the switching FETs. of switching schemes could be

and IC1B (made up of part of a The 2N5089 may be just about any devised. For instance, if points

CD4007) change states when the NPN transistor. The two resistors B and C are connected together, momentary action in/out switch is driving its base form a battery the switching circuit becomes an pressed. The MOS-FET shown (in­ condition indicator, so when the A-B box, with A and D as inputs cluded in the CD4007) is a P- battery drops below about 6 Volts, (or outputs) and BC as the common channel type, so its impedance the LED dims. output (or input). drops when the switch closes; this The two J-FETs may be almost

Parts list

Resistors (all 1/4 Watt, 5% pre- ferred)

RI, R2 4.7k R3, R4 22k R5 75k R6 100k R7 - RIO 470k Rll - R14 1M

Capacitors (greater than 15 work- ing Volts)

Cl - C3 0.047 uF (mylar preferred) C4 - C7 0.1 uF C8 10 uF (electrolytic)

Other parts

Q1 2N5089 NPN transistor Q2, Q3 J-113 FET (National) IC1 CD4007 Dl, D2 1N4148, 1N914, or equivalent D3 Red LED SI Momentary action figure 1 momentary switch

Pufyphorty June 1983 19 . „ . o ariots of Fire was the 2001: A Space Odyssey Theme (Thus Spake Zarathustra) for 1982. You couldn't get away from it or its many imitations. It was on beer commercials, bank commercials, and Xerox commercials — but Chariots of Fire was also a sweeping and powerful Academy Award winning soundtrack, a number one single and album, and one of the more light-weight pieces that Vangelis has recorded over the last 10 years or so. Suddenly, my mother, who thinks that Wayne Newton is high art, was telling me about this Vangelis guy; someone who has been a cult favorite for those who love portentious and grandiose synthesizer music. Vangelis has played the role of a one-man symphony orchestra for nearly a decade, releasing over a dozen solo albums in that time. His music can be outright imitative with swelling string sections and clarion trumpets (Heaven & Hell) or totally ab­ stracted electronics (Beaubourg). However, his best music falls inbetween, merging cultural in­ fluences from Greece and Asia into deftly orchestrated tone poems like China and Odes. Vangelis approaches synthesi­ zers as a keyboard virtuoso. Al­ though he rarely gives concerts, most of his music is recorded and played in real-time. Vangelis sits in the midst of his 24 track studio surrounded by more than 8 keyboards (mostly Prophets and Yamahas), plus electronic percus­ sion, and dashes out his works with fingers leaping from one keyboard to another. He sets up an off-hand sequencer pattern from a Prophet, rolls in the tympani on his Emulator, pumps out brass from the Prophet 10, while a searing string melody cries out from the Yamaha. I had thought he was giving me a spontaneous concert, improvised on the spot, but I later learned that he whips out pretty much the same routine for The Ykngelis Interview anyone who will listen. But it accounts for one of the reasons why his music is so fraught with emotional outbursts: he doesn't distance himself from his music, coolly layering in single-lines on his multitrack. He just leaps By: John K. Diliberto into it. Vangelis is a garrulous man whose physical presence is as massive as his music. Even in his own Nemo studios where he was working, he was dressed in suit- coat and tie, and looking slightly uncomfortable as his body tried to

20 Polyphony June 1983 burst out of it. He smoked one of thing that could produce noise. I VP: When I was six, I played for those thick stogey-type cigars used to play tunes, my own tunes. about two thousand people with a that carnival barkers usually And I'd open this big grand piano piano. stick in their mouths. Though he we had at home and I'd pull on the JD: Was it a recital? was a pop star in his early days strings and create incredible VP: Yeah, but I was playing my with Formynx in Greece and Aphro­ noises and sounds. I'd drive my own music, because I couldn't dite's Child in France, he takes mother crazy because she thought learn anything else. I could only pleasure in eschewing that image. I'd break the piano, but I never improvise. Even now, when I give Now he tries to the be the common, did. I'd done all this with great a concert, I never know what I'm cosmic man. He denies any impor­ respect. I never banged the pia­ going to play. I compose for the tance his music might have, and no. I always tried to create more moment of the concert. And I did plays down his recent celebrity, sounds, but not in order to des­ the same thing when I was six. but skillfully navigates questions troy it. I was never 100% satis­ JD: How did you get from that about his art towards the univer­ fied with one sound, the conven­ point to Aphrodite's Child? sal significance of music, the tional piano sound. At that time VP: It was a natural development, spontaneous nature of his inspi­ I didn't have synthesizers, but I getting together with some friends ration, and his need to express always felt that I wanted more from the.university. We formed feelings and emotion. He diverts than the conventional sound. So this group mainly so that we could questions about his birth by say­ my own way of finding new sounds play jazz. It was basically an ing he is 3000 years old, "or was to go inside the piano. Of amateur group. We never thought more" (he's in his late-thirties). course, when I got the synthesi­ about becoming professionals or His charm is that he doesn't come zers, everything changed. making money. But strangely off as pretentious in saying any enough, we became so famous in of this. Instead, he emerges as a Greece that we were playing before warm and thoughtful artist, who " I never felt that t wanted to he 10,000 people in stadiums. I felt really just wants to make music like a symphony orehestra this sort of hysterical success; and have a good time. musieian. whieh is just like people screaming, having body­ Vangelis distances himself beiny a really fine and yreat guards, all the usual things. But from the industry. With the final eomputer who ran interpret that was my first experience with Aphrodite's Child album, 666, a huge success. I was lucky to have minor art-rock classic, he took any pieee of musie this experience early. It was the leap away from the commercial like a vaccination. scene, doing music that wouldn't JD: Did you have any formal musi­ JD: Were there groups similar to get him much airplay except as the cal training? Aphrodite's Child in Greece? background for commercials. He's VP: No. My parents tried des­ VP: There were some but not many. even expressed skepticism about perately to push me towards music That's the reason why I left the success of Chariots, thinking lessons but they failed complete­ Greece and came to Paris and Lon­ that people will expect all his ly. To me it was impossible to don. It's a great place for ins­ albums to be like that. That may sit down and learn. There are piration, but you can't develop be why he hasn't put out a new things that you can never learn, yourself there. Also, music was record in well over a year. On just like there are things you can not a number one priority in the other side of the coin, how­ never teach. Also, I never felt Greece when I left. ever, he does make cute pop re­ that I wanted to be like a sympho­ JD: It was also politically cords with former Yes singer Jon ny orchestra musician, which is tumultuous then. Anderson such as The Friends of just like being a really fine and VP: Yes! That's another reason Mr. Cairo. great computer who can interpret why I left. I couldn't stay Synthesizers have helped any piece of music. To me music there. eliminate the need for manual was a completely different matter. virtuosity, and programmable JD: Was the classical role model "M o st of the thinys t do are synths are eroding the need even the only one available to you at spimianeitus. I don Y want to further. Perhaps Vangelis, with the time in Greece? his formidable (and reputedly VP: Of course classical music has prepare myself beeause then # self-taught) chops is still a always been around, and ethnic lose the surprise. That’s the reminder that there's still a lot music, too. That's really an way I irork. 99 a musician can do with sound, just incredible source of inspiration. using one's hands and mind. For Jazz music as well! I remember Vangelis Papathanassiou, the way being 12 years old and I could JD: The 666 album by Aphrodite's he makes music hasn't changed much play any jazz tune and improvise. Child was a pretty bizarre affair. since he first started beating on I always believed that jazz is one VP: Yeah, that was the last al­ a piano and plucking its strings of the greatest musical languages. bum. Actually I would've liked when he was four. It might be the greatest thing that to be the first album, but that the United States has ever first we had to go through that * *____ *____ *____ * produced. hit parade thing to prove that we JD: Who were you listening to? could be commercial and sell and John Diliberto: When did you VP: Oh, everybody! Charlie Par­ make it easy with the record com­ first start playing music? ker, Thelonius Monk, Errol Garner, pany. To me, Aphrodite's Child Vangelis Papathanassiou: I think Oscar Peterson, Ella! You know, was a vehicle to break into the I started at the age of four. It everybody. Count Basie...you business and get enough money to was something natural. I remember could go on forever. have my own studio later. That's playing the piano and whatever I JD: When did you start playing the reason why we did 666 Ln the could find in the kitchen; any­ for people? end, though I didn't know it was

PotyplKmy June 1983 21 the end. I created a terrible violin, trumpet, flute, or any only thing you can change is your panic. We used to be number one conventional instrument. That is personal feeling, because nobody in the charts and they wanted to due to the touch response. The plays flute the same way. That's know why we were doing this, com­ keyboards are so sensitive now, the fantastic thing about it, ing out with a double album that and you can really put a lot of especially in oriental music. The was not a single or easy chart feeling into them. interpretation and the feel that album. To me it was a chance to It's really quite extraordin­ you put into it is very important. break away and do whatever I ary, because synthesizers are only So it's a completely different liked. I was tired of trying to 12 years old or so. Now, the approach. be in the charts. There's nothing piano, the most known instrument, wrong with charts, but it's wrong took maybe 200 years to build. So to try and do the things that you it's extraordinary that in 12 “ Synthesizers ran add to what think will get you in them. years time we've built synthesi­ exists m>u\ They're not here to JD: How did you arrive at a piece zers that we can consider really wipe away eonventional instru­ like (Infinity)? fine instruments. ments — they are all maehines VP: Quite accidentally. Most of JD: You do bring a strictly key­ and it doesn 't matter if they are the things I do are spontaneous. board approach to playing the I don't want to prepare myself synthesizer. electronic or acoustic. ” because then I lose the surprise. VP: Yes! Because the way that That's the way I work... you can drive, you can play the But when you want to extend JD: Was Irene Pappas' vocal im­ instrument. I'm not very keen on that, you need something more. So provised then? programming a lot of things be­ synthesizers can add to what VP: Yes. She came into the stu­ cause then I don't have time to exists now. They're not here to dio one day and we had this text play. The human element is very wipe away conventional instruments from the New Testament which was important. I love technology to — they are all machines and it "I was I am to come". Because the serve me, but I don't want to doesn't matter if they are elec­ 666 album is from St. John, the serve technology. tronic or acoustic. With the Apocalypse. She improvised and I JD: So you find that the inter­ violin you have a bow and the played the percussion. face with your synthesizers takes string that produces the sound. JD: A lot of your music is in­ place on the keyboard? With the synthesizer you need volved with imitative synthesis. VP: Yes! I always believed that electric power to do the same It seemed to really start with the the human being is the best syn­ thing. So what! Some people say Heaven ^ Hell album with the giant thesizer. The machine is always that if it's electronic it's not orchestral sounds and trumpets. second. real. Everything is real. The VP: Actually, when I did Heaven & JD: What was your first synthesi­ whole cosmic system is like that. Hell, I had the smallest collec­ zer? It's energy, power. The human tion of instruments. I did it VP: It was a very small, basic being is full of energy and elec­ with one or two synthesizers. It Korg. I still have itv, tricity; there's nothing wrong was the end of 1974 when I moved JD: A lot of people see the syn­ with that. to London and was in the middle of thesizer as being able to go be­ the chaos of building a studio. yond conventional instruments, yet " I don't believe that synthe­ you often use it to imitate. But I had to deliver this album. sizers don't have feeling." I did try to produce this orches­ VP: You can do both. You can tral, big sound; but I don't do never really imitate. Even if you this all the time. try to have a symphony orchestra The human being is the master sound, the same thing played by a and if you have a feeling, you'll symphony orchestra sounds com­ always find a way to get it “ Today, to play a synthesizer pletely different. It's more like through. Let's take percussion. the right way you need the a memory of what we know, but it's To some people, percussion is just same amount of teehnique you not the real thing. But it noise. To me, percussion is one would need to play a violin, doesn't matter. What matters is of the finest assemblage of ins­ trumpet, flute or any eonren- if you're making communication. truments that humans have ever produced. If you take a conga tional instrument. ** If you need a violin, you take a violin. But now with a synthesi­ drum, somebody can just start zer you have the memory of a vio­ banging and it will sound awful. JD: When did you first start lin and that's a different thing But if you take somebody with playing synthesizers? altogether. feel, African or Cuban people, VP: It was in early 1970. It had Conventional instruments will they play it incredibly. This one always been my basic need for always be around because they are or two tone instrument becomes so years to find an instrument that a tool to help a human being ex­ incredible and rich when these could give me an extension of press himself. So when you have a people start to play. A simple sound. The only solution to me flute that has been around for sound becomes huge. So I don't was the synthesizer. Of course, thousands of years and it's still believe that synthesizers don't at the time, the synthesizers we there, there must be a reason. I have feeling. had were not nearly as flexible as don't think that any synthesizer JD: Don't you think, especially the ones we have now. Now we have will put the flute out of busi­ with the newer computer synthesi­ real instruments; at the time, ness. The flute is a machine as zers, that music is more a crea­ they were very basic. Today, to well; it's something that has been tion of the mind? That people's play a synthesizer the right way built to produce sound. But when­ perception of good music doesn't you need the same amount of tech­ ever you play the flute, you can rely on manual dexterity and nique you would need to play a only get the flute sound. The flashy technique anymore?

22 Fotyphon>' June 1983 VP: I think that music is a re­ I'm thinking especially of Beau- an alien culture into your own flection. And if people become bourg, which is a very abstract art? too intellectual it reflects not piece, but creates this movement VP: I always felt very close to only in their music, but in their of sound through the stereo spec­ Chinese music, even as a child. everyday life. We live in an trum. Of course, all ethnic musics have intellectual society anyway. VP: Of course, with the techno­ common points, but I've always That's why we suffer. That's why logy that we have today, it gives been attracted to Chinese music. we become schizophrenic. There's us a new way of recording. It's I didn't try to do Chinese folk too much logic and point of refer­ the same as recording holograms, music. I'm not Chinese, but I did ence and fear. Nobody dares to three dimensional. You feel like something that I felt had this feel something. That's why music you're in a globe. It's better in characteristic color of Chinese has become so important in the quadraphonic sound where every­ music. last thirty years: it may be the thing is there and you know the JD: It was very gentle music, last source of communication be­ position of every sound. At the compared to, say, Heaven & Hell, tween people. We should keep a time I did Beaubourg, I used only which was very dynamic. balance between the intellect and stereo. I'd love to use quadra­ VP: Heaven & Hell is European feeling. Use the intellect to phonic, but I can't because most music, analyze something we did after it people aren't equipped with the JD: Do you think that Asian music is done to see why and how we did equipment to hear it the right lends itself to the synthesizer in it. If we don't use it to create way. that the synthesizer can go beyond what we're going to do, we can JD: Do you think your ideas are the diatonic scale? come up with a piece of music that ahead of the technology? VP: Absolutely. I know, because really makes sense and then some­ VP: No, the technology is fine. I play Oriental music and I can do one else can understand it. If the same things on synthesizer, our intent is intellectual, I much more than I have on my al­ don't think we can have a dia­ "M y job is not to give eon verts, bums. But when I just play for logue . but to lire us freely us possible myself, I find that I can have the JD: What I meant was that music so that f eon ereate. ” same flexibility of a sitar, sha- is created in the mind, not neces­ kuhachi or any other Oriental sarily intellectual music. instrument. It's a different VP: But I don't think about my JD: You don't think that synthe­ technique altogether. You take a music. It is there before me and sizers could improve in any way? violin, which is a very conven­ after me. I'm somewhere in the VP: Oh, of course they can. But tional instrument — the Egyptians middle and I'm like a wire, like a it's a business thing. With syn­ play it one way, the Indians ano­ bridge between something. What I thesizers, every year they give ther and the Greeks another. You do is help this existent thing you a little bit more so that can even play jazz on violin. come through so we can hear it. you'll continue to buy more, be­ It's the same instrument, but it But I try to eliminate the filter cause the companies have to sur­ has a different feel and tech­ and keep the music as pure as vive . nique. Today, with the touch possible. But it's very diffi­ JD: You don't perform live any­ response synthesizers, if you know cult. more. how to use the technique, you can Music is very important. I VP: No, I don't. The last con­ produce the same results. never see it as entertainment. It cert I gave was about 4 years ago. JD: When Edgar Varese was think­ could be entertainment, but that's It's a real hassle to play live. ing about an instrument like the a small percentage of the whole When I decide to do a concert, I synthesizer before there was such spectrum of music. The way that go through a lot of problems with a thing, he talked about the li­ we use music today is very little. publicity, interests, money, the beration of sound. Do you think We use music in a very narrow way sound...this simple idea of get­ has accomplished that? at the moment. Hopefully they'll ting together with people becomes VP: As long as the human being is use it in different ways in the a monster of problems. It's not free, yes. future. spontaneous anymore. I'm sure JD: What sort of ways? you've been to lots of concerts, VP: Science! and you know that backstage it's 44#n order to leave ro o m for JD: How will they use it in sci­ completely different than it is eaeh family of frequeneies to ence? out front. I can't go through grow, you have to be as simple VP: Oh, they will. Because music that. I also can't plan far as possible. These are basie is like a code. It contains all enough in advance to do a concert. la as. It’s not mg eoneeption„ the secrets, things we don't un­ I don't like to commit myself. My it's how nature u'orks derstand (Editor's note: Gurd- job is not to give concerts, but jieff believed that certain truths to live as freely as possible so were coded into the standard, 12 that I can create. JD: Do you like to use the syn­ tone Western scale). Until now, JD: What about the technical thesizer in ways that human play­ we used lots of philosophies to feasibility of performing your ers couldn't perform with conven­ understand certain things. But music live? tional instruments? music is there like a witness to VP: No, performing live is no VP: In t erms of speed, yes. A all creation. problem technically. With the new human being is a machine as well. JD: One aspect of your music, and technology it's even less of a You have ten fingers if you play a lot of electronic music is that problem. the piano, four fingers if you it's not just concerned with the JD: An album like China was quite play the violin and you have to go construction of sound, but also a departure for you. What was it a certain speed. You have certain the placement of sound in space. like, trying to bring the music of facilities and difficulties. Now Polyphony June 1983 23 with the synthesizer, especially sound. Then if I need more things and water. Electricity! Energy! ones that you can program, you can I overdub. But I never do ten I really like living in this cen­ alter the speed in the mechanical overdubs or anything like that; tury where I can enjoy all these parts. And by changing the sound, just two or three. If you do more instruments. and programming the change in the than that, it becomes dull. You JD: I find it interesting that sound, you can program in things can have a really full sound with you're into the blues. that the human being can't pro­ only a few things. It just de­ VP: I' ve never done an album of duce. But what the hands can't pends on where you put them. With blues. produce, the mind produces. When a symphony orchestra you can have JD: Would you want to? I think about a symphony and I a really full sound with only VP: Oh, I'd love to. have to write something that's an three or four voices. You don't JD: Do you think people would hour long, I can think about this need 20 voices singing parallel take it seriously? musi'c in an hour's time in my lines — this creates a thin sound VP: I don't know. I do whatever brain. So I've done it. Now, because you cancel things. In I feel. If they take it seriously we're not talking about whether order to leave room for each fami­ or not is not up to me. Of course it's good or bad, but mechani­ ly of frequencies to grow, you people put on labels, and I hate cally, my brain has done it. Now have to be as simple as possible. labels. One of the big dangers to put that into practice it might These are basic laws. It's not my after Chariots of Fire is that take a year or six months. I have conception, it's how nature works. people will think that my next to write the piece and rehearse it JD: A couple of years ago, we album is going to be like that. and all that. But I believe that were sitting in the United States, Every time they call me to say the real composition takes place a car commercial came on, and we that I'm number one here, and in the mind. I have many sym­ said "hey, we know that music". platinum there, I get terrified phonies that are lost like that VP: Oh yes! In Europe you can't that I might be stuck with that. but it doesn't matter. So the imagine what it's like. All of my How am I going to convince thou­ human being is able to think. albums are used by everybody, in sands of people that it is just The greatest machine might be every country. It's embarrassing one moment during a month's time? to have a plug that you put in actually. Thank God that they JD: Do you think that electronics your brain and you immediately don't mention my name. might be paving the way for a more have a recording. But this wonder JD: It seems that in the last universal music? doesn't exist. It might even be year they've been using different VP: To have a universal music we dangerous. versions or re-mixes of some of have to feel universal. We'd have JD: What do you think? the pieces. to get rid of our everyday points VP: It would probably be dan­ VP: Yeah, they are different of reference and beliefs. It's gerous. Human beings are very versions. okay to be English, Greek, or unstable. American but we have to see that JD: A lot of the electronic music we are all on earth and we are all to come out of the mid-70s was "Tt> me. the synthesizer is the one. involved with space and technolo­ same as natural sounds9 like JD: I sometimes think that the gical imagery and you were in­ thunder, the wind and water. synthesizer could be a tool for breaking down the barriers. volved with that too, around the Electricity! Energy! I really time of Albedo 0.39. VP: It can be. Until now, what VP: That's one of my interests. like living in this century where conventional instruments have done But it gets a little bit dodgey t can enjoy all these instru­ is help the human being to develop when you go to space and all that ments. ” his own language or dialect. So with synthesizers. We created a if I spoke to you now in Chinese fashion of electronic music in JD: Your music does elicit strong or Greek you won't understand space. And it's true that with visual responses. anything; I could say the most electronic instruments you can get VP: But when I play I don't see beautiful thing and you would not closer to nature and nature is anything. I feel things in terms understand. That's why, when you ppace, it's everything. But it of waves, electricity, magnetism, have, say, a great piece of Indian became a fashionable thing and mass and like that. I see things music, people aren't able to re­ that's why I don't repeat it. after, when I listen back, but not ceive it. But with synthesizers, JB: When you say you write music, when I compose. you can go beyond this. We can do you mean that you actually keep the roots of something and write it out? JD: What do you like to listen then you don't have to apply the VP: No, I don't write it out. I to? precise language. don't know how to write music. VP: I listen to things that are I have an example of that on JD: Do you compose at the key­ very simple, like the Blues or an album with Irene Pappas (Odes). board? Indian music. Arabic and Greek It's done with very old, Greek

VP: I compose right on the key­ music is simple. With Oriental traditional music. Until a few board. And it's always the first music you have an abstraction. years ago, everyone used to play take that I use. It's a question Blues is an abstraction as well. this music with the traditional It's unbelieveable what you can do of concentration and then I play. instruments and it was like a JD: You say you use the .first with the blues. museum piece. Because of that, take, but you must do lots of JD: Do you listen to any other the music dies every day. Now I overdubbing. electronic music? played that music that I learned VP: Yeah, but not alot. I don't VP: I listen to nature and na­ when I was three or four and I play one synthesizer at a time. I tural sounds. To me, the synthe­ sizer is the same as natural play three or four. So immedi­ continued on page 33 ately you have a spectrum of sounds, like thunder, the wind,

24 Polyphony June 1983 Tell Them You Saw It In Polyphony ’

lbs., includes Dolby C, may be VIC-20 add-ons. The Genesis battery or AC powered, and can Computer Company (Bethlehem, PA) record up to two channels at one offers the VIController for time. List price: $495. $59.95. This allows a VIC-20 (or Fostex has also developed a Commodore 64) to control up to 256 16 track recorder which records on BSR lamp and appliance modules, 1/2" tape and comes with Dolby C. with up to 9 levels of brightness The list price is under $6000; for the lamps. Sounds like just options include +4 balanced out­ the thing for computerized stage puts, dbx instead of Dolby, and a lighting. Also, Protecto Enter­ remote control unit. prises (Barrington, IL) offers a VIC-20 compatible Votrax-based Semicustom switched—capacitor speech synthesizer for $79.95. A filter chip. Reticon (345 Potrero software editor which allows ad­ New drum machines. The $1250 Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086) has justment of such parameters as

MXR Drum Computer (Model 185) introduced the R5626, ~3 semicustom volume and pitch goes for $9.95 on circuit which, with a single mask lets you create 100 different cassette. Finally, Gloucester stored patterns, which can be change, can implement virtually Computer Company (Gloucester, MA; combined to form 100 different any filter network. It includes tel. 617-283-7719) is selling the songs. The twelve sounds have 14 second-order switched capacitor PromQueen, a programming tool/PROM individual play buttons for real­ filter sections, three uncommitted burner (2716, 27C16, 2732, 27C32, time "recording" (programming), op amps and capacitor arrays, 20 and 2732A) which turns the VIC-20 individual outputs and trigger digital cells with six I/O buf­ into an assembly-language develop­ inputs, cassette and sync inter­ fers, and various clock options ment system. Officially approved face, and sliders to control the (TTL/CMOS master clock or crystal by Commodore, it comes with 4K of overall mix. oscillator). Frequency range is RAM, and HEXKIT 1.0 universal The $1395 Oberheim DX also from 0.5 Hz to 30 kHz, Q is varia­ editing software on EPROM. List stores 100 patterns; these can be ble from 0.1 to 250, and dynamic price is $249. combined into 50 songs. The DX range is claimed as 85 dB. The includes 10 digitally recorded R5626 requires a bipolar supply drum sounds with individual out­ from ^3.5 to +11V. Cost is ap­ puts, many with selectable accent proximately $30 per piece at the and dynamic levels. 1000 piece level; there is also a one-time tooling charge, which can be as high as $30,000.

Intellivision add-ons. Mat­ tel now offers the Intellivision Computer Adapter, which connects directly to the Intellivision and Intellivision II master component units. It includes 2K additional RAM, 12K of ROM with built-in BASIC, and an extra sound genera­ tor to give the Intellivision six Better tape on the way. Motorola filte r chip. Moto­ sound channels. A Computer Key­ Several Japanese companies have rola (3501 Ed Bluestein Blvd., board comes with the adapter at no come up with improved tape formu­ Austin, TX 78721) has announced extra cost, but a more interesting lations. After developing an im­ the MC145415, a 16 pin dual low- keyboard is the 49 note, full- proved process for microcassettes, pass switched-capacitor filter. sized organ-style keyboard which Matshushita has started production It includes two five pole filters, is also available. This turns the on standard size cassettes which and operates off single supplies Intellivision system into a six boast a frequency response of 20 from 4.5 to 16 Volts (or a _+5V note polyphonic synthesizer. to 30,000 Hz. They use two me­ split supply). Software available now includes tals, chromium and cobalt, to "Astromusic" (educational game), provide both high and low frequen­ New recorders. Fostex will "Melody Maker" (music composi­ cy performance. In other news, soon introduce the X-15 Multi- tion), and "Music Conductor" Maxell has developed a ferric Tracker, a portable four channel (practice drills, interval recog­ oxide particle that is only about recorder which weighs in at 4.4 nition, and fingering exercises).

Fofyphonp June 1983 25 POLYMART ------BOOKS 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. #PSYCH PHYCHOLOGY OF MUSIC $6.00 #SENS ON THE SENSATIONS OF TONE $8.95 #MSS MUSIC, SOUND AND SENSATION $4.50 #MPE MUSIC PHYSICS AND ENGINEERING $6.50

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 ELECTRONIC MUSIC SYNTHESIZERS $6.95

TECHNIQUE Synthesists must be well versed in a number of techniques and principles. “ How To” and project oriented books are a great way to pick up these skills. MULTITRACK PRIMER by TEAC is a step- by-step guide to building, outfitting and operating your home studio. The Byte Book of COM­ PUTER MUSIC describes computer control of electro-mechanical instruments, Fourier analysis, circuits and loads of software. HOME RECORDING FOR MUSICIANS is Craig Anderton’s original guide to outfitting and operating a budget studio for maximum results, includes mixer and other audio processing circuits and a sound sheet demo recording. #TEAC TEAC MULTITRACK PRIMER $4.95 ’ #BYTE BYTE BOOK OF COMPUTER MUSIC $10.00 #HRFM HOME RECORDING FOR MUSICIANS $11.95

"HOW TO” GUIDES HOW TO BUILD A SMALL BUDGET RECORDING STUDIO FROM SCRATCH by F. Alton Everest covers twelve tested designs. HOW TO DESIGN TEST AND BUILD COMPLETE SPEAKER SYSTEMS BY David Weems is a do-it-yourself guide for the ultimate in sound quality. HOW TO MAKE AND SELL YOUR OWN RECORD — With the major lables having severe economic pro­ blems, many insiders feel that the future of the music industry may be in independent record pro­ duction. Learn the ropes with Diane Sward Rapaport’s indispensable handbook of how to get started. 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. #BRS BUDGET RECORDING STUIDO $9.95 #MASR MAKE & SELL YOUR OWN RECORD $11.95 #CSS COMPLETE SPEAKER SYSTEMS $7.95 #MMM MAKING MONEY MAKING MUSIC $12.95 ORDER FROM: POLYMART, POBOX 20305, OKLAHOA USE THE ORDER FORM ON THE NEXT PAGE 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. #OACB OP-AMP COOKBOOK $15.95 #EPFM ELECTRONIC PROJECTS FOR MUSICIANS $14.95 #AFCB ACTIVE FILTER COOKBOOK $14.95 #EMCR ELECTRONIC MUSIC CIRCUITS $16.95 #AUOA AUDIO OP-AMP APPLICATIONS $8.95 #CMCB CMOS COOKBOOK $12.95

EXCITING NEW BOOKS! 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

&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 CONTEMPORARYKEYBOARD ARTICLES $5.95 #DEVICE COMPLETE SET (12) DEVICE BACK ISSUES $18.00 #CAMT CRAIG ANDERTON MUSIC TAPE $5.95 A CITY, OK 73156 (405) 842-5480 BACK ISSUES $2.50 each ppd #0605: March/April 81: Portable Music Issue, reviews of Remco’s FX, E-H Mini-synthesizer, Casio's VL-Tone, plus mods for the My10, GR-500, mini-amp, and the Korg X-911. Introducing; Find out what you’ve missed! Practical Circuitry and On Location, new columns. #0301: _ 7/77: frequency divider project, random tone #0606: May/June 81: Synthesizer: Hardware Mods and generator project, normalizing synthesizer controls, eliminating Software. Modular Synthesizer Effects, Environmental music. patch cords, computer control of analog modules, Chord Egg Keyboard assignment for the 8700, new columns; Details, Practical modification, adding pitch bending, patches. Circuitry, and On Location. Volume 6 index. #0302: 11/77: The Sensuous Envelope Follower, digital gates, LED wall art, build a bionic sax, data to music peripheral #0701: July/August: Guitar Electronics: Modify: Fender project, Apple II as a music controller, using the NE566 as a VCO, Amp, MXR Phase 100, GR-500. Input/Output Structures, $5 Analog patches. Programmer, Sample and Hold technique, Modular Synthesizer Effects, new column: Applied Synthesis, Marketing Your Records. #0303: 2/78: computer controled Gnome, using joysticks, build a bionic trumpet, ultra-VCO modifications, voltage control #0702: Sept./Oct.'81: Harald Bode Interview, Live Plus Tape the Mu-Tron Bi-Phase, oral joystick, patches. New Technique, Xenharmonics, Kraftwerk Live - Review, Psycho-Acoustic Experiments, Practical Circuitry - Super #0304: April/May 78: Minimoog modifications, non-keyboard Controller, Applied synthesis - Brass, Construction Tips For module use, phasing and flanging (theory and circuits), memory Beginners. expansion for programmable drunTs, digitally addressed transposer project, polyphonic software (with software transient generators), #0703: Nov./Dec.'81: Dave Rossum interview, Applied patches, Volume 3 index. Synthesis: Strings,Details: Series-parallel/Sum-Difference. The Sound Gizmo and Pro-One Reviews, Practical Circuitry: VCO Deluxe. #0402: Sept/Oct 78: electronic music notation, notes on the recording of "Cords" by Larry Fast, sequencer software - part #0704 Jan./Feb.'82: Bob Moog interview, Chip Power one, rhythmic control of analog sequencers, touch switch projects, STK-050/070, Simple Square Wave Shaper, Tape Timer Ruler, modular vocoder techniques, PET as a music controller, patches. Practical Circuitry: VCAs made simple. Details: Gozinda & Gozouta Revisited, Korg Trident & Casiotone 202 Reviews. #0404: January/March 79: add-ons for vocal F and V ^converter, shorthand patch notation, more on note to frequency #0705 Mar./Apr.'82: Electronic Music Math, Analog Delay cpnversion, graphic monitor project, George Russell, super VCA Clock / Modulation; Frequency Domain Modifiers; Screen-Wave for circuit, echo software, Vol. 4 index. the TRS-80; Touch Switches Revisited; Practical Circuitry: ADSR #0502: July/August 79: hex VCA/mixer project, electronic the Easy Way; Getting the most out of a Cheapo (Guitar). music schools and studios, modify the Oberheim Expander Mpdule, profile of Ernest Garthwaite, budget microphones, digitizer #0706 May/August '82: Anatomy of a Private record, Don projects and software, bar graph ICs. Slepian Interview, Understanding Digital Synthesizers: A Digital Filter, Syn-Bow Review, Optical Audio, Profiles of SSM 2033 & #0505: January/February 80: Joseph Byrd, Mort Garson, 2044, The PAL Filter, Bill Rhodes Applied synthesis: Bells, Pipe Larry Fast on 'Games', composing for 'live plus tape', using the Organ, Harpsichord, Electronic piano; The Realistic MG-1 Reviewed. CA3280, recording vocals, ADSR circuits. #0506: March/April 80: Computers in Music: real time audio #0801 Sept/Oct. '82: Ambience in Electronic Music,Tone processing hardware, Powell sequencer system, Max Mathews, Bypass for Fender Amps, 8 Track Reviews, Parametric EQ Tips, advanced STG software, PortaStudio, phase modulation, Volume 5 Solo/Cut Circuit for TASCAM Model 3, The SSM 2011, Tube Preamp, index. Snare + Drum Voice Circuit, Triple Pick-up Switcher, Simulated #0601: May/June 80: Gary Numan, Microcomputers in Real Time Audio, Build a Digital Audio Delay Line, writing Stereo, When Quality Reocrd Mfg. Counts, Independent Record Mfg. Documentation, Richard Hayman Composer/Performer Home Recording: Convention report. Applying Harmonizing and Pitch Transposing Techniques by: Craig Anderton. #0802 February '83: AMS-100 Gate Output, Bus Distribution #0602: July/August 80: Peter Gabriel, digital VCO Modules for Modular Synthesizers, Dynamic Touch Controller, project, dream modules, optimum level settings, dynamic phrasing, Expanding Envelopes, MXR Limiter Review, New Age Music, An patches. Overview, Synsonics Drum Review, Interface, Practical Circuitry: A #0603: Sept/Oct combined with Nov/Dec 80: alternate Patch Over Scheme for Small Synthesizers, Lab Notes: Shepard controllers, add voices to Casio M-10, voltage controlled Functions. quadrature oscillator project, cordless patch bay, recording rules, patches. #0803 April '83: Sound Interface Device, Build a Bass Pedal #0604: January/February 81: Special Construction Edition; System, Dr. Rhythm Mod., Switched Capacitance/Transversal Filters, Build: Audio Circuit Breaker, Pulse Width Multiplier, Magnetic Voltage Controlled LFO, Rockman & Voyetra Eight Reviews. Harp, 50 Watt/Channel Stereo Power Amp, Quad Sequential Switch, DOD Mods, patches. CASIO M-10 OWNERS...... RACK PANEL SPECIAL! Did you realize that your pride and joy has unseen powers? That there are voices and effects that you can add for the Easily machined 1/8 inch unfinished aluminum rack panels as cost of a switch and a piece of wire? This latest booklet low as $3.95 each in quantities of 3 or more, (you may mix from POLYPHONY gives you the info that you need to transform sizes for discount prices) your mini-axe and gives details on adding a "stunt box", computer interfacing and much,,much more. Quantity T 3 or more No. CMOD 16 pages ...... $3.50 single size - 1-3/4" .$5.25 $3.95 each double size - 3-1/2" .$9.25 $7.95 each SSM 2011 CHIPS triple size - 5-1/4" $12.95 $11.95 each As a special service to readers interested in evaluating this exciting new chip, for a limited time POLYMART offers the SSM 2011 Microphone Preamp/Level Detector IC. No. 2011 .... $5.75 each plus postage ($1.00)

ORDER FORM------Quantity Item price ea. amount ! W e cannot invoice; payment must be enclosed with your order. j there is a flat $.50 handling fee per order plus postage costs, i MasterCharge and Visa are welcome, ($10.00 minimum charge ). Foreign orders must be paid by certified check or ■ money order in U.S. $ drawn on a U.S. bank (or by charge card) . Phone orders welcomed for charge card orders. j S H IP TO : _ Nam e: ______* Address: ______

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MAIL t o : POLYMART, PO BOX 20305, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73156 diminished chord, as well as major and minor chords and scales. The user can also transpose any chord or scale up or down by half-steps. Inversions of all chords can be shown, including inversions of 6th, 7th and 9th chords.

0.1 micro long, which lowers tape and can sync with commercially According to a Banana noise another 5 dB. They claim a available drum units. List price spokesman, this product is ideal is $699. DeltaLab also introduced bandwidth of 30 kHz even when for portable keyboard owners, the "Effectron II" series, incor­ running the tape at less than 1 music students, synthesizer porating several new features into IPS. While neither of these for­ players, home organists and their popular Effectron line. Al­ mulations has hit the market in others. The chord computer can so at NAMM, Electro-Harmonix quantity, they demonstrate the rapidly increase musical knowledge showed a prototype 64 second rack advances being made in high per­ and make it easy for a musician to mount delay which syncs to drums formance tape products. play in unfamiliar keys. and resembles their currently The Chord Computer is available 16 second delay. available by mail from PAIA Electronics, Inc., P. 0. Box 14359, Oklahoma City, OK 73114 for EDR redux. Software Applica­ $59.95 postpaid. tions, Inc. (5558 S.E. Interna­ tional Way, Milwaukie, OR 97222; tel. 503-653-5927) has bought out Low-cost D/A^ converters. the remaining inventory of Imagin- Burr-Brown (PO Box 11400, Tucson, Low cost limiter. Furman earing Audio, and has re-intro­ AZ 85734) has introduced the Sound (30 Rich St., Greenbrae, CA duced (and will service) the Al- PCM52JG-V and PCM53JG-V. These 16 94904) has introduced the LC-3 phatone III tuner ($199.95 list), bit D/A converters have been opti­

Limiter/Compressor. It includes Alphatone Jr. ($99.95), Echo Digi­ mized for audio applications and attack, release, and compression tal Recorder ($1995), and EDR feature a dynamic range of 96 dB. ratio controls; LED gain reduction remote control ($600). Discounts Price is around $23 in hundreds. display; "side-chain" and "de-ess" are available on factory direct modes; and separate input and orders. And as the press release output controls. List price is says, "Be sure to ask for our EDR $335 -- pretty inexpensive for demo tape, by Craig Anderton, when those kinds of features. you place an order for Alphatone tuners". New Buchla. The new Buchla 406 looks like quite a synthesi- WIND PLAYERS zer/computer. It includes a five VOCALISTS octave pressure sensitive keyboard tunable to "any imaginable scale"; wYou c a n u se yo u r own high resolution graphic display; instrument or voice to "score editor" that can display, control any standard syr,hes izer, audition, and edit six orchestral- ly differentiated voices; SMPTE with more expressiveness than tracking/decoding/displaying; two a keyboard. ■vfl '****_ high level music languages; etc. etc. Introductory price is $10,500. For more information, contact West L. A. Music, 11345 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los An­ geles, CA 90025. THE GENTLE ELECTRIC PITCH AN D ENVELOPE FOLLOWER o i k f, \ \ Write for our free detailed ✓ brochure, patch diagrams,! and application n o fe s.lp r New chord computer makes ....1 chords and scales easy. A new V lJSu Ri mP V « A /lo a v a ila b le os modules for.Aries and hand held computer that displays Serge synthesizers, or as Cir*c m t boards all common chords and scales has for custom systems? Dealers inquiries been introduced by Banana. Called w e lcom e/ Looong delays. At the June the Chord Computer, the list price NAMM show, DeltaLab (27 Industrial is $59.95. qentle electric Avenue, Chelmsford, MA 01824) A built in LCD display shows t / Dept P the user how to play any chord, P.O. Box 132, Delta. CO 8 1416 introduced the Echotron, which (303) 874-7171 provides over 4 seconds of delay scale, inversion, augmented or

Poiyphon>’ June 1983 29 Practical Circuitry

A One Chip ADSR

By: Tom Henry

The technology of electronic to operate from our standard bipo­ R4 and RI form a typical voltage music is growing so quickly that lar +15V supply, with pin 14 being divider. The maximum voltage of it is often difficult to keep a- at +15V and pin 8 at -15V. Since +15V is dropped to about 260 mV, a breast of all the developments. an ADSR has quite a bit of switch­ level the SSM2056 likes to see. For example, I thought I was pret­ ing going on inside it, fairly The SUSTAIN control is han­ ty much up to date on most of the hefty capacitors (C3 and C4) are dled a little differently. A important LSI (large scale inte­ strung across the power pins. fixed 20k resistor (Rll) is added gration) chips available for music While 100 uF may be more than is to potentiometer R10 to drop the applications, and yet just recent­ actually needed, it never hurts to + 15V supply line to about +5V. ly I discovered the SSM2056 ADSR be extra careful when it comes to Thus the hottest setting of this chip. I was amazed when I found decoupling (you might also want to pot is at +5V. This in turn means out that this IC incorporates all solder some 0.1 uF ceramic caps that the SUSTAIN voltage is vari­ of the design features that my across the supply lines in paral­ able from 0V to +5V, as we would system employs. The supply vol­ lel with these electrolytics for expect it to be. By the way, 20k tages and input and output levels even more effective bypassing of is a standard 5% value and can be are 100% compatible with the cir­ sharp transients-- Ed.). easily obtained from a number of cuits discussed thus far in this J1 sends a trigger signal to dealers (see below). Do not subs­ column. And best of all, the the chip through R13 and Cl. The titute, say, a 22k resistor for complete ADSR circuit can be im­ input signal should be our stan­ this critical value. (Note that plemented with one chip! Where dard +5V, 1 millisecond wide potentiometer resistances are not have I been all this time? pulse. The gate signal couples to all that accurate, so you may want Before describing the com­ the IC through closed circuit jack to use a meter to make sure that plete circuit, let's stop to phi­ J3. This jack provides a constant the pot you choose is as close to losophize a bit. We've already + 5V gate signal to the chip if no 10k as possible — Ed.) discussed one ADSR in "Practical plug is inserted into the jack. C2 is the timing capacitor Circuitry", so why do we need (Voltage divider R14 and R12 drop for the whole ADSR. Use a good another? Well, as you continue to +5V from the power supply.) With quality capacitor here; mylar is gain experience in electronic mu­ the addition of this switching perhaps the best choice, being sic, you will find that no two jack, it is possible to fire the both fairly stable and not too modules are exactly alike. Even ADSR with a trigger only, thus expensive. two "identical" circuits will have giving AD type envelopes. For The output appears at J2. subtle differences that make one most purposes we will want a full I've only shown one jack here, but more suitable for a particular ADSR response, but sometimes an AD in my version of the circuit, I application than the other. This envelope is more suited to the actually tied four jacks in paral­ is most apparent in the case of application at hand. This is lel for the output structure. filters (everybody seems to have a especially true for percussion or You'll probably find, like I have, favorite filter), and to a lesser AMS-100 effects. that you'll often use one ADSR to extent with ADSRs. As I found out If a plug is inserted into drive several circuits. So, by after building it, this ADSR has jack J3, the constant gate feature making a number of output jacks quite a different "feel"'from my is disabled. The plug now pre­ available, you will get around other units. In particular, it sents the normal ON/OFF type key­ using up some multiples elsewhere seems to offer quite a bit more board gate to the chip. A little in your system. Four jacks should control over short attack and later, we'll see how to make the be the limit though, since this is decay times, thus making it emin­ most of the various types of en­ about the maximum that the ently useful for percussion velope patterns available with SSM2056's internal buffer can han­ sounds. In general, this ADSR this circuit. dle. gives me a good feeling; it was The time parameters are set How to build it. In the easy to build, worked right off via potentiometers R7 through R9. past, obtaining single unit quan­ the bat, and gives some new ef­ Thus the ATTACK, DECAY, and RE­ tities of the more exotic inte­ fects too. LEASE times may be easily set with grated circuits was rather diffi­ How it works. Refer to the the turn of a knob. Since the hot cult. However, things are easing schematic. The heart of the whole sides of these pots are hooked up up now, and you should have no circuit is, of course, the to the +15V power supply line, the trouble at all. PGS Electronics SSM2056. This chip was designed wiper voltages must be attenuated. (PO Box 749C, Terre Haute, IN

30 I\>SyphorPv’ ------— June 1983 47808) is one source; the price is down all the way, and the SUSTAIN complete one chip ADSR! Alert under $6, although there may be a control up all the way. When a readers will note a similarity to shipping and handling charge. key is pressed, you will get an Craig Anderton's "Voltage Con­ The two rather important re­ ATTACK/SUSTAIN/RELEASE pattern, trolled Envelope Generator" (Con­ sistors, Rll and R14 (20k and typical of an AR unit. temporary Keyboard, May 1982, pp. 200k, respectively) are standard For AD effects, you need only 20-23). Craig's circuit used the 5% values and can be obtained from apply a trigger signal. Turn the SSM2055, an earlier generation of a number of places. My favorite SUSTAIN and RELEASE controls down the SSM2056 presented herein, and source for resistors is Jameco all the way. Now whenever you also offers voltage control of the Electronics (1355 Shoreway Road, touch a key, the unit will go into various parameters. If you're Belmont, CA 94002). The price is an ATTACK/DECAY cycle automatical­ looking for even greater versati­ around six cents each for resis­ ly. As mentioned earlier, this is lity (at the expense of greater tors, but you'll have to make sure usually the appropriate waveform complexity, though), check out you meet the minimum order re­ for percussive effects. Craig's circuit. But for most quirements. Write to both PGS and Of course, these three ar­ common applications, I think Jameco for catalogs and ordering rangements just described are just you'll find the simple manually information. the start. There are countless controlled version presented here Since this was such a simple other settings of the controls, will really fill the bill. circuit, I built it on an "Experi­ hence countless other sounds. Let If you're just learning how menter Printed Circuit Board" your ear be the judge of which are to build synthesizer gear, you'll available from Radio Shack (stock most appealing to you! And remem­ find this ADSR is a great project #276-170; about $3). This is one ber, this circuit allows for full with which to start. Pay atten­ of those generalized breadboard retriggering, so the versatility tion to the supply voltages, capa­ rigs that has a number of rows of is even greater. citor polarities, watch your sol­ pads and traces suitable for There you have it, a very dering techniques, and before you building up IC type circuits. Circuit construction is not criti­ cal, since there are no high fre­ quencies present in the circuit. Along with the circuit board men­ tioned above, I used hookup wire and flea clips to finish the cons­ truction. The one chip ADSR mounts easily behind a standard 1.75" by 19" rack panel. Use some small angles and #4 hardware to fasten the circuit board to the front panel. Since you'll probably have some space left over, you can use this for some one by four multi­ ples; in other words, four phone jacks wired in parallel. Multi­ ples are always handy to have around, so when a chance presents itself like this, seize the moment and throw one in! By the way, if you need some help in preparing a front panel, see my article "Mak­ ing Rack Panels" (Electronotes, Volume 13 Number 122, February *ul}?hg tne one chip ADSR. Since ADSRs may be new to some readers, here are a few settings that you can play around with. For a full ADSR response, apply both a gate and trigger from the keyboard. Now press a key and no Id it. The instant you hit the key, the envelope will launch into its ATTACK portion. When the signal reaches +5V, the DECAY portion will start up. The signal will decay to the level set by the SUSTAIN control and will hold there for as long as the key is held down. Now release the key, and the RELEASE portion kicks in. For an AR type response, once again apply both a gate and trig­ ger. Now turn the DECAY control Fofyphor^ June 1983 31 know it you'll have a very profes­ sional quality ADSR up and run­ ning. BO O K R E V IE W PARTS LIST The Complete Synthesizer, a^ Comprehen­ sive Guide by David Crombie, Omnibus Press, 1982. Resistors R1-R3 180 Ohms R4-R6 10k R7-R10 10k linear pot By: David Doty RI 1 20k Despite the growing popularity of synthesizers, R12, R13 100k instruction books suitable for the beginner are R14 ‘ 200k still rather rare. This is the role I believe The Capacitors Complete Synthesizer was intended to fill; but, although it offers a fair amount of valuable infor­ Cl 0.01 uF mation in a reasonably palatable form, this books is C2 0.03 uF far less than its title claims. Virtually all of C3-C4 100 uF electrolytic the functions common to the contemporary analog Other Parts synthesizer are presented here; and the information offered is, so far as it goes, correct; but some­ IC1 SSM2056 ADSR chip thing important is missing: the idea that synthe­ Jl, J2 Open circuit 1/4" sizers are, at best, extremely powerful musical phone jack tools whose potential is yet to be fully explored. J3 Closed circuit 1/4" The book begins with a chapter devoted to the phone jack basic parameters of musical sound. This is as it Misc. Circuit board, should be, and the text here is simple and front panel, knobs, straightforward enough that a reader with no back­ wire, etc. ground in acoustics should be readily able to grasp these important concepts. The second and by far the longest chapter is entitled "The Synthesizer Voice Module", a title which is indicative of the book's viewpoint. The synthesizer is presented as a nor- malled, keyboard controlled instrument with the signal path that has been prevalent since the intro­ duction of the minimoog. The various modules are continued from page .3 described in terms of the roles they play in this George's second question scheme, and alternative possibilities are largely concerned modifying the Casio 202, ignored. As a result of this approach, the type of which was reviewed in your Jan/Feb synthesis described here is primarily the imitative '82 issue. I was rather surprised sort as practiced in recent rock and pop music. you hadn't looked into a Techniques which fall outside this genre are treated modification for this, as I'm sure with a certain condescension, when they are men­ quite a few of your readers own tioned at all. For instance, regarding the LFO, we some sort of Casio that is not of are told that sine and triangle waves are for vibra­

the "mini" type. Casios are quite to, square waves are for trills, and that "Sawtooth often owned by those of us who frequency modulation is generally limited to special

make less than $12,000 a year. effects, such as sirens...". Similarly, the sample All I can say is if Polyphony and hold is represented exclusively as a generator can't help, then try J. L. Cooper of random control voltages which, we learn, "are

Electronics, as they are poly- seldom used except for bizarre, spacey effects".

synth modification experts. The While these attitudes are typical of a certain style address is: of synthesis that is prevalent today, their presen­ J. L. Cooper Electronics tation in a book such as this, to the exclusion of 2800 S. Washington Blvd. others, is apt to lead the beginner down a path of Marina Del Rey, CA 90291 well-worn cliches, rather than encouraging creativi­ In closing, I'd like to say ty and exploration. that it would be of enormous help The remaining chapters reflect the same bias. to amateurs like myself if you Under "Types of Synthesizers" the modular synthe­ would write electronic projects sizer receives less space than the "pseudo-polyphon­ with digital-unfamiliar people in ic" top octave divider type instrument, which is not mind. I can't see this as being properly a synthesizer at all. "Using the Synthesi­ an annoyance with people who are zer", which might properly have been the longest familiar with e 1 ec t r onic s ...gi ve chapter in a book such as this, receives a mere five it some thought. pages, with four of these being devoted to imitative Kenneth Amaris voicings. A few recipes are given, including the mandatory string, brass, and organ patches, but Culver City, CA nothing is said about achieving the subtle note-to- Kenneth — You're not the note and register-to-register differences typical of only one who has written recently acoustic instruments. The "Synthesizer Accessories" continued on page 40

32 Pofyphony June 1983 BY PROFESSIONAL DEMAND 4 BOOK REVIEW DDC OFFERS FREE ADVICE, PERSONAL SERVICE AND ONE-DAY SHIPPING OF THE FINEST MUSIC chapter gives an adequate explanation of sequencers, AND SOUND EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE: but the portion dealing with outboard effects is unduly brief and rather arbitrary in its inclusions crouun Lraynor and exclusions. The concluding entry, a glossary, is one of the most valuable items in the book. The KORG P°kYFfJSIorj entries are extensive and the definitions are con­ E y cise and non-1echnica1. This is a useful resource KELSEY^ llIjIfilRiTil! for the novice, foundering in a sea of new and un­ familiar terms. TEAC •TUNIR I M X R The format of the book is slightly peculiar. Although the dimensions of the page are 9" X 12", larzio the actual text is set in a space measuring 7" X 9.75", surrounded by a border of light blue moire. M j j f ; c REMO I do not wish to nit pick, but as this book of 96 pages sells for $10.95, I would rather have seen all ©YAMAHA the available space devoted to useful information C H UftfiA Ft \ HM TIHIIII m vsujl___^ ___J|L rather than decoration. The second color, which no « Q gfir=!3 [whjrlwmdj doubt increased the book's cost, is rarely used to enhance the clarity of the diagrams and illustra­ tions . pRopbet RQ^T " In conclusion, while this book is not without Q I a s h l y I value for the beginning synthesist, it does little nKRAMERCr 08 to encourage the truly musical use of synthesizers. We are still without a truly "comprehensive guide" W .‘intersound n i that could serve the needs of beginning and advanced PLEASE CALL OR WRITE FOR PRICES & ORDERING synthesists alike. INFORMATION - YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID!

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Vangelis the better it is. I think it's VP: It depends on when it comes. continued from page 24 essential to have different ones. When it comes I have to do it. It play it my way. This album was JD: I see that you have a few depends on what mood I'm in. one of the most popular albums in different percussion devices. JD: Do you still occasionally Greece. It has nothing to do with VP: Yes, I have three different whip it out on the tympani? the conventional way. These songs ways to produce percussion. VP: Oh yeah! There are still are exactly the same. The feel is JD: What do you think of the Linn things that you can do on regular exactly the same, but the way of Drum Machine? instruments that you can't do on expression is different. You VP: It was the first one of that the synthesizer. can't say that it's ethnic music kind of thing. I think it's a ------— ------• anymore. So maybe the synthesizer little bit primitive, but it's brings a more universal expres- okay. JD: In the other room you have a Why do you use so many dif­ whole arsenal or conventional per­ (This interview is taken from ferent makes of keyboards? Why cussion. .. a radio series called "Totally don't you have just a couple of VP: Yes, but I have all that Wired: Artists in Electronic Prophet 10s or Yamahas? conventional percussion here Sound". This is a series of 26 VP: Each make is different and (points to his Emulator). It's half-hour radio programs focussing they give you different possibili- easier when you play. It all on the history and artists of t Les. comes up on the keyboard chroma­ electronic music. The series will JD: Is it like a pianist, who tically and then I can change it. be distributed via National Public thinks that each piano is dif­ JD: You've got an acoustic piano Radio's Extended Program Service ferent? over there. Why wouldn't you just and the National Federation of VP: Oh yes. Each synthesizer is record it and throw it on the Community Broadcasters Distribu­ different. Even if you have two Emulator? tion Service this summer. The of the same model you'll find that VP: That's possible, but the series is produced by John Dili- there's a difference between them. keyboard is bigger there. I've berto and Kimberly Haas and is The more you know an instrument, got more octaves. And the Emula­ supported by grants from Sequen­ tor is not only to reproduce the tial Circuits, Inc., Yamaha Cor­ sounds, but to change the sounds. poration, the Pennsylvania Humani­ “Each synthesizer is different. ties Council, and the Pennsylvania Even if you have two of the same You can do incredible things with it. Council on the Arts.) model you'll find that there's a JD: What kind of mood do you have differenee between them, ” here when you record? Do you have all these people running around?

Polyphony June 1983 33 MIDI

H ardw are

By: Stanley Junglieb

Sequential Circuits, Inc.

e Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) opto-isolator output is normally pulled high by Rd. specification, recently worked out as a cooperative However when current flows through the internal LED, effort by several synthesizer manufacturers, enables the isolator output switch turns on, grounding Vo, the easy integration of devices (synthesizers, other thus sending a low to the receiver UART. When data electronic keyboards, sequencers, drum boxes, and is high, the LED does not light. The receiver UART home computers) made by various manufacturers into therefore sees a high. D1 protects the opto-isola- one programmable system. In being made compatible tor from reverse-polarity currents which may result with forseeable microcomputer technology, the useful from transmitter anomalies. lifetime of the musician's equipment is thereby Interconnect cables should not exceed 50 feet multiplied. Also, the realization of complex elec- (15 meters), and must have a corresponding 5-pin DIN tronic-assisted music, hitherto reserved for well- male plug (Switchcraft 05GM5M or equivalent). The financed professionals, becomes more widely avail­ cable should be shielded twisted pair, with the able (see the accompanying article by Jim Wright for shield connected to pin 2 at both ends. Notice that details on what this electronic assistance means to while the MIDI OUT jack is grounded to the instru­ musicians — Ed.). ment^ chassis, MIDI IN is not. This allows the cables to provide their shielding services without Hardware. To simplify cabling between instru­ creating ground loops. ments, the interface is serial. It operates at The optional third jack, MIDI THRU, provides a 31.25 kBaud (thousand-bits-per-second), asynchro­ direct copy of data coming in MIDI IN. It is in­ nous. This is considered a high speed for serial cluded when the manufacturer intends the instrument operation — in comparison to the typical RS-232 to operate in a "chain" or "loop" network, as op­ maximum of 19.2 kBaud — and was chosen to prevent posed to a "star" network. This question provides a objectionable delays between equipment. The 31.25 convenient segue into the topics of modes and chan­ kHz clock can also be easily obtained from hardware, nels. for example, by dividing 1 MHz by 32. One serial data byte consists of a start bit, 8 data bits (DO Modes and channels. The first point to realize to D7), and a stop bit — for a total of 10 bits about MIDI is that the total control features avail­ transferred in 320 microseconds (us). able still depend on the design of each specific Physically, MIDI appears as two or three jacks piece of equipment. MIDI does not magically trans­ on the instrument. See figure 1, the hardware sche­ cend equipment limitations or differences. Rather, matic. The connectors are DIN 5-pin (180 degree) it merely enables them to "communicate" at their female panel mount receptacles (Switchcraft 57GB5F "least common" level. For example, specific pro­ or equivalent). DIN connectors were agreed to by grammed sounds can't be transferred directly between U.S. manufacturers because it was felt that DIN different models of synthesizers because of inherent connectors are now widely available here. However, design differences, but keyboard information and the specification does provide that a manufacturer program selections can be communicated. can use XLR connectors, if the firm makes available One of MIDI's design goals was to be simple all necessary conversion cables. enough so that you could connect any polyphonic The two required jacks are MIDI OUT and MIDI synthesizer to any other, or to a sequencer, and at IN. The transmitter data typically originates in the very least the notes would be correctly played the instrument's UART. The interface circuit is a or stored. This would be possible with virtually no 5-mA current loop, designed especially to prevent other action on the part of the user. Above this the formation of audio ground loops which often minimum, each instrument may or may not include develop in complex systems. The output is normally further facilities for complex control options. meant to drive only one input. If transmit data is Each type of equipment has different minimum low (0), current flows from Vcc (+5V) through Ra, requirements. For synthesizers, minimum usefulness over pin 4 of both connectors, through the opto- seems to include remote keyboard control and program isolator, returns over pin 5, then through Rc. The switching. While polyphonic sequencers send and

34 Poiyphony ------June 1983 + 5V

receive keyboard data, they may or may not be inter­ Normally, transmitters will periodically send ested in program changes. Monophonic sequencers can out a Mode Select command for the most powerful mode only deal with individual lines, so keyboard data to which they can be configured. However, the ac­ must somehow be different for them. Drum units tual data transmitted will be in the mode to which a don't usually care about specific keyboard notes, second transmitter may have switched the receiver, but may need to synchronize to their timing, or to For example, Synth A by default transmits in Omni the sequencer, and perhaps react to program changes mode to Synth B. Synth B, being capable of Poly as well. mode operation, periodically transmits Poly Mode While most of these requirements and useful Select codes to Synth C. But the data sent from control options can be foreseen, the number of pos­ Synth B to C will be in Omni format (because Synth sible interconnections cannot. Therefore while the B's receiver is constantly getting Omni Mode Select specification says that each transmitter will drive commands from Synth A). Synth C may or may net one and only one receiver, provision has been made respond to the Poly Mode Select commands from Synth so that any specific instrument or synthesizer voice B, because if a receive is capable of operating in on the MIDI bus can be addresse, regardless of the the requested mode, it switches to that mod . interconnection scheme. This is accomplished by Otherwise it ignores the Mode Select command. (By assigning up to 16 channels under increasingly pow­ the way, the Mode Select commands double as "All erful (and complex) modes. Notes Off" commands, therefore can only be sent Each unit connected to the MIDI bus has sepa­ while all notes are off, or when it is desired to rate transmit and receive ports. There are three turn all notes off.) modes of operation for transmitters and receivers: Omni, Poly, and Mono. Omni mode Is the most general Omni mode. At power up or reset, all ins'to level of operation, interfacing to all units. Poly ments default to Omni mode. See figures 2 and V. mode allows each unit (synth, sequencer, or drum Regardless of the system configuration, Omni trans­ box) to be addressed separately. Mono mode is the mitters always send polyphonic data on Channel 1. most specialized, allowing individual addressing of Omni receivers respond to Note On/Off Events sent (for example) each synthesizer voice. over any channel (1-16). These notes are handled

Fofyphor*t' —June 1985 35 receiver on that channel to switch to Poly mode. Thereafter, the receiver listens for keyboard data encoded with its channel number. Any number of notes can be sent, to which, again, the polyphonic synth will respond according to its own priorities. Poly mode will be useful for sequencing multi­ part arrangements of standard synths, for example, which can't be done in Omni mode.

Mono mode. When a synthesizer has Mono capa­ bility, and it receives a Mono Mode Select command, it configures itself to receive on the channel it is assigned to and above, up to the number of voices it has. For example, the Prophet-T8 in Mono mode will transmit and receive on Channels 1-8. (Future syn­ thesizers could contain more elaborate channel se­ lection capability.) Channeling each voice provides fast transfer of individual pressure (also called "after touch") data for each key. It also makes true legato possible, because the note value (=voice pitch) can be changed without having to first turn the note off (as in Poly mode). The data format for the specific codes which control .the modes and channels can now be presented.

Data format. There are five categories of MIDI data: Channel, System Common, System Real Time, System Exclusive, and System Reset. Each data category encompasses a number of "status bytes" which define specific commands under that category, and which precede data bytes that specify the exact operation. Status bytes are dis­ tinguished from data bytes according to whether the most-significant (MS) bit is set (l=status) or reset (0=data). The status bytes under each category are defined below. Note that any data sets (e.g. Note On event data) which are sent successively under the same status, can be sent without a status byte until a different status byte is needed. Channel information performs most of the rou­ according to the'internal assignment scheme of the tine work. Commands are addressed to specific chan­ synthesizer. So this configuration allows any num­ nels by a 4-bit number which is encoded into the ber of polyphonic synthesizers to play in parallel, status byte. The associated data bytes can identify as soon as they are interconnected. keys going down (on) and up (off), their on or off A receiver's mode can only be changed by a Mode velocities, and pressure or "after-touch" (on key­ Select command transmitted in the channel(s) to boards so equipped). which it is currently assigned. If the receiver is System Common, Real Time, and Reset information not capable of operating in the requested mode, it is intended for all channels in a system. System ignores the Mode Select command. No unit may switch Common information identifies song selections and its own modes. Even though a receiver in Omni mode measure numbers for all units. Real Time informa­ receives in all channels, it will respond to Mode tion is used for synchronizing everything (perhaps Select commands in only one channel: the one to to a master sequencer). Therefore, Channel and which it is assigned. System Common information is interruptible by System Receivers and transmitters without channel Real Time information. selection capability are always assigned by default to Channel 1.

Poly mode. Omni mode addresses all units with the same data. Poly mode allows individual address­ ing of each unit. In other words, the master con­ troller can send separate parts to each synth, whereas in Omni mode they all played the same part. As shown in figure 4, the master controller in the chained network sends all commands, which are encoded with their destination channel number, over one line. This requires that each unit include an address selector switch to define its channel of operation. The channel definitions having been made, the master controller must issue the command to the

36 Po£yphoii>< June 1983 • f-1 -ii. v. m 1 islve information allows the ex­ resolution is needed, then both are sent, change of da> h which can be formatted as the manu­ first the MSB, then the LSB. If only thf facturer wishes. Only devices which recognize the LSB has changed in value, the LSB may be manufacturer's format will attend the exchange. sent without re-sending the MSB. Reset simply initializes all equipment to pow­ er-on condition. 0 Pitch bender MSB The five categories are ordered below according 1 Controller 1 MSB to their utility. 2 Controller 2 MSB 3 Controller 3 MSB Channel. The most significant four bits of 4-31 Continuous controllers 4-31 each Channel status byte define the command, while MSB the least significant four bits identify the effec­ 32 Pitch bender LSB tive channel. 33 Controller 1 LSB 34 Controller 2 LSB 9xH NOTE ON EVENT 35 Controller 3 LSB 3 bytes: 1001 nnnn + Okkk kkkk + Ovvv vvvv 36-63 Continuous controllers 4-31 LSB nnnn 64-95 Switches (on/off) Channel code, 0-15. Corresponds to 96-123 Undefined channel numbers 1-16. 124 Local/Remote Keyboard Control (toggle) kkk kkkk 125 Omni Mode Select/All notes off Key number, 0-127 126 Mono Mode Select/All notes off For all keyboards, middle C=60. All C key 127 Poly Mode Select/All notes off numbers are multiples of 12. If c=125, 126, or 127, v (see below) must be 0. The standard 5-octave synth keyboard ranges 36-96. The 88-note piano keyboard ranges 21-108. vvv vvvv Control value, 0-127 vvv vvvv For mode selections (c=125, 126, or 127), Key On velocity, 0-127 vvv vvvv must be 0. With no velocity sensors, default to 64. Pitch benders should range from 0-127, With velocity, l=ppp (softest), 127=fff with 64 being center (no pitch bend). (loudest) Other controllers will range from Key On velocity=0, turns note off. 0=minimum to 127=maximum. Switches are defined as 0=off, 127=on.

8xH NOTE OFF EVENT CxH PROGRAM CHANGE 3 bytes: 1000 nnnn + Okkk kkkk + Ovvv vvvv 2 bytes: llOOnnnn + Oppp pppp vvv vvvv Key Off (release) velocity. PPE £EEE Implemented on Prophet-T8. Program number, 0-127

AxH POLYPHONIC KEY PRESSURE DxH CHANNEL PRESSURE 3 bytes: 1010 nnnn + Okkk kkkk + Ovvv vvvv 2 bytes: llOlnnnn + Ovvv vvvv

vvv vvvv > vvv vvvv Pressure/After-touch value, 0-127 Channel pressure/after-touch amount, 0- Used in Omni mode. (Compare code dxH, 127. Mono mode) For Mono mode: channel (rather than key) is identified.

ExH UNDEFINED BxH CONTROL CHANGE (SCI uses this status for Pitch Wheel change in 3 bytes: 1011 nnnn +0ccc cccc + Ovvv vvvv the Prophet-600. For further information, see the Prophet-600 MIDI specification.) ccc cccc Control address, 0-127. Except for the Pitch Bender (0), the System Exclusive. A format has been defined controllers are not specifically defined. for System Exclusive information, consisting of a A manufacturer can assign the logical two-byte preamble, the data itself, and a one-byte controllers to physical ones as necessary. end code. The purpose of this format is to provide The controller allocation table must be for the transmission of data which may be useful t.o provided in the user's operation manual. any two instruments from one manufacturer but unin­ Continuous controllers (including the terpretable to other MIDI-bussed devices. For exam­ Pitch Bender) are divided into Most and ple, SCI uses tliis protocol for loading and dumping Least Significant Bytes. If only 7 bits program data. System Exclusive information can only of resolution are needed for a specific be interrupted by a System Reset command. controller, only the MSB is sent. It is not necessary to send the LSB. If more Format: F0H + Oiii iiii + data + F7H

37 F9H MEASURE-END FOH The MEASURE-END is transmitted instead of Status byte. Must be followed by the TIMING-CLOCK-IN-PLAY at the end of manufacturer's ID#. each measure.

Oiii iiii FAH START-FROM-1ST MEASURE Manufacturer's ID#, This code is immediately sent when the iii iiii can be 0-127 PLAY button on the master (e.g. sequencer Current ID numbers are: or rhythm unit) is hit. The first TIMING- Sequential Circuits 01H CLOCK-IN-PLAY must follow within 5 ms Kawai 40H after this code. Roland 41H Korg 42H FBH CONTINUE START Yamaha 43H This is sent when the CONTINUE button (on Receivers which do not recognize the ID# ignore the master) is hit. A sequence will the ensuing system exclusive data. restart from the point where the sequence stopped on the last TIMING-CLOCK-IN-PLAY. data The next TIMING-CLOCK-IN-PLAY must be sent Any number of bytes. within 5 ms after this code. MSB must be reset. (Otherwise will signal a new status byte.) Data can range 0-127. FC TIMING-CLOCK-IN-STOP Data is intended for all channels. This code is clocked in Stop mode, to synchronize a Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) F7H which is used (during Stop) for An END-OF-BLOCK code which terminates System interpolating the timing clock. Exclusive status. SYSTEM RESET will also terminate System Exclusive status. System Common. System Common information in intended for all channels in a system. In no case should other data or status codes by interleaved with System Exclusive data, regardless F1H Undefined of whether or note the ID code is recognized. Under "data", SCI uses the following protocol " F2H MEASURE INFORMATION to code program transfers (see also the MIDI speci­ 3 bytes: F2H + Ommm mmmm (MS) + Qmmm mmmm (LS) fication for each instrument): The two data bytes code the 14-bit measure number. Byte _3 Byte 4 00H PP F7H PROGRAM SEND REQUEST F3H SONG SELECT 01H PP dd...dd F7H Prophet-5 programs 2 bytes: F3H + Osss ssss 02H PP «dd...dd F7H Prophet-600 The data byte codes the 7-bit song number. 03H PP dd...dd F7H Prophet-T8 04H PP dd...dd F7H Prophet-10 F4H Undefined

PP=program number F5H Undefined dd=data in 4-bit nibbles, LS nibble first, right justified. F6H TUNE REQUEST Initiates synthesizer tune routines.

System Real Time. The System Real Time codes control the entire system in real time. They are System Reset. There is one system reset code. used for synchronizing sequencers and rhythm units. It initializes the entire system to the condition of To maintain timing precision, these codes can just having power switched on. be sent between any System Common or Channel data sets which consist of two or more bytes. However, FFH SYSTEM RESET the codes may not be interleaved with System Exclu­ sive data. System Reset should be used sparingly, prefera­ System Real Time statuses are intended for all bly under manual command only. In particular, it channels and recognized by all units using the in­ should not be sent automatically on power up. This terface. If the functions specified are not imple­ could cause two units connected together to endless­ mented, they are simply ignored. ly reset each other.

F8H TIMING-CLOCK-IN-PLAY This clock is sent while the transmitter Conclusion. This concludes this introduction is in Play mode. The system is to the MIDI specification. MIDI really does present synchronized with this clock which is sent some astounding new opportunities for electronic at a rate of 24 clocks/quarter note. musicians. It should stimulate those whose enthu­ siasm may have waned because of the general incom­ patibilities and rapid obsolescence of equipment manufactured over the past few years.

38 FoEyphony June 1983 The Omni is a double-width rackmount device which includes, in series connection, a compressor M X R OMNI (with sustain and level controls), distortion (drive and level), equalizer (bass, treble, and mid­ EFFECTS SYSTEM range), delay line (mix, delay, and regeneration), flanger/chorus (width, rate, and regeneration), A R E V IE W and external effects loop. There is also a master level control for the whole unit, and LED indicator By: Peter Montgomery for each effect to show if it is in the signal chain or not. A footswitch box controls which effects are in and which are out, and also includes LEDs to let you know an effect's status. Through a very clever switching technique, the cable connecting the footswitch box to the rack- mount housing is not some multi­ pin custom connector which can only be ordered from MXR; instead, you use a stock, two conductor cable with 1/4" phone plugs -- either your own, or the 12' long cable supplied with the unit. The cable doesn't even have to be shielded, and you can do things Realizing the sonic potential of like shorting the switching ca­ EQ followed by distortion as well the EQ to give me a good sound. I ble's hot conductor to ground as the more traditional distortion didn't use it with keyboards, only without the unit blowing up or followed by EQ, the Omni's design- because the Polysix I was using even caring. er chose "not to hard wire one sounded fine without any equaliza- A master bypass switch re­ configuration over another. In- tion. moves all effects from the signal stead, a front panel switch se- Next comes the delay line, path, and any panel LEDs which lects the sequence. I was very This is a well designed and quiet were on to indicate an effect pleased to discover that the dis- delay which goes from 30 to 300 being in change to half-bright­ tortion unit was quite low noise, ms; enough delay to get the sounds ness. Theoretically, this means especially as distortion units go I wanted. From what I could tell, that between songs, you can press — even when listening over studio the delay line uses both compan- the master bypass switch and re­ monitors, instead of a typical sion and heavy filtering to keep program which effects are in or guitar amp that rolls off at 6 noise down, since I didn't have not, with the LEDs confirming the kHz. If you punch in both the any problems with hiss at all — effect's status. In practice, the compressor and the distortion, whether going for a slightly half and full brightness aren't then (not unexpectedly) the noise thickened sound or longer, runaway that different, and I feel bi­ becomes noticeable. Also, if you echoes. With short delay times color LEDs would be much better. like treble cranked to the max and and no regeneration, I was able to Since the footswitch box (which bass rolled back, then you'll get a fat bass sound which sounded would probably be closer to the probably also notice the noise, both great and natural...a neat musician than the rack housing) Otherwise, I don't think the dis- trick! You really couldn't tell also has status LEDs, the problem tortion will cause any hiss prob- there was any signal processing isn't as bad; but bi-color panel lems. My only complaint was that going on until you punched the LEDs would be better. I couldn't get a rough sounding delay out, and then the signal The individual effects. All fuzz; for smooth, distorted chor- sounded wimpy in comparison, the effects in the system are well dal and lead work the Omni's fuzz The f langer/chorus is the designed, low noise units which is great, but for a rough sound I next device in line, and the one perform well. First, the Omni's mostly used Craig's Tube Sound with which I was least pleased. compressor has been designed so Fuzz circuit. My big complaint is that having that the amount of compression As for the equalizer, not only width, regeneration, and rate goes from unnoticeable to heavy much can be said other than that controls limits the available duty, zero dynamic range com­ it is as good as any guitar amp sounds. The flanging sound was pression. It is quiet throughout three band equalizer. The amount good, but I would have liked ini- most of the sustain control's of boost and cut is approximately tial delay and mix controls, and rotation, but like all compres­ +^12 dB, and the frequencies were also the option of positive or sors, becomes somewhat noisy with wisely chosen (bass = 150 Hz, mid negative feedback. While the cho- full sustain. Since I like my = 1.3 kHz, hi = 2.7 kHz). I used rus sound was okay, I could get compression on the subtle side, the Omni for both bass and guitar neither as thick a sound, nor as this was no problem. parts, and had no problems getting ethereal a sound, as I would have

June 1983 39 liked. Here, especially, an ini­ added to feed line level units, it tial delay control would be very would be nice if this were an helpful. A mix control would also integral part of the unit. be nice since I often like to set There are some thoughtful up a chorus sound with a lot of "extras", such as synthesized LFO modulation on the delay line. stereo outputs, a direct output continued from page 32 This varies the pitch more than from the delay line, and all ef­ to tell us that they would like a most people like, but then I mix fects being the same phase. These bit more description on projects. it low as sort of an ambience also show a certain attention to So, we'll try to cover things in a sound. I think the main reason detail. little more depth in those

these extra controls were not Conclusion. All in all, I articles intended for beginner-to- included was because of space, but was very pleased with and very medium level experimenters, al­ on the plus side, the flanger/cho- impressed by the MXR Omni. The though every time an article rus does do an adequate job, and designer was intelligent in both becomes longer, that leaves less it ij^ quiet. Again, compansion his choice and utilization of the space in the magazine for other

and filtering is used to advantage effects in the system. When I articles. As always, we'll strive here. first found out that the list to strike a balance that keeps The last option in the Omni's price is $725, I thought the price everyone happy. was a bit high. However, when you signal path is an external loop. As far as Casio mods, we Aside from being useful, the loop realize that you're getting five called Jim Cooper; he does not at is also (like much of the rest of high quality effects that don*t the present do any 202 mods. How­ the unit) very cleverly designed. need batteries, the price becomes ever, he does do some other in­ Two front panel pushbuttons select quite reasonable. Besides, $725 teresting mods, such as a poly­ where the loop gets inserted in is the list price, and like all sequencer for Z-80 based poly the signal path; it can be post things, the Omni sells for less in synths, poly synth memory expan­ compression, post distortion, post the stores. The system is espe­ sion (for more patches), a way to

EQ, etc. My only complaint about cially good for someone who is let matrix-type keyboards control the loop is that the output level gigging a lot because it organizes each other, etc. of the loop can't be user-adjus­ five effects into one easy-to-use ted. Since the loop is set up for package, and requires only one LYRICON, PLEASE! commercial effects boxes (low le­ stock guitar cord to interface the 1 will be in New York during vel signals), any effects you footswitch box and mainframe. In the last week in July and/or first might have that are set up for my opinion, the Omni is well worth week in August. The main reason line level inputs will suffer in the price by virtue of its high for the trip is to purchase a the signal-to-noise ratio depart­ quality and features. Lyricon (the driver, Lyricon 2, or ment. While a preamp could be original Lyricon). However, I understand that the manufacturer, Computone, is out of business so the instruments are not easily available. If any readers from the New York area can help me locate a Lyricon — used or new, as long as it's working -- please contact me at the address below and include your telephone number. Raphael Walrond 2 Store Street Mon Repos, San Fernando Trinidad, West Indies GUITAR SYNTH INFO NEEDED I am attempting to design a hexaphonic guitar synth, however I have not been able to find 1) a commercially available hex pickup or 2) any stable and practical interface circuitry (P/V conver­ sion, trigger, gate, etc.) pub­ lished anywhere. Can anyone help? Gordon Currie Jr. 2947 72nd SE Mercer Island, WA 98040 I'm writing to (Craig Ander- ton) to beg you to design a new gadget that converts a guitar signal to a lV/octave voltage trigger. Also, I was very happy to see the Rocktave Divider in the April Guitar Player. I built one continued on page 42 40 June 1983 Attention all musicians with lean wallets: I think Korg's new Poly 61 is the best dual oscilla­ Applied Synthesis: tor, 6 note polyphonic keyboard for the money. It features two digitally controlled oscillators (DCOs) per note, chord memory, variable octave arpeggiator, pro­ grammable release pedal, and 64 programs with parameter editing for a list price of $1,495. But, Polysix fans, don't go out and oly-61 Review sell your instruments because of this new product; there is a con­ By Bill Rhodes siderable difference in the sound 4. After selecting parameter and returns to center. The top of both instruments. The Polysix #31, you may change its value quadrant of the joystick controls gets its sound from the analog anywhere from 0 to 63 (thereby DCO modulation, left and right oscillator that is signal pro­ altering the cutoff frequency) by control pitch, and the lower quad­ cessed with analog delay lines, using either the "up" or "down" rant modulates the VCF. but the new Poly 61 gets its char­ pushbuttons. These select the As with the Polysix, the ar­ acteristic sound because it has number corresponding to the de­ peggiator on the 61 has memory two digitally controlled oscilla­ sired cutoff frequency. latch, up, down, up-down, and tors and no delay line processing. 5. To change another parame­ octave registration functions. The Poly 61 has a cleaner sound ter (say, octave registration, There is also chord memory for (crank up the output control, and which is preset #11), call up #11 playing up to six notes (at dif­ you hear nothing) because of the and change the value (footage) ferent intervals) for "ope-finger" DCOs, and the Polysix sound has using the up and down buttons. chords. There is no readily more of an "edge". The strings on Note that all parameter value available unison mode. the Polysix sometimes sound fuller edits are cumulative (add on from There are 64 factory loaded because of the chorus effect one to another). programs which can be stored available with the on-board delay, This is a different process (dumped) on cassette, as can your but the strings on the Poly 61 from the Polysix and might be own programs. You may also load sound, in certain presets, more suited for particular needs of programs from bassette. human. I like the strings on the particular individuals. On the back of the 61 there 61; although digitally generated The Sounds. I might get into are hi/lo inputs and outputs for a strings can have a rather "clini­ trouble, but the Poly 61's sound programming interface, a write and cal" and robotic sound, listen to reminds me of the new Memorymoog. load enable/disable switch, a pro­ some of the presets on the 61 Preset #11 is a Gino Vanelli-ish gram up input, headphone output, (i.e. 42, 43, and 44), and you brass ensemble sound with the hi/lo main output, release pedal will like them. balls of the Moog machine. The output, trig in input (for exter­ The Poly 61 is a state of the Rhodes sound (vibes/synthi-piano nal sync from another clock, art, "electronic-nouveau" looking #14) is very quiet and incorpor­ rhythm unit, etc.), and cord product. Instead of scores of ates LFO tremolo in its sound. cleats. The instrument weighs potentiometers and faders, the 61 The flutes (preset #17) are quite practically nothing. It is sleek has a few pushbuttons and knobs. realistic and not noisy. As you and low. It covers five octaves. It looks quite slick, with a neat­ may be aware, pure waveforms It is computer looking. It sounds ly silk-screened "crib sheet" for (triangle, sine, etc.) tend to great, it's quiet, and I love it. editing parameter values, three show up noise since there is lit­ Another thing I must mention: prominent LED displays, and un­ tle high frequency content to mask I have been doing demos and cli­ cluttered cosmetics...the complete hiss. However, DCOs are inher­ nics for Korg for some time now. antithesis of its multiple control ently quiet, so noise is seldom I have used this instrument pro­ predecessor, the Polysix. Whereas (if ever) a problem. The organ fusely and the comments from all the Polysix was easily edited with sounds (of which there are many) listeners are the same: "fantas­ the tweak of a knob (thereby al­ are great sounding reproductions tic", "can't believe the price", lowing parameter dynamics), the with some presets incorporating "best digital strings for the Poly 61 uses a more involved sys­ the key-click sonorities we all money", "Keith should get rid of tem. For example, here is the know and love. I could go on des­ his B-3", etc. I will not praise procedure for editing a program cribing the presets for days...but a product because I work as a (say, preset 16, funk bass): a better alternative is for you to clinician for a particular com­ 1. Press buttons 1 and 6 on go the your local music store and pany. I have worked for many Program Mode. check them out. In my opinion, keyboard companies for years, and 2. Press the Parameter but­ 70% tp 80% are useful. Preset #18 I will tell you (and them) whether ton to gain editing control. (helicopter!) is good, I guess, if a product is garbage or not. The 3. Screened, pre-printed you want to do the soundtrack to Poly 61 is the most cost-effective values on the front panel tell you Apocalypse Now II. I especially keyboard I've seen in quite a what number to call up to alter liked the tuned 5th trumpets in while. And, it only lists for what parameter. Look this over preset #21 and solo violin in #46. $1,495!— . « and decide what particular parame­ On the Poly 61, Korg has changed ter you want to change; for exam­ the modulation and pitch wheels Next time: Everything you ple, to change the cutoff frequen­ included in the Polysix to a sin­ wanted to know about modulation cy, you call up parameter #31. gle joystick that is spring loaded but were afraid to grasp.

PoSyphor-v------June 1983 41 EOUIPfTEffr EXCHRDGE classified rates for individuals offering goods or services for sale or trade: 25c per work, 20 word ($5.00) minimum charge; Commercial establishments: 50c per word. Prices, zip, phone numbers count as one word each. DISPLAY CLASSFIED: $15.00 per within 48 hours of receiving the inch, one inch minimum, camera ready art to be supplied by issue. It works great! One sug­ advertiser. All classified advertising must be prepaid. gestion, though. I found that a Advertisers using a post office Box number for responses must mix pot between straight and 8va furnish Polyphony Publishing Co. with a complete street address and phone number. Readers should respond directly to advertiser. signals really helps the defini­ Polyphony is not responsible for claims made in ads, or for the tion of the sound. Thanks! results of any transactions. Polyphony reserves the right to edit or refuse any ads submitted. Craig Martin Smith Newark, DE

music equipment Gordon and Craig — Electro­ SALE notes (1 Pheasant Lane, Ithaca, NY FOR SALE: one PAIA Stringz FLOOR M0DELS/DEM0NSTRAT0RS 14850) published some guitar P/V 'n'Thingz, one PAIA Organtua. circuits a few years back. Write All items carry a full factory warranty. each cost $299.00 in kit form. them direct for information on I'll sell you mine assembled and MEMORYMOOGs: Two units, virtually flawless, reprints of articles concerning tested for $250 each. Call (405) $2300 ea. guitar synthesizers. 521-9673 and ask for Greer. P0LYM00G w/ Legs: Good condition, fully cali­ As far as hex pickups are brated & tested, $1750. FOR SALE: E-mu modular concerned, Bartolini Pickups (2055 POLYPEDAL: For use w/ above, a hard-to-find synthesizer system; 28 modules; 5 Research Drive, Livermore, CA item. Reconditioned floor model, $250. VCO, 4 VCF, 6 VCA, 6 TG, 94550) makes a hex pickup. You Moog SOURCE: Perfect condition, $695. Sequencer, more. 5 octave might also be able to obtain a GR- Moog TAURUS II Bass Pedals - Controller Only: keyboard, 2 mahogany cabinets, series replacement pickup from Interface w/ most any synthesizer. Excellent condi­ extras. Originally over $11,000, Roland, and adapt it to your gui­ tion, $375. asking $3,850. Call (607) tar . Moog ROGUEs: Two units, excellent condition, 829-6248.______Those of you who have suc­ $305 ea. PAIA 2720-R Modular "-synthesizer cessfully created hex guitar sys­ S0UNDCHASER II: w/ standard & Turbo Traks $225, OZ/Gnome combination $125, tems are invited to write in to software, Demo Disk. Excellent condition, diskettes Quadra Sound binder with Reverb Polyphony and describe your work. & manual are new, $1150. and vibrato $50, Asking prices Finally, you can always buy a ELECTR0-HARM0NIX16 SECOND DIGITAL DELAY: listed, will consider any Roland GR-series guitar, and build Good condition, tough sounds, incredible value, reasonable offer. FREE SHIPPING! your own custom system around $395. Call or write Alan Skidmore, Rt. it...something which I've been OTHER MERCHANDISE 7, Box 184, South Charleston, WV considering doing, but have not MINIMOOGs, SPECIAL EDITION: Two of the last 25309 (304) 768-8797 or (304) been able to implement due to time 25 Minis produced - w/ updated oscillator cards, 442-5397.______limitations. rear-panel interface, back-lighted clear lucite PAIA 8785 Linear DAC $15, 8782 wheels, hand-rubbed finish, brass identification encoded keyboard in road case plaque. More than collector’s items, these are the $100, 8781 Quash #20, (2) 4761 most fat-sounding synthesizers ever made, period. Road cabinets $25, 4711 mixer $15, Both are factory-new with full warranties, $1995 ea. 4712 Reverb $15. Dave Biddle, (Shipping included). 1275 Smith S.W., Canton, OH 44706 Moog PRODIGYs: Brand new, last in U. S., full (216) 452-6367. warranties, $495; $549 w/ interface. Rhbdes CHROMA: Call or write. LASER-SYNTHESIS: All working 360 SYSTEMS DIGITAL KEYBOARD: Call or write. well, some pro. mods, CASIO KEYBOARDS: Call or write. Seq-circuits: Sequencer 800 $475, SHIPPING Programmer $575. Synare II $575 Dickstein Distributing Co. ... 33 Crumar: Orchestrator Plus $800, MEM0RYM00G, P0LYM00G, & CHROMA are Pedal-Bass Plus $300. ARP: Omni Gentle Electric ...... 29 shipped via Motor Freight, shipping charges col­ $575, 2600-2V $1200, Sequencer lect. Other items are shipped via UPS surface - we Larson Music ...... 40 $450. Complete list with lasers: pay UPS charges on orders prepaid by Cashier’s $1 + SASE. Omega 3284 80th Avenue Macrofusion Computer Music ... 2 Check or Money Order. ShE%, Mercer island, WA 98040 PAIA Electronics, Inc...... 40,44 SERVICE (206) 232-6256. PGS Electronics ...... 43 Musitech “ is a factory-authorized Moog Service Center. We service what we sell. We do custom Polymart ...... 26,27,28 mods. Wonted Telex...... 15 Musitech™ 8700 - will buy it assembled or 1631-A East 25th Street not, with or without bugs. $130 P.O. Box 3717 or best offer. Paul Schilling, Chattanooga, TN 37404 1718 Camelot drive, madison, WI (615) 624-5600 53705

42 Po^plHr^ June 1983 LINEARS RESISTORS 5 % , 1/4 watt SIGNAL DIODE TL 0 61...... 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 TL 0 62...... Dual BiFet...... 99 A lso availble is 10 M eg. T L 0 64...... Quad BiFet...... 1.95 TRANSISTORS T L 0 71...... B iF e t...... 65 100 each of same value ...... $1.50 2N 3 9 0 4 ...... 2 N3904 NPN Transistor...... 25 T L 0 72...... Dual BiFet...... 1.15 50 each of sam e v a lu e ...... 98 2N 3 9 0 6 ...... 2N 2906 PNP T ransistor...... 25 T L 0 74...... Quad BiFet...... 1.95 25 each of sam e v a lu e ...... 75 < 0 N E 555...... T im er...... 39 10 each of same value ...... 40 POTENTIOMETERS N E 570...... Compander...... 3.80 5 each of same value ...... 25 (3/8 long shaft, 5/16 mounting hole) N E 571...... Compander...... 2.95 8 5 4 -4 0 1 ...... 10K Linear taper ...... 1.09 N E 572...... Compander...... 4.95 ASSORTMENTS 8 5 4 -5 0 1 ...... 100K Linear ta p e r ...... 1.09 U A 741...... Comp. OpAmp ...... 29 10 each of 10 values (1 0 0 ) ...... 3.00 8 5 4 - 5 0 5 .500K Linear taper ...... 1.09 M C1456... .Low Noise OpAmp ...... 90 25 each of 10 values (250) ...... 6.50 © 8 5 5 - 4 0 1 ..10K Audio taper...... 1.09 RC 1556...... Low Noise OpAmp...... 1.48 50 each of 20 values (1000)...... 16.00 CA 3080...... O T A ...... 94 8 5 5 -5 0 1 ..... 100K Audio taper...... 1.09 CA 3280...... Dual O TA ...... 1.98 8 5 5 - 5 0 5 .500K Audio taper...... 1.09 CHORUS/DELAY KIT RC4136...... Quad OpAmp ...... 1.10 8 5 6 - 4 0 1 ..10K Audio taper with d RC 4739...... Dual Low Noise...... 1.19 This chorus/delay unit, designed by Craig Anderton on/off switch...... 1.25 NE5532...... Dual High Perf...... 3.70 and featured in Guitar Player magazine, provides flanging, slapback echo, and automatic double NE5534...... High Performance ...... 2.65 tracking effects. The delay range is from 2 ms to 80 TR IM POTS (vertical mount) ms. Due to the use of compression and expansion 802-251 250 ohm trimmer...... 40 SPECIAL PURPOSE techniques, the unit has dead-quiet operation up to 8 0 2 -1 0 3 10K trim m e r...... 40 □ □ SA D -1024...... Analog Delay...... 17.50 about 50 ms and only minimal noise out the full 80 ms. SA D -4096...... Analog Delay...... 37.50 This project kit consists of all electronics, pots, jacks, MINI TOGGLE SWITCHES etc. Also included are the two circuit boards (etched, M K50240...... Top O ctave Div...... 5.95 403-20....SPDT (on/on) sub-mini (3A).... 1.20 drilled, and legended) needed for the project. Not SN 76477...... Sound Generator...... 3.45 403-40....DPDT (on/on) sub-mini (3A).... 1.50 included is wire, solder, case, knobs, etc. The 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 S T K 050...... 50 Watt Power Am p ...... 19.40 punched and legended rack mount panel will soon be LED's S T K 070...... 70 Watt Power Am 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...... VCA ...... 7.50 This percussion synthesizer was designed by SSM 2011...... P reA m p ...... 5.75 Thomas Henry and appeared in POLYPHONY 3 0 5 -2 0 1 ..... Red T -1 3A jumbo diffused (20 m a.) ...... 30 SSM 2012...... V C A ...... 9.50 magazine. Here’s what Craig Anderton had to say 3 0 5 -2 0 2 ..... Green T-13/< jumbo diffused (30 ma).. .40 SS M 2020...... V C A ...... 7.50 about the "SNARE+ ”. "At last - an inexpensive drum 3 0 5 -2 0 3 ..... Dual T -1 % ju m b o diffused (50 m a)...... 90 SSM 2022...... V C A ...... 7.50 voice that has a punchy, full sound ...... All in all, the SSM 2030...... V C O ...... 7.50 Snare + delivers a lot of drum sounds, and I would 3 0 5 -2 0 4 ..... Tri T-13/* jumbo 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 tw o s e p arate L E D ’s in units.” SS M 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 . 7.50 both green and yellow.) SS M 2050...... V C T G ...... 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 C LM 6000.. ..Clairex CLM6000 ...... $2.85 KIT 3770 Basic SNARE + kit...... $33.95 902-213...Stereo end. jack (open back).. .77 CAPACITORS (25 volt) KIT 3772 SNARE + with rack panel... $44.94 1 / 8 In. MINI JACKS 7 0 1 -1 0 0 ...... 100 pf polystyrene...... 25 903-351...Mono with n/closed contact 701-180...... 180 pf polystyrene...... 25 THE "CLARIFIER" GUITAR 701-1000.. ... 1000 pf polystyrene...... 25 EQ/PREAMP 903-353...Mono end. (open back)...... 701-2200.. ... 2200 pf polystyrene...... 25 The "CLARIFIER” is an onboard preamp/EQ 903-355...Mono enclosed with contact 701-2200.. ... 3300 pf polystyrene...... 25 module for guitar. This design, by Craig Anderton, RCA JAC 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...... ^1 2 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 70 2 -0 1 ...... 01 uf m ylar...... 12 921-300...Dual RCA on phenolic mount... .43 7 0 2 -0 5 ...... 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 7 0 2 -1 ...... 1 uf m ylar...... 21 additional output and improve high freq response.... 911-201...Mono, black phone plug ...... 48 7 0 2 -2 2 ...... 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 7 0 3 -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 7 0 3 -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 7 0 3 -4 .7 ...... 4.7 uf ta n ta lu m ...... 59 runs. 1 /8 In. MINI PLUGS 7 0 4 -2 .2 ...... 2.2 uf electrolytic...... 21 The CLARIFIER kit is available in two options, both of which include a high quality drilled, legended, and 7 0 4 -4 .7 ...... 4.7 uf electrolytic...... 21 913-251...Mono, black mini plug...... 38 masked circuit board, as well as complete step by 7 0 4 -1 0 ...... 10 uf electrolytic...... 21 913-253...Mono, red mini plug ...... 38 step instructions. Kit 2450 contains everything 7 0 4 -1 0 0 ...... 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 n 7 0 5 -1 0 ...... 10 pf ceram ic d is k ...... 15 SWITCHING JACKS particluar brand of potentiometer). Batteries are not 7 0 5 -.0 1 ...... 01 uf ceram ic d is k ...... 12 included with either kit. These are stereo phone jacks that contain an 7 0 5 -.1 ...... 1 uf ceram ic d is k ...... 17 KIT 2450....Complete CLARIFIER kit. $18.95 independent switching sywtem that is controlled by the insertion of the plug. Jack 905-301 contains the KIT 2 4 5 5 ..... CLARIFIER less controls ..$14.95 IC SOCKETS (soldertail) equivalent of a DPST normally on switch. Jack IC-S-08...... 8 pin high quality socket...... 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 IC-S-16...... 16 pin high quality socket ... .34 supplies on and off in effects boxes, etc. C.O.D. (UPS only) add $1.50)— (Mastercard and ... .40 905-301...Stereo jack with SPST switch.. .90 IC-S-18...... 18 pin high quality socket Visa: $10.00 minimum. You must supply exp. IC -S -2 8 ...... 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 so c ket...... 13 SHIPPING AND HANDLING: $1.00 plus 5% of IC-C-14...... 14 pin econom y socket...... 15 purchase. We will credit any amount over our PGS ELECTRONICS IC-C-16...... 16 pin econom y socket...... 17 standard rate. Route 25 - Box 304 IC-C-18...... 18 pin economy socket...... 20 SA TISFACTION GUARANTEED! IC-C-28...... 28 pin economy socket...... 40 Terre Haute, IN 47802 t i o PROGRAMMABLE PRESET LEAD SYNTHESIZER NOW AT A NEW LOW PRICE

We had a lot of ambitious goals in mind when we use optional footswitches to control preset func­ began designing the Proteus I synthesizer. tions. Or respond tomorrow to needs that you can’t We wanted, first of all, to provide a quality piece of even imagine today. equipment that would offer wide range precision and We wanted Proteus to have a computer port that quiet, pure performance. So we designed Proteus would set the standard for versatility and ease of around the world recognized Curtis Electromusic use. While the interfacing provisions of some syn­ Chip Set to realize Oscillators and Filter with 12 oc­ thesizers are “ tacked on” , forcing you to choose bet­ tave range, transient generator segments out to 30 ween keyboard or computer cont.ol (but not both) seconds long, exceptionally low noise and clean and forget about front panel controls completely. sound. Qualities, you need for serious production The Proteus interface doesn’t put the computer bet­ work. ween you and your music. It puts the computer We wanted it to be easy to use on stage or in the where it belongs, at your side to help when you want studio. A keyboard that would let you get just the it to store or retrieve presets or keyboard sequences sound you wanted RIGHT NOW, without a lot of and completely out of the way when you don’t want knob twiddling and switch throwing. So we gave Pro­ it. There aren’t even any switches to throw, to use teus 16 presets and simple controls that let you the computer, just plug it in. quickly and easily step from one preset to another or We wanted to design a piece of equipment that instantly switch between presets. despite its high-tech complexity would be easy to We knew you wouldn’t want you to be locked into assemble and service, so we broke assembly down factory canned presets so we added an easy pro­ into small easily digested chunks with simple tests gramming facility that let’s you play with the sound along the way that lets you monitor your progress and develope just the tone color, texture and feeling and go from step to step with complete confidence. that you’re after before saving the setting of every To get the full details on the power and versatility of knob and switch with the push of a single button. PROTEUS, send for your PROTEUS Using/Assembly And Proteus’s internal memory keep-alive battery Manual today and you’ll also receive Craig Anderton’s means that the preset will still be there even after 20 minute demonstration cassette, Ithe cassette alone months of power-down storage. is worth the price) $10 refundable on kit purchase. We knew that any normalization plan, no matter how clever and well planned, must in subtle ways ORDER TOLL FREE WITH VISA OR MASTERCARD define and restrict the kinds of sounds that a syn­ thesizer can make. So after spending months - - developing and refining an exceptionally versatile 1 8 0 0 654-8657 normalization plan, we added the most liberal collec­ 1-8750 PROTEUS MANUAL...... $10 postpaid tion of patch over hardwire points that you’ll find on 8750 PROTEUS I KIT was $ ^ f now $399 I26lbs.| any synthesizer. The patch bay lets you integrate ex­ Direct mail orders & inquiries to: ternal processing elements into Proteus’s signal path. Or interface to a wide variety of analog con­ HBiA Electronics, Inc. trollers like sequencers and function generators. Or 1020 W. Wilshire , Oklahoma City, OK 73116 - (405)843-9626