#88

As near as I can tell they’re nearly unchanged from the existing versions. Differences are:

  • ‘Model 106’ etc moves from the bottom of the panel to the top (could get crowded up there!)
  • RED PANEL OMGLOL ACID DID YOU KNOW LSD WINK WINK
  • The lines & lettering are black instead of blue.

I think if the instruments continue to be developed it’s great, even if the old panels were (IMO) nicer looking.

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#89

Hi, this was posted on my home (vguitar) forum and thought some of you may find it of some historical interest.

“It was … felt like I was tripping on LSD,” remarked Curtis.”

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#90

I managed to get a used BEMI Easel. It was an early version and the build quality is very good. I’ve modded it a bit over the years, adding actual UA726s and swapping out a couple of resistors. I have a 218e keyboard instead of the early 218s too. I found it was well worth taking time to calibrate it properly. I love the simplicity of the interface and the complexity of the sounds it can produce. It’s my go to instrument for playing with other people.

2 Likes
#91

I haven’t heard of people modifying the BEMI easels to use the 726 like the older ones. That’s great, did it seem like it was worth the trouble? What are the other mods you did?

#92

It made a big difference to the stability and cut the warm up time to about 2mins. There was no temperature compensation at all on the original card. I don’t quite remember the other mods. I definitely changed a resistor on the Sequencer card to correct an error and I think another on the CO card to adjust the high frequency adjustment. I replaced the revers tank too but I use an external reverb - so no major mods or anything. I’d be interested to hear of any others too.

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#93

I would normally consult muffwiggler on this since it has such an active Buchla/Serge subforum…but muffs is down and who knows when it will return. Hopefully I can get some questions answered about my new music easel.

What is the deal with the 1/4" “opt output” jack on the side? I understand that there is a jumper setting to use this as a stereo output but does that mean that the output of lpg/vca2 is routed to this output (that would be great)? Also, there are two outputs on the 208 faceplate but both output the same signal. Would a change in the jumper settings give me left/right outputs? (I see that in older easel these are labeled as left and right, my brand new easel just has them labeled as outputs).

Also I’m curious if any of you use some of the available expanders? I’m particularly interested in ways of syncing the pulsar/sequencer with external hardware and it looks like the portabellabz 208 toolbox could provide me with this functionality but I’d love to hear of other’s experiences.

Finally, is there such a thing as a tini jack to 3.5mm cable?

Thanks everyone!

#94

Nope, the Easel is a mono device. You could use the second out for feedback patching or processing both signals differently (I know Alessandro Cortini said he does it).

I thought various times about making some, but in the end I always use regular minijacks, they work in most cases.

1 Like
#95

Im on a clone so i cant answer about your output questions. Due to it being a clone I had mine modded a few ways to get separate feeds from the each LPG and the reverb.

As far as expanders I currently just use the CardOC from norther light modular which besides the software side of it, I absolutely love due to it having normalised connections with various bits in the easel. No other iteration of ornaments is so well integrated with a system. Ergonomically its not the best while setting it all up but it does look really cool mounted on the easel. I do have the 208 toolbox unbuilt sitting in a drawer…need to get on that as I need me some env mod pronto.

Without an expander, you can sync the pulser/sequencer/env by patching into the keyboard pulse in jack.

I have tiny jacks but i just use 3.5mm…dont see why I would not.

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#96

Great info, thank you. Sorry to hear I can’t tap the output of gate 2 but I didn’t think that would be a possibility when I bought it so I guess nothing is lost there. I can see the value in using the opt output for further external processing though…I guess I’ll go ahead and move the jumper position (assuming it’s fairly obvious).

The cardOC is definitely on my list. I haven’t seen any examples of the quantizer being used with the easel but I imagine it works nicely with the sequencer?

#97

Mini jacks work fine into a tinijack socket. But tinijack plugs are slightly too wide for Eurorack sockets and can damage them. I have an old Doepfer passive multiple that I use as a crude format jumbler to go from tinijack plug to Euro to protect my module inputs.

I have the 208 Toolbox and the Synthi oscillator card. Both are excellent.

Be aware that on early BEMI easels the internal PSU is a bit weedy and is not able to power more than one card at a time. I used Papz’s Easel hub extender with its own power supply (its powered by the same power brick as the Easel) to get round this problem on mine.

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#98

This video showcases that specifically

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#99

Awesome, don’t know how I missed that.

#100

@HalfwayPlaces if I can offer this simple piece of advice: the Easel, and most certainly the 208 module by itself, is one of the most focused, well-considered instruments I’ve used. Without adding any additional modules or third-party extensions, you could arguably focus on just the 208, with its inherent cross-patching and customizable program cards, for the next several years and still be discovering new sounds. It’s a deceivingly approachable instrument that rewards dedication.

7 Likes
#101

20%20PM
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via Slater, D. (1998). Chaotic sound synthesis. Computer Music Journal, 22 (2), 12-19.

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#103

Any 208 and Marf combos here? Links to tracks, demos? Would like to hear how they work together… 208 doesn’t have too many inputs and just wondering how big of an overkill marf might be… also thinking if adding a marf makes any sense since I am not that into creating melodic material (in traditional way at least). People always say it’s so much more than a sequencer…

#104

try asking @AlessandroBonino? his videos definitely helped me lock down a 208 this week. hopefully the newly updated marf firmware will help more demos get out there.

also, wondering what some thoughts are on expanding outside of the 208 + toolbox. doing all of my sequencing through grid/ansible/cvgt1 so was initially thinking 266/267e, 281/292h, 261e. hard to see myself expanding past another 4u but any ideas are appreciated :stuck_out_tongue:

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#105

Sounds similar to what I decided to go for.

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#106

beautiful :pray:t3: how are you liking it so far? will have to look into the tsnm.

#107

I don’t have the 261 yet so I’ve only been using the one TSNM. Looking forward to the firmware update coming soon!

Customizable Quantizer at the end of the chain will make it super playable for those classic swirling easel arps!

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#108

This sounds cool! @alessandrobonino Would really be interested in hearing how 208+marf pair together.