Make Noise modules: design, usability, theory, philosophy, etc

[walker]

This week’s video launches today noon eastern:

Aqueducts

One of the great things about a modular synth is sending your sound through effects modules to add more depth and texture to the proceedings. It’s also very easy to just sort of let the effect be part of the patch 100% of the time. But patch programmability means we don’t have to do that - we can use the signal paths almost like a gated aqueduct system to send bits of sound through the effects only at the times when we want to.

Uses Nathan Moody’s “Sigil Harmonics” Reel: Freesound - "sigil-mgReel-harmonics.wav" by makenoisemusic

Aqueducts

[georgie]

Would be interesting to know a little about how the wavefolder in the DPO is set up, and whether it is based off the weird Buchla ‘starved op amp’ design, closet to a Serge or Ken Stone design, or something else entirely!

…one more thing…

I also have a suggestion for a new module, sort of like a companion to Maths (maybe call it Arithmetix or something).

Basically filling in some of the plumbing in the current line up:

• An analogue noise source (maybe with some simple filtering)

• A wavefolder/clipper for processing stuff outside of DPO)

• Digi logic gate shift register multiplexer divider comparator thing that does stuff Maths can’t do

• a digital transfer function/wavetable thing to send VCOs into or for processing cv signals (would be cool processing stuff through cosine functions and square roots)

• an XY stick for playing games

Any other ideas??

(Update on 22nd Jan)

That was quick!

[xenus_dad]

Has anyone experienced jitter when clocking Tempi from Wogglebug’s (mk2) internal clock? I am experiencing fairly noticeable ongoing jitter when patching Wogglebug’s clock out to Tempi’s tempo in and then using Tempi’s outs as a clock/gate source.

Wogglebug’s clock itself seems stable when used directly, and Tempi is also stable when used on its own or when being clocked from other sources (Maths’ EOC, DPO’s square out, Stages ‘LFO’ segment shaped to square wave, etc). I only experience this specifically when clocking Tempi from Wogglebug.

I don’t normally use Wogglebug as a master clock source. I’m running into this while patching along with this Caspar Hesselager video, where that clocking setup does seem very solid. IMPROVISED PATCHING - MAKE NOISE B&G SHARED SYSTEM - YouTube

If anyone is able to test with their Tempi & Wogglebug, much appreciated!

[eblomquist]

I have had this problem as well. I was really psyched to be able to clock tempi from Wogglebug but it kept dropping the sync.

I’d love to know if there’s a fix for that.

[CharlieGilb]

Wogglebug is not a 100% stable clock source. Emailed Make Noise about this last year and it was confirmed by them.

[prussian_zen]

i wager it is in the o-coast/o-ctrl family …
a rhythm/drum thing could make sense in that portfolio … but then, it’s not necessarily what cortini is known for (when he advertises for it …).

[909one]

Yeah I had a Wogglebug about a year or two ago and had the same issues, they told me as well that the clock is not stable, even though on their website it used to say it was ultra stable. It was quite frustrating, though they actually sent me a t-shirt because of the misnomer on the website. lol, still have the shirt don’t have the wogglebug.

[yams]

As others have said, WB isn’t perfectly stable. By itself its usually good enough, but if anything is “doing math” to the signal, minor inconsistencies can cause pretty anomalous numbers to happen – hence clock freakout.

[ideaofnorth]

Curious if anyone with a DPO / FXDF / Control File / RXMX setup can answer a question. I recently picked up a diy 2hp file. It’s passing all 6 DPO inputs to the RXMX, but the FXDF 6th/high input doesn’t seem to be passing signal. If I patch directly from the high FXDF output directly it works fine so I’m guessing it’s a short, but wondered if anyone with a factory file from Control could comment?

[hermbot]

The highest FXDF output definitely passes from the Control File to the RxMx, if that’s what you’re asking.

[Zifor]

Where did you get the DIY File? been wanting one for ages

[xenus_dad]

It’s interesting that the Wogglebug clock on its own is reasonably stable, at least to my ear, but clocking Tempi specifically causes very noticeable problems, though Tempi does fine with other sources. Interesting too that in video I linked this specific combo works fine.

🤷 Oh well thanks for the feedback all.

[ideaofnorth]

I guess I wanted make sure I wasn’t missing something obvious.

@Zifor Facebook, the mostly modular group. I can see how it’s a handy module, just bummed this one needs some troubleshooting. Surprised no ones done a more buttoned up clone since only like 40 were made originally?

[Zifor]

Ah shoot im not on facebook. Is there any info elsewhere?

[georgie]

Listening to the clock output there seems to be a little bit of audio bleed from the rest of the circuit. Also the ‘on’ voltage changes a little from step to step, as well as the timing being a little bit sloppy (though much improved over the Wiard Wogglebug!)

Maybe such minor discrepancies are being amplified by the Tempi, which I assume would be timing the intervals between each gate pulse to calculate its own internal clock in order to do the multiplication. Would be useful to know how other clock multipliers respond to the WB clock.

[ideaofnorth]

Not that I’ve found unfortunately. It would be a fairly simple circuit to reverse engineer for someone, I’d think.

[hermbot]

Interesting bit on the Control File: the only text on the board (except for the header labels and a handwritten serial, mine is 45) is “@whimsicalraps”

Must’ve been a collab! @Galapagoose

[zoundsabar]

I just looked at my Control File. Whimsical Raps in the board and 92 scrawled by hand in Sharpie barely visible. It’s a passive simple switch network.

The manual says “Special Gratitude To: Make Noise Co., Whimsical Raps, and Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe.” https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2OR9lO-IXPpUWJmUERXOEgzbkU/view

[xenus_dad]

I gave the video I was drawing from a closer look, and think I see a couple things:

1. The clock tempo from Wogglebug that is driving Tempi and subsequently Rene is fairly quick, which I think masks the jitter. In my own patch, I was running Wogglebug a fair bit slower, and the timing differences were more pronounced.
2. Clocking Echophon Tempo both directly from Wogglebug and from Tempi with Wogglebug as master makes the jitter very obvious, even at high clock rates. There’s a lot of pitch warble as Echophon apparently tries to adjust its tempo continually.

So, as everyone said, maybe don’t use Wogglebug as an internal clock unless you want that jitter. It’s a shame that you can’t clock Wogglebug from something more solid and then take advantage of that jitter while still being basically tempo-locked at a macro level, but, it is the instrument it is. Thanks all!

[ideaofnorth]

Regarding the DIY Control File, I decided against keeping it. The seller was kind enough to refund my money but didn’t want the unit shipped back. I thought I’d offer it here to anyone who would be interested in fixing it or have any other interest?