#247

I’d definitely like to get back into fish at some point, thanks for the offer. Video would likely be a mess, but I’ll try to put together some examples of the Srine on soundcloud or Bandcamp this weekend. I’ll post a link here if I can find the time this weekend to put something together.

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#248

I was raving a week or two ago in the Ciat Lonbarde Facebook group about how I approached the Tocante as a new age meditative instrument, and I don’t think I was joking too much. I’ve only played the Bistab, so I don’t know how it compares to the others, but it seems capable of a rich, evolving sound. I like how some of Pauline Olivero’s pieces on accordion and digital delay seem like journeys, and that’s what I’ve been trying for when I play the Bistab late at night, the only light being that from the street outside and the blue LEDs of my battery pack

Of course, messing about with recording would spoil the mood, so I did this on a Saturday afternoon while my spouse was napping (and our cat hiding out from the noise…) It’s just the Bistab with reverb added afterwards (Smartelectronix Ambience).

#249

I ended up selling my Bass Bistab. I really liked the sound but for some reason my fingers are too dry for the thing to react without me licking or wetting my fingers first and it started to creep me out.
But the Landscape Synth is different ballgame even thoughi it’s not IFM/CIAT it kicks some major behind

#250

I’m interested in the Landscape Synth as well as the Mocante, even though I am staying away from modular. Oh, and the Snyderphonics Manta, for sure, though I’d like a touch-sensitive controller that was more handheld. Before the Tocante, I had no idea that etched touchpads could be so responsive and expressive.

I was having issues with hand dryness until I started using a rechargeable battery pack to power the Tocante. It seems to boost the signal enough to make it less of an issue. Even when my hands are really cold and low resistance, I start out by laying lots of fingers on its surface. I kinda like the sputtering mechanical sounds that come out when my hands and the Tocante are warming up.

#251

Oh boy, yet another solo Tocante Bistab video. I used Denis Tihanov’s OrilRIver for reverb this time. This was a good learning experience in using Artmatic Designer for creepy video effects. (I would have rendered in higher resolution, except the source video was 640 x 480 and apparently video resolution is no longer connected to audio quality on YouTube. Plus I’m impatient and have a slow connection…)

#252

This video surfaced: A talk/lecture with the forever enigmatic Mr. Blasser :slight_smile:

Maybe some of you were there?


Edit: Nice to see the Shtar in action!

11 Likes
Shbobo Shnth patches and appreciation
#253

That’s cool as shit. Moved it way up my list of ciat-lonbarde stuff to buy.

#254

I was hoping he would touch on the connectivity between the shnth and shtar but maybe that video was recorded before that was being worked on

the ring mod makes more sense now

that shtar is looking mighty fine

#255

Haha great presentation! I like how he in the end said: “now lets see what’s in the buffer” and played with that for a little bit. Also interesting he (?) made a more visual language for lisp.

2 Likes
#256

Played with the shtar for a bit when he was in Berlin. He unfortunately didn’t have a patch on it, so only plucked its “analog strings” :slight_smile: Must be one of the most beautiful guitars I’ve seen, the photos online don’t do it justice, dat wood! :heart_eyes: Not a guitarist so can’t judge its sound quality.

2 Likes
#257

I’m too waiting for my Gerassic (and Lil Sid) PCBs, but I’ve been waiting for them for a few months now and last week I decided to take the plunge and build it on paper. It took a lot of time but it works perfectly. I still have to choose my final hairy caps, add the gate inputs, and put it in a nice box.
I believe you’ll have built yours now, but if anyone else is interested here is the BOM I made and used :

Ciat-Lonbarde Gerassic Organ

Chips:
1 x CD4067B + socket
1 x TL082 + socket

Resistors : 1/8w carbon
16x 2.2k
5 x 22k
3 x 220k
6 x 10k
2 x 100k

Potentiometers :
16x 100k (trim pots)
1 x 500k (4.7k to 470k) (= "x" resistor)

Diodes :
3 x 1N914

Capacitors :
3 x .1µF Poly (104)
3 x 10µF Electrolytic
6 x "Hairy Caps"

Transistors :
3 x PNP BC556/557/558
1 x NPN BC546/547/548

Other :
1 x 6-Position rotary switch
3 x Momentary Push Button
1 x 9V Battery clip
1 x Output Jack

Optional for Gate input :
3 x Jacks/Bananas
3 x 9.1V Zener diode

I’m planning on building a Lil Sidrassi this week, and then a small Rollz-5 (I’ve been looking for PCBs for too long for this one too, so paper circuits will have to do it for now) :slight_smile:

4 Likes
#258

Meng Qi posted a pic on instagram the other day and he said he was mailing the Rollz-5 pcbs to Modular Addict so in a couple of weeks they should have them.

1 Like
#259

I’m a little unclear, does the shtar use traditional tar tuning, or is the natural interval tuning he mentions his own invention?

#260

I think its 17-tone equal temperament (or maybe 19-tone?). Came across it in one of the posts somewhere.

The original one had an options for various tunings, including pentatonics etc… I went with 12-tone equal temperament for my original one, and I guess because the resistor ladder has finite inputs, above the 12th fret it continues in a pentatonic scale.

The craftsmanship on the new one, from the looks of that vid, is amazing. My old one definitely feels…rustic and DIY.

1 Like
#261

Believe it or not, I haven’t finished mine yet. A bunch of projects cane up and I got pulled away.

Out of curiosity, where did you get your 4067? My local shops told me they only make smd versions of this now, so I had to get mine on eBay.

#262

I’m glad I assembled my Tocante and shnth myself. That way, when they break (and they do, because, well, I assembled them!) I am not afraid to repair them.

2 Likes
#263

Found it

Back to tuning–the shtar shall divide the octave into seventeen equal parts, for 33 total frets. Fourths, fifths and octaves have the customary pearl marker as power spots. Neutral seconds and thirds also have a marker for modal playing. Three strings–a fifth for strumming and an octave for soli.

So, no, not traditional.

http://parhamnassehpoor.com/persian-tar.html

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#264

That’s good news! I’m checking Modular Addict’s page every day :slight_smile:

I also had to get it on ebay (bought 3 actually), apparently the thru-hole version is discontinued for good.
Be careful when powering your Gerassic Organ, the + and - of power are reversed on the circuit/PCB.

1 Like
#265

I’m seriously considering purchasing a Sidrax for my improv stuff, does anyone have any experience with how easy it is to tune (ex. using a tuner pedal)? If the faders provide that degree of specificity I’m seriously going to consider it, the bars are so damned responsive and the sounds are so great.

#266

It’s tunable, but can be finicky. The range of the sliders is huge, subsonic to supersonic. So getting a specific pitch can be down to really small adjustments…

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