ruinProjects: Projects

Let me give you a rundown of what this perticular project is. Essentialy, I wanted to make a modular synth, but I hadn't really decided on what sort of format, case and what ever else... I was at a flea market, which had a disgusting amount of vintage electronics and parts, when I saw the perfect case: A portable phonograph built into a suitcase with built in speakers.

The top half of the case could be detached from the bottom if needed. PERFECT! So now, here was a start. I had a case that was going to be portable; that provided me with some creative limitations. I could now start with some more in-depth planning.

I went through a few designs, one being all control modules on the top half, all processing and generating modules on the bottom half, the other designs were just how I would organize the modules. I finaly decided on the idea that I wanted this to be capable of FM synthesis in its simplest form, and also to be able to create minimal music on it. That would require alot of amps, envelope generators and oscillators for the FM and several step and CV sequencers. To make things simple, I wanted to keep the envelopes to AR generators and the oscillators basic.

For the oscillators, I plan to make around 5 or 6 differn't 555 osc's with wide ranges so they could be used as LFO's as well. To also relieve some work load on me I will be keeping my eye out for assembled modules; preferably old PAiA modules, they are by far the cheapest modules you can get. I already have found a paia VCA and Envelope generator. Of course... this modular will also have filters; aiming towards a few bandpass filters and perhaps one Lowpass. To sweeten the pot a bit, there will be an effect section, reverb, CV controlled delay and distortion.

The sequencers will be of my own design, maybe 3 or 4 differnt channels running off the same or seperate clocks. The sequencer portion, and depending on how much space is left, the effects portion and some lfo's as well will be housed in the top half of the case, so if i just want to use effects one time, it can be seperated from the whole modular and used as a seperate unit entirely for effect processing. Likewise the bottom half could be seperated and still functional without the top half, as a modular synthesizer.

So there are the goals... Let's see if it will turn out that way!

Pictures:

+ 8-31-2005

• 2 555 Oscs
• VCA Side View
• VCA Top View
• Empty Case

+ 11-14-2005

• Updated Modular
• Sequencer
• Drum Module Toy

The Crack Distortion is an extremely simple, yet rather good sounding distortion (good as in horrid). Utilyzing a Lm386 Amplifier chip it can act as a distortion or a small speaker driver, I like to use it for jamming out with headphones on gear that doesnt have a headphone out. It is very very simple...an on/off switch and a pot for gain. Not much else needs to be said.

Pictures:

• Full Shot

Audio:

• Distortion Sample

The unit is essentialy 7 modules:

• Pitch Shifter + Bit Reducer + Distortion + Gate
  • This is definatley the most interesting but also the most simple. A knob for Pitch (which also in bit reduces the signal as well, a tastey side effect), a knob for distortion/gate, an audio input, audio output and 'CV' in. This module is one of those toy voice changers circuit bent, amazing what you can do with them. Creates awesome squeels and groans.
• Distortion + Extremely Cruddy Resonant Filter
  • Perfect for adding some warm mud to things. Volume, Cutoff and distortion knobs. Audio input, audio output and 'CV' input.
• Joystick
  • Now what you have here is a joystick... with both (of course) X and Y axis' patchable.
• Audio Mixer
  • Simple as it can be, a mixer, with 3 channels. One mic channel, and two line channels. One master fader. There are actualy 3 line inputs, channel two is switchable between input #2 and #3. One output.
• Analog Delay
  • Ode to the Ratshack delay. Knobs for delay ammount, delay depth and mic gain. Mic input, line input and output. CV in. Awesome modulations can be made with this. Syncing it to the tr-626 is just grand. Very lo-fi.
• Amplifier
  • The amp. Two audio inputs. Tone and volume knobs...Built in speaker. Audio output disengages speaker when patch cord is plugged in.
• CV-Vactrol ghetto convertor
  • And the final module...the ghetto CV-vactrol unit, basicaly just two vactrols with an in and an out, excellent for the tr-626 since it has the trigger output. Awesome for syncing modules to the beat.

Altogether this is a fun unit. Great for messing things up lo-fi style. And adds the perfect ammount of noise that is 'Ruin'.

Pictures:

• Mixer and Joystick
• Distortion and Pitch
• The Case
• Amp and Delay
• As a Whole

This is an old keyboard I had in lying around my basement. Its a crappy Yamaha PSS-130, which you might think "Oh! FM!" no not really. more like crappy digital square waves. Didn't do much to this one, added a 1/4" output, a switch for selecting between two types of distortion/bit reduction, a knob for feedback (cool in tandum with the distortion bit reduction, makes som nice psuedo filtering sounds) and a switch for overall over driving.

I was suprised when I opened this thing up, at how neat of a wiring job I did. I completely forgot about it.

I am thinking about doing some more mods, now that I know more about electronics (this keyboard was done about two or three years ago). I'm going to try to override the internal clock with a 555 clock, see if that goes okay. If so, this would be a good keyboard.

Pictures:

• Full Shot

This here is a bent TR-626. I really love circuit bending drum machines. It's so awesome to get all these weird sounds sequenced into a beat... anyways, I won't do a writeup about the features already existant on the TR626, you can look that up on google or soemthing. What I've added to the 626 is a 12 point patch bay and a joystick. Like on the sk1, the joystick is 5 bends connected to a common point.

The 12 point patch bay has lots of options with it; theres two bends in particular that are really awesome, they replace the bassdrum and various other drums with a low pitched click, it sounds really awesome. Interpatching between the 626 and sk1 is really cool.

I use the 626 to trigger the sk1's sequencer, since the 626's rimshot outputs a 5V pulse. I also use this for a control source for the effects modular. Unlike most bent machines i've seen on other sites, the 626 is an integral part of my setup and sound.

Pictures:

• Patchbay
• Patchbay and Joystick (Full Frontal)

Audio:

• TR-626 w/ SK-1
• TR-626 'Plop'

The Iterdimensional Intestine Shredder Distortion Unit: Oh what a beast!

This thing is one of the key elements of my sound, just like the 626, it provides the most disgusting distortions. Making things gurgly and broken. It started life as two guitar effects pedals, by way of circuit bending and combining the two circuits together it has become the interdimensional intestine shredder!

From left to right, we have the output, a knob which controls the delay effect, ranging from clanging short delay to envelope following flanger. Next to that there are the distortion control knobs, 3 band eq, distortion, level and noise gate threshold. Below that there is the DEATHDRIVE switch, for deadly overdriving. Next to the DEATHDRIVE switch, the white pushbutton is to activate the delay effect, which was actualy a flange. and just to the right of that the second distortion mode. Above, the three switches create differn't distortion effects and in combination make the most intense distortions ever! below those three switches, the switch turned on its side is to activate the distortion... Than you have the input, the power switch, the power light and.... the battery compartment! Altogether a really disturbing distortion, and like i said, an important part of my sound. Excellent for makign layers of crud.

Pictures:

• Full Frontal

What you have here is a circuit bent SK-1, what I have added is the breakout box to the right of ther keyboard, the joystick and the two toggle switches.

The breakout box houses a 16 point RCA patch bay, 2 patchable push button switches and a trigger input for the sequencer. The Joystick is connected to 5 bends with a common point, fun for doing rhythmic bends. And the the two siwtches are hooked up to two useful bends, one is a stutter the other is a ring mod/drone/echo type of effect. This is a lovely device. I've noticed alot of circuit benders say the sk1 is good for drones... I find it is also very good for rhythmic things. But it's all in how you play it.

The trigger input is quite amazing, take a pulse from a modular synth or what have you and it syncs it up, really great. I was jamming out on it with the ER-1, it sounded really amazing.

Pictures:

• Patchbay and Joystick
• Patchbay
• Full Frontal

Audio:

• SK-1 w/ ER-1

Now, this is what circuit bending is about! The Yamaha psr-31 is a home keyboard synthesizer. The really great thing about it is it isn't samples, it is FM synthesis, so its pretty crazy already. So when you circuit bending it, its not just rearranging the data of the samples its messign around with all the sound parameters. and because of that, it doesn't really get lo-fi, since the sample rate and quality isn't being messed with, its all synthesis. Makes for some phat basses. I added a 16 point patch bay, most of the bends, except one, effect the synthesis engine. The other bend effects the drums.. which is really cool, it makes them glitch up around the tempo of the machine.

This thing alone can make some awesome songs, using the auto accompany, the rhythm section and playing the keyboard while having bends run. When bends are in use it gets really gurgly and awesome. A few of the bends I have on here change the sound each time the key is pressed, it makes for some really cool sounding arps... This thing isn't quite at home in my setup...its fairly new, but i can see it fitting in just nicely.

Pictures:

• Patchbay

Audio:

• Acidic Funk Jam
• Bring Your Own Ring Mod