There are 158 posts filed in NoisyLittleBugger (this is page 3 of 32).
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3Nm4A_3N6Y&w=400&h=255]
To satisfy a couple of requests, I made this little vid to demonstrate non-destructive removal of the spring from standard gamepad joysticks (Xbox 360, PS3, Logitech, etc.).
If you don’t have a nephew’s games closet to raid, you can always buy the joysticks. This is my source. Tell Uwe I sent you.
Here’s where I show how to wire-them to the CV inputs of a Shruthi-1.
Back and building with vengeance…
This is the 1U rack version of the RY30. Release year: 1992 (manufactured from 1992 to 1995).
I’ve been eyeing them for quite a while and always thought I should pounce if one became locally available. Then two came along at once, and at 100euro per unit I had to get both.
Even without any expansion cards, for a 20-year old module it’s sounding great, with a small set of high-quality drum samples on-board. There’s a limited but interesting drum-focused synth engine. Pitched synth sounds are also facilitated, with basic but functional parameters to edit. No crazy pads here, but definitely usable for bass work – there’s a satisfying low-end.
The 64 factory kits are OK, if a little too generic. Although there are not many basic samples, the preset sounds demonstrate what is possible. My interest is creating custom kits. There are 128 slots for user-created sounds using the on-board and imported RAM waveforms. More than enough.
Each drum sound can be made-up of two ‘Voices’. Each Voice in turn contains 2 ‘Elements’, which consist of one drum sample and and it’s synth engine.
The synth engine is simplicity itself. There’s a very basic pitch envelope generator, an amp envelope, resonant low-pass and non-resonant high-pass filters ( (12 and 24dB), and LFO for pitch, cutoff and amp modulation.
The MIDI delay effect allows the first note to be switched-off, leaving only the repeats. Looks interesting, especially for glitchy/granular effects. Finally, there’s good control over velocity sensitivity, where volume, pitch, cuttoff and decay can be set to different values.
CC assignments are basic – 6 fixed parameters can be assigned for real-time control at kit level. The CC assignment can be switched off per sound, so there is some flexibility.
No internal FX, however some samples have reverb built-in, and this can be gated. Nothing fancy, but the sounds do seem to fit together, making it sound nicely cohesive out-of-the-box. The compactness of the 1u RM50 is also strongly appealing, though it is bloody heavy.
Deep editing with only the front-panel buttons may seem a challenge, but I’ve found it surprisingly intuitive and straightforward.
There’s also a cross-platform patch editor. Simple, but does the job – except no MIDI input under Windows.
Thankfully there are Headphone outputs. Until I get a proper soundcard I can’t record any clips, but soon….
Other nice things:
+ Each drum sound has two separately-editable voices or ‘Elements’ that can be mixed using the balance control which, mapped to CCs provide for morphing kits!
+ Handles heavy MIDI streams.
+ Deep velocity sensing options for dynamic kits.
+ Reversible samples.
+ Audio Trigger inputs = modular fun!
Peremptory niggles:
– CC control at kit level only, and only 5 fixed parameters. But selectable per voice.
– No real-time pitch change except via EG, which is rather basic.
– No sample start adjustments, however there’s a unique delay control per Element which looks good for glitchy sounds.
– No LFO to pan. Voice outputs are mono anyway.
– No noise samples, and a shortage of Hihats, however…
Lucky for me, one unit unit came with additional wave sample ram already installed, which allows me to upload 512k of my own samples. Not too shabby.
There is also a third-party expansion module available, but I think I’ll have enough in one.
I’ve already uploaded some Goldbaby samples via the MIDI port using Elektron’s C6 sysex manager. Easy.
A scanned manual is available, in three parts:
Part1
Part2
Part3
Overall, I am very pleased with these acquisitions. I was going to build both the Sonic Potions LXR and the TR8060, but I simply don’t have enough time recently, and it’s beyond time I stopped farting around and got serious about recording for a change.
Firmware check
– Switch off RM50
– Press and hold PLAY + MACRO + SOUND while pressing the Power On button
Factory Reset:
– Hold play + utility buttons when powering-on
Battery:
3V lithium backup battery (CR2450)
Full specs:
– 16-bit AWM2 (48 kHz sampling frequency) with digital filter 22-bit linear D/A converter
– Layering 2 elements/voices, 2 voices/notes
– Polyphony 16
– Voices 500 preset + 500 variation + 100 user; optional Wave Card: 32 user (x3); optional Data Card: 500 variation + 100 user
-Rhythm Kits Internal: 64 preset + 64 user; optional Data Card: 64 user
– Operation Modes Multi Play mode, Multi Edit mode, Voice Edit mode, Utility mode
– Trigger inputs!
– MIDI Parameters Program change mode selection; Program change table; Control change settings; Control change assignment; Remote mode selection
– Displays Multi-function 48-character LCD; Edit LED (red); MIDI received LED (red)
– Expansion Slots External wave card slot (x3); External data card slot; Internal expansion memory board slot
– Connectors Headphones, Line out L/MONO & R, Individual line out (x6), MIDI IN, OUT, THRU
– Power 120/220 V, 14
– (W x H x D) 480mm x 44mm x 347mm (D); 18 7/8” x 1 3/4” x 13 5/8”
Release year: 1992 (manufactured from 1992 to 1995)
Finally, I get some time to myself. But not much, so let’s crack-on.
First I connected-up the PSU to the mains. Now, if you are going to try this yourself I shouldn’t have to tell you to be careful, but I will anyway. BE CAREFUL. I’m not responsible if you fry yourself.
Anyway, I took no chances for first power-up. I stood well back and used a stick to switch it on, and I’m not ashamed of it 😛
But it works. So, out comes the multimeter to measure the veracity of the advertised voltages.
All looking good. Nice and stable output, no vibration and barely audible noise. The trimpot allows quite accurate tuning, however, it affects all three busses at once, and there is slight variation between them. Not a big deal?
Next was to grab some stripboard, a couple of large capacitors and suitable headers. It turned out that I ordered the wrong IDC connectors. So I have female connectors for the busboard, and male cable clamps. But this is no problem, as they can easily undergo a sex change with the help of some spare pin headers.
The connectors are wired as follows:
Initially I won’t be using the +5 bus, so I’ll only need the 10-pin headers. Stripboard makes it easy to follow the busses, and the whole thing took just a few minutes. This is just a first run. I’ll probably reinforce the tracks later. But as it is there seem to be no problems.
The capacitors are probably not even needed, but it’s no harm to ensure that the supply is filtered. Some details here.
After connecting the PSU, I measured the voltages at the pins and it seems that we’re in business!
Let’s have a dance to celebrate:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeeOPR8bxac&w=400&h=255]
Cost of each busboard comes in well under 5euro. Now I just need a finished module to power 😛
While I’m waiting for some parts and test cuttings for the 4×4, it’s progress has been overtaken by this modular monkey business. I’m in no rush.
So, after assembling the Baugruppenträger and RAST, as expected, I required mounting rails to complete the job as first envisioned. Since I had a voucher for MusicStore, it was used buy the only rails they had – 12HE Adam Hall thingies at a fiver per pop. I got 4 to keep me stocked for future requirements.
Silly me hadn’t reckoned on them being made from a thick steel. As I don’t have the means to cut them, another much simpler and less expensive option popped-out: I could just glue or screw some 2cm wooden strips and mount the Baugruppenträgers directly onto these. Or, as I quickly realised, I could even just mount the vector rails directly this way and not require those ugly rack ears at all.
OK then – to hell with the Baugruppenträger!
However, it’s 4 vector rails can still be used to complete two 84HP racks, thus filling the RAST. So, for future reference, I will only need the Vector rails and the Thread strips. I could even do away with these altogether, but since I have them I’ll use them.
In depleting my voucher I couldn’t resist trying a Monotron delay, especially because it has exposed CV points on the board and would thus could be re-housed into a 4HE module. It’s nice but surprisingly noisy. That’s not necessarily a bad thing 🙂
