I'll post the patch with a walkthrough video later.
acreil
Here's the finished noise/ambient patch from the Tulane lecture video: youtube.com/watch?v=2_P7MVQnmZk.
I'll post the patch with a walkthrough video later.
I'll post the patch with a walkthrough video later.
updated 5 years ago
I'll post the patch with a walkthrough video later.
This class of Casio hardware is from about 1990 and can be identified by the "220 sound tone bank" or "110 sound tone bank" legend on the front panel. It's based around the µPD937 IC, which is very similar to the slightly earlier µPD938 IC used in the MT-540, CT-660 and many other models (these are from about 1988 and are marked "465 sound tone bank" or "210 sound tone bank"). The biggest difference between the two product lines is that the earlier ones permit layering two sounds, while the later ones have a simple "tone editor" synthesizer section with editable detune, delay, attack/decay and release parameters.
It's almost a mature rompler (32 note polyphony, multitimbral, very complex amplitude and pitch envelopes, linear interpolation and a high sample rate), but lacks velocity sensitivity (even over MIDI) and dynamic voice allocation. All models use a very small waveform ROM, even though the hardware supports a much larger one. All sounds consist of two layered voices, hard panned left and right.
The nicest models of this series are the CT-670, MT-750 (same thing but with mini keys), CT-680 (this adds a digital reverb but loses the rhythm volume control) and CT-X1 (rare, nicer effects than the CT-680). Lesser models have fewer sounds, fewer keys and fewer buttons in the tone editor section.
The CT-6000 isn't analog or phase distortion as is sometimes reported; it's an enhanced version of the "consonant-vowel" synthesis from earlier Casio models, adding pitch bend, velocity and aftertouch, plus 3 oscillators per voice (up to 6 or 12 with the unison modes) and a stereo 3 BBD string ensemble chorus (similar to the one later used in the CZ-3000, CZ-5000 and CZ-1). The tone generator IC is the µPD932, which was apparently used only in the CT-6000, CPS-201 and CPS-2000. The drums are also digital, based around the the HD61701 IC (also unique to the CT-6000 and CPS-201). I plan to modify mine to unleash the digital filth lurking inside and make high quality samples of the drum sounds.
For reference, the CT-7000 and CT-8000 are similar to the Casio MT-65/MT-68/CT-405, based around the µPD930 and µPD931 ICs (consonant-vowel, 1 oscillator per voice). The CT-5500 and CT-6500 are phase distortion, basically preset versions of a CZ-3000 (µPD933 or µPD933AC) with auto-accompaniment and drums.
Chord progression:
First part: F m7, B m6, D M7, G# 7, A# m9, E 6, G m6, C# 9
Second part: C# m7, C M7, E m7, G M7, G# m7, B M7, A# m7, F# M7, F m7, E M7, D# m7, A M7
Third part: F M7, A m7, A# M7, B m7, D M7, F# m7, D# M7, D m7, C# M7, C m7, G# M7, G m7
This is a follow-up to my previous lecture video (youtu.be/2_P7MVQnmZk) where I started making the patch. It includes lots of details about sound design, sequencing and various abstractions that I used in the patch. A recording of the finished patch is here: youtu.be/aLIqXrJqPqo
0:00 introduction
1:04 cat meow
1:49 harmonic series just intonation scale description
3:22 harmonic_analysis.m Octave script
5:08 arp1 section
7:06 pulse width modulation-like effect with a sigmoid waveshaper
7:42 arp2 section
8:25 envelope and control data smoothing
9:43 digital modulation generation and smoothing in hardware synthesizers
13:03 arp3 section
14:16 comments on waveshaping
16:05 3 phase panning
16:41 signal routing in the arp1/2/3 subpatch
17:00 earlyref~ abstraction used as a multitap delay
17:47 ssb~ frequency shifter abstraction
19:27 grain delay subpatch
20:08 reverb727~ reverb abstraction
20:36 pad subpatch
21:32 pwmbl and pwmbl~ pulse width modulation abstractions (use with pwmblt abstraction)
23:09 chorus330~ chorus abstraction (emulation of Roland VP-330, RS-505 and RS-09 chorus circuits)
23:58 bass subpatch introduction
24:17 Casio CTK-1000 overview
26:21 CTK-1000 sound examples
27:57 cat
29:02 CTK-1000 patents (US5164530, US5103711, US5340938, US5319151)
32:52 ixa~ abstraction based on patent US5164530
34:05 ixa~ abstraction compared to phase modulation
35:50 bass subpatch
38:36 drum subpatch
39:04 bass drum
41:50 comments on drum sequencing
43:32 bass drum sequencer
44:39 hi-hat and tabgen8 randomized table abstraction
46:09 metallic noise generation for drum sounds
48:06 comments on aliasing and sample rate
48:59 snare drum
50:28 drum sequencer counter variations
52:41 chord subpatch, sawbl~ sawtooth oscillator abstraction (use with pwmblt abstraction)
54:45 inharmonic comb filter resonator, phase16a~ phase shifter and fctofb~ coefficient generation abstractions
57:33 earlyref~ abstraction used as a early reflections
58:06 automation subpatch introduction
58:41 qenv2~ envelope generator abstraction and comments on envelope curves
59:51 automation subpatch
1:00:25 comments on downbeats and rhythmic ambiguity
1:01:07 automation subpatch
1:02:01 preventing timing jitter with the blkbpm abstraction
1:06:56 comments on time delay issues with send~, receive~, throw~ and catch~
1:07:52 playrec, player~ and recorder~ abstractions for playing and recording
1:08:42 comments on recording and interactivity
1:09:26 final comments
A full description of the patch is here: youtu.be/Nhy1n8Bxm3M
Download the patch here: dropbox.com/s/9ul0t5y2eobeaf4/lecture2.zip?dl=0
9:52 workflow considerations for patch and abstraction development
11:45 random modulator abstraction (bmod and bmod~)
13:37 filter bank abstraction (fbank and fbank~) and lecture1.pd patch
22:11 control laws
25:40 pitch shifters
28:13 pitch shifter abstraction (pitchshift~)
30:55 another pitch shifter abstraction (pitchshift3~)
38:01 delay patch
40:18 lecture2.pd patch
46:35 summary
Thanks to Rick Snow for inviting me to do this. This covers some background information about what I think PD's advantages are and how it can be best used, tips for developing and using abstractions, and two example patches. I tried to throw in a lot of technical and historical information.
Links to music mentioned in this video:
Salvatore Martirano: youtube.com/watch?v=lcDpZ6RJb3I
François Bayle: youtube.com/watch?v=lYSEtGhHLyw
The filter banks at 17:58 are the Albiswerk 502/72 (top, for low and high frequencies) and 502/74 (bottom, for mid-range frequencies)
The pitch shifter at 25:54 is the Publison DHM 89 B 2
Detailed information on the SalMar Construction can be found here: archive.org/details/hardwaredesignof677fran/mode/2up
A full description of the second patch patch is here: youtu.be/Nhy1n8Bxm3M
Download the patch here: dropbox.com/s/9ul0t5y2eobeaf4/lecture2.zip?dl=0
A recording of the finished patch is here: youtu.be/aLIqXrJqPqo
The finished recording from the first patch is here: youtu.be/XjZbp8aQGwA
The patch and description will come later.
Chord progression: G 9, D# M7, C m9, F 7, F 6, G 9, D# M7, C m9, G# 9, B m9, G# 7, G M7, C 6, D# M7, F 9, B m9, G# 7, G M7, C 6, D# M7, F 9, B M7, F# M7, A# m7, C# M7, E 6, B M7, F# M7, A# m9, A 9, E m9, D m6, C# m9, F# m7, F 6, E m9, D m6, C# m9, F# m7, F 6
Pattern: Bass 25 (Hard Rock I), Accomp 14 (16-Beat II), Rhythm 11 (8-Beat I), Fill In 17 (Disco I)
This is part of the patch I used for my last video. It works in both Purr Data and Pure Data Vanilla (although it crashed Vanilla on macOS when I tried it). Now you can make real simulated wood grain spectrograms too!
The audio quality here isn't great, and there are some clumsy edits where I re-ordered some of the parts. I don't really care.
Reference for weighted overlap add: https://ccrma.stanford.edu/~jos/sasp/Weighted_Overlap_Add.html
The frequency domain filtering portion of the patch is available here: acreil.wordpress.com/2020/01/13/pure-data-frequency-domain-filtering-patch
Video created using Sonic Visualiser.
Streaming link: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/panchromatic-window
Drum samples from the AX7 can be found here: acreil.wordpress.com/2018/06/20/technics-sx-ax7-drum-samples-and-multitracked-demo
Renoise demo file here: acreil.wordpress.com/2020/01/12/renoise-demos-from-panchromatic-window
This track uses the Technics SX-AX7 with no external effects. 6 tracks total.
Most of it is atonal, but the background chord part uses a just intonation scale based on harmonics 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 63 and 70.
The sounds at the beginning and end are derived from external recordings, processed by splicing at zero crossings (after Clavirissima by Rainer Boesch).
Full album here: acreil.bandcamp.com/album/sample-item-with-diameter-32
8 sawtooth oscillators glide from unison to multiples of +/- 600 cents at multiples of 1 cent per second. You can hear consonant intervals as the partials of different tones coincide, represented in the video as lines intersecting.
and on Spotify: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/eubb
Everything was done in Pure Data. This track uses harmonics 1-32. Recorded 2018.
Streaming link: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/panchromatic-window
Drum samples (including bird sounds) and description here: acreil.wordpress.com/2018/10/19/technics-sx-kn800-drum-samples-and-multitracked-demo
Renoise demo file here: acreil.wordpress.com/2020/01/12/renoise-demos-from-panchromatic-window
7 tracks total, no external effects used. Recorded 2018.
and on spotify: acreil.bandcamp.com/album/wave-and-lattice
This track uses 320 sine oscillators with time varying piecewise linear functions controlling their pitch, amplitude and panning.
Streaming link: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/panchromatic-window
Drum samples and description here: acreil.wordpress.com/2018/06/20/technics-sx-ax7-drum-samples-and-multitracked-demo
Renoise demo file here: acreil.wordpress.com/2020/01/12/renoise-demos-from-panchromatic-window
10 tracks, no external effects used. Recorded 2018
and on spotify: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/cgdW
This track is a remix of an earlier one: youtu.be/dTlqIL-9xaU
and on Spotify: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/ces1
This is the messiest patch ever.
and on Spotify: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/cfHa
This track was recorded using only a Casio MT-70 (background chord only), Casio SK-8 (all other sounds), Alesis MEQ230, Alesis Quadraverb (on the bass sound only), and a Ross 4x4 Series II 4-track cassette recorder.
Streaming link: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/panchromatic-window
Get the drum samples here: acreil.wordpress.com/2017/10/18/yamaha-ps-3-drum-samples-and-multitracked-demo
This is about 10 tracks, recorded dry, 2016. The album version is remixed with reverb from an Alesis Midiverb.
and on Spotify: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/dtlG
Originally recorded in 2005 and released in 2008 as an edition of 50 CD-Rs. This release expands the original with some additional related material.
and on Spotify: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/cfHa
Get the PSS-380's drum samples here: acreil.wordpress.com/2017/08/03/yamaha-pss-380-multitracked-recordings-and-drum-samples
Renoise demo file here: acreil.wordpress.com/2020/01/12/renoise-demos-from-panchromatic-window
The KPR-77 was recorded to a found cassette using a modified Ross 4x4 Series II 4-track. The PSS-380 overdubs (15 total) use an Ibanez SDR-1000 reverb.
Streaming link: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/panchromatic-window
Get the drum samples here: acreil.wordpress.com/2017/08/03/yamaha-pss-380-multitracked-recordings-and-drum-samples
Renoise demo file here: acreil.wordpress.com/2020/01/12/renoise-demos-from-panchromatic-window
I used the auto-accompaniment for this. I think it's mostly useless in the PSS-280/290/380/390 since the patterns are cheesy and overdone. Reverb is Ibanez SDR-1000. 9 tracks total. The album version is remixed with additional overdubs.
Streaming link: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/panchromatic-window
Technical description and drum samples are here: acreil.wordpress.com/2017/07/23/technics-sx-k450-multitracked-demo-and-drum-samples
Renoise demo file here: acreil.wordpress.com/2020/01/12/renoise-demos-from-panchromatic-window
The Technics SX-K450 is the flagship home keyboard model from 1986. It's basically similar to an analog divide-down organ with crunchy sampled drums, an unusual sampled solo section and an excellent string ensemble chorus. I recorded it dry with about 7 tracks. The album version is remixed with reverb from an Alesis Midiverb.
and on Spotify: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/ceN1
It's almost all previously unreleased material, mostly generative patches using just intonation scales.
and on Spotify: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/cgdW
11EDO/11TET means 11 equal divisions of the octave. As usual, this is a single PD patch with no samples or plugins or anything.
and on Spotify: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/ces1
Two tracks were previously released, but everything else is new.
As usual it's all PD with no samples or VSTs or anything.
Basically, I'm constructing minor and sharp major eleventh chords from two chains of fifths (1/1, 3/2, 9/4) separated by a third (major or minor). The size of the major third can be set arbitrarily, and the minor third is derived from that. I can modulate to other chords in a number of ways:
-Transpose the base pitch by 3/2 or 4/3 (dominant/subdominant)
-Transpose the base pitch up or down by the third and toggle between major/minor thirds (diatonic mediant/submediant)
-Transpose the base pitch up or down by the third (chromatic mediant/submediant)
-Toggle between major/minor (parallel transformation)
-Transpose by the interval between the major/minor thirds and toggle between major/minor (slide transformation).
Sometimes several of these are combined (up to 4). This has to be done carefully to keep it from sounding too weird. I tried a couple other things besides that (hexatonic poles, etc.), but I thought they didn't work very well.
Originally the idea was to use some exotic interval for the major third, but I found that most of them sounded too dissonant. For major thirds larger than about 32/25 (427 cents), some of the resulting intervals get too small. And for major thirds smaller than 5/4 (386 cents), the major and minor intervals are too close together. So the useful range is pretty small, and a lot of the ones I wanted to try (9/7, 11/9) don't really work. I thought the only major third sizes that worked well were 14/11, 81/64 (Pythagorean) and 5/4. I went with 5/4. But I want to revisit this idea with more exotic intervals. I'll just have to construct the chord differently so that it works better.
and on Spotify: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/chm6
Mostly made in Pure Data, 2010-2011.
Streaming link: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/panchromatic-window
Get the drum samples here: acreil.wordpress.com/2017/01/13/yamaha-mk-100-demo-and-drum-samples
Renoise demo file here: acreil.wordpress.com/2020/01/12/renoise-demos-from-panchromatic-window
This was recorded with only the MK-100 and Roland SRV-2000 reverb. 5 tracks total. The MK-100 uses the same tone generator IC (iG10771 GE7) as the PSS-260 and PSS-450, but adds basic synthesizer functionality and the ability to reprogram the drum patterns and auto accompaniment bass. Contrary to what's sometimes reported, it's fully digital except for the chorus. Recorded 2017.
Streaming link: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/panchromatic-window
Renoise demo file here: acreil.wordpress.com/2020/01/12/renoise-demos-from-panchromatic-window
Yamaha PS-55 with Ibanez SDR-1000 reverb, 4 tracks total. The album version is remixed with additional overdubs.
The PS-55 (1983) and related models (PS-25, PS-35, PC-1000, CN-1000, MR-1) were part of the first line of fully digital Portasound keyboards, replacing the semi-analog PS-10, PS-20 and PS-30. I was actually surprised to find that it's completely digital (aside from the chorus), as I'd assumed the solo section used an analog VCF like the PS-30. It turns out that the filter-like effects (mainly on the Fantasy and Funny tones) are actually created by sophisticated wavetable crossfades.
Streaming link: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/panchromatic-window
Seiko power supply info here: acreil.wordpress.com/2017/06/25/seiko-ds-series-power-supply
All synth parts are Seiko DS-250 through a Yamaha REV5. The drum track is an Ace Tone Rhythm Ace FR-2L (sort of broken) through an Ibanez SDR-1000 and Tapco 4400 (also sort of broken). Recorded 2015.
A recording is available here: acreil.bandcamp.com/album/intangible-pavilions
and on Spotify: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/ceN1
This uses an 8 note just intonation scale. The frequencies are 300, 350, 400, 433.3, 475, 500, 550 and 575 Hz, or 36:42:48:52:57:60:66:69. The main idea was to test a distortion algorithm; I think distortion works much better on just intonation scales. The frequencies were entered more or less arbitrarily, with some minor fiddling, but I was surprised at how consonant it sounded. Primes are 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 19 and 23.
and on Spotify: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/ces1
Made from scratch in about 2 days using just Pure Data with no samples or plugins. The initial inspiration was some research I've been doing related to variants of FM synthesis. The bassline's scale is harmonics 8 to 16, with linear detuning.
Gear used: Korg KPR-77, Roland CR-8000, Roland TR-77, Dave Smith Instruments Evolver, Yamaha PS-55 (overdubs), BBE MaxCom compressor, Roland VP-70 (overdubs), Roland SRV-2000 (metallic reverb on second part), Yamaha FX900 (overdubs), Ibanez SDR-1000, Marantz PMD-221 tape echo (overdubs), Tapco 4400.
Recorded 2014.
I modified the Roland TR-77V and built a circuit for the Dave Smith Instruments Evolver so that they can be clocked by trigger signals. More here: http://acreil.wordpress.com/2014/01/15/syncing-drum-machines
The Roland CR-8000 (hi-hat, handclap) is slaved to the Korg KPR-77 (bass, snare, hi-hat) via DIN sync. One KPR-77 trigger output clocks the TR-77 (miscellaneous patterns with spring reverb) in an irregular pattern, while the other is connected to the "register" input on the CR-8000 (switching between two different patterns). The CR-8000's accent trigger output clocks the Evolver (with Ibanez SDR-1000 reverb). I added two overdubs with the Seiko DS-250, processed by the SDR-1000 and Yamaha FX900. Recorded 2013.
The original recording is mono. Overdubs (hard-panned left and right) are TR-77 with Marantz PMD-221 tape delay and Tapco 4400 spring reverb. Recorded 2013.
The drum track uses a Hammond Auto-Vari 64, Boss DS-2 and Garrard GEQ-330 equalizer. Synth overdubs are Seiko DS-250 with DS-310 programmer, Ibanez SDR-1000 reverb and Roland VP-70 (VP-70 only used on the chord part). Noise overdubs are Wavetek 145 and 188-S-1257 function generators with Marantz PMD221 tape echo. 8 tracks total. Recorded 2013.
and on Spotify: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/dtA7
Made in Pure Data, 2012. No samples or plugins. 30 Hz harmonic series.
and on Spotify: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/dtSX
Composed 2011-2013, made in Pure Data using only self-developed algorithms. No plugins used. Mixed in Audacity.
Get it here: http://acreil.bandcamp.com/album/airburst-parcel
And on Spotify: distrokid.com/hyperfollow/acreil/ds4a
Cartridge ROM dumps here: acreil.wordpress.com/2019/05/17/wersi-mk1-ex20-cartridge-eprom-dumps
The main bell-like tone plays a sustained chord through the entire recording. The looping pitch envelope very slowly speeds up over 8 minutes, producing a rapid arpeggio at the end. The other sounds are retriggered occasionally, but are mostly sustained.
This recording uses the Wersi MK1, but I used the EX20 for the photo because I haven't yet done a proper photo shoot for the MK1. The reverb is the Ibanez SDR-1000. Recorded 2009?
Check the (NiCd) memory backup battery if you own one of these. They can leak and cause damage. The RAM cartridges also contain NiCd batteries.
All synths: Keytek CTS-2000
Drums: Yamaha RX5, Yamaha RY30
Processing: Tapco 4400, Digitech RDS 3.6, Ibanez SDR-1000, Roland VP-70, Alesis Quadraverb, Boss PH-1, Peavey T-Max, Dave Smith Instruments Evolver, Alesis 1622
dropbox.com/s/f8fmyerfqmwu8wk/Keytek%20CTS-2000%20Menu.mp3
The CTS-2000 has a very steep lowpass filter (about 7.3 kHz) on both output channels. This is located on the front panel PCB, near where the pitch and mod wheels connect. Removing 5 capacitors per channel (5.6 nF, 10 nF, 820 pF, 15 nF, 330 pF) and retuning the VCF trimpots for a higher cutoff frequency improves the sound considerably.
Download: dropbox.com/s/y3d30laczonj66y/Keytek%20CTS-2000%20Cross%20Wave%20examples.mp3


