Modular Synth Guide

Filters (VCFs)

Modulators

MATHS by Make Noise

MATHS is laid out top to bottom, with symmetrical features between CH. 1 and 4. The signal inputs are at the top, followed by the panel controls and control signal inputs at the middle. The signal outputs are at the bottom of the module. LEDs are placed near the signal they are indicating.

CH. 1 and 4 also have a Trigger input. A gate or pulse applied to this input triggers the associated circuit regardless of activity at the Signal Inputs. The result being a 0V to 10V function, aka Envelope, whose characteristics are dened by the Rise, Fall, Vari-Response and Attenuverter parameters.

The Cycle Button and Cycle Input both do the same thing: they make MATHS self-oscillate aka Cycle, which are just fancy terms for an LFO! When you want an LFO, make MATHS Cycle.

Rise/Fall/Vari-Response:

These controls shape the signal that is output at the Unity Signal Output and Variable Outputs for CH. 1 and 4. The Rise and Fall controls determine how fast or slow the circuit responds to signals applied to the Signal Input and Trigger Input. The range of times is larger than the typical Envelope or LFO

Rise sets the amount of time the circuit takes to travel up to the maximum voltage. When triggered the circuit starts at 0V and travels up to 10V. Rise determines how long it takes for this to happen. When used to process external control voltages the signal applied to the Signal Input is either increasing, decreasing or at a steady state (doing nothing). Rise determines how fast that signal could increase.

Fall sets the amount of time the circuit takes to travel down to the minimum voltage. When triggered the voltage starts at 0V and travels up to 10V, at 10V the upper threshold is reached and the voltage begins to drop back down to 0V. Fall determines how long it takes for this to happen. When used to process external control voltages the signal applied to the Signal Input is either increasing, decreasing or at a steady state (doing nothing). Fall determines how fast that signal could decrease.

You can modulate both rise and fall parameters with the “both” cv input on the left and right side

-Longer cycles are achieved with more Logarithmic response curves. The fastest, sharpest functions are achieved with extreme Exponential response curves.

-Adjustment to the response curve aects Rise and Fall Times.

-To achieve longer or shorter Rise and Fall Times than available from Panel Controls, apply a voltage oset to the Control Signal Inputs. Use CH. 2 or 3 for this oset voltage.

-Use the INV SUM Output where you require reversed modulation but do not have means for inversion at the CV destination (Mix CV Input on ECHOPHON, for example).

-Feeding an inverted signal from MATHS back into the MATHS at any of the CV inputs is highly useful for creating responses that are not covered by the Vari-Response control alone.

-When utilizing the SUM and OR Outputs, set any unused CH. 2 or 3 to 12:00 or insert a dummy patch cable to Signal Input of associated Channel to avoid unwanted osets.

-If it is desired that a signal processed or generated by CH. 1, 4 is both on the SUM, INV, and OR busses AND available as an independent output, utilize the Unity Signal Output, as it is NOT normalized to the SUM and OR Busses.

-OR Output does not respond to or generate negative voltages. -End of Rise and End of Cycle are useful for generating complex control voltage functions where CH. 1 and CH. 4 are triggered from one another. To do this, patch EOR or EOC to the other Channel’s Trigger, Signal, and Cycle inputs.

Great tutorial vids:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QqcLtHR9tg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJtpzysqJv8 (17:30 sidechain is awesome, 18:05 shows how to use it as a clock/gate, good explanation of how to use it as a filter at 22:14, uses verbos module which is familiar)

Sequencers