When it comes to synthesizers and the various circuits that make them up, the oscillator section of a synth has always been the part that I find least interesting. Filters with their sinusoidal curved shapes interest me more both conceptually and aesthetically. A filter can oscillate but it can also merge with other sounds. Oscillating or even better sitting right at the edge of oscillation - resonating with the outside sounds in unexpected ways. Hybrid sounds.
That said, its impossible to deny the usefulness of the oscillator. And why renounce to the variety of sounds that an oscillator or a bank of oscillators can provide. So I made the VCO toolkit or vCOoo. 3 O's for 3 oscillators. It features a free patching interface - meaning that the connections are all out in the open instead of hidden inside jacks. They can be connected with alligator clips or really anything conductive. You can even hardwire settings using metal wire to create a sort of primitive preset. The rest of the synth is comprised of various circuits that serve to exalt rather than tame the jagged and angular properties that these vcos produce.
In addition to the 3 VCO oscillators with range select switches, there are 3 XOR gates for making metallic type sounds and increasing variability for the next section of the synth, which is a pseudo random chaos generator based on Rob Hordijk's Rungler. Then there is a white noise generator, a pulse divider, a high pass diode gate, and a diode based wavefolder. The latter two sections can also process external sounds.
- Can function as an effect, a voltage source, or a sound source
- 34 patch points
- All parts and solder used in the construction are lead-free and ROHS compliant
- Center positive 12v supply (very low power consumption)(not included)
- Dimensions 170mm x 177mm x 15mm (without knobs)
- Weight approx 500g
