+DivKidVideo The case of the ever expanding rig. Haven't even gotten my MN empty CV bus case and I've already got a 42hp "control" rig (including this + uScale and some others) planned. It's a disease.
so can someone explain Volts to me? I'm still so confused by it. So it adds voltage to whatever the output of the Turing machine already is? Is that correct? The sequence he has is 6 steps - but there are only 5 steps on the volts expander. At 9:15 he turns the third knob and the filter opens up consistently on (what my ear hears as) the 4th note of the sequence, but since volts is only a sequence of 5, shouldnt it alter the 4th note, then the 3rd note, then the 2nd, 1st, 6th, 5th, and back to the fourth again? Similarly, at 11:52, the counter-melody created by Volts is also a 6 note melody. How exactly does this work?
Hi Sam, the thing that takes a while to wrap your head around with the Turing machine is that more than one stage can be active at once. That's the core of Turing Machine. So this isn't a traditional sequencer just moving one step at a time. You can get patterns that move that way, but you can get a pattern where lots of stages are active at once. So the voltages on the knobs can be adding together to create higher pitches that on the surface don't really correlate with any of the knob positions directly. Regarding only 5 steps it will cycle back up to step 1 after step 5. But at that point steps 3 and 4 might be active too. There's a lot of information here to dive into - musicthing.co.uk/pages/turing.html
If you have a mk1 might as well get a mk2. But there's not a lot in it really. It's not something I'd sell an original for in order to get an upgrade. The addition on the small 5 way volts expanders I think is great.
+Sascha Haber Kinks? No mention of that in the video, but yeah I realised it's now in shot! All announced of course otherwise it would be out of sight and not in this case :)
What sounds quantised? The pitch CV? The audio at digital clock/sample rates and you can hear that? Definitely using a pitch sequencer (ADDAC 207) between the Turing Machine and the oscillator in the video.
Hi, nothing to be sorry about it. I didn't know what you meant by "sounds pitched". What you mean (I'm guessing from the next bit) is that each note is quantised, as in part of a scale or chromatic musical notes. If that's what you mean ... yes. I quantised the output of the Turing Machine, it's not the oscillator doing that. I talk about using a quantiser in the video.
Absolutely, always welcome to ask, thank you for doing so. it's very stereotypical "musical" for most norms and largely peoples backgrounds coming into this. I absolutely agree though (as I think is your point) quantisation doesn't equate to musicality in the sense that the lack of it means no musicality. I never quantise my Serge beyond tuning by ear and knob turns for example. There's musicality in noise and found sound.
@@DivKid Thanks for the answer. I think it is a really interesting question, especially when deriving pitch information from 'random' sources, Turing machines, Euclidian rhythms and the like. I agree with you that quantised pitch can help anchor melodic material in a way more recognisable and this is something essential about musicality For one thing, if you listen to music with hugely complex and varied pitch material lacking clear anchors, it is ironic how quickly it all begins to sound the same. I've been using the shift register on the Disting (a TM in all but name) which, like the 2hp and Music Thing TMs, allows you to lock groups which start looping - repetition also being a good way to persuade listeners there is something going on. It's amazing how productive this loop feature is! On the other hand, I recently got some lovely faders from Michigan Synth Works and using these with pitch opens up all the space in between, which I think is truly musically appealing. One of the really attractive aspects of modular is that it brings these questions and issues to the fore.
I like the Turing machine a lot. But why not a one-panel-module instead of one with expanders? Who wants the Turing Machine without the extra's of the expanders?
+Orange Wiggler With the new expanders it's much more modular - if you want pulses + 3xVolts you have a very different system from Vactrol Mix + Voltages.
+Orange Wiggler as Tom has said it's modular in itself then. I personal like a single Turing Machine and expanders in a small case. Whereas at home I like having the extra expanders. And to be honest it happens vice versa sometimes. The Turing and expanders are a real backbone to a small system too.
I only know Turing Machines as a theoretical concept from computability theory. It is a machine that, according to the Church-Turing theorem, can compute anything that can be computed, and that, as Lady Ada observed, can do anything that we know to tell it to do, including, but not limited to, making music. The machine that is referred to as a Turing machine here is a finite state machine that just loops over the input, which is random. It can not do calculations or computations, nor can it compose anything from given or inferred rules. The only thing it has in common with the Turing Machines that I am familiar with is that it is a FSM. Oddly, a TM has less states and can do more that this one. Why is it called a Turing machine?
Hi David, well I didn't design or name the module so I can't answer that for you. Ask Tom Whitwell the designer on Facebook/Twitter. There also information for you here - musicthing.co.uk/pages/turing.html - hope that's helpful.
Thank you. There is no real explanation for the name there, but there is this: _> 19. The Turing Machine is not a real Turing Machine the way Alan Turing explained it. The name is vaguely relevant because the module uses a loop of data being changed, but computer scientists find it very annoying._
Thank you for sharing this! NEWBIE feedback: So I am trying to follow along using VCV - but I can't see where the "off screen" cables are going (where they are patched into) - Example: I notice there are some cables going to ADSR "gate" and "out" but to/from where? Would love to see a shot from farther back just so I could set everything up correctly to follow along. (It's kind of good in a way as I have to totally guess "now Clock...how does that get connected..." but I am so new at this. lol) No shade, just feedback (no pun) Thanks. :)
So the clock in is used to put a taptempo(BPM) in it or also a VCO shape? Is the Turing machine output CV information what should be send to a VCO(albeit via a quanitizer and a VCA and Envelope)
clock in simple steps through the stages in the Turing Machine. You can use a clock, LFO, VCO, rhythm sequence etc each "high state" will simply make it step to the next stage. It doesn't have to be a steady clock. The output CV could be sent anywhere, to the 1v/oct (pitch) input of a VCO you would hear the pitches changing in sequence with the Turing Machine. Or you could send it to say a filter's CV input for cut off and you hear the filter cut off stepping up and down. It sounds like you're maybe just starting out with this so here's a potential patch that might make you a simple synth voice controlled by the Turing Machine's CV. Using a MIDI to CV module send the clock output to the Turing Machine and also to the gate input of an envelope generator. Send the Turing Machine CV output to the 1v/oct input of a VCO and patch a VCO into a VCA's input. Send the envelope generator's output to the VCAs CV input. At this point you'll have an oscillator going into a VCA where the clock signal from a MIDI to CV module (clock could be from anywhere you can get a clock) is making the Turing Machine step through new random values and it's opening up an envelope. The oscillator pitch is changing from the Turing Machine's CV and the envelope is opening up the VCA. I hope that helps.
+Michael Quijano I use an oscillator as a clock as I say in the video at a couple of points (sorry if that wasn't clear, or rushed past in places). Using the oscillator with a square wave output and PWM allows me to change the gate length of the clocks or rather the square waves pulse width.
+DivKidVideo Right on. I figured it was an oscillator because I don't know of many LFO with variable pulse width. What could be interesting is If your oscillator has PWM input you could vary your gate lengths under voltage control. Thanks for the vid.
+Michael Quijano yeah if the video wasn't already as long as it was I was going to add a patch with a slow LFO modulating my LFO rate VCO's pulse width for different gate lengths coming through to the Pulse Expander and also use Volts to CV the sustain level on an envelope. That's a nice patch :)
great review. I've been eying the Turing machine for a while, and this new version might pull me over. I have a A149 1 + 2 but the Turing machine seems different enough to justify having both. The Turing machine seems easier to control and the catch loop function is great. Also the gates on the Turing machine expander seem way more interesting for generating rhythmical patterns than the random gates on the A149-2, which are just going on and off in random fashion without relation to each other.
Planing to build TM mk2 + Volts + Voltages + Pulses mk1 expanders. Thanx Ben for the clear explanations! I like the part with the chip tunes sounds!! Your videos are always great eye openers!
I'm not sure if I missed it when you mentioned it, but what kind of quantizer are you using in this demo? Also, I really enjoy your videos! Keep up the good work. :)
Hey Ben, the Volts expander, do each of the knobs correlate to a step on the Turing sequence? I'm trying to get my head round the whole 5 knobs on Volts and anywhere from 2-32 steps on the Turing.
+DiscoticUK the 5 knobs don't relate to specific steps it just cycles round. So 8 steps would be 12 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 and then as the 8 steps loop it would continue to cycle around the 5 steps 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 etc. So whatever length you have the two CVs will overlap and not always line up due to the lesser steps (5 to be exact) on the Volts expander.
Hey Andrew, yeah it's a quad quantizer (the ADDAC 207) so I can take two inputs to the two channels and then send two quantised sequences out to the oscillators.
Aha! Thanks! I was just looking at that on the grid. Bit pricey that one! (edit: discontinued?) Any other solutions to achieve this effect, say...the Blue Lantern duo/quad or perhaps the Doepfer a-156? Thanks for all your work, learn so much from your vids.
Doepfer A-156 I think is chromatic only on one channel? Or maybe it shares the settings across both channels (which is fine, you probably want both to be in the same key) with a jumper on the back of it. That should do the trick.
Hi Phil, clock isn't important and I can't remember. But anything that can generate a clock such a square wave LFO, specific clock generator (2hp, Erica Synths) or a MIDI to CV module with clock outputs. The Quantizer was the ADDAC 207 but again not hugely important, best not to get caught up in specific modules and more about specific techniques / patches. There's a fair few quantisers around that would work. Happy to discuss anytime.
Just got my new Turing mk2 today... Having problems with locking the sequence. it will only lock up to two or maby for bars then it will change again. Have i got something rong?
I know I'm late, but just incase you never resolved this issue. There is a small hole in the front panel to adjust a trim pot to calibrate that. There's literature explaining the process in detail somewhere. Using it as an oscillator helps hear whether its locking.
+mgscheue good idea, we've spoken about that. Definite topic for the future. With the shows one per month we take lots of notes and user requested. Random / S&H will definitely be an episode.
Sooo glad to hear that the old PCBs can be used with the new expansions, and such. I think I still have a pair of the PCBs lying around in my box of doom >.>;;;
@@DivKid Yup, turns out I have a pair of the original ones, but just the main PCBs since I'd been planning on going with either 5U/MOTM or MU at the time. Now that I'm rebuilding my modular (sold the MU stuff several years ago) eurorack is rather enticing. And oooooh, the chiptune stuff makes it even more enticing....
Just finished building this and it's exactly what I needed/wanted. Thanks for the demo. So I know it's a kinda basic thing, but what are your thoughts on the MI Kinks?
thnx, one more question, how do you connect the volts to the turing, connect the gates (turing) to the gates (volts) or does gates(volts) to pulses (turing) also work, or does that give me other functionality?
The dual melodies section with reverb was great. Is there a way to get these music thing modular modules assembled as I have no interest in diy but I could use a radio music and this?
+Forehead finding yourself a great DIY builder to repeatably use I think is pretty crucial. My DIY skills are non-existent so it's important for me to have someone to hand for any DIY stuff.
Find a DIY builder online that has a good reputation and go with them. There's a few around Facebook groups and the Muff Wiggler forum. They also come up built and sale a fair bit.
so I bought one of these bc of the video and it's super fun with a Synthesis Technology E330 but I CANNOT figure out how you have the ASDR patched. I want the notes to swell in, not just hard trigger. Can anybody explain what is going on offscreen there?
patch the trigger out to the envelope trigger in and set the attack or rise time to be longer to get the swell. If you're using an ADSR you'll need longer gates rather than the short triggers. As short triggers won't hold a gate high long enough to get through a rising attack stage.
an ADSR typically (doesn't have to) controls the level of the sound which happens in a VCA module. If you patch an ADSR to the v/oct of an oscillator you'll get rises and falls of pitch along with the shape of the envelope you set on the ADSR controls. The E330 will drone endlessly (as oscillators) do, so patch it's output into a VCA input, take the VCA output as your output to speakers/mixer/soundcard (depends on your set up), patch the ADSR output to the VCA CV input and now it will control the level of the sound.
yeah i think thats the case. when i feed it through a lpg i still sometimes hear those notes.. while it seems like a random vontage generator i still seem to hear some patterns that reoccur during the looping of the turing
well it's looping random. Middle position on the knob is entirely random, then all the clockwise or anticlockwise it locks to an entirely repetitive loop. Anywhere in between changes the probability that new data will enter the stream So it can be "semi locked if you like.
DivKidVideo yes I know but unfortunately my button can turn all around the clock so its messed up :( but nonetheless i heard the same high note to low not sequence everytime at my turing and I also hear it in your video, wondeeing whats that since it should be random right? Thnks!
Dual's are hard to find there's the Doepfer A-156 (if I have the number right). But I'd look at the Harmonaig from Instruo, ADDAC 207, or an Ornament & Crime.
Sorry, wrote that as a note to myself, but apparently posted it. :P It seems to me like even when at 12 or 2-3, it will repeat this little high pitched melody though. I can hear it in your video too, at 3:46 and 3:53 for instance (when the knob is at 12). That little note sequence there. Oh, well, maybe it just sounds like that because it hits higher notes and the quantizer places them on the same note or something.
I've noticed this too I think it has a certain character sometimes that lets you know instantly its a turing that's creating the sequence.. this is from a document i found while digging through the open source stuff. "This circuit includes a transistor noise generator, so should create true random binary sequences. However, the structure of the sequencer and the nature of the digital-to-analog converter used seem to give a particular character - tones that rise and fall in a particular way" here's the original document if you want to read it all musicthing.co.uk/modular/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/random-sequencer-documentation-v2-1.pdf
A Random Sequence generator which can be forever random locked, or partially locked to keep a familiar pattern while letting new data into the stream. It can be set to range of steps for odd number sequences.
DivKidVideo after seeing this I'm going to order the whole ensemble. Never bought a kit before and am in touch with a guy who builds them. Can I get your advice on how to proceed properly? Introducing new modules to my system feels like having a physical implant! Need to be sure!
What do you mean my advice on how to proceed? Do you mean how to go about getting someone to build them? Feel free to keep commenting here or we can chat over email / Facebook if you want.
+lemayway Eli at Mystic Circuits might go for a new version rainbow I don't know. But with the new ones it's all 100% compatible with new and old so you could integrate an existing rainbow turing or expander.