Gorilla Box Overview

Gorilla Box is a new line of custom made Eurorack modular synthesizer cases that, in themselves, are modular and are manufactured through Anvil. These cases are built to withstand an insane amount of punishment and are meant for modular users who travel with their system, or have a cat that likes to routinely tip a system over. Every case will be made to order and a 'standard' version of the case theoretically does not exist because of the amount of options available. The case will have a number of requirements, options, features and functions. This is the prototype that I received in time for the Synth Meet 7 and vast improvements are being implemented onto the alpha design.



Features
The key features of the Gorilla Box are that almost everything on it is customizable, the inside case is isolated from the carrying case to prevent impact damage, the lid has legs that serves as a table, a Tip Top Audio power supply and a lifetime warranty from Anvil.

Material
The case is manufactured by Anvil and Gorilla Box has access to all of their materials. Some variables are the materials that range from Fiberglass, plexiglass, industrial plastic to metal. A large color palette is also available for the cases.

The Lid
The lid on this model is quite deep and makes the overall size of the case large and awkward to caryy but this is being addressed with a slimmer version that also will have legs and be carry-on luggage sized. The deeper lid has some advantages such as keeping complex patches using several levels of Stackables and is able to pack in the Make Noise Skiff system with no problems. Also, you can add the vector case on the deeper lid to make it a double 12U case. With my current Doepfer case I can squeeze a patch with a depth of 2 Stackables, anything higher will have to be patched later when the lid is off.
The current version of this lid has legs on the bottom of the case are currently secured by velcro. In all future versions the legs will be secured with a lightweight locking clamp with riveted screw to secure them into place.

Outside Case
The outside case is everything you would expect from Anvil, a company that carries a history of catering to touring musicians since the 50's. This thing can take a beating and it definitely will now that I don't fear checking it on a plane. The case and lid are secured with an industrial latch and will have an option for a combination lock. The outside case is lined with industrial foam that keeps the removable inside case isolated from damage. Some improvements will include the option installing wheels and retractable handle that will make the Gorilla Box roll around like a suitcase. Also additional handles can be installed on the sides.

Removable Inside Case
The model I received had a few minor problems with the removable inside case and while talking to Gorilla box, they informed me that the inside case is being completely redesigned by Vector featuring a threaded rail system, opposed to floating nuts, and will be black anodized metal. The vector case will have a power supply connected so you can pull the system out and use the recessed handles on the vector case to put it into your rack. Did you read that right? Yeah - this Vector case will be easily mountable to any standard rack system.

Power Supply
The power supply is manufactured by Tip Top Audio and is similar to a laptop computer power supply. It was originally designed to drive 3 bus board comfortably but when powering 2 bus boards, you'll have enough power for optional lights. My only experience with cases and power supplies are with Doepfer - here are some advantages of Tip Top Audio's power supply:
- The power supply itself is outside the case making the case less heated and prone to disaster.
- It supports both 110/220 voltage. This means that a) these power supplies are universal and b) when you're traveling all you need is an adapter. This is a huge advantage for me because in Europe I've had to carry around a power converter brick that adds a lot of weight and worry when traveling.
- No fuses
- The power supply is easily affordable and easily replaceable should they get separated from your case.

Here's some specifics from the manufacturer:
The power system is made of 3 units:
1. The external power supply.
2. The regulator boards providing +/-12V and +5V using custom made regulators.
3. The bus boards.
The power supply can delivers up to 1200mA per rail, that is 24000mA all together!!!
All you need to hook it up to a European or other power grids is a local power cord or adapter.
The power supply is protected against short circuit. In case of short it will shut off itself in case of a short and recover by itself after few minutes.The over all weight of the power system is probably less then half of a regular power supply yet provides double the current.



From my short experience with it, I left the power on for 48 hours straight and turned it on and off in rapid succession for about 30 second to see if something would blow out and absolutely nothing went wrong. If I tried that on/off trick on my Doepfer case I promise you I would've went through 15 fuses.

You can expect the price range to be around Doepfer cases but it's difficult to give specifics as every order varies immensely, given the amount of options. This is going to be my case of choice. What I'd like to see happen with the success with these cases is more modular systems on stage and on the road!!

The turnaround time is approximately 6 - 9 days. To get on the waiting list for a custom case, contact: gorillaboxes@gmail.com
More pictures can be found: Here

Xart + Trash_Audio: Chicago Modular Musickal Extemporization Klinic

Chicago Modular Musickal Extemporization Klinic Saturday June 19 2010 12:30PM-?

The XART Studio + TRASHAUDIO.COM will be hosting more fun for 2010. Charles Cohen + hair_loss (Color Is Luxury) will be in Chicago to do a modular synthesizer/ electronics based improv workshop/clinic! - a talk and demo of the architecture of the Buchla Easel - a Performance + discussing and working up patches suitable for free improv + small group jams / improv games- try ideas out, collaborate (and listen!) + plenty of time for give and take all along the way!

Seating/Spots will be limited (to about 20-ish people). This is a RSVP workshop with a modest donation.

A rough schedule is in the works – we plan to keep this low stress, casual and fun! We hope to end the day with an evening concert where you can invite your friends/girlfriend/boyfriend/family whoever! - to listen and watch the results of what we did all day. If you are interested email: kultbox@gmail.com please put Chicago Modular Musickal Extemporization Klinic in the subject! We will forward information on how to attend!

The Color Is Luxury sound is always improvisational, changing and evolving, ranging from very dense and harsh to minimal and ambient, beats to spacey, based on their mood at the time and the atmosphere of the space they're playing in. Regardless of the situation, they manage to come up with something special.

Charles plays a Buchla Music Easel, a rare analog performance instrument he acquired from master synth maker Don Buchla in 1976. he performs regularly in Philly with various folks on the techno, noise, jazz and new music scenes.

hair_loss plays a variety of esoteric and mainstream effects pedals and devices, which he wires up differently for each show, thus always keeping Charles guessing. hair_loss is also involved with SNOWSTORM & Jive Nation, and collaborates frequently with other Philadelphia artists.

CHARLES COHEN AT THE BUCHLA MUSIC EASEL from alex tyson on Vimeo.

Synth Meet 7 Video

Short and sweet.
Our last meet was so populated that we decided to half the rsvp list to make it more gear orientated rather than people oriented. The result was less people, more gear, more time with gear.

Workspace and Environment: Magnetic Stripper

This particular article came at me from a strange source, the photographer. A mutual friend Scott Pagano, who is an amazing motion designer, e-mailed me with photos saying he visited a ridiculous studio and that I should get in touch with this guy Jim. So I did, and am I glad that I did. He kindly spared a moment from constructing his monstrous DIY system to answer a few of our questions...


Background
I was born in Johnson City, TN. I moved to Knoxville, TN in 1985 to attend The University of Tennessee, lived there for ten years. I moved to San Francisco in 1994 to find work in the Rave Scene as a VJ / 3D Animator.

1968 Johnson City, TN. At 2, would stand at the curb imitating the sounds of heavy machinery.
1973 Johnson City, TN. Built first oscillator.
1982 Johnson City, TN Made first recordings using homemade/ improvised electronix.
1982 Johnson City, TN Began working with Eric Blevins as Absolute Ceiling. http://www.a4suitcase.com
1996 San Francisco, CA First Magnetic Stripper show.

Where do you draw your motivation from?
OCD, OCD, and more OCD.
The concept of "Futuristic" unstuck from the timeline.
I have always loved Classical Electronic Music, and its primary function: to explore and expand its frontiers.
On the flip side, I am an unrepentant fan of the disco and all its myriad forms. Dubstep, IDM Breakcore, Minimal Synth, and Spacey Italo being my current fixations.
I find it very interesting that a rift which occurred in the late 70s/ early 80s is still a great point of contention. Tension is a great motivator: Too experimental for the disco. Too disco for the noise show.......

Favorite Hardware
I fixate on the DIY toys:
Midibox Sid: with a CV out. As much as I like the C64 sounds I like this module even more as a CV source. My current favorite LFO/EG. Found here.
The SN Voice: I have been using the SN chips since the early eighties, Thomas Henry's design, for this module, is pretty awesome. If you add a filter, its a stand alone synth. Found here.
Midibox Seq 3.4 (I'm building the 4.0): I have never seen a DIY project with so many features. Found here.
WTPA sampler:Todd Bailey is an awesome designer. It brings the Glitch! Found here.
Ada fruit X0XB0X: 303 clone. Found here.

An ever expanding DIY modular with modules designed and/or layed out by:
John Blacet: - Link
Yves Usson (YUSYNTH): - Link
Ken Stone: - Link
Thomas Henry: - Link
Ray Wilson: - Link
Tom Wiltshire: - Link
PAIA: - Link
Marc Bareille: - Link
ACSynth: - Link
Grant Richters: - Link
I have started to design a bit myself. Eagle CAD is crazy awesomeness.......

Favorite Software
Currently, I use LIVE for recording and editing. Originally, I was using the software as part of a live playback rig. its role has shifted, for the time being.......
After using many other DAW softwares, I ended up using LIVE because of its efficiency and straight forward design.
I generally use Sound Forge for sample editing, although, I have been using several Freeware sample editors lately.
I like NI plugins, for doing computer based music, being a modular freak, Reactor has always been a fave. I used Reason for years, before that SF Acid.

First and Last Pieces of Gear
First, a RadioShack 30in1 electronics kit. Last, a VOS Frac Filter kit.

Workspace and Environment
The sounds I am most interested in are about electronics and the romance of experimentation which surrounds them:
Sometimes the cables, LEDs, alligator clips, and unenclosed PCBs resemble waterfalls. Streaming off the tables, and flowing across the floor....... The Modular Studio, for me, is a nexus between a functional order and total chaos. I tend to do a lot of work with a device before it even makes it into a box....... Some devices are still on breadboards. As much as I love the Klang Klone 9 studio aesthetic, most of the time there are "brambles".

What Is Your Ideal Location?
In SF! I am in the process of moving, to another part of town. This question will be contemplated very deeply over the next couple of months. The studio should embody freedom. Good sound proofing should be involved.

Wishlist
Midibox Seq 4.0, MAX 4LIVE, WTPA 2.0

- Myspace
- SoundCloud
- YouTube

Gorilla Box

For the past several months, I've been excited for this case and this morning it came to my door along with some Tip Top Audio goodies. I received these pictures documenting the final stages of the development from Gorilla Box. A proper review of its features, which are extensively customizable, will be done later. I'll bring everything on sunday. See you there.

Some notes on the case:
There are legs on the inside of the lid allowing it to be used as a side table for other gear - guitar pedals, laptop, whatever fits. The inside is wired with a new Tiptop Audio power system which emits essentially no heat. The regulator is the size of an iPhone and the power supply is like a lacie mini brick style external power supply. A bit of trivia: Surachai of TRASH_AUDIO is in possession of the first one. - Stolen from MatrixSynth

The website is in a transition mode and will be updated soon: Gorilla Box
E-mail: gorillaboxes at gmail.com

Expert Sleepers Interface

This is an important step into the analog digital interface movement. Expert Sleepers have developed an interface that provides DC/AC-Coupling so your audio interface doesn't have to.

Prototype of the Expert Sleepers ES-1 interfacing module.

This Eurorack format module serves two purposes:
- When connected to a DC-coupled audio interface, provides CV amplification.
- When connected to an AC-coupled audio interface, provides CV decoding for use with the Expert Sleepers AC Encoder plug-in.

- Flickr Set
- Expert Sleepers Website

Jonathan Snipes + STG

Video Description
Jonathan Snipes of Captain Ahab (http://captain-ahab.com) is such a remarkably enthusiastic STG Soundlabs Time Modules user that when he emailed me and said "I hear you're working on a clock divider module that runs off the STG Sync Bus ... please let me know when i can have it" I couldn't help but just go ahead and mail him my own prototype. (don't worry, i built another and yes he paid for it)
Jonathan was so happy to be able to extract all sorts of different rhythmic clocks driven by his TR-808 that he made this video showing off the Time Divider driving all sorts of aspects of his modular synthesiser and gave it to me to post up here in my U-Toob account.
We've still got a couple of firmware sniggles to deal with, but here is the 97 percent operational Time Divider being used in the composition of a track which Donald Crunk declared "hot as shit" when he heard it, and I'm inclined to agree with him.
I'm not entirely sure what the Time Divider is doing here, but I'm hearing a lot of rhythmic intervals happneing against the TR-808 that simply would not be possible with anything other than the Time Divider or a rack full of extremly hard-to-find Garfield Mini-Docs.
The Time Divider will be available soon from STG Soundlabs (http://www.stgsoundlabs.com/) and not too long after from Analogue Haven (http://www.analoguehaven.com/)

Thank you very much, Jonathan.

Synth Meet 7 Updates

A number of developments have occurred throughout the past week. Some of the original guests that were supposed to fly in have been kept at home due to work related issues and hopefully they'll be able to join us in the next synth meet. With that out of the way here's some of the things I'll have to show at the Synth Meet on Sunday.

- Tip Top Audio is sending two Z3000 MKII Oscillators that feature a new waveshaper.
- I'll have a Gorilla case that will sport Tip Top Audio power and an insane amount of customizable features including shock-mounted stabilization for the touring musician. Pictures and proper review on it later.
- Make Noise is letting me bring the Skiff along with the Pressure Points expander Brains beta to make up for his absence.



And that's just my share.
Harvestman will be arriving with a Stillson Hammer - which is a hex-output burst generator. Uhh.. I'm assuming that spits out crazy gates.

STG will be bringing the behemoth Archangel Sequencer





We have people coming from all over the country and along with them an insane amount of gear. We're currently at full capacity and can't take anymore people. Thanks for all of the interest and get at us earlier for the next synth meet. Sunday can't come soon enough!

Workspace and Environment: Making the Noise

We still have spots left for the Synth Meet 7 coming this Sunday. It's sure to be as lively as all of the past events combined! Onto the article:

I found Adam Ribaudo of Making the Noise from Twitter, saying that he just released his first album. I followed a few links, bought his album and knew he used a Monome after hearing it. I wondered what his space looked like and how things fit into it. I asked, he responded. Here's what he said...

Background
I started making music while I was in high school around 1998. Before that, I was listening to a lot of Underworld and Pet Shop Boys and had been exposed to the MOD scene which made making electronic music seem very accessible. With the spread of pirated software, I was at some point introduced to ACID and Rebirth and also Jeskola Buzz. I now gladly pay for the tools I use. Ableton should turn around and thank a pirate…
It wasn’t until very recently that I started performing out with a set that was heavily inspired by a Daedelus set I saw in NYC in 2009. I wanted to take what he was doing, creating a seamless danceable experience, but use only originally produced material. That’s what I’ve done and that’s what I’m tuning as I go from show to show gauging the crowd’s response to each section.

Motivation
My initial motivation was just exploring the soundscape that software could make and no other instrument could. I can still remember hearing lowpass filter sweeps and knowing them only as “that effect that makes everything sound like wwwaaaaa”. That and delay and reverb and synthesis just totally transported me to other places and I wanted to figure out how it was done and where else it could take me.
At this point you could say base novelty has worn off now that synthesized music is ever-present in our daily lives but a number of other things keep me motivated. One is watching the electronic music scene evolve. I love when artists bring something new to the table and that’s something I strive to do. I think we all benefit when people take chances and put something honest out there. Another is watching the electronic music tools evolve. We’re in something of a golden age of software creativity tools. Lastly, the opportunity to perform live has been a bigger and bigger motivation as I’ve come into my own skin on stage after a handful of performances. It’s a big and frightening leap for a bedroom producer but it’s paid off.

Favorite Hardware
The monome by far. Besides its sleek minimal design, the draw is that instead of telling you how it should be programmed, it asks you. Out of the box, the monome comes with no pre-programmed instructions, it’s up to you the user (as opposed to the manufacturer), to provide it with instructions. Those instructions can be written in any language that supports the OSC protocol, but you can always look to the rich community of user-created apps if you’re looking for inspiration or functionality that’s already been created.

Favorite Software
At the core of my live set is a piece of software that I wrote for the monomer called 7up. It essentially splits the monomer into pages of functions. One page can give you a step sequencer while another triggers loops, and another sends MIDI ctrl values or notes. All of these actions are recordable and can be running in parallel which makes a great interface for controlling complex arrangements live and without the need to touch the laptop. One great advantage of relying heavily on your own software is that all your bug reports go to the front of the queue.

Workspace and Environment
I live in a small one-bedroom apartment in Cambridge and having your studio 3 feet from your bed is all a producer can ask for. It helps that my setup is super minimal – consisting only of my laptop, monome, and sometimes the Oxygen8 if I’m working on melodies. In theory, it shouldn’t matter where I’m cranking out material but I’ve always found it easiest to work at odd hours during the night while at home as opposed to being out on the road.
I can’t say I’m self-conscious about my finished product but I do get unnerved if anyone is around while I’m arranging. I don’t think most people realize how monotonous producing can be. I’ve sat for hours tweaking the most insignificant parameters of the same 4 bar loop, but it never seems strange to me unless someone else is around.

Ideal Location
I sometimes fantasize about an elaborate studio setup in a remote location with no neighbors and top quality gear, but in the end I don’t think I could work like that all the time. I like that music weaves itself in and out of my life and that I can go weeks without making music, bottle up that creative energy, and unleash it when appropriate. If I locked myself in a cabin with the mission of making my best work now that I have the “perfect” setup, I’d not make anything worthwhile and go nuts to boot.

What is the name you work under and where can we find your work?
– Making the Noise
- Making the Noise - you can do anything. except for some things Album

Korg Monotron: Baseck + cEvin Key

Baseck is on tour in Japan with cEvin Key right now and that usually means one thing - searching for esoteric gear. I just thought this video was funny and am trying to legitimate reason for posting it. Imagine I wrote a long winded preface about how Japan is the leader in technology and how manufacturers choose to release a lot of products there first.

this is the korg monotron! i been drooling over it ever since i seen a video of it from musikmesse frankfurt. we found them in a shop in tokyo for $50 usd. cevin, djoto, alan, and i all bought one! this thing is ILL! such deep sub bass when it's hooked up to a system. i can't wait to rock it on my tour. here we were at the great buddha in kamakura japan. first monotron to ever visit the great buddha! :) what an amazing site it was. Thanks Korg for making another useful low cost pocket sized monster!!!

Gear Lust

Just when I thought my setup was nearly complete, this crap happens. It'll never stop.

Endangered Audio - Gristleizer

For the first time ever, Throbbing Gristle's legendary effects unit, The Gristleizer, is now available in eurorack synth module form (28HP wide). Though the original design by Roy Gwinn is over 30 years old, The Gristleizer had never seen commercial production until the summer of 2009, when Endangered Audio updated and improved the circuit. The audio path is modulated by an LFO using four selectable waveforms (ramp, reverse ramp, triangle, & square), functioning in one of two paths: VCA (voltage controlled amplifier) or VCF (voltage controlled filter). Ranging from light and sweet tremolo to extreme, raunchy ring mod, The Gristleizer is a 100% analog, hand-assembled unit built to last. These can connect to either analog systems power bus or doepfer (with adapter available from us), for easy addition to your eurorack system.
- More information and video here



Tip Top Audio is releasing mark II of their Z3000 oscillator. We'll have one of these at Synth Meet 7 on the 23rd of May.
Heres a short list of some of the new features:
- low-power, light blue display
- Frequency range of the z3000 is 0.7Hz - 30kHz.
- waveshaper CV input
The new version 2 is now built with SMD components and thus it´s PCB is very flat (pcb parallel to the faceplate). By the use of modern transistors the tracking got much more exact. The sawtooth now sounds a bit better and there's a new feature: vc waveshaping on the sine and triangle wave! It blends from "trashy sawtooth" to sine/triangle.
- Tip Top Audio

Oto machines - Biscuit
Last week, I was turned onto this strange desktop bitcrusher box and haven't stopped thinking about it since.
• Stereo inputs and outputs
• Input gain from -8 to 15 dB with diode clipping
• Real 8-bit Analog to Digital and Digital to Analog converters
• Unique capability of muting and inverting each of the 8 bits
• Variable sample clock from 250 Hz to 30 kHz
• True analog multimode filter with resonance control
• FX section: Waveshaper, Delay, Pitch Shifter and Step Filter
• Separate control of dry and 8-bit signals
• 16 presets
• MIDI : Continuous Controller, Beat Clock, Program Change and Sysex for presets



- Oto machines

Gear Lust

Just when I thought my setup was nearly complete, this crap happens. It'll never stop.

Endangered Audio - Gristleizer

For the first time ever, Throbbing Gristle's legendary effects unit, The Gristleizer, is now available in eurorack synth module form (28HP wide). Though the original design by Roy Gwinn is over 30 years old, The Gristleizer had never seen commercial production until the summer of 2009, when Endangered Audio updated and improved the circuit. The audio path is modulated by an LFO using four selectable waveforms (ramp, reverse ramp, triangle, & square), functioning in one of two paths: VCA (voltage controlled amplifier) or VCF (voltage controlled filter). Ranging from light and sweet tremolo to extreme, raunchy ring mod, The Gristleizer is a 100% analog, hand-assembled unit built to last. These can connect to either analog systems power bus or doepfer (with adapter available from us), for easy addition to your eurorack system.
- More information here



Tip Top Audio is releasing mark II of their Z3000 oscillator. We'll have one of these at Synth Meet 7 on the 23rd of May.
Heres a short list of some of the new features:
- low-power, light blue display
- Frequency range of the z3000 is 0.7Hz - 30kHz.
- waveshaper CV input
The new version 2 is now built with SMD components and thus it´s PCB is very flat (pcb parallel to the faceplate). By the use of modern transistors the tracking got much more exact. The sawtooth now sounds a bit better and there's a new feature: vc waveshaping on the sine and triangle wave! It blends from "trashy sawtooth" to sine/triangle.
- Tip Top Audio

Oto machines - Biscuit
Last week, I was turned onto this strange desktop bitcrusher box and haven't stopped thinking about it since.



- Oto machines

GrainCube

GrainCube is a four part granular processing instrument with numerous randomizing functions and modulation capabilities that allow for indescribable sonic mischief. The heart of GrainCube is a 400mb sample map of exclusive sample material from Richard Devine & Josh Kay of DevineSound. GrainCube is a collaboration between DevineSound & Rick Scott (Rachmiel), with additional programming and GUI tweaks by Igor Shilov of Twisted Tools. An additional version is also available for the Jazzmutant Lemur, re-imagined by Antonio Blanca.

We offer two versions of the instrument so people who don't have lemurs can use it as well! And it's FREE!

Richard Devine & Josh Kay: Concept & Sound Design - devinesound.com
Rick Scott: Concept & Programming - rachmiel.org

- Download GrainCube



Also, Richard sent me a track he made with his modular and didn't want to make a post just for it, so here it is: Richard Devine - York Capacitor

Trash_Audio & Xart: Synth Meet 7

This is the official Spring Synth Meet in Chicago presented by Trash_Audio and Xart. We've hosted 6 of these events before and they keep getting more attention so much so that we had to start turning people away last time.
We're having The Harvestman from Washington, Make Noise from North Carolina, STG from Illinois, and other guests that will be announced. There will also be new products making their debut from a few manufacturers including some from the aforementioned.
We'll have to put a limit on the amount of people this time around because while these events are a great place to network, Xart's studio is getting too packed! Also, if you're a modular/pedal/synth manufacturer, I highly suggest you get in touch to have your gear laid out so people can experience it. If you're interested in coming please e-mail: ss@thedeepelement.com

Here are some videos of the past events:




Also, here is an advanced notice for another night we're hosting in June:

Chicago Modular Musickal Extemporization Klinic June 19 2010

The XART Studio + Media Research Center will be hosting more fun for
2010. Charles Cohen + hair_loss (Color Is Luxury) will be in Chicago
to do a modular synthesizer/ electronics based improv workshop/clinic!
- a talk and demo of the architecture of the Buchla Easel - a
Performance + discussing and working up patches suitable for free
improv + small group jams / improv games- try ideas out, collaborate
(and listen!) + plenty of time for give and take all along the way!

Seating/Spots will be limited. This is a RSVP workshop with a modest donation.

If you are interested get on our list: email: kultbox@gmail.com please
put Chicago Modular Musickal Extemporization Klinic in the subject! We
will forward information.

Friday, May 7th: Plague Bringer, Abominable Iron Sloth, Sender Receiver, Surachai

May 7th, 2010
Cobra Lounge
235 North Ashland

Plague Bringer
The Abominable Iron Sloth
Sender Receiver
Surachai

Come out! All nights at Cobra Lounge are free.
I'll have shirts and stickers available.