tauzero

Not quite an effect - a softsynth module. A Squishbox, based on https://geekfunklabs.com/products/squishbox/ but I've been doing some extra programming. I first saw https://www.instructables.com/id/Raspberry-Pi-Stompbox-Synth-Module/ which was superseded by https://geekfunklabs.com/products/squishbox/ The intention was to build a unit that could be powered by a guitar effects 9V power supply of sufficient current capacity, controlled from a USB MIDI port, and outputting via a 5102 sound board to 1/4" jacks. I didn't bother with a DIN MIDI IN. I also decided to go for a 20x4 display rather than the 16x2 display of the original, which gave the possibility of extra information. The 5.5/2.1mm power socket goes to a KBP307G bridge rectifier to provide reverse voltage protection (any bridge rectifier with a maximum current of 3A or more will do) and then to a buck converter set to 5V. This 5V feed goes to a protoboard that is also used to mount the 5102 board and male headers for the display and footswitches. The 5102 board itself has a further male header for the output sockets. On one I used Dupont cables With the way I've mounted this, the whole will fit (snugly) into a 1590BBS Hammond box. I've made another one in a 1590C box which gives somewhat more room. There isn't a problem with digital crosstalk even with the sound card sandwiched between the protoboard and the Pi. The one in the larger box has the soundcard on the other side of the protoboard - there's no difference in interference levels, ie. none. The display is mounted on brass M3 spacers with 6mm of stand-off which are epoxied into the box (Araldite Rapid was useless, J-B Weld has proved rather better). The Pi is mounted on 25mm M2.5 countersunk bolts with a nut and washer holding the Pi, then a 10mm nylon spacer, then the protoboard, then nylon M2.5 nuts. I've put heatshrink around the power supply components. Note that the power connector must have the sleeve isolated from the case, as the case is attached to 0V and the sleeve of a Boss-type PSU with centre negative is +9V. The power connector I finally used isn't the one shown here - it's a plastic-bodied one with the thread at the business end so it fits from behind the panel and I can remove it along with the protoboard if I need to dismantle it. I got some audible interference when I first assembled it, caused when metalwork on the Pi USB and network sockets touched the case. I made the cutout a little larger and put heatshrink round the sockets. Problem solved. I've been indulging in a bit of Python programming to modify the original, as I was using the I2C interface rather than the parallel interface which meant an awful lot of soldering. My version will also play songs (.wav, .mp3, or .ogg) and playlists (just a list of files to play) so set break music can be supplied.

I've made myself a squishbox. Software synth module, uses soundfont files. Open source, so I've also programmed it to be able to play songs.

I've just had a little play and in legato mode (which is what I use), pressing Select briefly put it into Select mode. When I looked at the Settings tab, Select sensitivity was set about halfway up. I reverted it to the default setting (reset select sensitivity button) and that changed it so a brief press on Select stopped the notes, a longer press put it into Select mode. So I think that what Mr McMillen defines as sensitivity and what I define as sensitivity might vary.

Isn't that for Hold mode? Press select once to go into Normal mode and switch off all notes, again to go back into Legato mode. Doing it this way means I just have to do one press to stop the note and I don't mess up which mode it's toggled into. I'll have an experiment with it in Legato.

I use a McMillen 12-step for this with one band - so I can play strings or similar to fill out the sound on guitar soloes. I use it in legato mode, so the notes play until I play another note. Bottom C is programmed with no notes at all so I can stop it. It will also be in use with the prog band, but as we have a keyboard player, it'll probably just be doing a Taurus impression. I've done the simultaneous keys and bass thing too, just for one song ages ago. I think I was just playing Am and G for the section I used keys and bass together, nothing in the slightest bit clever.

Zombie thread revival... Has anyone other than Steve Lawson bought or experimented with a MOD unit, either a Duo/Duo X or a Dwarf?

I bought a pair recently on the basis of a recommendation in an earlier thread on the same subject. Very pleased with them. I bought them because I'd got my home office set up with sound system and wanted to put the Sennheiser HD20somethings (now obsolete) in there, and I'm very impressed by the ATs.

I had an email from Steve Bailey telling me that the webinar is going to be edited and then will be available for viewing (you've probably all had it too). I find playing vibrato the proper fretless way very awkward, for some reason. I resist side to side vibrato when playing fretless but I really must work on it.

Aaaaand there's a bug fix to the firmware, 3.11 is now out but still uses HX Edit 3.10.

Not sure how I managed to break that URL, paul_5 has posted the correct version of it. I think all the ones who mentioned acoustic bass said they used flats on them. I may get some flats for the acoustic bass I never use. Also, Steve Bailey made the point that none of them mentioned damage to fretboards as anything to do with their decision of which string to use. If anyone tells me my playing is out, I'll just tell them it's village tuning.

Well, that was good. Some very interesting stuff, and a book to download and look at: https://ia803000.us.archive.org/24/items/nicolasslonimskythesaurusofscalesandmelodicpatterns/Nicolas Slonimsky - Thesaurus OfScales And Melodic Patterns.pdf

Just shows that your hearing is rubbish. Uneducated hearing, that's your problem.

I'm just going to say Jan Akkerman again. Classical guitar, lute, renaissance music, jazz, rock, prog rock (in Focus's case, jazz/classical/rock fusion), voted best guitarist in the world by Melody Maker readers in 1973.

His log has been in trouble with the mods. Or the mods' log has been in trouble with him.

Could be a bit understaffed then, their largest hub is a couple of miles up the road from me and a significant proportion of the workforce is (or was) Polish so they might have lost a lorra lorra staff after Brexit.

And when did the change to UPS from being good to not being good happen? I've always used them when sending instruments etc as they used to provide very good service.

Jan Akkerman. Prince? Don't make me laugh. Capable multi-instrumentalist, yes, greatest anything, no.

0:52. Must have been too paralysed to press the space bar.

I prefer mackerel.

He composed the soundtrack to my biking youth. The live version of "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" shown on the OGWT stuck in my head for ever.

So you're OK reading on alternate days then?

They were so crāp that most of them got thrown away, so they're very rare.

Are you saying Hellzero had a pea in the bed?

HX Edit and Stomp firmware v3.10 are now out.

I've got two Seis and a Hohner B2AV, and a MihaDo Fingybass. I've had a Status and a B2 before them. They're lighter than the equivalent headed bass, balance better (well, can you imagine how a headed B2 would balance?), and don't have dead spots. The only disadvantages are you can't use headstock-grabbing hangers or clip-on tuners. I intend to experiment with strap peg placement on the B2AV, I've seen an example where the strap peg was moved round from the back to the edge above the neck, equivalent to where it would be on a conventional instrument. Although I may not, as it's my back-up bass and I normally play sitting down anyway.