Sonology Voltage Control Studio

The Royal Conservatoire of The Hague in Netherlands houses the Voltage Control Studio of the Institute of Sonology. Studio BEA 5 (http://ewp.koncon.nl/index.php/bea-5) contains one large modular sound synthesis system. This studio has been used by the great Dutch composers as Jan Boerman and Dick Raaijmakers. Studio BEA 5 is administrated by Kees Tazelaar head of Sonology (http://www.keestazelaar.com/). Kees has compiled a studio manual for BEA 5 where you can find interesting information about the modules (http://194.171.57.139/sonology/UK/STUDIO%20MANUAL%20BEA%205%202005-2.pdf).

When I visited Sonology, Lex Van den Broek kindly showed me this studio. Lex keeps this studio working. He also designs new modules for the needs of the teachers and students. Here you can find more information of the electronic workshop projects (http://www.ipson.nl/).

The modules

Bruel&Kjaer Sine/Random Generator

D&R mixer

Big patch panel

Korg MonoPoly

I have a slightly modified MonoPoly. One day it gave out smoke and I thought it was the end of it. First I was not sure what went broken. I decided to change the power supply which normally is a good candidate for problems. I replaced the internal KLM-376 power supply to external +-15V power supply HBB15-1.5-A+G. In place of KLM-376 board there is only left a proto-board with connectors to other boards and a LM7805 +5V regulator. When I first powered it after this repair I noticed that the smoke was coming from KLM-398 board where one trimmer resistor created a short circuit. I changed all the trimmers in KLM-398 board and after that everything was ok. After adjustment procedure MonoPoly has worked normally. I made the modification to KLM-356 CPU-board where you cut the jumper J1. This disables the key-assign-mode reset (changes to unisono-mode) that normally happens when you switch to effects-mode (crossmodulation and sync effect). This mod is explained here http://fa.utfs.org/diy/korg_monopoly/modifications.html. What a nice synthesizer !

External HBB15 power supply in a case

The new blue trimmers are top left in this picture

Case for TTSH ARP 2600

Thomann effect pedal case Rockcase RC23010B (http://www.thomann.de/gb/rockcase_rc_23010b_effect_pedal_case.htm) can be made to work with TTSH. This is mm-game but it fits. I also ordered the Belton RBL2AB3C1B spring-tank from Banzai Music. Now I must decide how will I fit the power supply. I think I am going to build it in an external case and bring the +-15V with XLR-connector to case.

Synthering (Sigma Archives)

This is a compilation of my mini synth-compositions. Each part or mini composition uses sounds from only one synth. The order of synths in this compilation are: Roland SH101, Roland Juno-106, Korg MS10, Prophet VS, Prophet Pro-1, Moog Little Phatty, Roland S100M, Korg PS3100, Korg MonoPoly.

Greener Grass (Sigma Archives)

Greener Grass composition can be found in "Sleep of the Shadow" Sigma-CD (http://sigma2.bandcamp.com/album/sleep-of-the-shadow). In this video the music is on background because it is an interview document.

Greener Grass (http://www.greenergrass.info/) is an art and documentary project by artist Mari Keski-Korsu. Greener Grass discusses Finnish immigration history in United States and how this history could reflect on today’s challenges of immigration. Mari traveled by a freighter from Liverpool (UK) to Chester (PA, US) following the Finnish immigration routes of the past. In US, she interviewed people with Finnish descent about their family history, immigration background’s affect on their own identity and what they think about the contemporary immigration. The end result of the project is a video installation in Helsinki Taidehalli from 19.3.-17.4.2011. Sigma composed about 20min soundscape for video.



Greener Grass from mkk on Vimeo.