4-channel Oscillator Controller and World's Most Expensive Octave Switch

ARGOS BLEAK is a 4-channel oscillator controller. Two calibrated control voltage inputs are quantized, processed, and sent to four different destinations. Immediate control is given for octave shift, detune, slew limit, and internal vibrato on each channel, with the semitone offset for the channel programmable as part of a preset. This module was designed to facilitate musical cooperation between oscillator designs from many different manufacturers, and provide a central control for multi-oscillator performance techniques difficult to execute in realtime by manipulating patch cords and tuning knobs.

Inputs

The two inputs accept 0-8VDC signals, to be interpreted as 1 volt/octave pitch CV. Each of the four output channels can use either of the inputs, or some arithmetic combination thereof. The internal quantizer is similar to the quantizer from the Stillson Hammer Mark II. Select a scale root and a scale type (or none at all), and your input CV will be processed by this and sent to the four outputs. Input channel assignments may be swapped or otherwise rearranged in response to an external gate signal.

The slew limiter may be routed before or after the quantizer. Routing it before the quantizer may lead to useful rhythmic offsets. You may select which channels influence the quantizer trigger output to fully exploit this effect in your patch. If a cable is patched into the slew gate input, the slew will not operate unless the gate is high. The internal vibrato generator has a master amplitude control for sending the modulation to all CV channels. The channels’ vibrato signals may differ in phase for thicker modulation.

Chord Processor

The chord processor stores 32 presets of “chords”. A chord consists of the quantizer scale selection, the semitone offsets for each channel, slew limiter routing, and all other programmable parameters. Chords may be selected with the rotary encoder or with an external control voltage.

• ? mA +12V
• ? mA -12V
• ? mA 5V

This Module is an early prototype, a concept in development, or an AI mockup