Shruthi-1 Sound Filter
The Shruthi-1 is an impressive hardware synthesizer equipped with the highly regarded SMR-4 MkII filter board. Developed about a month ago, it has become a favorite tool for sound exploration. As a sound designer, there is a continuous drive to push the sonic boundaries. Recently, significant time has been dedicated to experimenting with the SMR-4 MkII filter board to extract new sounds. The following enhancements have been implemented: 1. Inspired by the release of the 4-pole mission filter, six filter shapes were reverse-engineered for the SMR-4 MkII: LP2, LP4, BP2, BP4, HP2, and Notch 2. 2. The wobble filter character from the 4-pole mission has been adapted into a variable Filter FM control, allowing a range from subtle modulation to pronounced distortion. 3. The Mission/Polivoks MS-20 distortion feature has been expanded, resulting in six Filter Flavours that dynamically respond to incoming audio signals. The HARD setting adds third harmonic distortion for a more aggressive sound with additional sub-octaves. 4. An Output: Drive feature has been introduced, offering adjustable overdrive and distortion options, along with an output level tweak to ensure that SMR-4 MkII presets operate within -10dBV input sensitivity on audio interfaces. This adjustment prevents digital clipping and allows for consistent performance across presets. 5. Internal feedback and circuit bending modifications have led to the introduction of a new feature called FEED, with accompanying demos available on Soundcloud. The front panel now includes two 6-way switches, two potentiometers, and one 3-way toggle switch to control these new features. The circuit modifications involve a small circuit board populated with additional components, including resistors, diodes, and capacitors. The handwired 6-way switches and extra connections to the SMR-4 MkII filter board add complexity to the design, but the overall circuitry remains straightforward. The demos aim to showcase the new features clearly, with plans for more extensive audio clips in the future.
The Shruthi-1 synthesizer, enhanced with the SMR-4 MkII filter board, represents a fusion of innovative sound design and user customization. The six filter shapes—LP2, LP4, BP2, BP4, HP2, and Notch 2—provide a versatile palette for sound manipulation, allowing users to create unique sonic textures. The implementation of the variable Filter FM control introduces a dynamic modulation capability, enabling users to achieve a range of sounds from subtle to extreme.
The expansion of the distortion feature into six Filter Flavours enhances the synthesizer's capabilities significantly. Each flavour is designed to react to the audio input, providing a rich and varied sonic output. The HARD setting, for example, is tailored for those seeking a more aggressive sound profile, characterized by an emphasis on third harmonic distortion that adds depth and richness to the audio.
The Output: Drive feature is a critical addition for practical use, ensuring that the output levels align with standard audio interface sensitivities. This adjustment not only prevents digital clipping but also facilitates smoother integration with various audio setups, making the synthesizer more user-friendly for live performances and studio work.
The integration of feedback and circuit bending modifications through the FEED feature offers further exploration into sound design, inviting users to experiment with unconventional audio processing techniques. The physical layout of the front panel, featuring multiple control elements, enhances the user experience, providing intuitive access to the synthesizer's expanded functionality.
Overall, the modifications and enhancements made to the Shruthi-1 with the SMR-4 MkII filter board exemplify a commitment to sound exploration and innovation, making it a valuable tool for both amateur and professional sound designers. The straightforward circuitry, combined with the intricate modifications, offers a balance of ease of use and creative potential, encouraging users to delve deeper into their sonic explorations.Incredible Shruthi-1 hardware synth with its excellent SMR-4 MkII filter board, both of which I built about a month ago and which I love to bits for exploring new sounds. However, as a sound designer I`ve always been interested in pushing the boundaries, so having dusted off my electronic engineering skills, polished my soldering iron and retrieved my component boxes from the shed I`ve spent
many spare hours over the last few weeks seeing what other sounds I could coax from the SMR4-MkII filter board. 1. First of all, I was green with envy when Olivier`s stunning 4-pole mission filter was released, so I cherry-picked my favourite six filter shapes from it and reverse-engineered them for the SMR-4 MKII: LP2, LP4 BP2, BP4, HP2, and Notch 2.
Second, I explored the wobble` filter character from the 4-pole mission and implemented it as a variable Filter FM control going from none to serious filth. 3. Finally (and what took most time, energy and listening sessions) I extended the Mission/Polivoks MS-20 distortion` feature so that the SDE has six Filter Flavours that each react dynamically to incoming audio signals: e) HARD adds a similar amount of distortion as GERM, but this time predominantly third harmonic and less second for a harder-edged sound with added sub-octaves.
4. I couldn`t resist adding yet another feature to the Shruthi-1 SDE after hearing the Polivoks in action: Output: Drive offers some subtle to serious overdrive and distortion options, along with a tweak to output level to make the SMR-4 MkII presets all run within -10dBV input sensitivity on your audio interfaces. On my setup some presets previously needed turning down or my interface switching to +4dBu to avoid digital clipping.
Now everything runs nicely at -10dBV so you don`t have to watch the meters ;) 5. I`ve been exploring some internal feedback/circuit bending mods, and the result is FEED, with a new set of demos on my Soundcloud page to demonstrate the possibilities. The extra front panel controls in charge of all these new features are now two 6-way switches, two pots, one 3-way toggle switch.
I`m well pleased with the results! :-) I`m happy to pass on the circuit-bending modifications to anyone who`s interested in trying them, although I filled a small circuit board with the added components and the 6-way switches are tedious to solder up, so it`s not a beginner`s project ;-) Thanks for the suggestion, but actually the circuitry is fairly simple (although tweaking the component values took ages for best result, and I ended up re-designing things at least three times to get maximum variation from the sounds). My board only contains a couple of dozen resistors, a handful of diodes and a couple of capacitors. It`s the handwired 6-way switches and extra connections tagged onto the SMR-4 MkII filter board that make it more unwieldy, but I didn`t want to take the 4053/4051 route and make things more complicated ;-) @loderbast: The existing demos are simple to demonstrate the new SDE features as clearly as possible I only let loose a little bit more on the Filter FM demos, but I fully intend to post clips of forthcoming Outer Limits` sessions with no holds barred ;-) @schrab: To be honest my third re-design of the Filter Flavours was after I followed the Wasp thread and listened to the MP3 clip you linked to.
Although I got some new flavours as a result, ironically I got the closest to the Wasp using my Filter FM control. @MicMicMan: My only reservation at the moment about providing the schematics is that I don`t want Olivier to lose out on any sales for his stunning 4-pole Mission design!
:-) @Luap: Not quite so much pining, although I still hanker after the Polivoks for its nastiness and the SVF dual multimode ;-) And if you promise not to tell anyone else I can confirm that the Shruthi-1 is the table top synth` I mentioned another forum. As f 🔗 External reference
The Shruthi-1 synthesizer, enhanced with the SMR-4 MkII filter board, represents a fusion of innovative sound design and user customization. The six filter shapes—LP2, LP4, BP2, BP4, HP2, and Notch 2—provide a versatile palette for sound manipulation, allowing users to create unique sonic textures. The implementation of the variable Filter FM control introduces a dynamic modulation capability, enabling users to achieve a range of sounds from subtle to extreme.
The expansion of the distortion feature into six Filter Flavours enhances the synthesizer's capabilities significantly. Each flavour is designed to react to the audio input, providing a rich and varied sonic output. The HARD setting, for example, is tailored for those seeking a more aggressive sound profile, characterized by an emphasis on third harmonic distortion that adds depth and richness to the audio.
The Output: Drive feature is a critical addition for practical use, ensuring that the output levels align with standard audio interface sensitivities. This adjustment not only prevents digital clipping but also facilitates smoother integration with various audio setups, making the synthesizer more user-friendly for live performances and studio work.
The integration of feedback and circuit bending modifications through the FEED feature offers further exploration into sound design, inviting users to experiment with unconventional audio processing techniques. The physical layout of the front panel, featuring multiple control elements, enhances the user experience, providing intuitive access to the synthesizer's expanded functionality.
Overall, the modifications and enhancements made to the Shruthi-1 with the SMR-4 MkII filter board exemplify a commitment to sound exploration and innovation, making it a valuable tool for both amateur and professional sound designers. The straightforward circuitry, combined with the intricate modifications, offers a balance of ease of use and creative potential, encouraging users to delve deeper into their sonic explorations.Incredible Shruthi-1 hardware synth with its excellent SMR-4 MkII filter board, both of which I built about a month ago and which I love to bits for exploring new sounds. However, as a sound designer I`ve always been interested in pushing the boundaries, so having dusted off my electronic engineering skills, polished my soldering iron and retrieved my component boxes from the shed I`ve spent
many spare hours over the last few weeks seeing what other sounds I could coax from the SMR4-MkII filter board. 1. First of all, I was green with envy when Olivier`s stunning 4-pole mission filter was released, so I cherry-picked my favourite six filter shapes from it and reverse-engineered them for the SMR-4 MKII: LP2, LP4 BP2, BP4, HP2, and Notch 2.
Second, I explored the wobble` filter character from the 4-pole mission and implemented it as a variable Filter FM control going from none to serious filth. 3. Finally (and what took most time, energy and listening sessions) I extended the Mission/Polivoks MS-20 distortion` feature so that the SDE has six Filter Flavours that each react dynamically to incoming audio signals: e) HARD adds a similar amount of distortion as GERM, but this time predominantly third harmonic and less second for a harder-edged sound with added sub-octaves.
4. I couldn`t resist adding yet another feature to the Shruthi-1 SDE after hearing the Polivoks in action: Output: Drive offers some subtle to serious overdrive and distortion options, along with a tweak to output level to make the SMR-4 MkII presets all run within -10dBV input sensitivity on your audio interfaces. On my setup some presets previously needed turning down or my interface switching to +4dBu to avoid digital clipping.
Now everything runs nicely at -10dBV so you don`t have to watch the meters ;) 5. I`ve been exploring some internal feedback/circuit bending mods, and the result is FEED, with a new set of demos on my Soundcloud page to demonstrate the possibilities. The extra front panel controls in charge of all these new features are now two 6-way switches, two pots, one 3-way toggle switch.
I`m well pleased with the results! :-) I`m happy to pass on the circuit-bending modifications to anyone who`s interested in trying them, although I filled a small circuit board with the added components and the 6-way switches are tedious to solder up, so it`s not a beginner`s project ;-) Thanks for the suggestion, but actually the circuitry is fairly simple (although tweaking the component values took ages for best result, and I ended up re-designing things at least three times to get maximum variation from the sounds). My board only contains a couple of dozen resistors, a handful of diodes and a couple of capacitors. It`s the handwired 6-way switches and extra connections tagged onto the SMR-4 MkII filter board that make it more unwieldy, but I didn`t want to take the 4053/4051 route and make things more complicated ;-) @loderbast: The existing demos are simple to demonstrate the new SDE features as clearly as possible I only let loose a little bit more on the Filter FM demos, but I fully intend to post clips of forthcoming Outer Limits` sessions with no holds barred ;-) @schrab: To be honest my third re-design of the Filter Flavours was after I followed the Wasp thread and listened to the MP3 clip you linked to.
Although I got some new flavours as a result, ironically I got the closest to the Wasp using my Filter FM control. @MicMicMan: My only reservation at the moment about providing the schematics is that I don`t want Olivier to lose out on any sales for his stunning 4-pole Mission design!
:-) @Luap: Not quite so much pining, although I still hanker after the Polivoks for its nastiness and the SVF dual multimode ;-) And if you promise not to tell anyone else I can confirm that the Shruthi-1 is the table top synth` I mentioned another forum. As f 🔗 External reference
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