French Connection ring and other questions

Hi Jari,

I think it is great you ordered one. Let's stay in touch. It is a good instrument, and the closest to an Ondes that we can get.

As I understand it, the whole keyboard moves back and forth.

As to being off topic, the Ondes is joined at the hip with the theremin. Hopefully others will have at least a passing interest in this early electronic instrument.

I clearly need more modules than a VCO and a VCA. If anyone has any thoughts, let me know.

Bryan

> I clearly need more modules than a VCO and a
> VCA. If anyone has any thoughts, let me know.

Normally, the next module would be a voltage controlled filter. Setting the French Connection button to control your VCA amplitude and VCF cutoff frequency would be the first thing to try.

There are many choices for VCF: Analogue Systems RS110 multi-mode-filter is a versatile and affordable transistor filter. A vactrol filter (like Doepfer A-101-1 or Plan B Model 12) might sound organic in this context. If resonance is not needed, a vactrol low pass gate (like Doepfer A-101-2 or Plan B Model) would also do. I am getting A-101-2.

After filter there are many possibilities. Perhaps a spring reverb or formant filter? Personally, I would stay away of digital effects.

By any chance, do you have an Analogue Systems oscillator (RS90, RS95 or RS95e)? If so, would you care to do a sound clip demonstrating its unique tri/saw morph?: Without anything connected in, you should dial a suitable frequency and then record the saw-out while sweeping the tri/saw shape knob.


Best regards
Jari Jokinen

Here goes the sweep test...

http://www.audiostreet.net/artist.aspx?artistid=36492&mode=music&recordid=107766

> Here goes the sweep test...

Thank you. Just as mentioned in the RS95 manual, the triangle waveform is much quieter than saw.

Furthermore, when morphing, there are three segments in the waveform: Raise, jump up, and long fall - or alternatively long raise, jump down and fall. This makes it sound more like a cross-fade.

I would prefer a "true" morph a la Nord Modular Shape Oscillator. Appararently it is difficult to do with analog equipment.


Best regards
Jari Jokinen

So...do you have it yet? Did it work ok for you? Which modules do you like?

It is still on its way...

I am finally able to play my French Connection!

Sidecars
Have you had any calibration issues? Below is a copy of a mail I sent to Analogue Systems.


"Hello!


Some time ago I got a French Connection from you. Now I finally have some modules, so I can test it. I am very happy about the purchase! The FC is even easier to play, than I thought - I could make music with it right away. Some practise is needed though, before I get hired to play Turangalila-symphony...


I have calibration issues:

1.
When in slider mode, the CV/tuning drifts. Sometimes the tuning is higher and sometimes lower compared to keyboard mode, which is solid. Even in the slider mode a single note is solid, but extensive playing may change the tuning. This means, that I can trust neither visual reference or tacitile feedback from below the ring. The deviation range is from about quarter tone low to slightly sharp. I wonder, if this can be fixed?

2.
The tuning is streched 30 cents across the four octave range, which is too much for my ears. The stretching is about the same with all oscillator modules and happens in the keyboard mode too. My voltage meter is not accurate enough to verify, if FC is to blame. Still, I would rather calibrate FC, than the oscillators and my MIDI interface. Are there trim pot(s) inside FC or other fix available?


Best regards
Jari Jokinen"

I honestly havent touched it in about a year.. much distraction from my other instruments. In fact, here are some videos and the like I have done..

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=sidecars

but... back to this...

I know I had to pivot my wrist a bit to keep pitch... if that makes sense. You would have to keep the orientation of your wrist to the keyboard at the correct angle or it would be off. I keep the ring fairly far up my finger.. which would make it easy to rotate my wrist a bit at the ends.

Make sense?

I have a fairly good ear.. so would notice problems... and I didnt notice anything that had me feeling things were too far off. I will try to get some time today to connect up.. and run with a tuner to see.

A quick example. I could have been more careful, especially with the volume button... And I have to practice vibrato.

http://www.esnips.com/doc/63ecfee8-4d4e-4c54-87b7-ca3d73d4067c/French_Connection_test

Someone was asking a while back about the key movement. On a real Ondas all the keys move as a unit. Also they keys are not full scale. The keys are pretty light and smaller. The French Connection seems to just use a standard MIDI mechanism with a MIDI converter inside. No one has commercially produced control voltage keys since the early 80s, everyone uses commercial MIDI keys and a MIDI to CV converter inside the housing.