External audio input for the Minimoog Voyager

[OurDarkness]

So,

for a certain patch that I have made, I have a cable running from the headphone output back into the external input. Headphone level is 255, external audio is something like 110. Below 110, I get a noticeable beefup, at 110 it starts to overdrive and it sounds ok. Above 110 there is some absolutely AWESOME overdrive, it needs to be heard to be believed!

The problem is that alongside with the yummy overdrive I get a lot of tones (maybe 2 octaves below) that mess up with the signal. If I lower the input, things are clearer but the yummy sound is gone. I have tried to lower the levels of the oscillators running into the mixer but it doesn't sound ok, the timbre is altered a lot.

Any ideas here, how to clear this completely and still get the awesome overdrive? I have thought about connecting an equalizer between the headphones and the external audio input to cut the low frequencies. What else could help? A compressor maybe?

Thanks,
Yannis

[networkacid]

Can't really be done. The same thing that's causing the nice tone is causing the unwanted tones - the overdrive is creating all sorts of harmonics which you can't really separate because if you EQ the headphone output you're affecting the filter input which is creating the feedback.

You can

a) try to recreate the wanted patch with synthesis but you'd probably need a modular.

b) try to recreate the unwanted tone then mix it out of phase with the patch that you already have... but you'd probably need a modular.

The short and long answer is... GET A MODULAR, spend about a decade learning how to reeeeeally use it, then get really really close but never quite there, buy more and more modules to try and perfect that tone, leaving no time to shower or go to work, lose your job, end up living under a railway bridge with only your modular for warmth, running it off stolen power that you almost get electrocuted by trying to rig it up from the railway tracks, and eventually die a slow, lonely death in the cold with tinnitus.

Just give it up, man. Before it's too late. Seriously.

[Dubreak]

[kjellg]

Originally Posted by OurDarkness

So,

for a certain patch that I have made, I have a cable running from the headphone output back into the external input. Headphone level is 255, external audio is something like 110. Below 110, I get a noticeable beefup, at 110 it starts to overdrive and it sounds ok. Above 110 there is some absolutely AWESOME overdrive, it needs to be heard to be believed!

The problem is that alongside with the yummy overdrive I get a lot of tones (maybe 2 octaves below) that mess up with the signal. If I lower the input, things are clearer but the yummy sound is gone. I have tried to lower the levels of the oscillators running into the mixer but it doesn't sound ok, the timbre is altered a lot.

Any ideas here, how to clear this completely and still get the awesome overdrive? I have thought about connecting an equalizer between the headphones and the external audio input to cut the low frequencies. What else could help? A compressor maybe?

Thanks,
Yannis

I think the Moogmusic company advice/warns about using the headphone output back to the external input because it can harm/damage the synth. The signal is to powerful.
The safe way to do it is to use the right output signal into the external input.

[bleepbleep]

try putting an overdrive in the feedback chain and you will get a heavier sound at lover volume levels.

also - an aural exciter/bbe maximiser works great for the harmonic quality of the sound in the same chain.

[OurDarkness]

Originally Posted by kjellg

I think the Moogmusic company advice/warns about using the headphone output back to the external input because it can harm/damage the synth. The signal is to powerful.
The safe way to do it is to use the right output signal into the external input.

That is indeed the case. There are different impedances. A little input from the headphones can really beef up the signal.

I have tried routing the left output into the external in. It doesn't work, the timbre is very different.

[OurDarkness]

Originally Posted by networkacid

Can't really be done. The same thing that's causing the nice tone is causing the unwanted tones - the overdrive is creating all sorts of harmonics which you can't really separate because if you EQ the headphone output you're affecting the filter input which is creating the feedback.

You can

a) try to recreate the wanted patch with synthesis but you'd probably need a modular.

b) try to recreate the unwanted tone then mix it out of phase with the patch that you already have... but you'd probably need a modular.

The short and long answer is... GET A MODULAR, spend about a decade learning how to reeeeeally use it, then get really really close but never quite there, buy more and more modules to try and perfect that tone, leaving no time to shower or go to work, lose your job, end up living under a railway bridge with only your modular for warmth, running it off stolen power that you almost get electrocuted by trying to rig it up from the railway tracks, and eventually die a slow, lonely death in the cold with tinnitus.

Just give it up, man. Before it's too late. Seriously.

Man, I am not really sure how to read your post.

[bleepbleep]

Originally Posted by OurDarkness

Man, I am not really sure how to read your post.

take a big hit of batchtub crank and re-read it, it will make perfect sense then.

[OurDarkness]

[PTB]

Originally Posted by bleepbleep

try putting an overdrive in the feedback chain and you will get a heavier sound at lover volume levels.

also - an aural exciter/bbe maximiser works great for the harmonic quality of the sound in the same chain.

Would you really want to run the Voyager into a BBE unit?

[bleepbleep]

yes - i would run it through a BBE/Aphex - and have - then again i've also run it through a ZVEX Fuzz factory - and believe me when i say that thing can really rape the arse out of the moog.

but back on the subject - if you heard what an exciter can do you would consider it - there's no need to be snobby - lets face it if your music is succesfull - it will end up on iTunes as an mp3 mmmmmmm

[bleepbleep]

Originally Posted by OurDarkness

are you flipping the bird? - get a grip on it - is english your second language or something?

[OurDarkness]

Originally Posted by bleepbleep

are you flipping the bird? - get a grip on it - is english your second language or something?

Yes it is. How about you?

[networkacid]

Originally Posted by OurDarkness

Man, I am not really sure how to read your post.

Hehe, man. I'm just saying I been there, man. Sometimes you just gotta let some crazy sound play for ages and inspire you but not worry too much about how to perfect it because it is created by something so organic. It can become like an obsession and you get consumed by trying to recreate something - it can end up making you less productive.

[OurDarkness]

Originally Posted by networkacid

Hehe, man. I'm just saying I been there, man. Sometimes you just gotta let some crazy sound play for ages and inspire you but not worry too much about how to perfect it because it is created by something so organic. It can become like an obsession and you get consumed by trying to recreate something - it can end up making you less productive.

Yes, sorry to misunderstand your post. I have been there too, I know what you are talking about. I didn't mess about with sound too much, I just thought that it would work like in the original Mini, since I have never heard this sound in any other synth except for the Mini. And maybe someone had some idea to help me out on this.

Anyway, no problemo.

[jrm1]

Originally Posted by networkacid

The short and long answer is... GET A MODULAR, spend about a decade learning how to reeeeeally use it, then get really really close but never quite there, buy more and more modules to try and perfect that tone, leaving no time to shower or go to work, lose your job, end up living under a railway bridge with only your modular for warmth, running it off stolen power that you almost get electrocuted by trying to rig it up from the railway tracks, and eventually die a slow, lonely death in the cold with tinnitus.

Just give it up, man. Before it's too late. Seriously.

Hilarious!!!!

[bleepbleep]

Originally Posted by OurDarkness

Yes it is. How about you?

C3PO does all the translating for me.

[golden beers]

here's what i would try:
*record it on DAW.
*try to filter out all the good stuff you can with eq just leaving mostly the ugly signal.
*bounce and use the ugly signal as reference for a de-noise plugin: eg soundsoap.
*apply the soundsoap patch to the original unaltertered recording

[OurDarkness]

Originally Posted by bleepbleep

C3PO does all the translating for me.

I use something similar sometimes and I always laugh at the translated output.