A sneak preview of Hideaway Studio's new Klockwerks realtime DDS Clocked FX System in action...

Klockwerks draws upon the concept that many have experimented with in providing a digital signal processor with an externally generated variable CPU clock in place of its original fixed frequency source. This method of modification opens up a very interesting world as time is no longer periodic and linear. Since most digitally generated acoustic effects rely on clocking audio into a buffer at a regular rate all manner of interesting effects are realised when the clock rate is modulated in realtime. Such effects were discovered a long time ago when the first BBD based chorus and delay units were developed. These early devices relied on variable clocking to achieve realtime pitch shifting effects effectively due to the sample rate at the point the audio was loaded into the front of the memory buffer being different by the time it arrived at the end of the buffer. This causes a stretching and compressing effect on the timing of the samples which can result in some very curious effects – especially if the memory is forming the basis of a complex effect such as a reverse reverb or a multi-tapped delay. Almost all current retrofitable modifications offered to enable such effects tend to be manually or voltage controlled with little in the way of sanity checking and often the effect can be rather random/uncontrollable with high potential for causing the modified FX unit to crash.

Klockwerks overcomes this by offering a much more controlled environment for CPU clock modulation using an advanced computer controlled DDS subsystem (Direct Digital Synthesis) operating within parameters tested to be within acceptable working limits for the Donor FX Unit. The system goes several stages further by then offering a number of modulator programs that modify the CPU clock frequency and offer a significant number of realtime parameter sources via 4 MIDI CC controllers (MIDI CC20 thru 23), MIDI Clock, Note On and Note Velocity as well as an analog CV input. All patches created on the Klockwerks system can then be attributed to a patch on the Donor FX Unit and stored in non-volatile memory as a named patch for instant recall via program changes.

Introducing Hideaway Studio's Klockwerks

A series of live improvisations by D.A.Wilson recorded in front of some of the myriad of cherished and rare vintage synths returned to life over the past few years in The Lab at Hideaway Studio.

All Recordings are Copyright D.A.Wilson, Hideaway Studio.

The Secret World of Vintage Synths

The Böhm Dynamic 12/24 (and its rebranded counterpart, the ORLA DSE-24) along with the Dynamic 4x9 were somewhat unusual and very much overlooked synth expanders from mid 80's...

Originally sold in self-build kit form from the Germany organ manufacturer Böhm, both variants featured as many as 12 Yamaha YM2203 4OP FM tone generator ICs fed into a genuine BBD based triple ensemble generator with two modulating free-running LFOs.   Originally designed for use in games machines and home computers the YM2203 offered 3 channels of classic sine-only based 4-operator FM synthesis in a chip.

This unique combination produced up to 24 note polyphony in the 1U racks or up to 4 layers of 9 note polyphony in the 2U versions.

What sets these instruments aside from the more conventional 4OP FM offerings such as the DX9 is that not only does the triple ensemble generator add a whole new dimension to the sound it starts to make you view the FM side as a starting point to the final found rather than the sound itself.  With this way of thinking it is possible to generate everything from remarkably analog sounding Solina style strings to warm complex evolving pads.

1986 Böhm Dynamic 12/24 & 4x9 In Action...

Made with Korg Wavestation being utterly mangled by Hideaway Studio's infamous Klockwerks DDS Clocking system under MIDI control...

There was no pitch bending on the Wavestation - that was all created in real-time by Klockwerks sliding the clock rate to an old ART MultiVerb LT by the same MIDI notes sent to the Wavestation with a slow slew rate dialled in to create a weird sliding effect.   Because the clock rate is not musically related to the pitch, the results are very much atonal in this case.  The Multiverb LT is running 100% wet to achieve this effect.

Klockwerks draws upon the concept that many have experimented with in providing a digital signal processor with an externally generated variable CPU clock in place of its original fixed frequency source. This method of modification opens up a very interesting world as time is no longer periodic and linear. Since most digitally generated acoustic effects rely on clocking audio into a buffer at a regular rate all manner of interesting effects are realised when the clock rate is modulated in realtime. Such effects were discovered a long time ago when the first BBD based chorus and delay units were developed. These early devices relied on variable clocking to achieve realtime pitch shifting effects effectively due to the sample rate at the point the audio was loaded into the front of the memory buffer being different by the time it arrived at the end of the buffer. This causes a stretching and compressing effect on the timing of the samples which can result in some very curious effects – especially if the memory is forming the basis of a complex effect such as a reverse reverb or a multi-tapped delay. Almost all current retrofitable modifications offered to enable such effects tend to be manually or voltage controlled with little in the way of sanity checking and often the effect can be rather random/uncontrollable with high potential for causing the modified FX unit to crash.

Klockwerks overcomes this by offering a much more controlled environment for CPU clock modulation using an advanced computer controlled DDS subsystem (Direct Digital Synthesis) operating within parameters tested to be within acceptable working limits for the Donor FX Unit. The system goes several stages further by then offering a number of modulator programs that modify the CPU clock frequency and offer a significant number of realtime parameter sources via 4 MIDI CC controllers (MIDI CC20 thru 23), MIDI Clock, Note On and Note Velocity as well as an analog CV input. All patches created on the Klockwerks system can then be attributed to a patch on the Donor FX Unit and stored in non-volatile memory as a named patch for instant recall via program changes.

Here is a segued demo of the Klockwerks system in action:

https://soundcloud.com/hideaway-studio/klockwerks-sneak-preview-ii

Composition & Recording Copyright D.A.Wilson, Hideaway Studio 2021.

Wavestation & Klockwerks: Temporal Slyders...

Having a go firing the little Orla DSE-24 (a rebranded Böhm Dynamic 12/24 from 1986) through a wobbly reverb patch on my Klockwerks system.  I've grown to love these little 4OP FM synths - I think it was a moment of genius to bolt on a discrete Solina strings style triple analog chorus generator to the YM2203 based synth section - the result is a wonderful complex soup of unusually organic sound for an FM synth.  It doesn't work for all timbres but over time I've had a go making some patches of my own on this thing (this being one of them) and its sometimes really surprised me what has emerged from its outputs!

Composition & Recording Copyright D.A.Wilson, Hideaway Studo, 2022.

1986 Böhm Dynamic 12/24:  A Klockwerked Orla...

A brief live improvisation I recorded using the first voice patch I managed to program into the 1979 Crumar GDS shortly after I undertook the major restoration (previously owned by the late Klaus Schulze) of this extremely rare groundbreaking early digital synthesizer.   It is named in memory of the late Max Mathews who played a major role in developing the software routines and concepts behind key parts of the GDS as well as in many other areas of pioneering computer based music technology.

Original Composition & Recording Copyright D.A.Wilson 2014.

1979 General Development System: The Max Factor

A live improvisation by D.A.Wilson shortly following restoration of 1982 Digital Keyboards Synergy number 1032 at Hideaway Studio running in conjunction with the SynHCS host editor on a Kaypro II CP/M computer under HxC disk emulation.  

In this recording you can hear the Synergy's unusual continuously variable random vibrato in action.  The Synergy is an all digital synthesizer with 32 oscillators featuring both FM and additive synthesis.  It is a direct relative of the 1979 Crumar GDS.

Original Composition & Recording Copyright D.A.Wilson 2015.

1982 DK Synergy 1032 Awakens: Evolutions

A live improvisation by D.A.Wilson on an extremely rare 1982 Buchla 400-T computer controlled 6-voice hybrid synth (digital "arbitrary" oscillators into analog filters) running MIDAS-III complete with flat pressure sensitive Touch Controller housed in a custom Teak solid wood cabinet awakens during return to operation and overhaul and Lotharek Rev.F HxC virtual floppy disk retrofit at Hideaway Studio.

The touch keyboard was a nightmare to get used and it took a great deal of my concentration to perform this as the pressure-to-pitch modulation was pretty intense on the patch I'd dialled in that day but it certainly resulted in something from the heart.  The highly responsive playing surface opens up some interesting possibilites for expressive patch design and playing!

Original Composition & Recording Copyright D.A.Wilson, Hideaway Studio 2015.

1982 Buchla 400 Awakens: Haute Tension

A sneak preview of Hideaway Studio's new Klockwerks realtime DDS Clocked FX System in action...

Klockwerks draws upon the concept that many have experimented with in providing a digital signal processor with an externally generated variable CPU clock in place of its original fixed frequency source.  This method of modification opens up a very interesting world as time is no longer periodic and linear.  Since most digitally generated acoustic effects rely on clocking audio into a buffer at a regular rate all manner of interesting effects are realised when the clock rate is modulated in realtime.  Such effects were discovered a long time ago when the first BBD based chorus and delay units were developed. These early devices relied on variable clocking to achieve realtime pitch shifting effects effectively due to the sample rate at the point the audio was loaded into the front of the memory buffer being different by the time it arrived at the end of the buffer.  This causes a stretching and compressing effect on the timing of the samples which can result in some very curious effects – especially if the memory is forming the basis of a complex effect such as a reverse reverb or a multi-tapped delay. Almost all current retrofitable modifications offered to enable such effects tend to be manually or voltage controlled with little in the way of sanity checking and often the effect can be rather random/uncontrollable with high potential for causing the modified FX unit to crash.  

Klockwerks overcomes this by offering a much more controlled environment for CPU clock modulation using an advanced computer controlled DDS subsystem (Direct Digital Synthesis) operating within parameters tested to be within acceptable working limits for the Donor FX Unit. The system goes several stages further by then offering a number of modulator programs that modify the CPU clock frequency and offer a significant number of realtime parameter sources via 4 MIDI CC controllers (MIDI CC20 thru 23), MIDI Clock, Note On and Note Velocity as well as an analog CV input. All patches created on the Klockwerks system can then be attributed to a patch on the Donor FX Unit and stored in non-volatile memory as a named patch for instant recall via program changes.

Klockwerks System in Action: Sneak Preview

A live test improvisation recorded in front of a 1982 Rhodes Chroma analog polysynth after finally springing into life during a particularly arduous debug session to determine the root cause of a failed auto-tuning system during major overhaul at Hideaway Studio. 

Easily one of my favourite vintage polysynths (even over Prophet 5 and OB-X) and one I consider to be extremely underrated - a complex and remarkably flexible 16 oscillator beast with a warm but biting character all of its own!!

Original Composition & Recording Copyright D.A.Wilson 2017.

1982 Rhodes (ARP) Chroma: Autotune-ONE

Having a play with my first patch programmed into a 1987 Bohm Dynamic 4x9 during overhaul at Hideaway Studio.

The Dynamic 4x9 was basically the big brother version of the Böhm 12-24 / Orla DSE-24 featuring the same FM based synthesis fed into a genuine Solina style analog BBD based triple ensemble generator but also included a BBD based phaser and individual audio outputs.  The FM section featured a whopping 12 YM2203 triple FM generator chips allowing 4 layered channels of 9 voice polyphony or up to 36 voices.

Unlike the 1U versions (which used the same FM chips) the 4x9 permits front panel patch editing using a rather more user friendly method with an LCD screen and data value controls.

Original Composition & Recording Copyright D.A.Wilson, Hideaway Studio 2018.

1987 Böhm Dynamic 4x9: First Test

Having a play with my first 4-layer patch programmed into a 1987 Bohm Dynamic 4x9 during overhaul at Hideaway Studio.

The Dynamic 4x9 was basically the big brother version of the Böhm 12-24 / Orla DSE-24 featuring the same FM based synthesis fed into a genuine Solina style analog BBD based triple ensemble generator but also included a BBD based phaser and individual audio outputs. The FM section featured a whapping 12 YM2203 triple FM generator chips allowing 4 layered channels of 9 voice polyphony or up to 36 voices.

Unlike the 1U versions (which used the same FM chips) the 4x9 permits front panel patch editing using a rather more user friendly method with an LCD screen and data value controls.

Recording Copyright D.A.Wilson, Hideaway Studio, 2019

1987 Böhm Dynamic 4x9: Layer Test

Having another play with Hideaway Studio's truly insane Klockwerks system.

Here a classic Korg Minipops 45 is being fed into the a MultiVerb LT (patch 09) modified as a "donor unit" for the Klockwerks system.  The LT is being modulated with various LFO rates and waveforms from one of the clock modulator programs on the Klockwerks handset....  in this case the LFO shape, depth, offset and rate are being tweaked on the fly by hand but these can be acurately controlled from a MIDI sequence using up to 4 separate CC channels as well a CV input.  LFOs and slide effects can also be synchronised to MIDI clock at various clock rate divisions.

One powerful and unique aspect of the Klockwerks system is that it binds clock modulation patches with patches on the donor FX unit to form an instant recall system.  Such patches are stored in NV memory and then called up instantly via MIDI program changes.

Patch 09 on the MultiVerb LT seems to respond well to this sort of thing!... the resulting output is truly mangled beyond recognition!!

Recording Copyright D.A.Wilson, Hideaway Studio.

Klockwerks System in Action: Mangling a Korg MiniPops 45!

A quick live improv with a newly created evolving patch on a 1987 Böhm Dynamic 12/24 recently overhauled and upgraded to 24-voice.

The 12/24 is an unusual combination of classic 4-OP FM fed into a lovely on-board triple BBD based analog ensemble generator...

Original Composition & Recording Copyright D.A.Wilson 2018.

1986 Böhm Dynamic 12/24: Evolution 24V

The more I play with these old Böhm Dynamic 12/24 (and rebranded ORLA DSE-24) rackmount synths the more I love them!!

Many of the factory presets are a bit weak but with some trivial editing they can really come alive like this one.

What other little rackmount offers classic 4OP FM with 24 note polyphony bolted to a genuine triple BBD based analog ensemble generator!?

This unique combo really does present FM in a different light - the result is much more organic, warm and complex in nature and its interesting because you find yourself building FM patches in a different way to more conventional FM synths in that you start to view the FM generator as an element of the sound rather than its entirety sending you down different creative paths than the usual bass and bell timbres!

1986 Böhm Dynamic 12/24: A Diamond in the Rough...

A bizarre watery effect created by feeding back the output of an ART LT FX processor to its input whilst randomly modulated by the Klockwerks System.. the regenerative path was created with a Binson tube Pre-Mix fed back via a DBX II 128 classic limiter and the Hideaway Dual Tube Hybrid Filter centred around 1KHz in tube resonance.   The resulting chaos was then further filtered with two Hideaway Studio TEQ-9B All Tube Gyrator EQs.   Before each plunge effect was wild self-oscillation which was removed using a mixture of Izotope RX and cut/paste.   Each plunge effect itself was created by rapidly winding down the clock frequency just at the point the self-oscillation was tamed.  No deliberate tone or noise sources whatsoever were used in the making of this recording.

I love this kind of pseudo chaotic self-making stuff!   Its a pig to setup but when it works it can be really interesting..

Original Sound Design & Recording Copyright D.A.Wilson

Klockwerks: Regenerative Waters...

An improvised montage of sounds recorded live from 1938 Hammond Novachord No.346 shortly after partial restoration to working order by vintage synth specialist D.A.Wilson in the UK in 2009.  It is very rare to hear a direct modern recording (non-acoustic through chorus/delay/reverb directly from the generator chassis)of one of these instruments in action as less than 50 remain in known working order.

The Novachord is generally accepted to be world's first commercial all electronic polyphonic instrument featuring dynamics control and specifically designed to emulate timbres beyond those of an organ such as strings, harpsichord and piano.

See more on this extremely rare beast at www.novachord.co.uk

Original Composition & Recording Copyright D.A.Wilson, Hideaway Studio 2009.

1938 Novachord #346: Creepy Montage (87 Year Old Tube Polysynth!)

Demonstrating the stock Windy.+# patch on a Hideaway Studio Klockwerks handset in this case driving a old ART MultiVerb LT modified for Klockwerks..

In this demo the MultiVerb is being modulated with a random LFO program.  The Klockwerks system is being fed from a Roland JX-8P (factory patch ArcoString) - first you hear the 8P directly into a conventional reverb - then the output from the Klockwerks system is brought into the mix.  Although lo-fi in nature, the effect can be really quite beautiful when used with care...

This is one of all manner of interesting effects the Klockwerks system can create.

Klockwerks draws upon the concept that many have experimented with in providing a digital signal processor with an externally generated variable CPU clock in place of its original fixed frequency source. This method of modification opens up a very interesting world as time is no longer periodic and linear. Since most digitally generated acoustic effects rely on clocking audio into a buffer at a regular rate all manner of interesting effects are realised when the clock rate is modulated in realtime. Such effects were discovered a long time ago when the first BBD based chorus and delay units were developed. These early devices relied on variable clocking to achieve realtime pitch shifting effects effectively due to the sample rate at the point the audio was loaded into the front of the memory buffer being different by the time it arrived at the end of the buffer. This causes a stretching and compressing effect on the timing of the samples which can result in some very curious effects – especially if the memory is forming the basis of a complex effect such as a reverse reverb or a multi-tapped delay. Almost all current retrofitable modifications offered to enable such effects tend to be manually or voltage controlled with little in the way of sanity checking and often the effect can be rather random/uncontrollable with high potential for causing the modified FX unit to crash.

Klockwerks overcomes this by offering a much more controlled environment for CPU clock modulation using an advanced computer controlled DDS subsystem (Direct Digital Synthesis) operating within parameters tested to be within acceptable working limits for the Donor FX Unit. The system goes several stages further by then offering a number of modulator programs that modify the CPU clock frequency and offer a significant number of realtime parameter sources via 4 MIDI CC controllers (MIDI CC20 thru 23), MIDI Clock, Note On and Note Velocity as well as an analog CV input. All patches created on the Klockwerks system can then be attributed to a patch on the Donor FX Unit and stored in non-volatile memory as a named patch for instant recall via program changes.

More demos of Klockwerks in action here:

https://soundcloud.com/hideaway-studio/klockwerks-sneak-preview-ii

Composition & Recording Copyright D.A.Wilson 2019.

Klockwerks: Windy.+# (Mangling the Roland JX-8P)

D.A.Wilson is an Electronic Engineer, Sound Designer & Vintage Synth Specialist with a particular interest in combining vintage tube, classic analog and modern digital technologies working as a synth engineer looking after a very considerable amount of vintage studio equipment for Will Gregory (Goldfrapp / Moog Ensemble) and a number of other internationally celebrated electronic musicians and producers.  Having undertaken several major restorations and produced custom electronic designs for a number of major artists including Jean-Michel Jarre, Dani is also known for fully restoring two out of the world's four remaining 1979 Crumar GDS and partially restoring 1938 Novachord 346 (the only known operational Novachord in the UK) to playable order along with developing and producing the new Elfin family of 8-bit polysynths and the popular MIDI Front Panel Animator (FPA), Filter Defeat Module (FDM) and XD-280 Drive Emulator upgrades for the AKAI S612 sampler.

Demos of the S612 Upgrades in Action: 

https://soundcloud.com/hideaway-studio/sets/hideaway-studios-s612-front


Hideaway Studio Kontakt Sound libraries may be purchased directly from: 
https://www.lootaudio.com/category/kontakt-instruments/hideaway-studios
 

..and a nice introduction by Cory Pelizzari to the Hideaway Studio Kontakt Libraries:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-C7a3ChC9U&feature=emb_title


For more on releases from Hideaway Studio for Kontakt please visit the blog at:  www.hideawaystudio.net