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stijn
Joined: Jul 21, 2008 Posts: 39 Location: utrecht, netherlands
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 10:59 am Post subject:
pearl syncussion, DIY? Subject description: if we're cloning all these great drum synths, why not this one! |
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lately there is a lot of diy drum synth projects here, great!
but still one of the legends is missing.......
THE PEARL SYNCUSSION
so is there anybody who has the schematics?, who wants to design a board?, do a production run?, want's a pcb????
Released in 1979 by respected drum and percussion manufacturers, Pearl, the SY1 Syncussion was the forerunner to the Simmons SDSV.
It offered two completely independent (and identical) channels which were typically triggered from two bongo-like drums fitted with transducers. However, they can be triggered from almost anything including an old synth with a gate output or, indeed, the trigger outputs of something like a TR808.
It was most commonly seen, however, as an adjunct to drum kits or percussion rigs as a source of electronic drum and percussion sounds and sound effects.
Unfortunately, the SY1 earned itself a fairly dreadul reputation almost overnight when it featured on disco tracks with tasteless and gimmicky 'beeyooo beeyooo' sounds and of course, as soon as one of these records became a hit, so an endless stream of other, similarly tacky records followed.
Which is a shame really because it's actually quite a capable percussion synth.
Each channel has an oscillator that can produce different basic waveforms which can be shaped with its own simple enevleope generator. Oscillator pitch can be swept with the SWEEP control either positively (i.e. start high and drop in pitch - the source of the dreaded 'beeyoo' sound!) or negatively (the pitch rises through the sweep). However, each channel also has an LFO with variable speed and depth and a choice of square and sawtooth waveforms. There's also a noise generator and a sample/hold function and so, with some adventurous programming, a very wide range of sounds is possible.
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mono-poly
Joined: Jul 07, 2004 Posts: 937 Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Audio files: 2
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 11:06 am Post subject:
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I think it does uses a rare SSM (vco?) chip.
And why bother when the sds3 clone is almost done?
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Rykhaard
Joined: Sep 02, 2007 Posts: 1290 Location: Canada
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 11:36 am Post subject:
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In the early 80's, the biggest (in the 80's) electronic rock band that Winnipeg, Manitoba ever had's drummer had a set of these. I've never heard any other percussion (analog) unit make the sounds that these could! I was in love with the thing but still haven't ever found one.
Would LOVE to build a clone of it! In addition to all of the other analog drum gear that I'll soon be building.
(Analog version of Keith Moon, Neil Peart, Terry Bozzio - coming soon? ) |
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ericcoleridge
Joined: Jan 16, 2007 Posts: 889 Location: NYC
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 11:43 am Post subject:
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Not to add to the mayhem, but the Star Synare is pretty great too; Not to mention the Pollard Syndrum. |
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stijn
Joined: Jul 21, 2008 Posts: 39 Location: utrecht, netherlands
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 12:50 pm Post subject:
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mono-poly wrote: | I think it does uses a rare SSM (vco?) chip.
And why bother when the sds3 clone is almost done?
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aha that explains why this thing was never cloned jet!
and yeah with the sds3's, the "holy grail" of drum synths, there's not much need for any other.
but how neat would it be to have both these monsters jamming together aciiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiD |
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ericcoleridge
Joined: Jan 16, 2007 Posts: 889 Location: NYC
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Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 2:24 pm Post subject:
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I'm not trying to be irreverent, but what's so special about the SDS3-to warrant 'holy grail' status? Just curious. I'm planning on building a few myself just to have a variety of drum circuits on hand. But, I listened to the samples--and while they sound really good-- they didn't sound dramatically different than many other percussion synths I've used. Is there something that's not captured in these samples? Maybe a particular tone or resonance of the SDS3 that I don't know about? |
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mono-poly
Joined: Jul 07, 2004 Posts: 937 Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Audio files: 2
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Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 3:37 pm Post subject:
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I had most drumboxes here
808 909 all Simons, Pearl, Polard but the SDS-3 to me is the best for me.
And from all stuff i sold in the past years i do regret selling the SDS-3 the most. |
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Luka
Joined: Jun 29, 2007 Posts: 1003 Location: Melb.
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mono-poly
Joined: Jul 07, 2004 Posts: 937 Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Audio files: 2
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Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 1:10 am Post subject:
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It is just the sound off the machine and how it works and response.
I must admit the Pearl Syncussion comes very close.
I never used the pads but my modiffied tr-606 witch got trigger outputs for each sound. |
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dar303
Joined: Jul 15, 2007 Posts: 97 Location: Sweden
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Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 3:27 am Post subject:
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Hi,
I have several "classic" analog drummachines and have had even more in the past but the Syncussion still holds up!
I have two SY-1:s and they are the centerpiece of my live-rig.
They contain no SSM-chips as far as I know, there is a fair bit of transistors and a bit of CMOS/logic in there I think, I'll check the next time I open one up.
I have never tried the SDS3 so it will be interesting to compare it with the Syncussion. |
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Floppy
Joined: May 09, 2008 Posts: 66 Location: Berlin
Audio files: 2
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dar303
Joined: Jul 15, 2007 Posts: 97 Location: Sweden
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Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:44 am Post subject:
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Hey, there it is!
Wouldn't it just be to put a FET over C3 and trig that with the input signal to sync the LFO, maybe a oneshot fed from the trigger indicator led driver? |
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Floppy
Joined: May 09, 2008 Posts: 66 Location: Berlin
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Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:21 am Post subject:
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ericcoleridge wrote: | I'm not trying to be irreverent, but what's so special about the SDS3-to warrant 'holy grail' status? Just curious. I'm planning on building a few myself just to have a variety of drum circuits on hand. But, I listened to the samples--and while they sound really good-- they didn't sound dramatically different than many other percussion synths I've used. Is there something that's not captured in these samples? Maybe a particular tone or resonance of the SDS3 that I don't know about? |
hello eric
its hards to describe but theres really magic going on with the sy1.
i would say its the most impossible to sample drummachine because its so unpredictable and surprising.
maybe thats not only because of the wacky circuits but rather from the very coarse faders. |
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stijn
Joined: Jul 21, 2008 Posts: 39 Location: utrecht, netherlands
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Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:13 am Post subject:
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Floppy wrote: | i think the sy1 is one of the rawest drums ever.
unfortunately the lfo is a tiny bit to slow and cant be synced on trigger.
this makes it either sound totally crazy or very standard, the inbetween is difficult to hit.
i attach the /hard to read schematics of the sy1 and hope somebody can read them. |
yeeehaaaaa, tnx Floppy!!
now how many people would be interested in building one, and more important who would be willing to design a pcb??? |
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Uncle Krunkus
Moderator
Joined: Jul 11, 2005 Posts: 4761 Location: Sydney, Australia
Audio files: 52
G2 patch files: 1
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Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:37 am Post subject:
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That's a real nasty schematic. _________________ What makes a space ours, is what we put there, and what we do there. |
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Plantov Sokal
Joined: Sep 26, 2012 Posts: 1 Location: Tasmania
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analog_backlash
Joined: Sep 04, 2012 Posts: 393 Location: Aldershot, UK
Audio files: 21
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Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2013 6:21 am Post subject:
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Thanks for that link Plantov Sokal! I've been thinking about drum machines for a while now and this is now added to my list of possibilities.
I see that there are quite a few matched pair transistors in the schematic. I was wondering how well it would work with hand-matched pairs (quite well, I would have thought) and also whether matched pairs are required at all. I understand the need for them in a keyboard synth, where precise tuning is vital, but for a drum synth, I'm not so sure why it's necessary. I'm sure that you clever people out there can explain this to me
Gary |
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mrmrshoes
Joined: Feb 19, 2011 Posts: 73 Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
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analog_backlash
Joined: Sep 04, 2012 Posts: 393 Location: Aldershot, UK
Audio files: 21
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Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2013 4:01 pm Post subject:
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Thanks for that clarification & link mrmrshoes. I had trouble getting onto muff's earlier, but I've now read the thread and it doesn't sound like very close matching is required (unless you want to go down the tempco 1V/octave route).
Cheers,
Gary |
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nuipb
Joined: Oct 06, 2009 Posts: 49 Location: France
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Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2016 5:22 am Post subject:
Re: pearl syncussion, DIY? Subject description: if we're cloning all these great drum synths, why not this one! |
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stijn wrote: | lately there is a lot of diy drum synth projects here, great!
but still one of the legends is missing.......
THE PEARL SYNCUSSION |
Not anymore :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B294QYOhRfo&feature=em-uploademail |
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