Bastl SoftPop Manuale utente

SoftPop SoftPop SoftPop

Bastl Instruments x Casper Electronics

SoftPop is  modul nlog noise

cetue.

It is plyful, stubbon, owdy nd mybe

even  little bit wise. The het of softPop

is  wild tngle of feedbck, chos nd

n oddly fmili ognic pesonlity.

Thee is  get mount of complexity in

its simplicity nd the open chitectue

enbles you to exploe ll the distnt

plces of its chotic glxy. One thing

to keep in mind while exploing is tht

eveything ects eveything nd

djusting cetin contols my hve

 moe f eching impct thn you would

expect. The ptch by nd  *secet*

hcking chmbe in the bck cn be used

to chnge the behvio but on its own

it’s  vey sensitive system. I’ve povided

 bunch of exmples in this mnul tht

cn help you s points of deptue. Then

it is up to you to tek into the sunset of

sonic myhem.

SoftPop’s metl constuction, bttey

powe, built-in speke, nd fully modul

ptchby mke it  tuly potble,

expeimentl sound lb. Tke it to the

bech o  picnic, let you fiends, kids

o cts ply with it. Connect it to the

outside wold vi the built-in ptchby.

She clocks with you dum mchine o

let it intuitively sync to whteve signl you

feed into its input. Send nd eceive CVs

with you modul synth nd congue

czy new sound systems. Pocess

extenl udio though the nlog lte

which is full of innite chcte. O use

it completely on its own nd get to know

softPop’s unique voice.

Wht is it tying to sy?

How e nd 1 elted? Ae they lone

in the vst blckness of spce o will

they nd  shed pupose in the innite

unknown? Will this bing nswes o even

moe questions?

Mybe you just hve to listen… nd then

exploe, connect, unplug nd hve fun!

Thanks to the Bastl community for the endless support and constant inspiration through our shared love of synths and music and fun.

High ves to Václav Peloušek for adding the digital brain to softPop and for meeting my impossible feature requests in style.

INTRO

INTRO SoftPop INTRO So

<3, Pete

POWER

There are three ways to power softPop:

Wall adapter jack. 7–9 VDC

Plugging in acable will automatically

disconnect the battery power.

Micro USB jack. Power from your

computer, power bank or any other

USB-format power supply.

Battery compartment (on the

back). Takes 4 AA batteries. 10–20 hours

run time. Rechargeable batteries are

highly recommended.

POWER SWITCH

Switches between wall adapter jack or

battery and USB power. If one of these

sources is not connected (no USB power

for instance), then the switch will act

asamaster power ON/OFF switch.

If both are connected, then power will

have to be turned o by removing one.

OUT JACK

Dual-mono stereo signal suitable

fordriving headphones or for connecting

toexternal processors, amps, etc.

Plugging acable into the OUT jack

disconnects the speaker.

Output comes directly from the Band

Pass out of VCF and is mixed with

the AUX socket and external input jack

signal via the MIX switch.

See #13 ROUTING section for more info.

OUT VOLUME

Adjusts the volume of the speaker

andOUT jack.

EXT

External audio input jack.

Processes external audio signals

through VCF . The external signal

isalso analyzed by the envelope follower

(EF) circuit – which intuitively syncs

theVCO1.

*See preset “psychic psync” for more details.

EXT VOLUME

Adjusts the volume of an incoming signal

connected to the EXT jack. The level can

be adjusted from silence up to 50x gain

(34 dB) for amplifying low-level signals

(line, piezo, etc.)

VOLTAGE CONTROLLED

OSCILLATOR (VCO )

VCO0 has three controls:

Pitch fader. Adjusts the pitch from

LFO to audio ranges.

Modulation fader. Applies

modulation to the pitch of VCO.

Thesource of modulation is normalized

(internally connected) to the output

of the Track&Hold. This signal can be

partially overridden by patching asignal

into the VCO MOD socket in the

patchbay.

Fine tune thumbwheel. Adjusts

the pitch of VCO up and down approx.

5semitones.

*See the Patchbay section for more info on

connecting signals in and out of VCOθ.

VOLTAGE CONTROLLED

FILTER (VCF )

VCF has 3 controls:

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION SoftPop

Cuto level fader. Adjusts the

toneof the lter from high to low.

Modulation fader. Applies

modulation to the cuto of VCF.

The source of modulation is normalized

(internally connected) from amix of

VCO + VCO1 . This signal can be

partially overridden by patching asignal

into the MOD socket in the patchbay.

Feedback thumbwheel. Use this

to increase the “sharpness” of the lter

and introduce self-oscillation. Increasing

feedback (also known as resonance

or regeneration) of the lter will also

increase signal distortion at certain

cuto levels.

*See the “Patchbay” section for more info on

connecting signals in and out of VCF.

VOLTAGE CONTROLLED

OSCILLATOR 1 (VCO1)

VCO1 has 4 controls:

Pitch fader. Adjusts the pitch

fromLFO to audio ranges.

Modulation fader. Applies

modulation to the pitch of VCO1.

Modulation will aect pitch and wave

shape. The source of modulation

isnormalized (internally connected)

toamix of VCO + VCO1 inverted

and the EXT (external input) jack

and socket. This signal can be partially

overridden by patching asignal into

theVCO1 MOD socket in the patchbay.

Mode switch and button.

Switches the running mode of VCO1 from

arepeating oscillation to aone-shot

envelope. The envelope can be triggered

with the mode button as well as the

VCO1 SYNC input socket.

*See the “Patchbay” section for more info on

connecting signals in and out of VCO1.

PATTERN GENERATOR

and QUANTIZER

See “Let’s make a pattern” section for more info.

PATCHBAY

(outline = output; no outline = input)

Cross-patch the guts of softPop or

connect to external gear to make

something crazy happen.

*See the “Patchbay” section for more info

on using the patchbay.

SOCKET TO JACK

ADAPTERS. (A, B, C)

Allows any socket in the patchbay to

beconnected to external equipment.

*See the “Patchbay” section for more info

on using the patchbay.

ROUTING SWITCHES

Led switch. Turns the little magic

color orb on or o.

-(0+1) switch. In the down position,

it will disconnect VCO and VCO1 from

the input of VCF . This is useful if

using softPop only as alter for external

audio signals. VCO and VCO1 will still be

available as modulation signals but will

not enter the audio path of VCF unless

manually patched into the VCF EXT

input socket.

Mix switch. In the up position, it

routes some of the dry signal from the

EXT input jack directly to the nal mix.

This gives you amix of the ltered and

unltered signals.

CYCLE

freeze VCO

ENVELOPE

trigger envelope

VCO1/MOD triangle out square out

Introduction

PATTERN GENERATOR

The pttern genertor cretes looping

sequences by recording the behvior

of VCO. These sequences control the

pitch of VCO nd re lso vilble

s voltge source vi the pttern

genertor OUT jck in the ptchby.

This signl cn be used to modulte

vrious prmeters of softPop or even

externl

equipment vi the A, B, C jck dpters

*See the “Patchbay” section for more info

Rec button. Press nd hold to record

new pttern.

P1 button. Selects pttern 1. Tp once

to ctivte pttern plybck. Tp gin

todectivte.

P1 led. Indictes tht pttern loction

1is selected nd in plybck mode.

P2 button. Select pttern 2. Tp once

to ctive pttern plybck. Tp gin to

dectivte.

P2 led. Indictes tht pttern loction

2isselected nd in plybck mode.

Out socket. Outputs pttern plybck

sstepped voltge.

SELECTING A PATTERN

 Tp pttern button P1 or P2 to select

pttern.

 Plybck will be ctivted nd the

selected pttern LED will turn on.

 Tp the button gin to stop plybck.

 The light will turn off but the pttern

will still be selected in the bckground.

RECORDING A PATTERN

(diagram on page3)

 Set the rte of VCO1 to reltively low

speed (see diagram).

Record nd plybck re clocked by

VCO1.

 Press nd hold the RECORD button

toctivte recording.

 Move the pitch fder up nd down.

The pttern genertor is recording the

behvior of VCO, so mke sure it’sdoing

something.

 Relese the RECORD button to stop

recording nd ctivte plybck of the

pttern.

 Pttern lengths re quntized to 2, 4, 8,

16, 32, 64 or 128 steps.

 Press RECORD to erse the pttern

ndcrete new one.

 The recorded ptterns will be stored in

the memory even fter softPop is turned

OFF nd ON gin.

!Bonus!

Try ptching pttern OUT to VCF

MOD. Try ptching it to VCO1 CV. Try

botht the sme time.

*Tech notes*

 The pttern genertor works by reding

the pitch of VCO nd storing the

redings s vlues in multi-stepped

sequence.

Pulses from VCO1 trigger the redings

nd dvnce the pttern to the next step.

If the rte of VCO1 is very high it will

trigger severl redings nd steps in

short time. If it is very low it will

trigger very few. Therefore the length of

pttern depends on how long you hold

the RECORD button nd the rte of VCO1.

 This method gives users n imprecise

but extremely fst nd exible wy to

generte looping ptterns. With some

prctice, it’sesy to crete deliberte

1. Set faders as shown above. 2. Press and hold RECORD button. 3. Slide VCO0 pitch

fader up and down. 4. Release RECORD button

LET’S RECORD A PATTERN

ptterns, but for the most prt, it

functions best s rndom looping

pttern source.

QUANTIZER

The quntizer converts the continuously

vrible pitch rnge of VCO to stepped

scle of chromticlly tuned notes.

Quntize button - Tp to ctivte

ordectivte the quntizer.

Quntize led - Indictes if the

quntizer is on or o.

*Tech notes*

 The quntizer uses pitch correction

method to keep VCO in tune. It does

this by “listening” to the pitch of VCO

nd bumping it with smll CV signls

tothe closest preset note.

 This method tmes the best (VCO)

but without removing its nlog quirks

nd sssy style.

 The quntizer must listen to VCO

before determining if the pitch should

be ltered. This introduces dely to the

quntizing opertion nd mens it will

hve little eect when the pitch of VCO

is very low or rpidly modulting.

The Quantizer

PATCHBAY SoftPop PATCHBAY

SOCKET TO JACK

ADAPTERS (A, B, C)

Converts socket connections in

the ptchby to 3.5mm jcks for

connecting with the outside world. Use

to shre udio signls, control voltges,

nd clocks with your modulr synths,

drum mchine nd beyond. They cn

lso be used to tke multiple sounds

from the ptchby nd output them s

seprte signls to be independently

processed.

Ech dpter hs two sockets which

correspond to the right nd left

chnnels of the corresponding stereo

jck (A, B or C) locted on the bck

of softPop. This mens it is possible to

ptch up to six signls in nd out of the

ptchby.

In MOST cses you will only use the

“left” socket (mono cbles only use the

left chnnel).

*Tech notes*

 When using mono cbles only the “left”

socket will pss signl nd the “right”

socket will be connected to ground.

When nothing is plugged into the jck,

the “right” socket will be normlized to

ground. This cn be useful for ptchby

congurtions tht rely on ground

connection, such s connecting cpcitors

from voltge outputs to ground, which

will introduce slew tothesignl.

!!Keep in mind tht ny sockets

connected to ny of the “right” sockets

will be grounded when the cble is

unplugged from the corresponding jck!!

VCO – Voltge Contolled

Oscillto

MOD (input) -

Modultion – pitch

control input. Atten-

ute input signl with

the modultion slider.

Normlized from the

Trck&Hold output.

Connect nother

signl to the socket to

prtilly override the

normliztion.

CV (input) - Control Voltge – direct

pitch control input (no ttenutor).

1 volt per octve scling over 2–3

octves.

SYNC (input) - Connect n externl

signl to reset theoscilltor wveform.

(output) - Squre wve output.

(output) - Tringle wve output.

VCF – Voltge

Contolled Filte

MOD (input) -

Modultion – cuto

control input.

Attenute input

signl with the

modultion slider.

Normlized from

mix of VCO +

VCO1. Connect

nother signl

to thesocket to

prtilly override the normliztion.

CV (input) - Control Voltge – direct

cuto control input.

EXT (input) - Externl signl – input

tothe lter. Cn be udio or DC signls.

PATCHBAY

A B C A B C

OUTPUTINPUT

LP (output) - Low Pss – lter output.

BP (output) - Bnd Pss – lter output.

HP (output) - High Pss – lter output.

VCO1 – Voltge Contolled

Oscillto 1

MOD (input) -

Modultion – pitch

control input. Attenute

input signl with the

modultion slider.

Normlized to the VCO

+ VCO1 + externl signl

mix. Connect nother

signl to the socket to

prtilly override the

normliztion.

CV (input) - Control Voltge – direct

pitch control input (no ttenutor).

SYNC (input) - Connect n externl

signl wve toreset the oscilltor wveform.

(output) - Squre wve output.

(output) - Tringle wve output.

OUT - Outputs looping sequences of

stepped voltges.

See pages “Let’s record a pattern” for more info

on recording and using patterns.

EXT (output) - Externl signl. Mix

ofthe externl udio input jck nd EXT

(input) socket.

EF (output) - Envelope Follower.

Envelope signl derived from the EXT

(output) signl – control voltge

tht represents the loudness of the

incoming signl.

Cn be used s modultion source.

Use the EXT (input) in the lter section

of the EXT (input) jck s input for

the EF.

+ EXT (output) - Amix of VCO

, VCO1 nd the EXT input signls.

(output) - Amix of VCO +

VCO1 wves. Especilly useful for

lter modultion.

AUX (input) - Ptch signls

directly to the nl output mix

(post lter).

T&H Tck nd Hold

Trck&Hold is circuit tht wtches

modulting voltge (CV or udio),

then either psses tht signl directly

to the output (trcks – GATE HIGH)

or holds the voltge t stedy level

(holds – GATE LOW). It is primrily used

s pseudo-rndom stepped voltge

source.

IN - Normlized from the bnd pss

lter output. Connect signl to override

normliztion

GATE (input) - Normlized to VCO1

squre wve output. Connect signl

tooverride normliztion.

OUT - Modulting voltge output.

See diagram below.

*Tech notes*

By defult, the T&H is gted by VCO1.

Adjusting the VCO1 modultion slider

will chnge the shpe (pulse width) of

VCO1 nd drmticlly impct the T&H

behvior.

Slide the VCO1 modultion fder

ll the wy up to chieve clssic

Smple&Hold eect.

Slide the fder down to introduce

unstble sttes, ndfeedbck.

Try ptching T&H OUT to VCF MOD.

THE SECRET CHAMBER

This section is locted on the bck of the

housing nd is for dvnced users who

wnt to recongure the functionlity

of their softPop. If you re new here,

then leve this section lone nd

enjoy the deep weirdness of softPop

s it is. Withthe help of the secret

chmber, softPop cn be turned from

semi-modulr into fully modulr

synth – where ptch cbles re required

toproduce sound.

NORMALISATION

SWITCHES

At its core, softPop is fully modulr

synthesizer. Severl connections hve

been mde throughout the system to

give it specic personlity, but if these

connections re broken, then the system

cn be recongured ny wy the user

likes. Ihppen to like the wy the system

is congured;) but for those who know

wht’sup, here re some switches tht

you cn use to mke or brek the pre-set

normliztions.

VCO <- TRACK&HOLD.

VCO1 <- VCO + VCO1 inverted +

EXT jck nd socket.

VCF <- VCO + VCO1 .

T&H SIG <- VCF BP.

T&H GATE <- VCO1.

PATTERN -> VCO CV (input).

ATTINY85 (ptten

geneto nd quntize)

The ATTINY85 is little microcontroller

tht nlyzes VCO nd VCO1 nd

outputs two vrible voltges. One goes

directly to the pitch CV input of VCO

nd the other is vilble in the ptchby.

The connectivity is reltively simple

nd the code is open-source. If you re

interested in writing your own, you cn

nd digrms nd code online t bstl-

instruments. “github”

Patchbay Patchbay

GATE

HIGH =

TRACK

OUT

LOW =

HOLD

BLOCK DIAGRAM SoftPop

EXT

OUTPUT

VOLUME

OUT

L/RL/RL/R

= input

= secret chamber

switch

= routing switch

= push button

= LED

= 3.5mm jack

= thumbwheel

potentiometer

= output

SIG IN

CUTOFF CV

SIG IN

Track&Hold

GATE

OUT

SIG IN

Envelope Follower

OUT

PITCH/FREQ CV

SYNC IN

PITCH/FREQ CV

SYNC IN

MODE

RED

GREEN

BLUE

X50

VCO

VCO1

VCF BP

VCO

VCO1

QUANTIZE

ON/OFF

P1 P2

BANK SELECT

REC

OUT SYNC

FINE

TUNE

PITCH

MODULATION

PITCH

IN OUT

GATE

LIGHT

HP BP LP

MODULATION

CUTOFF

+EXT

-(0+1)

CYCLE

SYNC

OFF/ON

MIX

FEEDBACK

AUX

INPUT VOLUME

EXT

(external input)

ENV

A B C

QUANTIZER

PATTERN

GENERATOR

VCO

T&H

MIX

VCF

RGB

LED

dive

EXT

OUTPUT

VOLUME

OUT

L/RL/RL/R

= input

= secret chamber

switch

= routing switch

= push button

= LED

= 3.5mm jack

= thumbwheel

potentiometer

= output

SIG IN

CUTOFF CV

SIG IN

Track&Hold

GATE

OUT

SIG IN

Envelope Follower

OUT

PITCH/FREQ CV

SYNC IN

PITCH/FREQ CV

SYNC IN

MODE

RED

GREEN

BLUE

X50

VCO

VCO1

VCF BP

VCO

VCO1

QUANTIZE

ON/OFF

P1 P2

BANK SELECT

REC

OUT SYNC

FINE

TUNE

PITCH

MODULATION

PITCH

IN OUT

GATE

LIGHT

HP BP LP

MODULATION

CUTOFF

+EXT

-(0+1)

CYCLE

SYNC

OFF/ON

MIX

FEEDBACK

AUX

INPUT VOLUME

EXT

(external input)

ENV

SoftPop

Legend

• fully nlog coe nd signl pth

• 6 fdes fo contolling two VCOs nd VCF nd thei coss modultions

• two wide nge tingle-coe VCOs & 1

• quntize fo VCO (uto-tune)

• VCO 1 hs vible wveshpe vi the modultion setting

• esonnt stte vible VCF (bndpss, lowpss, highpss)

• extenl input with gin nd envelope followe fo intuitive sync of VCO 1

• tck & hold cicuit fo stepped modultions

• looping ptten geneto with two pttens P1 nd P2

• RGB led fo psychedelic expeience

• 25-point ptchby

• secet hck chmbe t the bck fo dventues

• built-in speke

• size 15 × 11 × 5 cm

WHAT’S IN THE BOX

• softPop

• Mnul

• Ptchcbles set

• Poste

• Sticke

FEATURES

FEATURES PAGE SoftPop

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