Moodring + modulation (video added)

[Boba7]

Hey, so I've just built a modded Moodring and even though it's not exactly finished, I got so excited playing it that I couldn't not share it!

I changed the tone section a bit to get a flatter response in the mids (I prefer the sound, and find the feedback pot reacts better that way).

I also added a slam switch that shorts pin 2 and 3 of both the feedback and the depth pots. The level trimpot helps get the desired amount of slam effect.

I boxed it and played it for a while. It's such a GREAT circuit!!

Then I let it sleep and while I was away I had an idea... I've wanted a reverb with modulation controls for a while (like the Keeley vibe-o-verb), and it occurred to me I could modulate the predelay to get that effect. Since the feedback loop includes the PT2399, even the tails should be modulated with the feedback pot cranked.
So I built a GrindCustoms modulation board on vero, with a B2K depth pot and C250k rate pot (also omitted the 1K in parallel with the led) and it worked!
There was just enough room to add the two pots and one switch. It would have been nice to use mini 9mm plastic pots for the modulation section, but it seemed just impossible.

The modulation is very interactive with the feedback pot, which is not surprising. There's a bit of a learning curve, but all in all it's still quite simple to operate. And man do I LOVE the sounds I can get with this reverb now! Straight up pseudo spring reverb, cavernous feedbacks, haunting vibrato verb, slightly modulated subtle reverb.

The wiring is quite messy... it was much cleaner before adding the modulation board... (FYI the noise was present from the beginning, and isn't a consequence of my poor wiring).
I still want to polish the enclosure a bit more and then stamp the controls, but I feel too lazy to take it apart again...

From left to right the controls are:
Modulation rate / depth / switch (on-off)
Predelay / Feedback / Tone
Reverb
On-off / Slam

[m-Kresol]

great idea and well executed. Enjoy it!

[neandrewthal]

Oh man, that's just awesome! I wished that I could add modulation as soon as I built mine up and turned the delay time knob while it was still decaying, but I had no more room to add anything. Now I see yours and I want it so I'm trying to figure out where I can add two more pots to mine. I wish I had done what you did and scootched the board down to make room for another row of pots at the top. Would have made the top mount jacks a lot easier to put in too (I've got one directly over the PT chip and socket!)

Now I'm thinking of freefloating the brick in the space where one normally puts batteries and wiring it in from there. That would make room for 4 more pots on my layout. The extra 2 could be for dry amount and direct delay amount, which are another two that I wish I had since I built it up it with the mods in the moodring mods thread and added a direct delay path.

I would love to hear a demo of that beast! Also, where did you get those low-pro washers on the stomp switches?

[Boba7]

Now I'm thinking of freefloating the brick in the space where one normally puts batteries and wiring it in from there. That would make room for 4 more pots on my layout. The extra 2 could be for dry amount and direct delay amount, which are another two that I wish I had since I built it up it with the mods in the moodring mods thread and added a direct delay path.

Ah ah pedal building drives you crazy right? I so understand that...

I'll try and record a few sounds when I have the time. This pedal's just magical.

[neandrewthal]

Now I'm thinking of freefloating the brick in the space where one normally puts batteries and wiring it in from there. That would make room for 4 more pots on my layout. The extra 2 could be for dry amount and direct delay amount, which are another two that I wish I had since I built it up it with the mods in the moodring mods thread and added a direct delay path.

Ah ah pedal building drives you crazy right? I so understand that...

I'll try and record a few sounds when I have the time. This pedal's just magical.

Oh I've long since gone crazy from building 118 synth circuit boards. I've just found a new outlet for my craziness now 

[Boba7]

Here's a few sounds I can get from it:

(crappy sound, Iphone clip, I don't have time to do a proper recording)

[jimilee]

Very cool video. I haven't started building mine yet, truly inspiring.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[neandrewthal]

That sounds so cool! Thanks for making the demo.

I was thinking about mine and how if I add modulation I would want to add a CV input too. Then it occurred to me: why not just a CV input? Then I use and expression pedal as a tremolo arm and plug in an external LFO when I want that.

[Boba7]

Thanks! I really really enjoy playing it. So many possible tones!

I was thinking about mine and how if I add modulation I would want to add a CV input too. Then it occurred to me: why not just a CV input? Then I use and expression pedal as a tremolo arm and plug in an external LFO when I want that.

Ha ha I can't wait to see a demo now!

[selfdestroyer]

Very haunting.. in a good way! Sounds great.

Cody

[Boba7]

Very haunting.. in a good way! Sounds great.

Cody

Thanks!

So I replaced the slam footswitch with a modulation footswitch (and a rate led next to the modulation controls. I put a red one, might change for a blue one, like the on/off switch). I also changed R31 to a 10k to get more feedback (and oscillation) with the modulation. Now I can have long modulated tails, and even a really nice modulated oscillation (way better in my opinion than the stock non modulated oscillation).

All the controls are highly interactive, which is really nice.

[cajone5]

Can you point me to how to wire in the modulation board to the moodring?  I found the board on GC's site and on the vero site so I know how to get that built up.  Just need to understand where to add it into the MoodRing board.



Would the [Time 1] wire just go to lug 1 of the space "predelay" control and [Time 2/3] to lugs 2/3 of the predelay?

[Boba7]

Would the [Time 1] wire just go to lug 1 of the space "predelay" control and [Time 2/3] to lugs 2/3 of the predelay?

Yep, exactly.

I used that layout too. My modulation switch only connects sw2 with Time2&3 though, I didn't care for the connection to ground. Keep in mind that even with the depth pot at minimum, there's still modulation, so you want to put it on a switch.
I also didn't use the shape switch. I just put a wire between Shape Sw2 and Shape Sw3 (for triangle wave, when Shape Sw1 makes it a square wave, not so interesting with reverb, in my opinion)
I omitted the 1k in parallel with D1, and used a 2kB for depth and 250kC for rate (I recommend those values)

And if you can change R31 on the Moodring, lowering it to 12k or even 10k makes it really awesome with modulation (since with heavy modulation the feedback isn't as pronounced as without)

[Martan]

Sounds really great! I might have to revisit this circuit. Thanks for sharing.

Marty

[cajone5]

Got everything wired up except the P-FLO board I ordered from GC (still waiting for it to arrive).  Really looking forward to finally wrapping this build up.  Thanks for the demo and advice on how to make it happen.