GSF Agency | Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers

Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers

The Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizer system is the past/future of synthesis: An array of flexible, sonically pure eurorack components linked up just-as-you-please ... the joy of planet-conquering analog sound creation made best-yet with commonsensical signal flow and the finest electronics available anywhere in the quadrant. Designed with a wink to your local '50s utilitarian science-fiction laboratory, these modules are thrumming with intent; patch 'em up, let 'em rip.

Dig into the details below. Click the images for a closer peek. The Dealers page has the info on how to demand ownership of Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizer components.

The Foundation is a fully modular, eurorack, analog synthesizer. A patchable system styled after the great monosynths of the past with no hardwired signal path or fixed voice architecture to restrict creativity. Driven by two wide range analog oscillators the Foundation produces a huge, warm sound that can't be matched by digital or VST synths. All of the elements of a classic voltage controlled synthesizer are available as an open, patchable, modern synth. Full info >

Analog Delay

A brand-new analog delay module designed around a pair of 4096 Bucket Brigade Delay Line (BBD) ICs to produce a distinct analog delay effect. The maximum delay time when shipped is set at 9/10ths of a second but this can be adjusted up to 2 seconds. The Analog Delay offers voltage control of the delay time, feedback, and wet signal. A true bypass switch allows the delay to be enabled and disabled quickly. Full info >

Fragment Generator

The "Fragments" are a set of pings, or short bursts of sound created by a trio of Twin-T filters. The Twin-T filter circuit was used by some classic analog drum machines to create percussion sounds. Realistic tom-toms, congas, and kick drums can all be made using this method. The Twin-T filters included in the Fragments Generator have been adapted and optimized for a specific purpose. Full info >

Timetable

The Pittsburgh Modular Timetable module is a Clock Divider / Pattern & CV Generator. The primary intention of Timetable is to provide timed gates, both predictable and inconsistent. In practice, you can use the module as a straightforward clock divider and pattern generator or as a hyperactive gate and CV spewing lunatic … and of course something somewhere in the middle: A binary system that sometimes gets stuck somewhere between 1 and 0. Full info >

Filter

The Filter is a voltage controlled, analog, state variable filter designed by Pittsburgh native and electronics experimenter Michael Johnsen. The state variable topology was chosen because it allowed us to produce a very smooth and natural sounding filter, in addition to offering several other modes of operation, each with a unique sound and energy all their own. Full info >

	Midi/CV Converter Module The purpose of a CV/gate converter is to transform incoming midi-note messages into control voltage for eurorack modular synthesizers and other monophonic synths featuring a CV/Gate input, like Minimoog, Roland System 100, SH101, Korg Monopoly etc. Furthermore, a logarithmic lookup table has been implemented for those synthesizers which require a Hz/Volt scaling rather than linear scale as a control voltage such as a Korg MS-10 or MS-20. In addition to CV and Gage Outputs, Midi CC control messages are available. Full info >
	Oscillator A wide range, high quality, 8hp utility VCO. It offers a full compliment of standard waveforms including Sine, Triangle, Saw, and Pulse waves. The Oscillator offers 5 octaves of 1 volt per octave tracking, and a frequency range starting as low as 7 seconds per cycle, allowing it to double as an LFO. Additional features include oscillator reset for hard syncing, attenuated linear FM input, pulse width, and pulse width CV input. Full info >
	Generator A dual oscillator built around two triangle core, wide range, periodic waveform generators. As a multipurpose signal generator, it can provide the basis of a wide range of complex sounds ideal for tuned percussion/noise, abrasive amplitude, frequency and timbral modulation. Tones, drones, textures, and drums to atonal, nintendo zipper/fart noises. This module was made for FM madness. Full info >
	Genxpander The GenXpander is an expander module for the Generator. It adds standard waveform outuputs, internal FM waveform selection, and extensive waveshaping capabilities to the Generator module. Full info >
	Voltage-Influenced Low Frequency Oscillator The-Pittsburgh Modular Voltage-Influenced LFO is unique in the modular world. It is a strange, triangle-based LFO that lives in an 8hp euro panel. The module offers two outputs, a triangle wave, and a variable waveform that shifts from a triangle to something that is almost not completely a square wave. The VILFO also includes a unique voltage influence circuit. The influence works differently than standard control voltage inputs; it allows the incoming CV to mingle with the LFO waveforms in interesting ways, creating unique modulations and patterns. Full info >
	Audio Mixer/Attenuater A flexible, low-noise four channel mixer and/or attenuator for audio and cv that can be used in several ways. Three of the four channels have an output that removes the channel from the mixer circuit and allows it to become a standalone attenuator. Full info >
	Dual Index A dual, high-quality, linear-voltage-controlled amplifier with both offset gain and CV attenuation for each channel plus a mix out. Two Standalone VCAs, Fully Buffered Mix Output, CV Attenuator Knob, Input Gain Knob, CV Range: 0-5v. Full info >

	ADSR Yup, it's a four-stage envelope generator. Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release ... Full info >
	LFO2 A basic dual LFO module. It uses two different types of low frequency oscillator circuits to provide a variety of modulation options. LFO 1: A triangle based low frequency oscillator that utilizes rate and symmetry controls to generate shifting waveforms. Adjusting the symmetry control varies the shape of the TRI output from sawtooth to triangle to ramp and also adjusts the pulse width of the SQR wave output. LFO 2: A simple triangle based low frequency oscillator with rate control over the triangle and square outputs. Full info >
	Modulator The Modulator offers 3 types of effects based on the standard Ring Modulator circuit. Type 1: Ring Modulator - Outputs the sum and difference of the X and Y inputs. Type 2: Floating Z Modulator - Outputs the sum and difference of the X and Y inputs summed with the ambient voltage within the circuit. Type 3: Linear Amplitude Modulator - Outputs the sum and difference of the X and Y inputs summed with the carrier (Y) signal. Full info >
	VC Bend The VC Bend is designed as a way to create less than certain variations from pre-determined control voltages, like transposing / inverting a bassline into a melody or creating a 3rd envelope from 2 sources. Used at audio rate, it acts like a voltage controlled full wave rectifier. The VC Bend favours 'esoteric' applications over precision. More often than not the output voltage will not resemble the input. Functionally, the VC Bend sits somewhere between a sample and hold and a quantizer module. However, the type of modulation produced is completely unique to the VC Bend. Full info >
	Outs The simplest way to get sound out of a modular. Outs is a dual independent output module featuring a stereo 1/4" headphone amplifier output and dual mono 1/4" line level outputs. Full info >