Make Noise PHONOGENE User manual

PHONOGENE
v2.7

2
PHONOGENE
FCC ---------------------------------------------------------------------3
Limited Warranty -----------------------------------------------------4
Installation ----------------------------------------------------------------5
Overview -----------------------------------------------------------------------6
Panel Controls ---------------------------------------------------------------7
Getting Started ------------------------------------------------------10
Recording Process ------------------------------------------------------11
Splice --------------------------------------------------------------------12
Microsound -----------------------------------------------------------------13
Chronological Inspection of Sound DNA ----------------------14
PHONOGENE Firmware v.372 Update -----------------------------------------15
Hidden Functions and Routines ---------------------------------16
Patch Examples ---------------------------------------------------------17
Advanced Patch Techniques --------------------------------------22
Venturing Further ----------------------------------------------------------26

3
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept
any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
to operate the equipment.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital
device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if
not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications.
makenoisemusic.com
Make Noise Co., 414 Haywood Road, Asheville, NC 28806

4
Limited WARRANTY:
About This Manual:
Written by Tony Rolando
Edited by Walker Farrell
Illustrated by W.Lee Coleman
THANK YOU:
DSP Wizard: Tom Erbe; www.soundhack.com
Firmware engineer: Flemming Christensen (Gotharman http://www.gotharman.dk)
Beta Analysts: Aaron Abrams,James Cigler
Test Subject: SurachaiSpiritual Advisor: Richard Devine.
Special Thanx to Curtis Roads for his book “Microsound”
Make Noise warrants this product to be free of defects in materials or construction for a period of one year
from the date of purchase (proof of purchase/invoice required).
Malfunction resulting from wrong power supply voltages, backwards or reversed eurorack bus board cable
connection, abuse of the product, removing knobs, changing face plates, or any other causes determined by
Make Noise to be the fault of the user are not covered by this warranty, and normal service rates will apply.
During the warranty period, any defective products will be repaired or replaced, at the option of Make Noise,
on a return-to-Make Noise basis with the customer paying the transit cost to Make Noise.
Make Noise implies and accepts no responsibility for harm to person or apparatus caused through operation
of this product.
Please contact [email protected] with any questions, Return To Manufacturer Authorization,
or any needs & comments.
http://www.makenoisemusic.com

-12V
5
Electrocution Hazard!
bus board connection cable.
Do not touch any electrical terminals when attaching any Eurorack bus board cable.
The Make Noise PHONOGENE is an electronic music module requiring 70 mA of +12VDC and 40 mA of -12VDC
regulated voltages and a properly formatted distribution receptacle to operate. It must be properly installed
into a Eurorack format modular synthesizer system case.
Go to http://www.makenoisemusic.com/ for examples of Eurorack Systems and Cases.
board connector cable on backside of module (see picture below), plug the bus board connector cable into
the Eurorack style bus board, minding the polarity so that the RED stripe on the cable is oriented to the
NEGATIVE 12 Volt line on both the module and the bus board. On the Make Noise 6U or 3U Busboard, the
negative 12 Volt line is indicated by the white stripe.
supply.

6
OVERVIEW
The PHONOGENE is a digital re-visioning and elaboration of the tape recorder as musical instrument. It takes its name from a
little-known, one of a kind instrument, used by composer Pierre Schaeer. While it is not an emulation, it does share the primitive,
tactile nature of its namesake and expands upon the original concepts. It is informed by the worlds of Musique Concrète (where
speed and direction variation were combined with creative tape splicing to pioneer new sounds) and Microsound (where
computers allow for sound to be divided into pieces smaller then 1/10 of a second, and manipulated like sub-atomic particles).
Having voltage control over every parameter, it is most dynamic as a digital audio buer for the modular synthesist. The
PHONOGENE is comprised of a pair of tool-sets, which work well together. Tape Music Tools allow for sounds to be recorded on
the y, layered using the internal Sound On Sound function, manually cut into pieces using the Splice function, and re-organized
with the Organize control. Once it is spliced up, it is possible to create nearly innite variations of the original loop by modulating
the Organize parameter. Vari-Speed allows for the speed and direction of playback to be controlled continuously with one control
signal. Gene Size, Gene Shift, and Slide make up the Microsound Tools. Gene Size divides the audio buer into progressively
smaller pieces called Genes (aka particles, grains, granules). A clock signal applied to Gene Shift steps through those pieces in
chronological order, while a control signal (such as the Wogglebug Smooth CV) applied to Slide, moves through those pieces in a
nonlinear fashion. Using Slide, random access of the audio buer is possible. Obviously, functions such as Vari-Speed and Organize
are useful for Microsound as well, which is why these functions were grouped into one module. The end result is a sampler/
looper/audio buer that is able to exist within a modular synthesizer system, and oer a vast
amount of real-time sound manipulation in a fast and tactile way.
PERPECTIVE
There is often the expectation that “bad sounds,” such as clicks, pops, distortions, wrong notes, phase inaccuracies and otherwise,
should be impossible with modern musical instruments. Many designers are making instruments which are fool-proof, and which
guarantee some specic musical result, thus making it easy to create the same music over and over again. The PHONOGENE does
not use this approach. In fact, we have made it very possible to make the “bad sounds” and “mistakes” that have led to some of
the greatest moments in musical history (and of course, some of the worst!). With the PHONOGENE, it is possible to Splice sounds
in such a way that you hear sharp contrasts, clicks and pops. This is the physics of sound! It is possible to slow down a
recording to the point of complete decimation, so that all that remains is trail of digital artifacts. Such are the limitations of digital
sound. It is possible to render the source material completely unintelligible, to cut busted loops, to distort digitally, to obscure, to
regenerate to the point of almost no signal integrity. This is the nature of the PHONOGENE. If you seek the perfect looping tool, in
the most contemporary sense of the word“loop,”then please look elsewhere. If you desire to explore the realm of modular, digital
sample manipulation and microsound, read on!

7
1
3 5
5
7
9
16 17 18
2
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14 15 19 20 21
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
4
PHONOGENE Panel Controls
1. Signal Input Rotary Level Control: For Line Level set at 3:00, and for 10Vpp at set 9:00 CW. Faceplate is marked accordingly.
2. Signal Input: Line Level or typical Modular Synth levels acceptable. AC Coupled.
3. Sound On Sound CV Input: sets mix of previously recorded Loop with Live Signal input when recording, to allow for Sound on
Sound type “overdubs.” Also allows for setting monitoring level of Live input signals with previously recorded Loop. May
be misused as a Voltage Controlled Crossfader (between Live and Loop) or VCA for\ Loop (no Live Signal). Range 0V to
10V, linear response. Normalized to +10V.
4. Sound On Sound Panel Control: with nothing patched to SOS CV Input (which is normalized to +10V) works as standard panel
control. With Signal Patched to SOS CV Input, works as attenuator for that signal.
5. Signal Output: 10Vpp (depending upon Signal Input attenuator setting and source material), AC coupled.
6 & 7. Vari-Speed and Splice Indicator LEDs: These LEDs tell user in which direction the PHONOGENE is playing. The LEFT Blue (7)
LED indicates reverse playback, right Orange LED (6) indicates forward playback. When no LEDs are lighted, playback is
stopped.
PHONOGENE Panel Controls

8
PHONOGENE Panel Controls (cont’d)
8. Vari-Speed CV Input: bipolar speed and direction control where 0V stops playback, positive control signal increases
playback speed in forward direction, negative control signal increases playback speed in reverse direction. Range +/-4V.
9. Vari-Speed Bipolar Panel Control: manual bipolar speed and direction control. When set to 12:00, playback is
stopped, turning Clockwise from 12:00 increases playback speed in forward direction, turning Counter Clockwise from
12:00 increases playback speed in reverse direction.
10. Vari-Speed CV Input attenuverter: bipolar attenuator for Vari-Speed CV Input.
11. Organize CV Input: unipolar control signal input which selects next Splice to be played. he currently selected Splice
plays to end before the next Splice is selected. The Vari-Speed and Splice Indicator LEDs (6 & 7 ) ashes whenever
this control ends a new Splice. Range 0V to +5V.
12. Organize CV Input Attenuator: unipolar attenuator for Organize CV Input.
13. Organize Panel Control: manual unipolar control which selects next Splice to be played. The Vari-Speed and
Splice Indicator LEDs (6 & 7 ) ashes whenever this control ends a new Splice.
14. Play Pulse Input: at each rising edge signal applied to Play Pulse Input, PHONOGENE triggers playback. At end of loop or
Splice, PHONOGENE looks at Play Pulse Input. If High, it plays again. If Low, PHONOGENE does not play. This Input is
normalized to be High. So with nothing patched to Play Pulse Input, PHONOGENE plays continuously. Sees only rising
edge of signal. Needs at least 1.5V trigger signal to operate.
15. Record Pulse Input: toggles record on/o. When recording from a cleared buer, the rst record cycle sets the record
length, so be sure to perform the Erase Routine to achieve a new recording. Sees only rising edge of signal. Needs at
least 1.5V trigger signal to operate.
16. Record button: manual, momentary button to toggle record on/ o.
17. Record LED indicator: when lighted, PHONOGENE is recording. When not lighted, PHONOGENE is not recording. When
ashing, PHONOGENE has entered the Erase Routine.
18. Splice Button: pushing drops splice marker on loop. When loop is Organized, the splices (resulting audio
segments) are re-arranged according to the Organize control voltage as the PHONOGENE plays whichever splice is
selected by Organize parameter. Since splices may be erased, this process is nondestructive. Holding this button for 3
seconds enters Erase Routine (Rec LED ashes to indicate the Erase Routine).
19. Splice Pulse Input: input for using external signal to splice loop. Sees only rising edge of signal. Needs at least 1.5V
trigger signal to operate.
20. End Of Splice Output: outputs a short 4 ms pulse at the end of each splice. In the absence of Splices, EOS reects end of
loop, which is always present when a recording has been made.
21. End Of Splice LED indicator: lights to give visual feedback of End of Splice.

9
PHONOGENE Panel Controls (cont’d)
22. Slide Bipolar Panel Control: manual bipolar panel control for scanning the pieces of sound that result from setting
Gene-Size to greater than 10%. Moves/ slides through the Genes (aka grains). Allows for scrubbing of the recorded material and
is always dependent upon the Gene Size setting.
23. Slide CV Input: bipolar control input for Slide. Range +/-4V.
24. Slide CV Input Attenuverter: bipolar attenuator for Slide.
25. Gene Size CV Input: unipolar control input setting size divisor of audio buer, dividing with respect to the buer size
as set by Record or Splice length. This parameter “auto-splices” the recorded material like a machine, with no
regard to source material. Operates with great precision and the ability to cut pieces so small that the original
source material is completely unintelligible. Nondestructive. At 0V there is no eect. Range 0V to +8V.
26. Gene-Size Input Attenuator: unipolar attenuator for Gene Size.
27. Gene Shift: clock signal at this input advances PHONOGENE to next Gene, in chronological order. Always dependent
upon the Gene Sizesetting. Needs at least 1.5V trigger signal to operate.
28. Gene Size Panel Control: manual unipolar control which sets Gene Size divisor.

10
Getting Started
Erase Routine
It is best to start with a cleared memory. To Reset the PHONOGENE and start fresh you need to enter the Erase Routine, where you
may erase Splice markers and the Audio Buer (aka Loop, aka Recording, aka Sample). To erase all Splices, press and hold Splice
button (18) until the Rec LED (17) starts ashing. All Splices are erased once the Rec LED begins ashing. While still holding
Splice button, and with the Rec LED still blinking, the audio buer may be erased as well by pressing REC button (16) once. If
you do not press Rec button, then your recorded audio remains, and only the Splices is erased. The PHONOGENE
continues to play the loop until you erase, and you should release the Splice button as soon as you have completed your desired
Erase Routine.
Signal To Be Captured!
The Signal Input (2) has a gain control (1) that accommodates modular synthesizer signals as well as line level sources. Early
electronic music composers often recorded pure Sine waves to tape at dierent frequencies and amplitudes, and then edited
and spliced these sounds into the musical phrases, but this was largely because there did not exist the means to control the
electronic sounds. Laboratory instruments were being used as musical instruments, and these tools lacked the vast controls
needed for musical expression. The arrival of the VCO, VCA and Sequencer made complete control of Frequency and Amplitude
possible, on a time scale determined by the composer. Honestly, the most interesting source material for the PHONOGENE is not
your synthesizer, but instead every other sound that surrounds you, so grab a microphone or patch into the internet and nd
some seemingly mundane sound to massage into a gorgeous, jumbled up symphony of micronoise.
Recording Time and Quality
Audio Buer is 2MB, nonvolatile, high number of fast read and write cycles. Nonvolatile means the PHONOGENE remembers both
samples and splices on power down. The high number of read and write cycles is key to longevity of the module, high speed
read and write cycles allow for short sample times, making the microsound possible. Because the record and playback frequency
is continuously variable from 88.2khz to5.5khz by the Vari-Speed control (8, 9, 10), the longest possible recording or loop
length, is determined by the speed of Playback/ Record. Therefore, long recordings may be achieved, but at the cost of a lower
sample rate, meaning the resulting recordings are of lower sound quality. A “Mid-Fi” setting may be achieved by setting
Vari-Speed at around 50%, so that both Vari-Speed and Splice Indicator LEDs (6 &7) are OFF. This records with good quality, a
2 second record length, and allows for a good range of speed variation. Playback is stopped while you record.
Signal OUT
That the PHONOGENE exist within the modular system is a huge advantage. Many Analog Synthesis techniques and processes
work well with the PHONOGENE. Creative Filtering, especially Low Pass and Band Pass, are very useful in controlling the textures,
clicks, and aliasing of the PHONOGENE. Amplitude Modulation, Echo, Reverbare also commonly suggested post processing
techniques in microsound and granular synthesis.

11
Recording Process
The Record control toggles record on/o. Starting with a Cleared Memory, pressing the RECord Button (16) once (or sending a
single Pulse to Record Pulse Input, 15) starts the recording process, and pressing Record Button again (or sending a second, single
Pulse to Record Pulse Input) stops the recording process. If the end of the Audio Buer is reached before the user stops recording,
RECord automatically stops. The PHONOGENE begins looping the recording immediately upon completion of the record cycle
(assuming the PLAY Pulse IN, 14, is held HIGH, which is the default state when there is nothing patched to the Play Pulse Input). It
is necessary to adjust the SOS control (4) so that the desired source (or blend of sources) appears at the Signal OUT. This initial
recording sets the loop length, which is always minded, until the Audio Buer is cleared (see Erase Routine, page 5).
Sound On Sound
Once the initial recording is made, the RECord function then allows for punch In/Out within the loop, and layering of other
sounds. Sound On Sound Control (3, 4) sets the balance of the Live Signal and previously recorded Loop Signal. While the
PHONOGENE does not record in reverse, it plays back in reverse while recording for Sound On Sound, so it is possible to have two
sounds playing in opposite directions. Once SOS is complete, remember to adjust the SOS control so that the desired source (or
blend of sources) appears at the Signal Output.
Splicing
The Splice button and Splice Pulse Input (18, 19), allows the user to non-destructively cut the loop into pieces, which are then
selected for playback using the Organize parameter (11, 12, 13). To Splice, have the PHONOGENE set to playback the material to
be spliced, and use either the Splice Button or Splice Pulse Input to drop Splice markers on the recording as it plays through. When
playback loops around to the beginning, the PHONOGENE sees the new Splices, and looks at the voltage set by the Organize
control in order to select which Splice to play. To preview your Splices, turn the Organize Panel Control slowly, and observe the
Vari-Speed and Splice Indicator LEDs (6, 7) for ashing to indicate new splice found. The newly selected Splice does not play until
the currently playing Splice reaches its end, at which point the End Of Splice Output (20) generates a 4 ms pulse and the newly
selected Splice begins playing. The Record function minds the boundaries of the currently selected Splice. This allows for
replacing sounds within a musical phrase, or creating highly contrasting edits when building sound collages. To initiate Record at
the start of Splice, patch the EOS Pulse (20) to Record Pulse Input (15). To erase Splices, enter the Erase Routine (see page 5). It is
useful to slow and even stop the sound when Splicing, if precision is desired. To avoid clicks, slow the sound to nd spaces or low
amplitude regions in which to place Splices. Use your ears. If you want to Splice in real-time, let the loop play a few times, and
learn the rhythm, thinking about where the up-beats fall, and try to drop splices on those up-beats. See the “Recycler” patch page
15 for “auto-splicing.”
Another way to splice is to set the Gene-Size control as high as possible (without losing sound), and use Slide to manually scrub
the sound. When you get to the desired point, press Splice, and a splices be dropped at the start of the currently playing Gene.
Turn Gene-Size back down to 0% and listen to the results. This is a highly useful trick for more precision splices; however, it is not
as real-time and just manual dropping them as the loop plays.

12
Splice
It is possible to manually Splice into the microsound range (down to about 10ms). This is an excellent technique to experiment
with since it allows for many dierent sizes, where as Gene Size parameter sets a uniform size for all pieces. Additionally
Organize treats Splices dierently than the Slide treats the Gene, since Organize waits until the current Splice reaches the
end before moving to the next selected Splice. This often has less glitches as the sound is traversed. A world of micromontage
awaits.
Re-Organizing Splices
Organize is the one control on the PHONOGENE that is not instantaneous. Turning the panel control or modulating Organize, the
Vari Speed and Splice Indicator LEDs (6,7) ash indicating new splice found, however, the newly found Splice is not selected for
playback until the currently playing Splice reaches its end, at which point the End Of Splice OUT (20) generates a 4 ms pulse and
the newly selected Splice begins playing. The Organize parameter was designed for sequential control sources, such as René or
PRESSURE POINTS. The range is smaller than the other control inputs, reecting the typical 5Vpp range of analog sequencers. It is
worth considering that the human ear is more sensitive to incongruences in pure and simple waveforms, so for example,
recording a Sine wave of constant amplitude and Splicing results in audible clicks, while recording speech and splicing is not as
likely to have audible clicks.
Speed Variation, Direction Variation
There is one control associated with both direction and speed, and that control is Vari-Speed (8, 9, 10). Also there are LED
indicators (6, 7) which show direction of playback. At 12:00, Vari-Speed is at 0, and playback is stopped. Neither of the associated
LEDs are on. Turning Clockwise from 50% increases playback speed in forward direction, turning Counter Clockwise from
50% increases playback speed inreverse direction. Vari-Speed has a wide range, with increased resolution toward the center of it’s
range, thus giving the control a nice feel when “braking” playback with a smooth control voltage. For “Wow & Flutter” eects,
modulate with greatly attenuated smooth random voltage (such as Wogglebug Woggle CV), setting the on board attenuator
nearly to 50% (nulled). Sequencing the speed of playback is also very pleasing when combined with sequencing of the Organize
parameter. Stopping Playback, Starting Playback, Re-Triggering Sounds When Vari-Speed (8, 9, 10) is at 50% the PHONOGENE has
slowed to a halt. When Vari-Speed is set to greater or less then 12:00, playback starts from where it was halted. The Play Pulse
IN also stops and starts playback, but in a very dierent way. At the end of each loop or splice, the PHONOGENE looks at the PLAY
Pulse Input (14), if it is high, then PHONOGENE continues to play, if it is low, PHONOGENE stops at end of loop or splice. In this
way, the Play Pulse Input, is always play the loop or splice from the beginning. Play Pulse Input may also be used to re-trigger
sounds, since it is essentially looking for a change in state, from low to high. If you send repeated pulses to Play while Vari-Speed is
set for playback, you achieve the classic re-trigger eects. Play and Vari-Speed respect each other, so for example, if Vari-Speed is
set to 12:00, a pulse at the Play Input does not trigger playback, since the playback speed is eectively zero.

13
Microsound
Microsound includes sounds shorter than musical notes, and yet longer than single samples. The sound is essentially a cluster of
samples contained in an amplitude envelope. The PHONOGENE oers two methods “Micromontage” and “Granulation.”
Micromontage is done manually using the Splice function to cut the sound into pieces, and the Organize parameter
asynchronously plays through those pieces. It is possible to splice sounds down to 10ms. It is an interesting process that allows
for a great deal of variation, but it requires patience since the sound is cut up manually to achieve such variation. Granulation is
an automatic splicing of the sound. It is done without regard to source material, and is a linear, machine like process, dividing the
audio buer into progressively smaller pieces. If the individual Samples that comprise a digitally recorded sound recording make
up the DNA of the sound, then we would refer to these small clusters of samples as Genes. The PHONOGENE is a Single Gene
device, meaning that one cluster of samples is heard at a time. The PHONOGENE uses Dynamic Enveloping to achieve smoothing
of the audible glitches that result from performing these particle physics studies upon audio signals. At a certain point, the size of
the Gene is so small that it is heard as a click. This is still useful because there are many ways to vary the timbre of that click,
and when hundreds of clicks are heard one after the other, the ear perceives them as a tone with varied timbre. The same is
true of the Micromontage method, but Granulation is an automatic, real-time process, and therefore may be modulated by
control signals within the modular system. Additionally, the Gene Shift Clock Input allows for strict Synchronous playback of the
resulting pieces, which is useful for Time-Stretch/ Compress and other eects. It is recommended that LP or BP lter follow the
PHONOGENE when performing granulation, to allow for further control of the resulting sound.
Setting Size of Genes
The Gene Size control parameter sets the divisor value. The smallest possible Gene is 1/12th of the splice length. If there are no
splices, the smallest possible Gene is 1/12th of the total loop length. Therefore, the Splice and Organize functions prove
useful for building sets of Microsounds. For example, if you have 4 Splices, and each is a dierent length, then each splice
oer a dierent range of Gene sizes.
Un-modulated, the single Gene sounds almost as if it were oscillating, and modulating the Vari-Speed controls change
the perceived pitch of this oscillation, just as you would modulate the pitch of a VCO. Modulating the Gene Size eectively
changes the perceived pitch as well as the timbre, and could be likened to varying the level of magnication while inspecting a
microscope slide. Slow continuous signals, such as MATHS, triggered or cycling, prove very good modulators for Gene Size.
Traversing Sound on a Genetic Level in a Nonlinear Way
As interesting as the single Gene may sound while modulated, exploring all the dierent Genes in a given Splice via modulation of
the Slide parameter is even more thrilling. The sonic contrast of the dierent Genes and the order in which they are heard
generate a wealth of new sounds from your source material. Slide (23) always moves immediately to the next Gene, so
modulating with stepped voltages often results in fast hard timbral changes as you move from one cluster of samples to another.
Continuous signals, such as MATHS, triggered or cycling, proves very good modulators for Slide. The Slide Panel control (22) sets
the center point for the modulation and the Slide CV attenuverter (24) could be seen as setting the “window” of the modulation,
since it controls the range of Genes played.

14
Chronological Inspection of the Sound DNA
Using the Gene-Shift Clock/ Pulse Input (27) it is possible to play through the Genes in Chronological order. This is Synchronous
Granulation. At the rising edge of each Clock or Pulse, the PHONOGENE jumps to the next Gene and plays that Gene at the
rate and direction determined by Vari-Speed, until the next Clock or Pulse arrives at the Gene-Size Input. Modulating Vari-Speed
and Gene-Size while clocking through the Genes is very pleasing. This is also useful for syncing timbral shifts or for performing
crude Time Stretch and Compress (see patch ideas page 13).
Synchronizing the PHONOGENE
The PHONOGENE has three timing inputs and one timing output. The Play, Record, and Gene Shift Clock/ Pulse Inputs are all
useful in synchronizing the PHONOGENE. The EOS Pulse Output is useful for synchronizing other events to the PHONOGENE.
Patching a timing source or event source such as Clock, Pulse, Gate or Trigger signal to the Gene Shift Input steps through the
individual Genes of your sound in time with that source. Additionally the Gene Size setting further eects this process, since
the length of the Gene with respect to the length of the Clock Cycle results in either Time Compression or Time Expansion. If
the Gene Size is shorter than the Clock Cycle, the Gene plays more than once before the next Clock arrives and thus results
in Time Expansion. If the length of the Gene Size is longer then the Clock Cycle, then the Gene does not play in its entirety,
samples are skipped or dropped, and the result is Time Compression. Interesting timing sources are clock multipliers (4ms
SCM), PLL (Doepfer A-196), clock dividers and oddly enough, the manual gates generated by Pressure Points. Tapping the
Pressure Points to supply a “human clock” to jump through the granulated loop is very pleasing.
Patching a Clock or Pulse signal to the Play Pulse Input, allows for triggering and retriggering of the Loop at rate of Clock or Pulse.
This input could be used like the Reset input on an LFO, so patching a division of your master clock so that the loop is periodically
pulled back into sync with the rest of the patch. Patching a Clock or Pulse signal to the Record Pulse Input, allows for Recording
and applying Sound On Sound at rate of Clock or Pulse. This usage is best shown in the Regenerative Record patch (see page 14).

15
PHONOGENE v.372h update
Note: All new PHONOGENEs shipped after July 2013 are loaded with rmware v.372h.
This update includes the following improvements:
» Improved Audio Fidelity
» Improved Vari-Speed response (shorter scale, greater resolution)
» End of Gene Pulse (EOS outputs pulses for both Splices and Genes, turn up Gene Size to see this in action)
To enter Broken Echo Mode:
First, record some audio to memory. For example, with nothing in the input, [Press] the REC Button in order to record
silence to the buer. Next, [press and hold] REC button until you pass End Of Splice (EOS LED Flashes). The eect is not
unlike cutting a loop on a tape recorder and allowing it to be recorded over and over again, without erasing the previous
recordings. This is a great mode for building walls of sound, drones or making crude echo FX.
» PHONOGENE still minds Splices and Vari-Speed, Gene Size, Shift, and Slide functions. Any modulation of these
parameters are recorded. Be sure to set the Mix control according to your desired results. For example, live input
processing requires the Mix to be set at around 50%, while massaging content that has been captured needs Mix
set to 100% Wet. However, adding or removing splices during Broken Echo Mode is not supported.

16
HIDDEN FUNCTIONS/ ROUTINES
“Mid-Fi” Record: this setting may be achieved, by setting Vari-Speed at around 50%, so that both Vari-Speed and Splice Indicator
LEDs (6 & 7) are OFF. This records with good quality and a 2 second record length, which is great length for venturing into a
Microsound opus.
Erase Routine: to erase all Splices, press and hold Splice button (18) until the REC LED (17) starts ashing. All Splices are erased
once the REC LED begins ashing. While still holding Splice button, and with the REC LED still blinking, the audio buer may be
erased as well by pressing REC button (16) once.
PLAY Pulse Input (14): this input is normalized HIGH, so that with nothing patched, the PHONOGENE always plays according to
Vari-Speed setting. Patching something to this input stops the PHONOGENE, if the applied signal is below 1.5V
SOS CV IN (3): this control input is normalled to +10V and is connected directly to the SOS Attenuator (4), therefore with nothing
patched the SOS CV IN, SOS Attenuator acts as a panel control for the parameter, by setting an oset.

17
Patch Examples:
For all Patch Ideas, assume Signal Patched to Signal Input and Input level set for maximum level without distortion, Gene-Size
and Organize Panel Controls at 0% and Erase Routine has been run so that PHONOGENE memory is cleared.
Recycler: Record.
Mult the Signal out, and patch to Signal Input MATHS Channel 1. Set MATHS Channel 1 Rise and Fall so that the Activity LED is
Flashing in time with the transients of the recorded sound. This usually puts Rise at around 2:00 and Fall at around 6:00.
Patch a dummy cable, or a manual gate, such as Pressure Points Gate Output, to PHONOGENE Play Pulse Input (14). Let
PHONOGENE play to end of recording. Once playback has reached the end and stopped, patch the MATHS Channel 1 End Of Rise
OUT to PHONOGENE Splice Pulse Input (19). Now let PHONOGENE play through the recording once by either pressing manual
Pulse once or removing the dummy cable and then immediately re-inserting once playback has started. When PHONOGENE has
played entire recording once, and has stopped, remove MATHS EOR Output from PHONOGENE Splice Pulse Input. There should
now be nothing patched to PHONOGENE Splice Pulse IN. Remove the dummy cable or manual Pulse from PHONOGENE Play
Pulse Input. Using the Organize Panel Control (13), audition the resulting Splices. If not acceptable, press and hold Splice button
(18) until the Rec LED (17) starts ashing, re-install the cables to Play Pulse Input and then Splice Pulse Input, adjust the MATHS
Rise and Fall settings, and perform italicized steps again. Once you are satised with results, utilize the Organize parameter to
re-organize your loop. Try patching stepped/ clo`né) and sample & hold (Wogglebug Stepped Output) to the Organize CV Input
with its Input Attenuator full clockwise.

18
Patch Examples (Cont’d):
Forward >>
<< Reverse
Sound Replacer:
Perform above Recycler patch. Once you have sounds isolated within Splices, select the Splice containing sound to be
replaced using Organize Panel Control(13). Patch new Sound to Signal IN (2). Set SOS (4) to Full counter clockwise. Patch EOS to
trigger new Sound (perhaps use VCA and Envelope to control new sound). When you are ready to record the replacement, mult
the EOS OUT and patch to Record Pulse IN. Once Sound is replaced, remove EOS from Record Pulse IN. When you are done
replacing sounds, press and hold Splice button(18) until the Rec LED (17) starts ashing. Listen to the results.
Sliding PHONOGENE:
With a sound already recorded into the PHONOGENE, set Vari-Speed to 50%, so that playback is stopped. Patch the CH. 1
Pressure Output from PRESSURE POINTS to Channel 1 Signal Input of MATHS. Patch the CH. 2 Pressure CV Output from PRESSURE
POINTS to Channel 4 Signal Input of MATHS. Set the Rise and Fall of both CH. 1 and 4 to around 65% and Vari-Response of both
channels to “loggish.” Set MATHS CH. 1 attenuverter full counter clockwise so that the resulting signal is inverted. Set MATHS CH.
4 full clockwise. Null MATHS CH. 2 and 3. Patch MATHS Sum Output to PHONOGENE Vari-Speed CV Input and set the associated
attenuverter to about 2:00 Now, use the pressure applied to the PRESSURE PLATES to control the Playback Speed and
Direction.

19
Patch IDEAS: (cont’d)
For the Innite Benet of Mr. Kite:
Vari-Speed (9) at around 70%. Press Record and let it run to end. Now drop Splice markers on the empty recording as it plays
through. Drop at random. Using Organize(13), select a Splice. Patch Sound to Signal IN (2). Set SOS (4) to Full Counter Clockwise.
When you are ready to record, patch EOS OUT (20) to Record Pulse IN. EOS triggers Record ON. Once Sound is recorded,
remove EOS from RECord Pulse IN. Record goes to End Of Splice and turns OFF. Repeat italicized steps until each empty Splice is
lled with dierent sounds. Patch EOS to Wogglebug Clock IN. Patch Wogglebug Stepped CV to Organize CV Input and set
associated attenuator for 50%. Enjoy.
Regenerative Record:
With nothing patched to Signal IN (2), and Vari-Speed (9) at around 70%, press Record and let it run to end. Set-up a clocked patch
with a Sequenced Sound Source (VCO->LPG) patched to PHONOGENE Signal IN. Strike LPG with division of Master Clock.
Master Clock => Clock Divider
/4 => Wogglebug Clock IN
/8 => PHONOGENE RECord IN (15)
/1 or /2 or ??? => PHONOGENE GENE-SHIFT IN (27)
Wogglebug Stepped OUT => PHONOGENE GENE-SIZE CV IN (25) (set corresponding
attenuator to about 50%) (26)
Wogglebug Woggle OUT => PHONOGENE VARI-SPEED CV IN (8) (set corresponding
attenuverter to 40%) (10)
Start sequence. Listen to the mess you've made.
EchoPhon:
With nothing patched to Signal IN (2), and Vari-Speed (9) at around 70%., press Record and let it run to end. Splice the empty
recording so you have multiple splice lengths, long to short. Apply signal to be processed to Signal IN, set gain accordingly. Patch
EOS (20) to Record Pulse IN (15). Set SOS (4) to 50%. Increasing SOS parameter creates more repeats in the echo. Set or
Modulate Organize to change echo times. Modulate Vari-Speed and other parameters to taste.

20
Firmware 372H Patch Examples:
Tempo-Locked Reversible Granular Echo:
EOS -> Wogglebug Clock
EOS (multed) -> DPO Strike
Wogglebug Stepped Random -> DPO 1v/Oct
DPO Final -> PHONOGENE IN
Engage Broken Echo mode. Adjust Wogglebug Chaos Balance control to taste to choose melodic range. Adjust SOS to ~1:00.
Adjust or VC Gene Size, Varispeed, Slide and direction to “play” the patch. Granular exploration is recorded into the buer,
and all echos are synced to the incoming strikes from the DPO, even if echos are being played backward.