Q171 Quantizer Bank

Basics
The fundamental use of the quantizer is to ease tuning of analog sequencers such as our Q119 and Q960. Instead of being able to adjust the sequencer's knobs to any voltage, the quantizer will lock them into a pre-selected scale. In other words, the output will produce only valid notes. This makes setting the sequencer much easier and musical.

Actually, it's the intervals between notes that are important. The specific notes that an oscillator produces is a product of the input voltage and the frequency controls on the oscillator. So, it will still be necessary to set the oscillator's controls to the desired base frequency.

Sequencer Patch (Click for larger image).

Accidental Melody
Patch a slow oscillator waveform into a Q125 Signal Processor, then to the Q171 pitch input. Use the quantized pitch output to control another oscillator. Use the Gate output to trigger envelope generators just like you would for any basic synthesizer patch. Use the Gain and Offset controls on the Q125 to move the waveform around while experimenting with Q171 channel options. Interesting and musically useful patterns will emerge.

Accidental Melody Patch (Click for larger image).

Sample and Hold
Use the gate input to control when the Q171 quantizer captures a voltage and converts it. In this example, the Quantizer is being triggered by a Q106 Oscillator using the pulse output. Whenever a pulse is received, the quantizer captures the voltage from the Q110 Noise module, and locks it into one of the valid notes of the selected scale. The resulting voltage is then used to set the frequency of the Q150 Ladder Filter.

Sample and Hold Patch (Click for larger image).

QuarterTones
While a quartertone scale setting is not built in, you can achieve quartertones by simply patching the quantizer output through a Q125 Signal Processor set to 50%. You will have to precisely adjust the setting for an accurate output.

Quartertone Patch (Click for larger image).

Electronic Blues
A 12-bar blues is a piece based on a fairly basic, but effective riff (sequence) repeated and transposed in specific patterns over 12 bars. Setting up two analog sequencers to control VCOs in an additive way can be very time-consuming because of the precision needed, but with the quantizer this is easy:
Use the first sequencer to play the blues riff through a quantizer patched to the VCOs.
Use a second sequencer to play the transpositions - one step for each round of sequencer 1.
Special thanks to Terje Winther.

Blues Patch (Click for larger image).

Stepped Glissando
Patch the keyboard pitch output through the Q105 Slew Limiter then through the quantizer set to the chromatic scale. Playing will produce stepped glissando typical of what Vangelis produced on his CS-80.

Perfect Chords
Use the quantizer to produce perfect triad chords.
Set the quantizer to Ch 1,2,3, Scale, and your choice of Major, Minor, Aug, Dim. Patch the keyboard's pitch output voltage through a Q124 Multiple, then to the quantizer like this:

Patch one into channel 1 of quantizer, and the output into VCO #1.

Patch one through the top part of a Q125 Signal Processor with gain at 0% and offset to something, then into channel 2 of quantizer, and the output into VCO #2.

Patch one through the bottom part of a Q125 Signal Processor with offset to something, then into channel 3 of quantizer, and the output into VCO #3.

Vary the offset settings so the quantizer locks into the notes of the Triad scale. Playing the keyboard will then produce perfect triads.

Arpeggiation
Patch a VCO output (Ramp, Saw, Triangle) into a Q125 Signal Processor with the offset set to +5. This converts the bipolar voltages to positive values needed by the quantizer. Adjust the Q125's Gain to below 50%. Set the VCO to LOW (LFO) mode. Patch the output of the Q125 into a quantizer channel and select a scale. The quantizer's output will produce an arpeggiation in the desired scale.
If the Ramp waveform is used, the arpeggiation will be up.
If the Saw waveform is used, the arpeggiation will be down.
If the Triangle waveform is used, the arpeggiation will be up/down.
The VCO's frequency knob controls the arpeggiation speed.

Bipolar/Unipolar Voltages
The default jumpers are set for the quantizer to accept a unipolar voltage range of 0-10 volts. This works best for the majority of quantizer uses dealing with pitch voltages. There are jumpers on the circuit board which allow the quantizer to use a bipolar voltage range of -5 - +5 volts. This might be of use in some special situations even though the range shifting can normally be accomplished with a Q125 Signal Processor.