Doepfer A-149-1 User Manual

doepfer

CV N

CV D

A-149

RCV

Quantized RV

CV N In Man N

n+1

n

2

Stored RV

CV D In Man D

Clk In

Clk In

System A - 100

1. Introduction

Module A-149-1 is a Random Control Voltage
Source based on the idea of Don Buchla's "Source of
Uncertainty 265/266" modules. It has available 4 ana­log random voltages, that are generated in different

ways.

The Quantized Random Voltages section has avai­lable the outputs N+1 and 2
number in the range 1...6 that can be adjusted manu­ally (Man N) and by an external control voltage CVN.
The voltage steps are 1/12 V for the 2
semitone intervals) and 1.0 V for the N+1 output (i.e.
octave intervals).

The

Stored Random Voltages

an output with
possible output states and another output with
justable voltage distribution probability. The distri-
bution of this output can be adjusted manually (Man D)
and by an external control voltage CVD. The voltage
range is 0...+5 V for both stored random outputs.

A-149 /1

RCV

N

States. N is an integer

N

output (i.e.

section has available

even voltage distribution with 256

ad-

Remark: The A-149-1 can be expanded by the A-149-2
module (8 digital random outputs with LED displays)

The rising edge of the corresponding Clock input
signal triggers a new random voltage value at the
outputs.
Each output is equipped with a LED that displays the
current output voltage.

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A-149 /1

RCV

System A - 100

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2. Overview

➁

➊

➀

➋

➅

➎

➄

➏

➂

➌

➃
➍

➆

➐

➇

➑

Controls and Indicators

1 Man N : manual control of “N”

2 CV N : attenuator for CVN at input !

3, 4 LED : display for output § resp. $

5 Man D : manual control of distribution "D"

6 CV D : attenuator for CVD at input &

7, 8 LED : display for output / resp. (

:

In - / Outputs:

! CV N In : CV input for “N”

" Clk In : clock input for Quantized RCV section

§ n+1 : N+1 states output

n

:2

$ 2

% CV D In : CV input for distribution “D”

& Clk In : clock input for Stored RCV section

/ : output with equal probability distribution

( : output with adjustable probability distri-

n

states output

bution (D)

2

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System A - 100

A-149 /1

RCV

3. Controls

3.1 Quantized Random Voltages

1 Man N

This is the manual control for the integer number N in
the range 1 to 6. It defines the number of possible

states at the outputs § and $:

Possible states of

N Output n+1 Output 2

12 2

23 4

34 8

45 16

56 32

67 64

The final value of N is the sum of the manual

H

control 1 and the external (attenuated) control
voltage applied to input !.

n

Remark:

As N increases n+1
increases linear
too but 2

creases exponen­tially.

n

in-

2 CVN

The external control voltage CVN fed into input ! is
attenuated with this control.

3 LED • 4 LED

The brightness of each LED is proportional to the
output voltage at the corresponding output § resp. $.

3.2 Stored Random Voltages

5 Man D

This is the manual control for the probability distri­bution of the 256 states appearing at output (.

With the control set fully counterclockwise most of the
random voltages will be low magnitude but even
medium and high magnitude voltages may appear but
with smaller probability. As the control is turned to the
right (or a positive control voltage appears at the CVD
input) the distribution moves through medium to high
magnitude voltage probability. The symbol at the lo­wer jack ( socket shows this coherence graphically
(see also fig. 1).

3

A-149 /1

RCV

System A - 100

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D = 5 D ~ 10D ~ 0

D = 5 D ~ 10D ~ 0

Häufigkeit

Häufigkeit

probability

Zufallsspannung [V]

Zufallsspannung [V]

output voltage

Fig.1: Probability distribution for different settings of "D"

The final value of D is the sum of the manual

H

control 5 and the external (attenuated) control
voltage applied to input %.

6 CV D

The external control voltage CVD fed into input ( is at­tenuated with this control.

7 LED • 8 LED

The brightness of each LED is proportional to the
output voltage at the corresponding output / resp. (.

4. In- / Outputs

4.1 Quantized Random Voltages

! CV N In

This socket is the Control Voltage input for the para­meter "N".

" Clk In

This socket is the Clock input for the Quantized Ran­dom Voltages section. Each rising edge of this signal
causes the generation of a new random voltage at the
outputs § resp. $. Any clock or gate signal can be
used to control this input.

§ n+1

This socket outputs the random voltage with n+1 sta­tes. The voltage range for this output is 0 to +5 V, the
voltage steps are 1.0 V (i.e. 1V quantization). This

corresponds to octave intervals when used to control
the pitch of a VCO.

n

$ 2

This socket outputs the random voltage with 2
The voltage range for this output is 0 to +5.25 V, the
voltage steps are 1/12 V (i.e. 1/12 V quantization).
This corresponds to semitone intervals when used to
control the pitch of a VCO.

n

states.

4

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System A - 100

A-149 /1

RCV

4.2 Stored Random Voltages

% CV D In

This socket is the Control Voltage input for the
probability distribution "D".

& Clk In

This socket is the Clock input for the Stored Random
Voltages section. Each rising edge of this signal cau­ses the generation of a new random voltage at the
outputs / resp. (. Any clock or gate signal can be
used to control this input.

/ • (

These sockets output the random voltages of the
Stored Random Voltages section. Socket / is the
output with equal probability distribution, socket (
outputs the voltage with adjustable distribution "D".
The voltage range for both outputs is 0 to about +5.3
V, the voltage steps are about 1/48 V (i.e. 1/48 V
quantization). This corresponds to about 1/4 semitone
intervals when used to control the pitch of a VCO.

5. User examples

The Doepfer web site www.doepfer.com shows some
typical examples of the A-149-1, including sound

examples in the mp3 format. Even more details con­cerning the technical realization of the module can be
found. An excellent description of several applications
of random voltages like those generated by the A-149­1 can be found in the Allen Stranges "Electronic music

- systems, techniques and controls" from page 82. The
examples in this book are based on Don Buchla's
modules 265/266 but are valid for the A-149-1 too.

The following patch is taken from this book and shows
how to create very complex permanently changing
sound structures by means of the A-149-1 in combina­tion with the voltage controlled LFO A-147 and some
additional standard modules (VCO, VCF, VCA,
ADSR):

A high magnitude voltage at the N+1 output of the
A-149-1 causes a high VCO pitch and simultaneously
sets the value of N higher so that the next pitch is
taken from a greater range of possibilities. If the N+1
output is low the VCO pitch will be low too and sets the
value of N so that the next pitch will have a more
restricted range of possibilities. Simultaneously the 2
output controls the frequency of the filter and the

n

5

A-149 /1

RCV

System A - 100

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tempo of the VCLFO A-147. Thus as the range of pitch
selection increases the number of possible spectral
ranges becomes exponentially (or geometrically) grea­ter. As the tempo of the VCLFO is controlled by the 2
output too, bright sounds are accompanied by longer
events, longer events are accompanied by greater
range pitch range possibilities and the number of of
range probablities for pitch selection is correlated ex­ponentially. This tail-chasing configuration may last a
few hours (to obtain Allen Strange's original patch a
voltage inverter A-175 has to be inserted between the

n

output and the control input of the VCLFO as the

2
CV input of A-147 controls the tempo rather than the
period).

CV N

A-147

CV

A-149-1

CV N

Clk In

RCV

n+1

2

VCO

n

More examples with random voltage sources can be
found in Allen Strange's book from page 80 (e.g. the

n

"Dream machine" on page 85).

Some additional ideas:

Use the RND Clock output of an A-117 Digital

●

Noise Generator as clock input for the A-149-1 to
increase the randomness of events.
Use the Quantizer module A-156 to obtain more

●

restricted pitch voltages (e.g. only notes from major/
minor scale/chords)
Combine the A-149-1 with a A-155 sequencer

●

(common clock) to obtain random envelopes (A-

142), timbre (filters), loudness (VCA) or stereo posi­tion (VC panning A-134), frequency shifting (A-126)

VCF

VCA

ADSR

Fig. 2: "Random patch" adapted from Allen Strange's book "Electronic music - systems, techniques and controls"

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