Blue Lantern Modules

Notes: This product is used to produce drum and percussion sounds. You can make 909 type of kick drums- the toggle switch on the left chooses between long and short vca decay. The toggle switch on the left chooses long and short pitch envelope decay. Smack knob control lefts you mix in a noise 'paper' sound for the drum.

You can mix in two trigger sources to create complex percussion patterns. The internal circuit is using logic 'OR' triggering.

This product was refined for optimum sound and response from the controls. Part values were changed from the original 909 design.

-There is onboard distortion to get techno type of kick drums.

-This internal oscillator is triangular core, with internal reset.

-The internal trigger conditioner can take audio rate frequencies.

-There is a manual push button.

Width: 10hp

Current: +30mA,-24mA

Notes: This is a complete mini synthesizer that only requires CV and Gate from your midi to CV converter. You can use an AKAI Mini Keyboard or Arturia KeyStep for example. As long as the product has CV and GATE outputs, you can musically control the CSVCO module. This is a great first-time module, or a great percussive voice to add to your electronic singer section.

The CSVCO is similar to the 'toy' algorithm on the mutable braids module, and the weird noise ring (kinda).

-When the Shift Register is put into random mode using the toggle switches you can create the classic arcade noise sound found on the Atari, and defender arcade game.
-The shift register can loop into more musical overtones, using the toggle switches, that also resemble early Atari pulse wave sounds.

These are the only two modules that BLM were able to confirm use the same related approach of using many pulse harmonics to sculpt the sound. There is no firmware, or simulation happening on the CSVCO. The module is an analogue and CMOS logic hybrid module. There are many modular sections involved to make this happen. It would take many modules to attempt to make your own CSVCO patch on your modular.

You would need the following: Triangle VCO, x2 clock generator, Shift Register module, High Pass Filter, VCA, Envelope Generator, Sub Division Pulse Generator Module, Logic xor, Logic AND, Logic Invert modules, and a mixer module. This would easily take up 64-84hp. Such a complicated patch on your system would probably not work as good as the CSVCO.

It can also be used for bright percussive sounds. All of this tracks +5 octaves, musically.

The CSVCO contains so many over tones (mathematically sub divided), that it is indeed producing chords. The EXT trigger input 'rolls the wheel of chance', and changes the overall tone of the shift register.

The CSVCO seems to sound more 'Minor' at times, it gives out a more creepy, spooky set of chords upon changing up the shift register.

Width: 8hp
Current: +150mA, -140mA

Notes: BLM Deluxe VCLFO

This module is a tricked out 2023 version of the simple VC LFO 4hp module.

Digital or Analog?
Analog
Triangle Core, with tilt function (slew) to make Saw/Ramp shapes

Why does it matter?
Since this is analogue, the signal is very smooth.

LFO Speeds: Slow, Hyper (Audio Rates), normal ranges.

Output Shapes Available: Triangle, Sine, Square, Sinus Spike

All wave forms can be distorted with the Skew knob.

Sync/Reset circuit with high quality JFET chopper on the main timing capacitor. There is a threshold 'SYNC' knob that will manually stop the oscillation passed the 12 o'clock position.

Otherwise, a gate or trigger signal will brute force reset the LFO.

LFO CV Modulation input with Level input control.

Width: 6HP
Current: +30mA -28mA

Notes: This is a self contained analogue high hat module. This is a Transistor based VCA design. It is influenced by the DR110 drum machine. The original circuit used 4 oscillators to make the metallic audio sound. I added the original 4 oscillator, and an extra 6 oscillator circuit. The 6 oscillator version is doing a double XOR ringmod (internally). You select that by switch.

The 4 oscillator design sounds more crunchy, where as the 6 XOR circuit sounds more polished with sheen. You can blend in the amount of white noise in the mix labeled 'sizzle'.

Internally, the audio is passing through a few high pass filters, making the output sound very high in frequencies.

The module by itself is not exciting. But in the mix, with other percussion modules, this is your favorite-go-to module. It sits almost perfect in the mix.

There are two triggers. One is for 'Open' sound. The other is for 'close' sound. Both open and close have there own decay knob to adjust the length of the audio tail.

There is a tone control, labeled LPF. Use this to taper off some of the high frequencies.

Instead of adding an 'accent' control. Both triggers have been made to voltage variable. 5V triggering is the normal expected input. So a 3V trigger will sound softer in volume. 10V trigger signals will sound louder.

This module is as simple as it gets, just patch your Arturia Beat Step Pro and use the drum track.

Features

-Both trigger inputs are voltage variable. You can get softer audio, with softer trigger voltage.
-2 voice metallic noise generator
-2 decays (open and close)
-2 Flavors select by switch.
-Normal mode, and Sustain mode, selected by switch.
-frequency adjustment of the internal XOR ringmod.
-classic roland sounding transistor based VCA.

Why get this module over the Shimm module, or other high hats modules?

-Ease of use, ready to go. No sound exploring needed.
-Want the classic transistor based, crunchy sound.
-lower budget
-Sits very well in the drum mix.

Dimensions
8 HP
32 mm deep

Current Draw
21 mA +12V
13 mA -12V

Notes: Variable Pole analogue filter based on Asteroid Op VCF Tech

Model: Millipede Variable Pole VCF
Analogue Filter, Can easily get Brutal tones.

What does this do?

This is an analogue filter that uses two modern equivalent ssm2164 IC's v2164 from cool audio to do it's magic. This particular filter however allows the user to vary the phase of each pole or filter cell. There are four filter cells total. This is similar to the Blue lantern Asteroid Operator Station VCF. The Asteroid Operator Station VCF has 8 Static filter out puts. Those 8 flavors were found by exploring the circuit found on the millipede vcf and internally installing the resistor ratio for that flavor.

On the millipede vcf you are allowed to find more exotic flavors yourself. Operation is easy. You first have all the poles counter clockwise and the three switches set to mute. This will have the filter as a dark Low pass filter. Then you turn on a pole using the switch and turn the know to hear the change. Pole 3 by default is always on, otherwise there would have been no sound if all poles were muted. Having all the poles set clockwise and active easily gets you into brutal sounding tones in a good way.

There is an on board diode limiter circuit to help tame really harsh tones. This is activated by switch.

The audio input has some gain, so you don't always have it fully clockwise. There is also a capacitor selector switch just like my other filters. This modifies the rez peak.

Dimensions
13 HP
32 mm deep

Current Draw
58 mA +12V
56 mA -12V

Depth: 2.5 inches