Birdkids ”Raven” ?
Moderators: Kent, luketeaford, Joe., lisa
Birdkids ”Raven” ?
Hi! Just went to the Birdkids HomePage and they have updated the front page with a picture of a module called ”Raven”
Anyone with any sort of info or rumour about this module ?
I really love the Bateleur 42HP system and really looking forward whats coming next from Birdkids
Birdkids Homepage
Anyone with any sort of info or rumour about this module ?
I really love the Bateleur 42HP system and really looking forward whats coming next from Birdkids
Birdkids Homepage
Last edited by insoul8 on Wed Nov 28, 2018 3:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- bgcriswell
- Common Wiggler
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- Location: North Hollywood, CA
this is available to order now on kickstarter:
i have the bateleur... and i'm trying to figure out what's so special about the Raven?
i have the bateleur... and i'm trying to figure out what's so special about the Raven?
Last edited by j_dowe on Wed Nov 14, 2018 3:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
slightly overpriced? 

soundcloud > https://tinyurl.com/y6jbowbh
--
nonetheless bandcamp > https://tinyurl.com/qrt5bjp
nonetheless soundcloud > https://tinyurl.com/yc98l8s5
--
racks > http://tinyurl.com/p4clpyp
--
nonetheless bandcamp > https://tinyurl.com/qrt5bjp
nonetheless soundcloud > https://tinyurl.com/yc98l8s5
--
racks > http://tinyurl.com/p4clpyp
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- Common Wiggler
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How exactly is it overpriced, Felix?7C wrote:slightly overpriced?
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youtube: http://youtube.com/c/birdkidsorg
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- Common Wiggler
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Dear j_dowe, we're not really trying to compete with mass marketed (within the segment that is) semi-modular solutions.j_dowe wrote:looking at it in more detail, i think what separates it from the Bateleur and also competing semi-modulars (Mother 32), is that it has two voices that can function independently.j_dowe wrote:what's so special about the Raven?
Influx of budget-line solutions that flooded the market recently brought with it not only potential good, such as young talent that can finally afford getting into modular, but also false expectations regarding pricing threshold.
As a small, don’t-call-it-boutique manufacturer, we cannot, nor try to compete in that price range. Our batches usually run between 50-100 pieces for such a production set.
Instead we opt for quality in both build and sound.
Track record and clientele clearly shows where we’re positioned over the years, however it’s not a reason to be snobby about it, hence we thought this campaign would be a fair proposal to lower the mutual cost.
Here is a short feature list of i/o's
Input
- 1V/Oct (Pitch tracking) relative and absolute options for both oscillators and VCF.
FM (Linear Frequency Modulation) per VCO.
PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) per VCO.
SYNC per VCO.
Crossfader between VCO’s.
External Audio Signal Input.
VCF Cutoff.
VCF CV Input.
VCF Resonance.
VCA CV Input.
- Individual Waveform outs for each VCO (Saw, Triangle, Pulse / Square).
Noise Output.
Filter Output.
Clean Out (Linear THAT2162 BlackmerⓇ VCA).
Opto Out (Optocoupler VCA, West-Coast style response).
- Waveform selection toggle per VCO.
PW position for VCO II.
PWM amount either individually for VCO I or normalized for both.
FM amount either individually for VCO I or normalized for both.
Coarse Tune for VCO I (relative or absolute via jumper).
Fine Tune for VCO II (relative).
Crossfader position VCOs I/II.
External Audio Signal Input Amount.
VCA CV Amount / Initial VCA Gain.
VCF Cutoff position.
VCF Mode switch*
VCF CV Amount.
VCF Resonance position / CV Amount.
subtractive = VCO (I+II Sum) > VCF > VCA
bypass = VCO (I+II Sum) > VCA, VCF standalone
bypass & tracking = VCO (I+II Sum) > VCA, VCF Standalone and tracking 1V/Oct.
Panel (no-nonsense front facing pic)

Signal-flow diagram

Wavefolding-like results using just the VCF in self-osc:
https://soundcloud.com/birdkids/raven-filter-wet
It looks very simple on the surface, but once you dive in, the possibilities go far beyond the expected two VCO configuration.
twitter: http://twitter.com/birdkids
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/birdkids/
youtube: http://youtube.com/c/birdkidsorg
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hey mike, just my first thought and reaction - apart from "wow it looks and sounds nice", a few seconds later. i'm sure this is pure quality work, as always! on the other hand, compared to what i could buy for the money, it does seem a bit much. though as you mentioned it here in a reply: you dont want or intend to compete with the semimodular (or any other market), which is a clear statement. i very much do like it (yet it seems pricey to me) and i probably should have said this before critisising the pricepointbirdkid wrote:How exactly is it overpriced, Felix?7C wrote:slightly overpriced?

soundcloud > https://tinyurl.com/y6jbowbh
--
nonetheless bandcamp > https://tinyurl.com/qrt5bjp
nonetheless soundcloud > https://tinyurl.com/yc98l8s5
--
racks > http://tinyurl.com/p4clpyp
--
nonetheless bandcamp > https://tinyurl.com/qrt5bjp
nonetheless soundcloud > https://tinyurl.com/yc98l8s5
--
racks > http://tinyurl.com/p4clpyp
-
- Common Wiggler
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Hey Felix, and first of all I did not mean to sound sharp or anything, it's just that for the last 3-days since we've launched, the first feedback, before people even clicked on the campaign link and I imagine checked out the concept/sound behind it, would be smth. like "I can buy three Uli boxes and fly around the world for that price" reaction.7C wrote:hey mike, just my first thought and reaction - apart from "wow it looks and sounds nice", a few seconds later. i'm sure this is pure quality work, as always! on the other hand, compared to what i could buy for the money, it does seem a bit much. though as you mentioned it here in a reply: you dont want or intend to compete with the semimodular (or any other market), which is a clear statement. i very much do like it (yet it seems pricey to me) and i probably should have said this before critisising the pricepointbirdkid wrote:How exactly is it overpriced, Felix?7C wrote:slightly overpriced?
I'll be honest I'm ticked off by now, so forgive my directness.
We've spent over 10k+ hours designing and perfecting this one here, and naturally being thrown into the budget-line, clone-a-park and derivatives of Bob Moog's legendary design is not something that we find thrilling.
Seeing as our clients (and you were there in the very very beginning, which is something that we cannot be more grateful for) know what we're about and what we're able to deliver sound and build-wise usually plays in the 2k+ range.
Actually I'm gonna quote an anonymous responses source: (synthtopia) from one of the conversations yesterday:
And that's precisely how we, and our distribution network sees it, also the fact that we're offering it over 50% Off MSRP, bypassing distribution (who have full support for this) and retail just to be able to give people who deserve, but cannot afford the MSRP tag a chance at quality.I don’t really understand why this is seen as expensive? I mean, in Euroland you would easily pay £150+ for each one of those VCO’s, and another £150 for the VCF and the VCA. That’s £600 – pretty much bang on the retail price – for just pretty much run-of-the-mill modules. If Birdkids have really made something as high quality as they suggest, then you could easily add another £50 or £100 to each one of those prices, which would make this pretty competitive.
Our keypoints that have crystalized over the last 4 years are:
- Make it sound amazing, make it an instrument.
Design it so that it can be used intuitively.
Design it as accessible and inclusive as possible.
Make it as affordable as possible without compromising the above points.
twitter: http://twitter.com/birdkids
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/birdkids/
youtube: http://youtube.com/c/birdkidsorg
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/birdkids/
youtube: http://youtube.com/c/birdkidsorg
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- Common Wiggler
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Dear Andreas,Fleuw wrote:May i ask what the case and power solution i for a raven?
As in does it come in a case with power?
as with any module, we've found that most people prefer to have their own casing and it's very hard to predict in which context it will be used.
Additionally to that, seeing as we've added CV possibilities at (almost) every point in the design, we're expecting to see a lot of integration into racks as opposed to simply standalone.
Having said that, it works perfectly with our TheBateleur POWER/MIDI, and we're also bundling it with those as can be seen at the campaign page:
RAVEN, a 100% analog, synthesizer voice

twitter: http://twitter.com/birdkids
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/birdkids/
youtube: http://youtube.com/c/birdkidsorg
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/birdkids/
youtube: http://youtube.com/c/birdkidsorg
absolutely understandable and you've proved your point.
and i really didnt intend to come of naggy, which i probably did
it's funny, people who buy cheap stuff critisise the expensive gear and vice versa, in the end it doesnt matter, to each his own and the results count, nothing else (imo). to each his own, i'm sure there are enough people who dig your work! best of luck from my side (and i want to see it in action, combined with a coffee maybe?
)
and i really didnt intend to come of naggy, which i probably did

it's funny, people who buy cheap stuff critisise the expensive gear and vice versa, in the end it doesnt matter, to each his own and the results count, nothing else (imo). to each his own, i'm sure there are enough people who dig your work! best of luck from my side (and i want to see it in action, combined with a coffee maybe?

soundcloud > https://tinyurl.com/y6jbowbh
--
nonetheless bandcamp > https://tinyurl.com/qrt5bjp
nonetheless soundcloud > https://tinyurl.com/yc98l8s5
--
racks > http://tinyurl.com/p4clpyp
--
nonetheless bandcamp > https://tinyurl.com/qrt5bjp
nonetheless soundcloud > https://tinyurl.com/yc98l8s5
--
racks > http://tinyurl.com/p4clpyp
much respect for the above.birdkid wrote:... also the fact that we're offering it over 50% Off MSRP, bypassing distribution (who have full support for this) and retail just to be able to give people who deserve, but cannot afford the MSRP tag a chance at quality.
Our keypoints that have crystalized over the last 4 years are:
- Make it sound amazing, make it an instrument.
Design it so that it can be used intuitively.
Design it as accessible and inclusive as possible.
Make it as affordable as possible without compromising the above points.

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- Common Wiggler
- Posts: 70
- Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2014 4:41 am
It would interesting to know what the developers see as accessible and intuitive regarding the design. At a 40% early adopters price it is something I would consider but as with the bateleur having the filter included stopped me from buying one. (not a shot at the filter, I just have too many of them).
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- Common Wiggler
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Dear Peripatitis,peripatitis wrote:It would interesting to know what the developers see as accessible and intuitive regarding the design. At a 40% early adopters price it is something I would consider but as with the bateleur having the filter included stopped me from buying one. (not a shot at the filter, I just have too many of them).
Some design rules I live by:
- Keep it simple.
Ornament is crime.
Legible signifiers.
S P A C E to breath.
Clear flow of functionality, read like a book - know by heart after repeated use.

The general idea is always, if the essentials sound good, there is in principle no need to *uck with too many outside parameters, if a sound needs 3 layers of additional stuff on top and 2 lfos to come alive, it's not good to begin with and never will be.
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youtube: http://youtube.com/c/birdkidsorg
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- Common Wiggler
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Maarten made it sing..MaartenV wrote:Getting to try out and demo the raven, it really sounds amazing, also as an owner of the bataleur, i must say, it sounds quiet different, even more expressive and musical, it has his own character (crunchy organic sounding) compared to other high end dual oscillators i played with, really worth it.
[video][/video]
https://soundcloud.com/birdkids/sets/ra ... ht-kytopia
https://soundcloud.com/birdkids/maarten-vos-x-raven
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youtube: http://youtube.com/c/birdkidsorg
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/birdkids/
youtube: http://youtube.com/c/birdkidsorg
i would love to hear more on how it's different sounding from the bateleur? i like the bateleur, but trying to figure out if i'd like this even better. i probably can't afford to own both ($$ & hp), but i could potentially sell the bateleur+expansion to fund a raven.MaartenV wrote:Getting to try out and demo the raven, it really sounds amazing, also as an owner of the bataleur, i must say, it sounds quiet different, even more expressive and musical, it has his own character (crunchy organic sounding) compared to other high end dual oscillators i played with, really worth it.