Orgone Accumulator MK2: alternative firmware (also for v1 available).

[batchas]

As mentioned previously in this thread it's an experiment, using the Orgone Accumulator MK2 interface.
So the way functions are dispatched is weird, but it's the way it is, to be able to also control all parameters via CV and also mix voices.

Here is the alternative firmware for MK2 version: download .hex file for MK2.

Here's the manual (you'll need it!!!): open/download the PDF manual.

Here you see what it does. It's a playlist with 9 videos for now. Check the description of each video for details on what is shown:


Uploading the firmware on the Orgone is straightforward, but please be very cautious.
The firmware cannot harm the Orgone, but you can harm the Orgone by making a wrong manipulation. So you do it on your own risk.

A while ago I made a video about the upload process (in the video I'm saying something about the LED in the back of the Teensy. Ignore it. The LED should be lighten): watch the video, flashing the Teensy via USB.

I write here the important details:
Unplug your module from power.
Connect the Teensy to the USB on your computer and use the Teensy loader app to upload the .hex file the Teensy.
DO NOT POWER THE ORGONE.

The Teensy loader can be found here:
App for OS X: https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/loader_mac.html
App for Windows: https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/loader_win10.html
App for Linux: https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/loader_linux.html

To go back to the firmware which was installed on your Orgone MK2: Download the standard .hex file for Orgone MK2.

Here is a version of the firmware for the DIY v1 version of the Orgone Accumulator:
download .hex file for DIY v1.

And video which I hope will help finding the different functions:
Intro.
Demo.

EDIT: I'm updating the orginal post with the firmware + links to the hex files and manual.
This was the orginal post:
Here is a preview of the alternative firmware I’m writing for the Orgone Accumulator MK2.
It has nothing in common with the original firmware made by Neutron Sound installed on it. The original firmware is way more complex and IMO it makes the Orgone totally unique. It’s the reason why I wanted it in my BugBrand system and spent time building it.

So the goal with this alternative firmware is of course not to replace it. It won’t and it can’t, cause as said the original firmware is excellent.
I chose to do something totally different just for fun (masochism?), to have more different sounds in the BugBrand system and also because I wanted to know more about the Teensy Audio Library amd also the coding language used with Arduino.
It’s very simple as you know to upload the firmware as an HEX file via USB on the Teensy, so sharing it once it will be ready was also a part of the motivation. So I will make it open source and publish on Github once I played a bit with it.






More infos/details, more text:
First I was inspired by the Telharfauxnium, an alternative firmware running on the Radio Music and quickly I drifted and new ideas + wishes appeared during programming.

Here are a few excerpts from the very first 20 mins I spent with it, after uploading to the Orgone and before making the preview video two days later.
It’s done on the 3.5mm version, not the bananas version (so I was able to record out of the studio). It means I plugged only 1 CV source from Le Seq to only 1 parameter. And also sometimes a gate signal. But as you know, from the 18 potentiometers on the Orgone, 9 can be controlled via external CV, so there’s of course far more to explore!
The high-pitch noise tone (louder) which comes from time to time was a bug. I got rid of it now (see video).
What we hear is the direct audio output of the OA MK2. No overdub. If you hear mixing, it’s done on the Orgone.
Delay or reverb were added on a few snippets, so it’s obv. not a demo.

Check all snippets called „Scrotum Lab alt. firmware for OA MK2 - Additif [X]“ here:
batchas.bandcamp.com/album/scrotum-lab-orgone-accumulator-mk2

Some have an effect from the H9 added on top. Look under „about this track“ for more infos.

I’m listening to these snippets and thinking: „well… I added a lot of cross-modulation possibilities, but some true random functions would also be fun…“.
But all pots, switches, cv’s are already taken… so we’ll see!

I did not check what changes this alt. firmware would need to run on the first Orgone Accumulator derived from the Eurorack DIY project, but a few CV IN will be missing as the MK2 has more. So pins might not correspond. Worth checking with me if you want to upload it on a MK1 or a Eurorack Orgone.
I will maybe make it available for these, but not right now as it needs a lot of time invested.

I can't upload videos in better quality. Sorry about that.

EDIT: changing title for v1 version.

[deltaphoenix]

This sounds great, Robert! I recently picked up a second Radio Music thinking I would give Telharfauxnium a try. I too Really love the OA but I am going to have to give this a try! Thanks for being a masochist!

[batchas]

I played a bit this evening with it. Here a few sounds:
ADDITIF 1

Now some chaos an noise

Without effect or anything else than the output of the Orgone:
GRANULAR 1

GRANULAR 2

Here audio out of Orgone sent to COF filter:
GRANULAR 3

Here audio out of Orgone sent to COF filter + PT Delay. This one is weird!
GRANULAR 4

After coding during a week to make this alt. firmware and spending today an hour playing with the Orgone, I thought it would be fun to build a dedicated box with this kind of synthesis and different modulations. Even with an SD Card with samples for realtime wav manipulation etc etc.
So many possibilities…

I'm gonna make some minor changes to the firmware soon, cause details or ideas appeared during playing.
But first I'll make a break during a few days, too much in front of the screen does not do me good.
So many ideas, but I will limit myself, or this thing will never be finished.

[batchas]

First I was inspired by the Telharfauxnium, an alternative firmware running on the Radio Music and quickly I drifted and new ideas + wishes appeared during programming.

A firmware which adds 16 sinewaves together.

Check all snippets called „Scrotum Lab alt. firmware for OA MK2 - Additif [X]“ here

Hmm. The URL is embedded automatically but it will then go to the playlist and the first tracks are not the snippets made with this "Additif" alt. firmware. I should have made a new album extra for this. Shame it is not possible on Bandcamp to move the tracks to another/new album.
Anyway, I'm taking here the www. in front of the link away and you can go directly to the bandcamp page and sroll down to listen to the "Additif" tracks.
batchas.bandcamp.com/album/scrotum-lab-orgone-accumulator-mk2
And I'll do the same in the original post.

[Tajnost]

Sounds nice and maybe I’d like to try, but a little bit afraid to change anything after that bad story happened to my Orgone (still wondering why it happened ).

Anyway, do you think it should work with my early revision?

Nice experiments with programming! Congrats! Totally like the idea of separate Scrotum digi module with all that experimental noisy aproach.

[mome rath]

this is awesome; I have two orgones side-by-side and one definitely needs this firmware!

[batchas]

Sounds nice and maybe I’d like to try, but a little bit afraid to change anything after that bad story happened to my Orgone (still wondering why it happened ).

You have the Eurorack DIY version I adapted a few years back, not the MK2 which has a different circuit related to the Teensy. And the Teensy is also different (3.1 instead of 3.2.). The replacement I did send to you is 3.2, so we'll see if the problem ever happen again, which I hope will not.
Phisynth also fried a couple of years back the Teensy 3.1 on this DIY version of the Orgone and we never found out the reason, thinkng it might be related to power on (-15V), but not 100% sure.

The alt. firmware is not adapted to the DIY first version of the Orgone.
Better to finish first for the MK2 and see later to adapt.

[batchas]

this is awesome; I have two orgones side-by-side and one definitely needs this firmware!

I'll do my best to go forward with the explanations of how it works. Definitely needs a few video as it's very experimental.
I nearly finished the manual explaining where the functions are hidden (worse than menu diving, but again, "experimental").

[mome rath]

this is awesome; I have two orgones side-by-side and one definitely needs this firmware!

I'll do my best to go forward with the explanations of how it works. Definitely needs a few video as it's very experimental.
I nearly finished the manual explaining where the functions are hidden (worse than menu diving, but again, "experimental").

excited for this!

[batchas]

excited for this!

There's an interesting function I added


I'm on another project now, but I'll do the final vids in the next days and try to remove a few bugs before sharing.

[batchas]

And the first post updated with the link to the alternative firmware download and useful infos.

...

[batchas]

[mome rath]

[FetidEye]

ha! that granular noise demo's are really good !

I'll read into this and hope that you adapt it to v1 of the Orgone!

(or buy a new pcb&panel (if anywhere available)

[batchas]

I'll read into this and hope that you adapt it to v1 of the Orgone!

After reading your comment I installed it on v1, the DIY first version of the Orgone.
I still did not test CV ins and gate/envelope, will try tomorrow, but so far it works as well on v1.

The thing is that it's already complicated on the MK2 interface, but then even more on v1, having a few controls placed differently...
Here the differences:
https://batchas.com/scrotumLab/Orgone_A ... layout.png

On v1, ignore the A, B, C & Mod at the bottom of MK2. Means some parameters won't be controllable via CV.

I'll report back when I have tested CV ins on v1. MK2 was adapted to the -5V/0V/+5V expected on the BugBrand (10V range), while v1 is not, but it should be ok. To be continued...

[batchas]

OK I tested on v1. All good

It might be better to control via CV the frequency of WAVEFORM and WAVEFORM MOD instead of amplitude. For this I’d need to change the code, invert freq/amp pots and make a v1 version. We’ll see if it’s needed.

[batchas]

OK I tested on v1. All good (CVs, GATE etc)

It might be better to control via CV the frequency of WAVEFORM and WAVEFORM MOD instead of amplitude + GRANULAR parameters. For this I’d need to change the code, invert freq/amp pots and make a v1 version, means swapping A/B<->POS/EFFECT. We’ll see if it’s needed.

I'm uploading a video showing how the audio sources/effects are working on v1 (which pot & switch to activate).

EDIT: here's the video in question. I forgot to show GATE function, but it works too.

[FetidEye]

cool!

[MuadMusic]

OK I tested on v1. All good (CVs, GATE etc)

That's a lot of work! I have an OA and really like it. Some of the functionality is difficult to understand (e.g. Pulsar mode .. I've tried to read the paper referenced in the manual, but it's a lot of detail to digest in the abstract (vs playing around with an OA in that mode).

I suppose you started with the "code on github". That link is currently broken at http://neutron-sound.com/noa.html

Do you have another link to the code? Have you published your code?

[batchas]

I suppose you started with the "code on github". That link is currently broken at http://neutron-sound.com/noa.html

Do you have another link to the code? Have you published your code?

The KESAKO code is totally different. I started on a blank page. The goal was to learn more about the controls, the pins, the DAC etc.

I started with Radio Music, but the Orgone has way more controllers and I was too limited on the Radio Music with 2 pots and 1 switch and too many ideas.
I'll look at what I did for the RM once I finished my other project. I'm struggling with an issue on a circuit for now and I did this alt. firmware thing to not be all the time my head in troubleshooting. It's been months and I still did not find the solution.

As I mentionned, Neutron's code for the Orgone is far, far more advanced!
Mine is an experiment.
Only the additiv is coming from another code, from Radio Music alt. firmware "Telharfauxnium".

Neutron's code is here. It's now jackplugg, not Neutron Sound:
https://github.com/jakplugg/Orgone-accumulator

I'll publish my KESAKO code on Github once I cleaned it (all not necessary comments, french/german words, the reverb that I deactivated cause it's buggy for now etc etc)

[MuadMusic]

Thx for the info, esp the current link to the OA code.
This is a bit off topic, but have you looked at the electro-smith.com Daisy seed processor? It's very like the Teensy used in the OA, but with stereo high quality audio i/o.

[batchas]

This is a bit off topic, but have you looked at the electro-smith.com Daisy seed processor? It's very like the Teensy used in the OA, but with stereo high quality audio i/o.

Yes I saw it.
I wanted also to test the Teensy 4.1 that I received, but as I'm trying to finish a project using the Teensy 3.2, and as I'm pretty slow in the process, I am not able for now to look at other things. When I'll have time then something new, more powerful and "better" will come out

[batchas]

I'll read into this and hope that you adapt it to v1 of the Orgone!

Here is the adaptation for the first DIY Orgone Accumulator version (v1).
KESAKO alternative firmware for Orgone Accumulator DIY v1: Download here.

It's getting pretty complicated now for the user, cause the manual I did is based on MK2 and now I invert frequencies and amplitude on v1 (!) for more fun, so you can now control frequencies via CV and not amplitude.

I cannot promise I'll make a manual for v1. I'll try asap to make a video showing all functions and post from the city where there's good internet connection.
Next step will be to clean the code and then post to GIthub and offer it in the DIY part of the forum for DIY v1 users.

[batchas]

I cannot promise I'll make a manual for v1. I'll try asap to make a video showing all functions and post from the city where there's good internet connection.

Here's the video for DIY v1 version:
See updated first post in this thread for more infos.