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The Encore Frequency Shifter is a Synthesis Technology, MOTM compatible module designed to add to a growing array of high quality analog modular systems.
The Encore Electronics Frequency Shifter is a hybrid analog implementation of the sought-after frequency shifting effect. A RISC microprocessor is used to generate a highly stable quadrature oscillator which is then used with analog multipliers to generate the frequency shifting effect. The quadrature oscillator outputs are analog signals from the output of a DAC and the audio input signal is never digitized and stays entirely in the analog domain.
This unusual device will produce effects ranging from the subtle to the extreme. For example, by employing the simultaneous up and down shift outputs, the on-board feedback controls, and a slight amount of shift with the fine-shift control, a stunning stereo infinite phasing effect is possible. Small shifts with the fine shift control will also produce lush vibrato and rotating-speaker-like effects. Larger amounts of shift can result in unusual and often bizarre inharmonic modifications of an input signal that must be heard to be believed.
The frequency shifter can seriously warp any input signal, from keyboards to guitars to vocals to drum machines.
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The Encore Frequency Shifter features two frequency shift controls (coarse and fine), and is a through-zero design. The UP output will shift up when the coarse knob is greater than 12 o'clock, and will shift down when less than 12 o'clock.
It also features an input scaler capable of handling signals from line-level up to modular levels, two feedback controls for added sonic variety, and a CV input scaling control. It also has two controls to adjust the level of the quadrature oscillator's outputs. There are two inputs (one for audio signal and one for a frequency shift control voltage) and two outputs, one for up-shifted signal and one for down-shifted. The Encore Frequency Shifter is capable of continuous frequency shifting from 0.075Hz up to over 2000Hz. Carrier feedthrough is more than 50dB down with a properly scaled input signal; no companding is employed.
The frequency shifter operates by altering the frequencies of an input signal. The device shifts all frequency components of the input signal by an equal number of Hz. With this kind of shifting the harmonic relationships in the signal are not preserved. This is unlike a standard pitch shifter, which shifts all frequency components of an input signal by the same ratio, thus preserving the signal's harmonic intervals.
Demos!!
Finally we have available a few demos for you to hear this in operation. (the list will grow, so come back once in a while)
These first 4 were created by Robert Rich, and the last one is particularly impressive because no other filter resonance was used in it! Really!!
Up Down
Envelope -> CV Down
Shift Wah Bells
Sequencer Splat!
This next group was kindly provided by John Mitchell. The original rendition of Balinese Bach can be heard here.
Balinese Bach
Shifted Noise
Suspirations - 5 tracks of nothing but Frequency shifter!
These were created by Mike Marsh. The first one is an acoustic guitar processed with the FS set fairly slow.
GuitarFS
Truth Is Beauty
Mark Rachinsky offers us some very interesting patches showing the FS with minimal other modules.
TenEight Mono drum pattern feeding the FS. All changes are produced solely by the FS.
Insects The UEG is an oscillator and is sent to both the Input and CV In of the FS. Sine Out modulates the TCV.
PerfectStorm This uses only the MOTM-101 and the FS.
PhrygianBass This uses the FS in the feedback path of an MOTM-440 LPF. There is no filter resonance. A UEG driven by the clock output of a modified MOTM-101 sequences an MOTM-320 used as a VCO sent to filter IN1. The 101 clock is also used to trigger a single 800 EG, driving two VCA's and the 440 FM input. There is no other modulation.
The Down Out is sent to filter IN2 and one VCA, Up Out is sent to the other VCA. The output of the filter and each VCA were mixed down to stereo.
This is a well known German electronic group's song being processed by the frequency shifter. A lot of the slow moving stereo phasing effect can be heard.
Bendwerk - adjusting knobs while song plays...(approx 2 minutes) |