Bastl Instruments bitRanger Getting Started

XOR CONN 2 o + – LFO LFO CV I II A B HFO MODE UTILITY BELT VOLUME VCO RATE LEFT RIGHT ADVENTURE BITS MUX1 BIT8 BIT3 MUX2 /64 /32 /16 /8 /4 /2 /128 /256 /512 /1024 /2048 /4096 FREEZE BEND BEND BEND HARD VCO HFO HFO CV VERRIDE B E Y T SYNC SYNC IN OVERRIDE INSTRMNTS CASPER ELECTRONICS VCO CV 2 3 4 7 8 8 8 6 5 5 1 POWER jack and switch. A battery or wall power supply may be used to power the bitRanger. Plugging the supply into the power jack will disconnect the battery. Battery: Install a 9volt battery into the open battery compartment on the bottom of the unit. Power supply: Use a 9 or 12VDC 100mA (or more) negative ring supply. 2.1mm pin - 5.5mm barrel. 2 AUDIO Onboard speaker and stereo head- phone output. Plugging a cable into the headphone output will disconnect the speaker. 3 VCO (voltage controlled oscillator) knob. Audio tone generator. Turn the knob to change the pitch 9 VDC ON/OFF H E A D P H O N E O U T CASPER ELECTRONICS x BASTL INSTRUMENTS + _ 1 2

oscillator) knob. Master sync oscillator. Turn the knob to set master pitch. The VCO will sync to this pitch creating harmonic steps and wave shaping effects when adjusted. 5 MODE switches. Change the oscillator wave shape by setting both mode switches. AI. = simple tone BI. = complex tone AII. = noisy tone BII. = digital noise Each mode reacts differently to the master sync oscillator and the data modulation setting. 6 DATA MODULATION switch. Apply the LFO to a wave shape processor. Speed of modulation is set with the LFO and CLK OUT switch (On right side panel). The effect differs in each mode. AI. = pitch modulation BI. = wave shape inversion AII. = slight wave shape randomization BII. = noise randomization 7 LFO (low frequency oscillator) knob. Controls the rate of sound modulation when the data mod switch is on (and more...discussed later). The LFO range is set with the LFO RATE switch. 8 BEND sockets [input/output]. Plug light sensors (included) into any of the bend sockets to control each oscillator with light. Plug in other stuff. See what happens. TECH NOTE Each oscillator is based on a common schmitt trigger (inverter), resistor, capacitor architecture. The bend socket is connected to the input and output of the schmitt trigger. Connecting resistors(like the LDR) to these points will change the pitch of the oscillators. Lots of other effects can be achieved by connecting other components and signals to these sockets. bend socket I / 0 resistor schmitt trig. capacitor

XOR CONN 2 o + – LFO LFO CV I II A B HFO MODE UTILITY BELT VOLUME VCO RATE LEFT RIGHT ADVENTURE BITS MUX1 BIT8 BIT3 MUX2 /64 /32 /16 /8 /4 /2 /128 /256 /512 /1024 /2048 /4096 FREEZE BEND BEND BEND HARD VCO HFO HFO CV VERRIDE B E Y T SYNC SYNC IN OVERRIDE INSTRMNTS CASPER ELECTRONICS VCO CV 3 3 2 1 Patch outlined sockets into non-outlined sockets to create sequences and other audio hijinks. outline = output no outline = input dashed line = input or output 1 DIVIDER BITS [outputs] The divider sockets output 12 clocks of different speeds which are subdivisions of the LFO. These outputs can be patched to any of the input sockets to create sequenced patterns. LFO /2 /4 reset position /8 /16 etc BIT PATCHING

experience. • Play with the oscillator pitch and range settings. • Plug multiple divisions into the same input socket. • If nothing crazy is happening, plug in more cables. • Keep plugging in cables! &TRICKS • Build the example patch on the left and patch a bit from the adventure bits section into the center VCO CV input socket. 2 RESET button Resets all of the divider output clocks. 3 MUX1&2 (multiplexer) [inputs] Wave shape and pitch modulation. Each Mux has 4 inputs: A, B, C and INH (inhibit=mute). Patching a square wave (divider bit outputs etc) to any of these inputs will create changes to the wave shape of the audio oscillator and sends two different versions of that signal to the left and right outputs of the headphone jack. The effect varies from subtle to extreme depending on the MODE setting. MUX2 (right) MUX1 (left)

XOR CONN 2 o + – LFO LFO CV I II A B HFO MODE UTILITY BELT VOLUME VCO RATE LEFT RIGHT ADVENTURE BITS MUX1 BIT8 BIT3 MUX2 /64 /32 /16 /8 /4 /2 /128 /256 /512 /1024 /2048 /4096 FREEZE BEND BEND BEND HARD VCO HFO HFO CV VERRIDE B E Y T SYNC SYNC IN OVERRIDE INSTRMNTS CASPER ELECTRONICS VCO CV 2 1 1 1 Use the bits as voltage sources to control the frequency of the three voltage controlled oscillators. 1 CV (control voltage) [inputs] The inputs in each of these sockets are “weighted” from left to right, meaning that the left most input (per socket) has the weakest effect while the rightmost has the strongest. LFO: Change the rate of the LFO. Higher voltage = higher rate. Works best with low frequency signals (such as /64 and up from the divider bit section). VCO: Change the pitch of the VCO. Higher voltage = higher pitch. This is a slewed input meaning that changes to the pitch will be gradual. CV PATCHING cv input pitch change

Higher voltage = lower pitch. The depth of pitch modulation depends partly on the initial setting of the HFO pitch knob. For instance the depth will be much greater when the knob is in the middle than it is when all the way up or down. 2 BYTE sockets [inputs] and switch Plug multiple bits into the BYTE sockets to create stepped voltages that can then be applied to the VCO (via the BYTE switch)and/or the CV output jack (right side panel) to control external equipment. The BYTE switch turns BYTE CV modulation of the VCO on(up) and off(down). TIPS • Try the example patch pictured to the left. Insert jumpers one at a time to get an idea how they work. • Use the longer divisions (/128 and up) to create patterns that change over long periods of time. • Patch the 4 cables (as shown) into the BYTE socket to get a ramped arpeggio like the one shown in the drawing below. Switch the bits around to get different patterns. • The BYTE input jacks can also work as outputs when you have several TECH NOTE The byte section is a standard R2R digital to analog converter. When multiple bits are fed into the R2R you get a stepped voltage at the output. bits connected. Patch a cable into any available spot in the BYTE section and connect to the different oscillator CV input sockets or the BEND sockets. • The left terminal of each BEND socket functions as a crude pitch CV input. The results are unpredictable but can be very effective in different scenarios. &TRICKS • Patch /32 to MUX1 INH and /4 to MUX2 INH. • Connect the MUX1&MUX2 output sockets from the adventure bits section into the VCO CV and LFO CV inputs. • Patch more cables from the divider bits to the MUX and CV inputs and observe the changes in the sound and behavior. /2 to “E” input /4 to “T” input /8 to “Y” input Output voltage

XOR CONN 2 o + – LFO LFO CV I II A B HFO MODE UTILITY BELT VOLUME VCO RATE LEFT RIGHT ADVENTURE BITS MUX1 BIT8 BIT3 MUX2 /64 /32 /16 /8 /4 /2 /128 /256 /512 /1024 /2048 /4096 FREEZE BEND BEND BEND HARD VCO HFO HFO CV VERRIDE B E Y T SYNC SYNC IN OVERRIDE INSTRMNTS CASPER ELECTRONICS VCO CV 2 1 Patching techniques for the adventurous user. These features are most effective when integrated into complex patches that incorporate the MUX1&2 sections and CV sockets. LFO SYNC sockets [inputs] LFO Hard sync resets the LFO cycle when it receives a positive signal. This works well with the DATA output (2) and ADVENTURE BITS (3). Read section 3 below before using the adventure bits. LFO Freeze holds the LFO low when it receives a positive signal. This is intended primarily for use with external signals. Because the signal causes the LFO to freeze it is very likely that patching a signal from within the bitRanger will cause the whole circuit to freeze and make no sound. 2 DATA socket [output] This socket outputs a combination of the two MUX outputs as a stepped voltage which is fed to the data input of a shift register which is then processed through MUX 1&2. This can be used as a CV source for external equipment or as a complex modulation source when patched into the oscillator CV and SYNC inputs. 3 4 5 ADV. PATCHING

1 CLK OUT (clock out) jack and switch Connect the CLK OUT jack to the clock input of any drum machine with a clock input such as the Korg VolcaBeats or Teenage Engineering PO12. The LFO sets the clock speed. The CLK OUT switch sets if the clock is divided by 2 or 32. 2 CLK OUT OVERRIDE socket [input] Bits patched to this socket override the setting of the CLK OUT switch and are routed directly to the CLK OUT jack. This is useful if you wish to clock external devices with a division other than /2 or /32. TIPS for MASTER • Plug several bits from the divider section into the clk out override socket to get uneven clock patterns. • You will often get the best results if the CLK OUT switch is set to /2 when the LFO rate is LOW and /64 when the LFO rate is HIGH. DIVIDER BITS DATA MUX1 MUX2 CLK A A B B INH INH C C CONN 1 RESET CLK OUT O XOR CONN 2 o + – LFO LFO CV I II A B HFO MODE UTILITY BELT VOLUME VCO RATE LEFT RIGHT ADVENTURE BITS MUX1 BIT8 BIT3 MUX2 /64 /32 /16 /8 /4 /2 /128 /256 /512 /1024 /2048 /4096 FREEZE BEND BEND BEND HARD VCO HFO HFO CV VERRIDE B E Y T SYNC SYNC IN OVERRIDE INSTRMNTS CASPER ELECTRONICS VCO CV 2 BYTE CV OUT CONN2 CLK OUT /32 /2 1

/CONN2 VCO CV IN /CONN1 B Y T E VCO CV HFO CV /40 RES reset button SYNC FREEZE in

BEND BEND BEND HIGH LOW amp headphone out LEFT RIGHT DATA out DATA mod /2 /32 CLK OUT MODE A B I II MUX 1 MUX 2 MUX1 MUX2 clk in clk in data in BIT 3 OVERRIDE /2 /4 /8 /16 /32 /64 /128 /256 /512 /1024 /2048 /4096 RESET reset button ancient data cave ADVENTURE BITS DIVIDER BITS OVERRIDE VOLUME inh a b c inh a b c BIT 5

XOR CONN 2 o + – LFO LFO CV I II A B HFO MODE UTILITY BELT VOLUME VCO RATE LEFT RIGHT ADVENTURE BITS MUX1 BIT8 BIT3 MUX2 /64 /32 /16 /8 /4 /2 /128 /256 /512 /1024 /2048 /4096 FREEZE BEND BEND BEND HARD VCO HFO HFO CV VERRIDE B E Y T SYNC SYNC IN OVERRIDE INSTRMNTS CASPER ELECTRONICS VCO CV DIVIDER BITS DATA MUX1 MUX2 CLK A A B B INH INH C C CONN 1 RESET CLK OUT O XOR CONN 2 o + – LFO LFO CV I II A B HFO MODE UTILITY BELT VOLUME VCO RATE LEFT RIGHT ADVENTURE BITS MUX1 BIT8 BIT3 MUX2 /64 /32 /16 /8 /4 /2 /128 /256 /512 /1024 /2048 /4096 FREEZE BEND BEND BEND HARD VCO HFO HFO CV VERRIDE B E Y T SYNC SYNC IN OVERRIDE INSTRMNTS CASPER ELECTRONICS VCO CV PATCH

XOR CONN 2 o + – LFO LFO CV I II A B HFO MODE UTILITY BELT VOLUME VCO RATE LEFT RIGHT ADVENTURE BITS MUX1 BIT8 BIT3 MUX2 /64 /32 /16 /8 /4 /2 /128 /256 /512 /1024 /2048 /4096 FREEZE BEND BEND BEND HARD VCO HFO HFO CV VERRIDE B E Y T SYNC SYNC IN OVERRIDE INSTRMNTS CASPER ELECTRONICS VCO CV DIVIDER BITS DATA MUX1 MUX2 CLK A A B B INH INH C C CONN 1 RESET CLK OUT O XOR CONN 2 o + – LFO LFO CV I II A B HFO MODE UTILITY BELT VOLUME VCO RATE LEFT RIGHT ADVENTURE BITS MUX1 BIT8 BIT3 MUX2 /64 /32 /16 /8 /4 /2 /128 /256 /512 /1024 /2048 /4096 FREEZE BEND BEND BEND HARD VCO HFO HFO CV VERRIDE B E Y T SYNC SYNC IN OVERRIDE INSTRMNTS CASPER ELECTRONICS VCO CV TEMPLATES

modulation • VCO oscillator is synced to the HFO oscillator • 4 modes of operation selectable by 2 switches • built in speaker with volume control • 9V DC center positive power supply input • 9V battery compartment from the bottom • <20mA power draw on headphones, <60mA with speaker (minimum 20 hours on battery) • On /Off switch • expansion connector • package includes 3 photo resistors – make your oscillators respond to light by plugging these into the Bend socket PATCHBAY • 118 jumper cable patch points • each oscillator has 3 differently slewed CV inputs, sync inputs, rate knob and bend points • Divider Bits section – use clocks at different speed to create patterns • Adventure Bits section adds irregular rhythmical elements • MUX 1 and MUX 2 input sections to modulate data loops and waveforms • stereophonic output from MUX 1 and MUX2 sections • BYTE CV section is R2R DAC converter which takes bits and converts them to CV • DATA modulation section switch adds more flavor • Utility Belt section adds advanced features • Left and Right audio override section EXTERNAL CONNECTIVITY • 3.5mm stereophonic headphone output • Clock Input to sync the LFO oscillator • Clock Output with selectable LFO division (2 or 32) • CV Output from the BYTE DAC section • CV Input for the VCO • CV In and CV Out connectors can be routed to dedicated patch points on the patchbay ABOUT RANGER

a patchable analog logic computer which sculpts sonic worlds ranging from data noise to melodic arpeggios. Extensive connectivity makes it so flexible that it can connect to almost anything: CV control its unique sound, sync it with drum machines and sequencers or use it as an algorithmic CV/GATE pattern generator. THE BITRANGER