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Getting Started with the Gated Comparator... It's a wonderfully versatile module, but nothing will happen without a clock input first... Try using a square edged waveform, most any pulse, or even your keyboard as a trigger source... Hey, try whatever is also gating that sample and hold of yours perhaps? The Comparator is all about looking at the input control voltage, or waveform, and then ~comparing ~ it to a reference voltage that is set by a combination of the Threshold Knob, or any control voltage present at the Threshold Input jack. So in addition to a clock pulse for drive, an input waveform or signal is required for analysis. (The Modcan Dual LFO 05A can conveniently provide both of these signals and more) Turning the Threshold knob while looking at the main amber LED in the upper left, one can sort of tune the Comparator to suit the particular input. Start out with this knob at twelve o'clock high for best results, and vary it ever so slightly to the right until you start seeing suitable results. Varying the incoming clock's speed yields a fascinating variety of results. In fact, try swapping the clock for the input every now and then, just to see what happens! The digital result of each comparison is naturally a one or a zero, a high or a low voltage which appears representing this result, at the first red output stage when the clock steps. Next clock cycle, Compare, high? or low?...Bing-The Result!
Each clock pulse shifts this decision down to the next numbered red Output Pulse jack, with the very latest comparison always available at the top right jack labeled "1". This process continues down the line with each clock pulse until reaching the end of the line - and getting tossed out the airlock so to speak... At each clock pulse, a snapshot in time of the eight outputs is seen as an eight-bit binary word by an internal D/A (Digital to Analog converter). The D/A uses this "word" to create a changing analog control voltage at the RM (Random Melody) Output jack. This creates wonderful little Martian melodies and somewhat whimsical musical patterns! Using it is like suddenly getting an oddly quantized, knobless sequencer or arpeggiator in your rig! The INV RM Outputs presents it's evil inverted twin, where there's lots of fun to be had in exploring the sibling rivalry between these two outputs - when the two are counter patched throughout your system. Try running the control voltage input through an attenuator and playing around with it. You can play different melodies by changing the control voltage and adjusting your attenuator and the threshold knob. Try plugging noise into it, or slow evolving waveforms. Another surprise, when clocked at high speed and presented with an audio signal at it's input, the Comparator acts as a very strange digital filter! The Gated Comparator can do so many things! Using this as a variable gate delay is simple, your input will de delayed to the output - by the speed of your incoming clock. If you like, set several envelope generators to fire from the different outputs, and clock slowly to allow one event to create a cascade of multiple events spread out over time... Cynthia
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