Getting to Know Your Milton
by Les Mizzell

I got my Cyndustries version Milton not too long ago. This is a drop dead gorgeous module, and is quite amazing to boot! It's going to take quite awhile to explore all the possibilities. Click [here] for a picture of it installed in the top tier of my system.

First, this is an updated version from what's on the Cyndustries site. There's an added button to switch between Synchronous and Asynchronous modes. The Clock THRU jack output changes meaning when the Asynch button is activated. Normally, it reflects the incoming clock but allows the STOP/START buttons or logic inputs to control the throughput, but when ASYNCH is activated, the THRU jack will only show a clock output pulse when the incoming Control Voltage level crosses a 1/16th of the total CV input range threshold.

This is damned cool, because among other things you can use a CV to select the sequencer stage. For example, you could program a bunch of 4 note chords ­ each stage representing a chord, and then, using your keyboard or a joystick, select the stage/chord you want, all with a corresponding trigger when the selection is made.

The CV IN is the key to this thing being so great. It's pretty cool having the sequencer just running in forwards, but patch a slow morphing waveform into the CV jack and all sorts of wonderful things start to happen. With some careful tweaking you can get it to do cool stuff like step forward 5, back 4, forward another 5, back 4 again ­ all at the input clock rate. Sheesh!

Another area I've been exploring at this point is using it as a waveform generator. Plug in a pulse from a VCO running at audio frequencies and you've got a quad waveform generator that tracks the keyboard. Plug another CV into the CV IN jack, and there's all sorts or great noises to be had at the A,B,C,D outputs. I've hardly touched the surface of what I can do in this area. I'll post some audio files later as this is pretty fun stuff.

Build quality is great, as usual. Peter and Cynthia have done a great job. The "Damn I love blinking lights" factor rates extremely high as well and if I have a client coming over I always make sure it running just to catch their eye!

The one thing I haven't tried yet? Creating a simple Tangerine Dream sequenced bass line! I'm having too much fun with the weird stuff at the moment