Pittsburgh Modular - Lopass Gate

The Pittsburgh Modular - Lopass Gate is an updated and more fine-tuned version of the lowpass gate concept, which was invented by Don Buchla. It uses a filter design that would be recognised from the Korg MS-20 and MS-10 synths.

PITTSBURGH MODULAR - LOPASS GATE (LPG)

Triple Mode Lopass Gate

The Pittsburgh Modular Lopass Gate module is a new take on a classic. The intention was not to clone but to reengineer and expand on the original circuit. The module includes an amazing new self-oscillating resonance circuit and a quieter vactrol based VCA circuit with true unity gain. Voltage control of the module is handled using an invertible, attenuated input and ping input. The ping input takes any gate or square wave and converts it into a very tight trigger used to ping the vactrol.

In lopass filter mode, frequency sweeps are warm and buttery and resonance is smooth and controlled until it gets near self oscillation. At this point the Pittsburgh Modular LPG module turns into a shouting beast. High resonance creates an edgier, shattered, more direct sound. It never loses control but is always teetering on the edge. Having both the smooth and snarling responses available creates a filter that is perfect for almost any situation.

In VCA mode, the manufacturers worked very hard to reduce the bleed associated with most lopass gate circuits without resorting to tricks like adding an a traditional VCA after the vactrol circuit. After considerable effort, the manufacturers succeeded in creating a vactrol based VCA that is identical or better in performance to the Pittsburgh Modular 2164 based Dual VCA module.

All the work the manufacturers did on the filter and VCA come together with the lopass gate mode. The buttery warmth of the filter teams with the best attributes of the vactrol based VCA to create an impressive take on the original lopass gate.

HISTORY AND THEORY BEHIND THE LOPASS GATE

The lopass gate module is unique in the way that it simulates the characteristics of natural instruments. When used in lopass gate mode, louder sounds contain more harmonic content and quieter sounds contain less harmonic content. This is not the case when using a standard VCA such as the Pittsburgh Modular Dual VCA module. A standard VCA simply changes the loudness of the sound without changing the harmonic content. There is no reason that synthesizers need to simulate how acoustic instruments function but because of how it affects the harmonic content of sound, a lowpass gate sounds more organic or natural compared to a standard filter/vca chain.

The circuitry behind the lopass gate has evolved over the years to include resonance and more complex modulation options but the ability to switch between voltage controlled amplifier, low pass filter, and a third mode which uses both the VCA and filter together remains at the core of the modules functionality. A lot of the characteristics associated with the lopass gate circuit come from the use of vactrols. A vactrol is an optoelectronic device consisting of an LED and light detector enclosed in a light tight package. The elements of the vactrol are optically coupled and electrically isolated from each other. When the LED within the vactrol turns on, the light detector reacts very quickly creating a very sharp attack, however, when the LED turns off, the light detector within the vactrol does not react as quickly and closes more slowly. That slow decay or ringing is the quality most associated with the lopass gate. Therefore, using a very short trigger to ping the vactrol will not result in a very short sound, instead the result is an organic percussive sound with an natural sounding decay.

The lopass gate uses a Sallen-Key filter. The Sallen-Key filter is a 2 pole 12db filter with a very buttery, natural sound. In addition to the lopass gate, the Sallen-Key filter was used as the core of Korg's classic MS-10 and MS-20 filters. Although the Korg filters are remembered for their biting growl, that has more to do with the resonance then with the filter itself.

LPG CONTROL DESCRIPTIONS

Frequency Control Knob: In filter mode, the frequency knob controls the center frequency of the filter. In VCA mode, the frequency knob controls the pass through signal level. In lopass gate mode, the frequency knob controls both the center frequency of the filter and the pass through signal level.

Resonance Control knob: In filter mode, the resonance knob controls the amount of resonance. In VCA mode and lopass gate mode, the resonance knob is not active.

Mode Switch: Switch between the 3 module modes. G position (up) enables VCA mode, B position (center) enables lopass gate mode, and L position (down) enables low pass filter mode.

Frequency CV Input Control Knob, CV Input, and Invert Switch: CV input controls. The CV input knob attenuates the incoming cv signal. Invert switch inverts the incoming CV signal.

Input Jack: Signal Input

Ping Jack: Gate or trigger input used to ping the vactrol and quickly modulate the frequency of the module.

Output Jack: Signal Output

Size: 8hp

Module depth with ribbon cable attached: 36.5mm

Power Usage: 30mA