Multiple ring mods

[repoman]

what happens when you run multiple ring modulators each tuned to a note in a chord, like E, G# and B for a ring mod E?
What happens if you run twelve ring mods each tuned to a different note?

[Chankgeez]

[echorec]

I could do 7 ring mods.

OB-6 (RM x 2) + P~6 (RM x 2) > mixer > MF-102 > MF-102 > Randy's Revenge

[crochambeau]

Series, parallel, or some combination thereof?

In parallel I would imagine the frequency ratio of the "carrier chord" would be retained, so while each ring mod is going to output the sum & difference, those sums and differences will still be related to one another by the ratio of the carrier chord.

In series everything (in terms of original note legibility) goes to shit fairly quickly, so you'd probably end up with a whining honky noise.

Sounds like an incredibly fun experiment, I don't typically have enough ring mods on hand to experiment, but if I do I'll take a stab at it.

Actually, in thinking on it, I probably do have enough right now, but they are not like builds, so differences in circuit character may pollute the rendition.

[BetterOffShred]

I have a few Ring mods and tried two in series and it was bad. You could dial them to where it sort of sounded ok, but fundamentally like Crochambeau says it kind of layers up and is noise.

I've been planning on building a 3 circuit parallel box at some point, and it would be fun to run a few and tune them up for a chord, though It may be difficult to tune 3 carriers precisely.. and it would have to be to a key you've designed the tune to work with.. says I ...

[crochambeau]

though It may be difficult to tune 3 carriers precisely..

External carrier input plus multiple or multitimbral synthesizers in MIDI world is what I'm thinking, then you can sequence key changes or progressions without the nightmare of fiddlefucking with n times frequency knobs.

(I know, I'm making an awful lot of presumptions at the moment)

[repoman]

Series, parallel, or some combination thereof?

In parallel I would imagine the frequency ratio of the "carrier chord" would be retained, so while each ring mod is going to output the sum & difference, those sums and differences will still be related to one another by the ratio of the carrier chord.

In series everything (in terms of original note legibility) goes to shit fairly quickly, so you'd probably end up with a whining honky noise.

Sounds like an incredibly fun experiment, I don't typically have enough ring mods on hand to experiment, but if I do I'll take a stab at it.

Actually, in thinking on it, I probably do have enough right now, but they are not like builds, so differences in circuit character may pollute the rendition.

What about splitting the signal three ways to like 3 amps one note out of each amp

[crochambeau]

What about splitting the signal three ways to like 3 amps one note out of each amp

I think that would be reasonable if you have the hardware, sure.

Any way you slice it, the different signals are going to be mixed back together. Separate amps just shifts the mixing phase into the room and in the acoustic domain. Probably a LOT more positional node/antinode psychoacoustic mayhem doing it that way, where even temperature and humidity are going to play a part.