Jackelope

The jackelope is the first device to come from a ‘discussion in solder’ between Grant and myself on alternate conceptions of an envelope generator. At it’s core, the jackelope is 7 analog gates that open sequentially. The duration of the sweep across all 7 stages (time base) is CV controlled.

The proportional duration of each stage is set by a row of 7 sliders. The 7 gates have jacks as inputs to allow external signals in. They are DC coupled but the jackelope can be used as a ‘1 of 7’ audio mixer. I normalled a scheme of 5 sub-audio function generators to the 7 stages: stage 1 to a ramp generator, stages 2 & 4 to an LFO, stage 3 to another ramp generator, stages 5 & 7 to another LFO, and stage 6 to a free-running LFO.

All of these sources except stage 6 are synced to start with the input gate. There is also an auxiliary output that sums various of these sources into complex functions according to the combinations of a 3-bit binary buss counting up to 8.

The name ‘Jackelope’ (a mythical creature from way out west with the body of a jackrabbit and the horns of an antelope) alludes to this gadget’s hermaphrodite aspects. It’s neither an envelope nor a sequencer nor a mixer but has bits of all of them in its DNA.

For my part, I don’t care what conventions of nomenclature apply to it. I just know that it squirts evolving patterns of complex CV’s that far outstrip the capabilities of my original concept. Like it’s namesake, this critter can raise dust all the way to the horizon! Yee Haw!