Elektron Sidstation (1999) MOS 6581 Synthesis

Hybrid analog-digital module synthesizer module based on the famous sound interface device IC MOS SID 6581 implemented on home computer Commodore 64

The SID was created by Bob Yannes who also projected the ENSONIQ MIRAGE sampler.

MODULE Main panel features a 2 x 16 display lines, a numeric pad keys for data entry, 4 assignable knobs (they do transmit Midi control changes) and a rotary encoder.

Back panel terminal connectors:
- audio out
- audio input for filter process
- Midi interface.



power supply is external PSU DC input a common 9V -)+ negative center 400 mA .

 

C64 FOREWORD the SID is a 28-pin DIP capsule audio chip was projected in 1982 for the American 8-bits computer Commodore 64, simply the biggest home computer sale in the world ever.
The famous chip is a mixture of digital and analogue technology with phase accumulated oscillators and analogue multimode NMOS filter.
REMAKE Elektron made a Midi desktop version for musician enclosing the mythical chip in a silver box with full sonic control featuring and a high speed bus access; original SID produces a high noise-level, but the new design isolates some of this using dedicated buses - anyway but be prepared to gate many background noises.

 

VOICE machine based subtractive synthesis generates 1 voice polyphony (3 osc per voice) in monomode or 3 voices in polymode (1 osc per voice). The Sidstation generates 3 oscillators (5 shapes: triangle, saw, mixed, noise, pulse variable width) with variable parameters:
- ringmodulator: an oscillator modulates the previous one e.g: 3>2 - 2>1 - 1>3
- pitch detune
- hardsynch
- transpose
- delay start
- PWM (variable width).

 

WAVESCAN special wave cycling mode for sweeping sequences a bit like Korg Wavestation.
You can define loop points composed by various steps (up to 32) each with assigned parameters:
OSC 1 / 2/ 3 selection, note, filter mode, filter cutoff and length.

PERFORMANCE machine offers some special playmodes:
- legato with adjustable time rate
- polymode play the oscillators in polyphonic way for chords, but they cannot be assigned to different Midi channels.

FILTER multimode resonant filter with cutoff range from 30 Hz to 12 kHz:
- lowpass at 2 poles
- bandpass at 1 pole
- highpass at 2 poles
- band reject at 1 pole
- mode all: activates all modes in the same time (weird).

ENVELOPE 4 EGs, 4 stages ADSR structure quantisized into 15 values:
- EG1 OSC1 amp
- EG2 OSC2 amp
- EG3 OSC3 amp
- EG4 VCF filter.

 

 

LFO up to 4 bipolar delayed assignable modulators with fade-in, variable depth and ABZ mode that change negative values into positive ones. All modulators are identical and features 7 shapes (tri / saw/ sqr/ ramp / rnd / S& H / flat output is set to a steady maximum value) in addition, 2 LFO can be combined for more complex waveforms. Here's the modulation matrix sumup:

Sources	Modwheel / pitchbend / velocity / aftertouch / Midi CC# / another LFO
Destinations:	cutoff / vibrato 1-2-3 / PWM 1-2-3
Retrigger mode:	yes
Sync mode:	yes, dividers from half note to hemidemisemiquaver

 

MIDI all parameters are Control Changes mapped, also full Sysex dump implementation.
ARPEGGIATOR each voice features an individual arpeggiator.
SYNC arpeggiators, lfo and osc delay can be master synched to internal clock, or slaved to Midi according to 6 time- dividers from half notevalueto hemidemisemiquaver.

 

MEMORY:
- 100 RAM patches
No ROM nor external card only computer Midi Sysex dump

 

 

SIDSTATION RELATED FAMILY:

	SIDSTATION NINJA EDITION (50 units produced )Special limited black Sidstation edition with black case, blue leds and a different soundset, but essentially this is the same machine -overpriced as "collector" item. GALLERY
	DIY SID PROJECTS: -SAMMICH SID a DIY project from midibox (picture for sammich) VIDEO -SIDBOX another DIY project by ucapps.de (pic by ucapps.de) VIDEO DEMO
	Commercial SID PROJECTS : -MODE MACHINE SID 8-Bit Desktop Synthesizer & Groove Box with emulated SID or slot for genuine SID VIDEO -Twisted electrons Therapdsid is a commercial SID clone with some controls (picture form twisted electrons) VIDEO Also MODE Machine SID based on sidewind + optional SID IC -HARDSID one of the first SID project on ISA, PCI and USB ports VIDEO

 

 

VST PLUGIN / SAMPLED VERSION there are some free and commercial samples set based on MOS Commodore 64 SID:

	name	price	demo
	-38911 bytes -Basic 65 -BLEEP	free VST plugin
	-QUADRA SID REFX -SIDIZER	Commercial VST
	ODO sample pack	hundreds of free commodore 64 samples	n/a

 

 

AUDIO DEMO

100% Sidstation mix demo various sounds part 1 various sounds part 2 elektron demo 1 elektron demo 2

Breakdown infoworld sillyloop space cake Knucklebusters theme * by Rob Hubbard

 

VIDEO CLIP SELECTION demo1 my demo Metasonix TM-

 

mimì the synthcat

 

SIDSTATION MANUAL

FACTORY SET SIDSTATION DOWNLOAD

SERVICE MANUAL

original brochure

My Personal
Commodore64
music remixes.