make-noise-telharmonic

Make Noise tELHARMONIC

Three-algorithm additive, noise, and phase mod harmony engine

14 HP Eurorack module

The tELHARMONIC is a multi-voice, multi-algorithm synthesizer module coded by Tom Erbe (Soundhack) offering three simultaneously available tone generation algorithms: Additive Harmonic synthesis (inspired by Thaddeus Cahill's Telharmonium), Noise synthesis (inspired by James Tenney's 1961 'Analog 1: Noise Study'), and Phase Modulation synthesis (inspired by 1980s commercial digital synthesis). Its left side provides voltage-controlled music theory — Tonic, Interval, Degree, and D-Gate — enabling patch-programmed chord progressions, scales, and melodies without manual performance or MIDI, while the right side sculpts timbre via Centroid, Flux, and H-Lock across all three simultaneously available audio outputs.

Features

  • Three simultaneously available audio outputs: Noise (N), Harmonic (H), and Phase Modulation (P)
  • 24-partial harmonic oscillator with H-Lock for additive synthesis preset building
  • Voltage-controlled music theory: quantized Degree, Interval voice spacing, Tonic transposition
  • D-Gate Track and Hold for Degree enables extracting melodies from non-melodic CV sources
  • Gate Output fires on every Degree change for synchronized envelope triggering
  • Meantone temperament for triad voicings with 1V/oct equal temperament transposition via Tonic
  • H-Lock button and CV input for locking individual harmonics at full amplitude
  • FM Input for linear frequency modulation of all three algorithms simultaneously
  • Color Sta visual indicator showing Interval and Degree state while pulsing at Tonic frequency
  • Hidden Spiratone mode: Shepard Tone generator accessed by holding H-Lock 5 seconds
  • Hidden 3-Voice Shift Register mode accessed by holding H-Lock 2 seconds
  • Phase Modulation Flux response is inverse to N and H Outputs

Controls & Jacks (27)

  • P Output— Three-voice phase modulation algorithm; 10Vpp
  • Interval— Sets pitch spacing of three Harmonic and Phase Mod voices; triads with inversions, fifths, unison, octaves, and continuous in-between tuning
  • Interval CV Input— Voice spacing control; 0-5V range
  • Flux— Unipolar combo knob; with no CV patched acts as panel control; controls timbre differently per algorithm: N focuses noise around fundamental
  • Tonic— Panel control for main pitch across 6 octaves; sets base frequency for Interval and Degree
  • Centroid— Modulates or selects harmonics for H Output; sets phase modulation ratio for P Output; has no effect on N Output
  • Degree CV Attenuator— Bi-polar attenuator for Degree CV Input
  • Centroid CV Attenuator— Bi-polar attenuator for Centroid CV Input
  • N Output— Single-voice noise algorithm; 8Vpp
  • FM Input— Linear frequency modulation for all algorithms; AC-coupled
  • H Output— Three-voice harmonic algorithm; 10Vpp
  • Centroid CV Input— Harmonic selection or phase mod ratio control; 0-8V range
  • Tonic CV Input— 1V/octave pitch control; 0-6V range
  • Degree CV Input— Quantized note selection; +/- 2V range
  • Flux CV Input— Timbre modulation control; 0-8V range
  • D-Gate Input— Track and hold gate for Degree; normalled high
  • Gate Output— 10V gate signal at each Degree change
  • H-Lock Input— Gate input to lock harmonics on
  • Gate— Visual indication of activity at Gate Output
  • H-Lock LED— LED brightness indicates number of harmonics locked on
  • Interval CV Attenuverter— Bi-polar attenuator for Interval CV Input
  • Degree 2— Quantized note selection relative to Tonic pitch; 7 possible values per octave for triads, 12 for other intervals; determines chord sonority
  • Degree 1— Bi-polar attenuator for Interval CV Input
  • Color Staff— Visual indicator that changes color to display state of Interval and Degree while pulsing to show Tonic frequency; for entertainment purpose
  • Degree CV Attenuverter— Bi-polar attenuator for Degree CV Input
  • Centroid CV Attenuverter— Bi-polar attenuator for Centroid CV Input
  • H-Lock— With Flux above 10%, locks selected harmonic at full amplitude; [HOLD] 1 second to clear all locked harmonics; [HOLD] 5 seconds to find Spir

How-To Guides

  • Drone with Sequential Harmonics
  • Additive Presets via Sequenced H-Lock
  • Diatonic Chord Progression
  • Parallel Techno Chords
  • Ascending and Descending Run
  • Solar Wind Chimes
  • Intelligent Bass with Phase Modulation
  • Colored Noise Texture Sculpting
  • 3-Voice Shift Register Chord Builder
  • Artificial Deceleration with Spiratone
  • Vibrato and Pitch Bend via FM Input

Explore the interactive tELHARMONIC panel on BleepDex — tap any control to learn what it does.

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