HAMU - Rack Extensions
Rack Extensions for Propellerheads Reason
WELCOME TO THE HAMU WEB SITE OF
RACK EXTENSIONS FOR PROPELLERHEAD REASON
We love patch cables. The back plane of Reason is the place for creativity and magic. Our Rack Extensions is our humble contribution to empower all experimentalists with more flexibility and tools for the exploration of Sounds!
MatchMaker
MatchMaker is a CV interface, where you organize and label your CV connections.
Do you ever reuse any block of CV devices working together? Instead of having to remember - or investigating - where the ins and outs are of such blocks, you should use MatchMaker. Connect all important signals to MatchMaker and make useful notes there. To frame your block of devices nicely, put an MxSpliger at the bottom too, and collapse all devices in between.
Rejoice! You've made your first very own CV module!
BASIC FUNCTIONALITY
MatchMaker is both a labeler and a CV interface.
Interface between what? Well, wherever you feel a need to organize and connect separate sections of devices. The MatchMaker refers to External and Internal signals, but you may as well think in terms of 'above' and 'below'.
In addition to relaying CV signals between external and internal devices, MatchMaker has a level knob for each channel.
Notice that MatchMaker graphically fits as the top of the 'internal devices', with MxSplirger as the bottom. Copy the entire packet of devices to a new place/combinator/rack/song and you'll have all the required, expected and optional, thoroughly labled connections available all in one place.
When folded, however, the MatchMaker is as plain as any other Hamu device.
There are three rows of sockets in the rear panel, and the intention is to have each channel either as an input or an output of the module.
A showcase on how MatchMaker together with MxSplirger can form a frame around 'module' with a number of 'internal' devices:
And embedded in a combinator:
PARTS AND DETAILS
TWENTYFOUR LABELED I/O CONTROL VOLTAGE CHANNELS
There are 24 separate CV channels in the MatchMaker, each useful as either input (going down) or output (going up).
SOCKETS
Each channel has an external input, an internal input and an output. The basic idea of a channel is to use it as either input or output to the 'module' below, by using either the external or the internal input to feed the output.
In a fixed - or template - module, the socket available to connect to an external device is either the output, if this is not connected internally, or the external input when the out socket is connected internally. Of course user labels should be provided to support the understanding of each channel as an input or output channel.
Output levels are clamped between -2v and +2V.
LABELS
A plethora of labels is included, which in the end may actually be the most significant and important feature of the device. There's one very small label for each channel, intermediate sizes covering several channels each and - at the top - one larger bold font label to designate the entire package or module.
All labels are available for reading and writing on both front and rear panels.
LED INDICATORS
As usual with Hamu devices, there are small indicators showing where cables are connected.
The larger LEDs indicate the levels (-1V via 0V to +1V) of inputs (orange via dark to green) and outputs (purple via dark to blue).
Since release 1.1.1 there is an additional thin, wide LED for each channel. This is dark when no cable is attached, shining green when there is an internal input to the channel, and yellow when only the output socket is connected. The purpose is to indicate to the module user if this channel is an output from the module (green), or an input to the module (yellow).
In short: External cables should go to the socket with the same colour as the LED.
KNOBS
There's one level knob per channel, ranging from -2 to +2 times the input level. The knob affects both the internal and the external input, and if both are connected (not recommended, due to Mr Spock reasons) the input values are added. When neither external nor internal input cable is connected to the channel, the output will be set to a fixed voltage equalling the knob level.
Since release 1.2.0 there is an additional Scale knob to the very right. With this knob in the default 1.00 maximum position, levels are just as with previous releases. When set lower, this scale factor will reduce the levels on all channels.
OUT MODE SWITCH
This is also since release 1.2.0 and will affect the output level of channels which have no input connected:
Switch off is default, and will make give an output level according to the channel knob (and the global Scale).
Switch on, will turn off all such outputs (set to 0.00V) .
DOWNLOADS AND VIDEOS
MatchMaker
This video is simply a basic presentation of this Rack Extension.
There is no patch available to accompany this,
and so there is nothing to download.
Mingler Module
This video presents one 'CV Module' setup with three Minglers, combine the four CV sequencer outputs of a Mercury device
(a product from Quadelectra).
There is also a similar eight-to-one module solution using seven Minglers to combine two Mercuries into a single instrument.
Click on the links in the text above to download combinator patches.
CV Modules
This video briefly describes a quite complex setup , including lots of Hamu devices.
Should you happen to be one of the very few deeply interested users, you must check it out! Use this link to download the entire combinator patch of the video! =)