Anyone here familiar with the old synth drums from early 80s pop and disco era? i want to build a circuit to reproduce that sound, i have a circuit for the VCO but i don't know how to get the voltage to control it once i trigger the input, i need to be able to have a voltage that starts off at 5V then slowly falls to zero after the VCO is triggered to get that falling beooow beooow sound as in the synth drums in the song love dont live here anymore by rose royce etc.

I simply have no idea where to start.

 

I found what i needed.

 

Are you willing to share what you found with the rest of us?? My recollection of that " old synth drums from early 80s pop and disco era " is that it sounded fairly bad" Of course, that is only my opinion. It was a distinct sound, that is true.

 

Are you willing to share what you found with the rest of us?? My recollection of that " old synth drums from early 80s pop and disco era " is that it sounded fairly bad. Of course, that is only my opinion. It was a distinct sound, that is true.

After a 3 day search i eventually stumbled across this circuit, it produces the same effect as on the record and is from 1983 or thereabouts, i plotted it out on veroboard but screwed up in several places so have to do it again...its a little complex for my current capability's but it's such a good sound i'll persist. The thing that is bothering me is the 9V 0V GND part but i'll get there.

The article is here:

https://davethompson.co.nz/syntom.htm

 

The thing that is bothering me is the 9V 0V GND part but i'll get there.

That's a virtual/pseudo ground at 1/2 the 9V battery voltage, which allows the circuit to carry AC signal polarities that normally go positive and negative around this "ground".
It avoids overwise requiring a plus and minus supply voltage.

 

Hello,

Do you like this project:
https://archive.org/details/eti-top-projects-vol-8/page/120/mode/1up

Bertus

 

Hello,

Do you like this project:
https://archive.org/details/eti-top-projects-vol-8/page/120/mode/1up

Bertus

That link brings back alot of memories from the 80's.

 

I certainly was not expecting that. In reality, I had never considered how a "Noise Gate" actually worked. The reference shows that it was more complex than that. I also now see why some folks hated the ssound. Certainly it is able to produce non-drumlike sounds with the same timing as an actual drum, a TOTALLY NEW SOUND.
The strobe-lite circuit was quite familiar, with a full-wave bridge right off the mains. No transformer, and NO ISOLATION from the mains.

 

Hello,

Do you like this project:
https://archive.org/details/eti-top-projects-vol-8/page/120/mode/1up

Bertus

Thanks Bertus for posting all these links about the 1970s and 1980s era electronics themed magazines.
In retrospect, it is evident that it was a golden era for electronics enthusiasts.
How do you find them??

 

Hello,

@schmitt trigger , there are some resources on the internet for old books and magazines.
I often use archive.org or worldradiohistory.com:
https://archive.org/details/electronicsmagazines
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Home-Book.htm

Bertus

 

I finally got my circuit working, the wife can't believe my excitement, she said "is that all it does" and laughed her head off.....she just doesn't understand the thrill of electronics.