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Chaos Theory for Synthesizers

4-scroll attractor

A photo of a chaotic attractor from a circuit with three electronic integrators and two step-function nonlinearities. Each step function is responsible for a double scroll in the attractor. An accompanying sound clip was produced by a patch where the chaos circuit controlled several synthesizer parameters, while itself being repetitively pulsed as the integration rate was varied in steps from low to high and back.

Background:

Overview:
Introduction to chaos and to analog circuit implementation of chaotic systems.

Schematics:

EZ Chaos Circuit:
An easy-to-build but highly versatile chaos circuit analogous to the standard driven double-well oscillator.

The Jerkster:
This circuit calculates the chaotic oscillations of a third-order, or "jerk", differential equation.

Threshold/Gate/Trigger/Sample/Hold:
A circuitry for obtaining chaotic time sequences and discrete chaotic signals from continuous chaos oscillations.

Cyclic System:
A system of voltage-controlled damped integrators with individual nonlinear circuits that can be configured in a closed loop to produce various multiphase chaotic oscillations.

Chaotica:
A third-order chaotic system with extensive voltage control.

Traveling-Wave Chaos:
A system consisting of damped harmonic oscillator circuit coupled to a through-zero FM voltage-controlled oscillator circuit to simulate a traveling-wave driven response.


NOTICE: The circuit diagrams presented on this site are strictly for explanatory, instructional and experimental use. Actual construction of the circuits requires a significant knowledge of electronic circuit design and construction beyond what is presented here. The author, Ian Fritz, does not warrant operability, reliability, suitability or safety of any of the circuits. Anyone who constructs and/or uses these circuits accepts all responsibility for their operation and safety. All diagrams and photographs on this site are copyrighted, 1998-2011, by Ian Fritz, and may not be reproduced without written permission, with the exception that hard-copy printouts may be made for personal use.
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