How do I tune my SH-101?

[vinyl_junkie]

If you want over priced I sold my TR-707 for 300GBP hahahah now I'm laughing

My friend got his 106 in 2003 for 300 quid another dude I know got his 60 at the same time for 250, guy I know in London picked his 303 up in the early 90's for 100 quid.
I paid 70 quid for my Juno 1 and that's all it's worth 100 tops, I love it don't get me wrong but any more money I would get another synth not a Juno1.

Yo' Micky you seen the new place I'm making tunes at





I get more done in my ghetto setup though lol

[The Elf]

If you want to tune your SH-101 yourself, you may be best advised to read the service notes, which you can find here:

But if it is in use with a MIDI/CV converter no amount of tuning of the 101 itself will help - it is the MIDI/CV device that needs tuning.

[Kola]

@ Elf

Just use your ears. Are all notes sharp, or do they go out further and further the higher/lower note you play? If the former it's just the tuning trimmer that's needed; if the latter you need to adjust the octave span.

The simplest way is just to play your 106 (create a 'vanilla' tuning patch - I have one at the highest patch memory on all my programmable synths) alongside the 101 (played via MIDI, obviously) and compare the tuning. I would start by using the tuning trimmer to get a perfect low C and then see if the span goes out as you play up the keyboard, changing the span if necessary. Keep going back and tuning that bottom C as your starting reference.

Im not sure my hearing could detect whether its the span or the notes.

I'm very familar with this process - I have to do it with my MiniMoog practically every time I use it!

Ever thought of ditching the Moog and getting a Studio Electronics SE-1?
SOS review 1994

Been thinking I could record a note direct from the 10 unplugged from the CV converter and record it to my pc. Then I could hook it all up again and play the same not and record that. Then play the recordings one after the other and if they sound different I will know if its the converter or the 101 that's out.

@ VCO - thanks for the info mate, appreciated

@ Vinyl Junkie - Yeah those prices are great but I can find superb prices even now. Theres a word for those though. Bargains. They dont really reflect the going rate. Mind I am not sue if the prices of Analogues through out dipped when virtual instruments became both capable and popular so that could explain 2003.

I knew a ton of people and still have a ton of 80's mags where 303's traded for 30 - 50 quid regular and 808 and 909's around 75 quid a piece.
But this is what I was saying about how the Junos price had stayed around the same by comparison when you originally said they were too expensive now.
Even if Junos have gone from 300 to 400 pounds thats a 25% increase in 25 years. A 303 sells now for around 1000 pounds and so has increased by at least 2000% which sort of pails the hundred quid fluctuation of the price of a Juno.

Nice looking studio mate, you won the lottery or something?

[The Elf]

Im not sure my hearing could detect whether its the span or the notes.

You don’t need to know by ear – the tuning process will tell you.

Just MIDI up your 106 and 101 and listen to both of them as you do your tuning – there’s no need to go messing around with recording anything – that’s just complicating the job. All you need is to be able to play a note on the 106 and hear both the 106 and the 101 play that note – that’s your starting position.

Play a low C and adjust the tune control on the MIDI/CV until the 101’s low C is in tune with the 106’s low C; that’s your starting position.

Now play up the keyboard – if the notes of the 101 gradually go more and more out of tune with the 106 then the span is out. If the span is out then adjust the span (volt-per-octave) control on the MIDI/CV box, re-tune the low C (i.e. tune the 101 to the 106) and play up the keyboard again. If it’s better then tweak the span again in the same direction as before; if it’s worse then tweak the span in the opposite direction. Just keep going around this cycle (re-tune low C, play up keyboard, adjust span) until you can play across the whole keyboard and the two are perfectly in tune. It really is a doddle!

Ever thought of ditching the Moog and getting a Studio Electronics SE-1?

Splutter! They would be selling sledges in hell before I parted with my MiniMoog! Noooooooo way!

[Kola]

Ok thanks mate Ill give that a try what you say.

Ok maybes not 'sell' the MM but you could get an SE-1 to go alongside it. No tuning issues and the same sound. I know it doesn't have the same appeal as owning the real deal.

[The Elf]

Ok maybes not 'sell' the MM but you could get an SE-1 to go alongside it. No tuning issues and the same sound. I know it doesn't have the same appeal as owning the real deal.

Tuning the Mini takes about 2 minutes (using pretty much the same routine as I've described above) - she ain't heavy, she's my brother... err, sister…

I’ve no real interest in an SE-1. I'd rather have the 'real deal' and cope with its idiosyncrasies. Same sound, hmmm… Any synth that has no tuning issues wouldn’t sound like my Mini!

[Voltage-Controlled-Oscillator]

If you want to tune your SH-101 yourself, you may be best advised to read the service notes, which you can find here:

But if it is in use with a MIDI/CV converter no amount of tuning of the 101 itself will help - it is the MIDI/CV device that needs tuning.

I didn't realize the 101 was being used with a midi-cv converter.

I assumed, incorrectly it seems, that the synthesizer itself had gone out of tune, hence I supplied a link to the service notes.

Anyway, if anyone needs the SH-101 service notes and did not have a readily available source, now they do.

Hope I have not disrupted the thread too much.

VCO.

[Kola]

Hey you haven't disrupted it at all mate. You were trying to help.

Threads on here have a habit of being found by someone via Google when they suffer the same prob years later, so Ill bet your info serves someone well at sometime.
Also me and Elf are only guessing its most likely the converter. It still may well be the 101 and you like will be perfect.

[vinyl_junkie]

Never played one of them Studio Electronics things but I would rather have a MIDI Moog...It's a real Mini Moog that has been made into a rack unit, I had the joy of using one last year and personaly I preffer it to the Voyager a lot more...

[ken long]

I was wanting the specs so thanks! It supports my notion of having to press a few buttons while powering up. Of course, I use a Kenton also. I can tell you the tuning is with the synth. I also play leads free of MIDI interfacing and it still has pitch issues. But hey! That's what the TUNING knob is for.

ken

[Kola]

Never played one of them Studio Electronics things but I would rather have a MIDI Moog...It's a real Mini Moog that has been made into a rack unit, I had the joy of using one last year and personaly I preffer it to the Voyager a lot more...

The MIDImoog was also one of 'them Studio Electronics things'

Like the MIDImoog before it the SE-1 is a real minimoog made under licence and all official. The SE-1 is the next step up from the MIDImoog.

Both were made by Studio Electronics.

[vinyl_junkie]

Forgot they were both SE but unlike the others which were built by SE the MIDI Moog or the one the guy had was a hacked and choped real model D mini moog inside..the boards were made by Moog..this was not popular as who on earth would chop up their Mini keyboard to have it rack mounted! I wouldn't for sure but he got it for a reasnoble price used..the oscilators were unstable as hell but then it needed a service

[The Elf]

Hope I have not disrupted the thread too much.

Not at all. That info will be a life-saver for somebody - much appreciated!

[The Elf]

I was wanting the specs so thanks! It supports my notion of having to press a few buttons while powering up. Of course, I use a Kenton also. I can tell you the tuning is with the synth. I also play leads free of MIDI interfacing and it still has pitch issues. But hey! That's what the TUNING knob is for.

Yep, when using a MIDI/CV converter the tuning on the instrument itself can act as an offset to the control voltage coming into the synth from the converter.

With my Mini, for instance. I have to make sure I hit the lowest key on the keyboard when using it over MIDI, because the keyboard voltage is added to incoming CV. The trick is to tune with the lowest key on the Moog selected, because that way you get the minimum of pitch drift as the thing warms up.

It all depends on the synth - my Pro-One ignores the keyboard totally whe using an external CV, but still allows you to tune it.

[Kola]

Anyhow VCO how can you disrupt a thread where we have covered............

+ A debate about me wanting DCOs on my 101 and getting ripped of everyone on the SOS forums
+ A photo of Vinyl Junkies Studio
+ The prices of Analogues and if there worth it or not
+ William Orbit
+ Elfs Jupiter
+ Hoover sounds
+ Old mags such as Future Music and SOS
+ Flight Cases vs Original Boxes on 2nd had synths
+ How kids should be called time zappers
+ Playing synths on club PA systems

I could go on and on and this is but one thread haha

Gotta say VCO, the vintage gear section of the SOS forum is such a cool place to go. No attitudes or immaturity, but still healthy debate and a top set of guys to turn to if your stuck or just want to talk vintage gear. We often all have different points of view but no one falls out and everyone accepts each other.

And also we excel at the ability to go of on tangents and cover all sorts of topics no matter how hard Elf tries to stick to the original point of the thread.

Obviously you have some experience of analogues so stick around on here VCO. I'm always glad to have another friend to ask my daily dumb questions too

[ken long]

who on earth would chop up their Mini keyboard to have it rack mounted!

Not rack-mounted, but I do like this chap's sawed off Juno 106:

http://nydell.se/projects/j106/



ken

[The Elf]

And also we excel at the ability to go of on tangents and cover all sorts of topics no matter how hard Elf tries to stick to the original point of the thread.

I drift in and out. My nurse says they're very pleased with me. That's good, cos I get a biscuit.

[nuromantix]

Did you get it sorted mate?

I've done it 6 or 7 times on my SH101 over the 20 years i've had it, it's really easy.
You just follow the instructions in that PDF someone posted earlier (the SH101 service notes).

You have to take the back off the 101. You need a little screwdriver and it's a lot quicker if you've got a digital guitar tuner or a multimeter with a frequency counter (so you don't have to rely on your ears!)
The first time you do it it takes half an hour, gets quicker with experience.

But before you mess with the 101 itself, make sure the problem is in the 101 and not in the MIDI/CV convertor.

Is the 101 out of tune when you play it from its own keyboard, or only when you play it from MIDI? If the problem is only via MIDI then the 101 doen't need tuning, the MIDI/CV box does. If the problem is there even using the 101's own keyboard then the problem is in the 101.

Let me know if you need more help.

[Kola]

Cheers Neuro. CV converter already mentioned on the other page mate but thanks anyhow.

Welcome to the forum ;}

[Voltage-Controlled-Oscillator]

@ Kola, Elf and Ken: Thanks, guys. I will surely be sticking around in the Vintage Forum.

- Hope you get the tuning issues sorted soon.

VCO.

[Kola]

Good to know mate, nice one.

@ Ken - That Juno is kinda cool. But I honestly think classics should be left as they are and preserved as no more will be made.

[The Elf]

Totally agree Kola. The guy I sold one of my MiniMoogs to ripped it to pieces to rackmount it. I nearly wept.