Manufacturer's description
A cellular automaton pattern generator that also functions as a MIDI to trigger converter.
Legendary mathematician John Horton Conway's "Game of Life" algorithm is generated and displayed on the 8x8 LED matrix, with the activity of the cells mapped to the outputs below.
The MIDI input can also be used to control 64 separate trigger outputs.
Overview
If you're not familiar with Conway's Game of Life, a brief explanation:
Imagine a grid of cells, each of which can be in two states, either alive or dead. A set of simple rules determine what happens to each cell, depending on the state of neighbouring cells.
For each step in time:
(1) Any live cell with fewer than two live neighbours dies, as if caused by underpopulation.
(2) Any live cell with two or three live neighbours lives on to the next generation.
(3) Any live cell with more than three live neighbours dies, as if by overpopulation.
(4) Any dead cell with exactly three live neighbours becomes a live cell, as if by reproduction.
The module makes use of these rules, applying them to an 8x8 grid of cells.
The generated patterns can then be used as an interesting source of triggers, which may be used to sequence drums, envelope generators, or any other modules with trigger or gate inputs.
After selecting a pseudo-random set of starting conditions for the cells, the simulation will run until the cells either die out, or end in a stable loop. If the cells die out or end in a stationary configuration, the simulation will reset with a new set of starting conditions. Loops can end up as the classic "glider" or "blinker", or more elaborate patterns.
Features and controls
MIDI IN: The module responds to notes ranging from C2 / note 36 to E7 / note 100.
CLOCK IN: By default the internal clock runs at 10Hz, but the clock input allows other sources to set the speed up to about 270Hz. After 270Hz things start getting weird, which of course is not necessarily a bad thing! Run it from any source of gates or triggers - LFO, VCO, or even audio for timing strangeness.
RESET: Clears the current loop and starts with a new set of cells. Also clears stuck MIDI notes if necessary.
MIDI / LIFE: Selects MIDI or Game of Life mode.
TRIGGERS / GATES: Sets active outputs to either trigger on every clock event, or to remain as a high gate signal as long as the cell is alive.
Technical details
- Width: 20HP
- Depth: 43.5mm behind 2mm thick panel
- Current @ +12V: Typically up to 80mA in GoL mode. Max 215mA if all 64 LEDs lit up via MIDI.
- Current @ -12V: 0mA
- Gate & trigger level: 8V
- Trigger length: 20 milliseconds
- Width: 20HP
- Depth: 43mm
- Power: 215 mA +12V / 0 mA -12V / 0 mA 5V
How much is my shipping?
Shipping costs are calculated automatically at checkout. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll see the available shipping options and their prices. VAT at the applicable rate for your country will also be displayed at checkout.
European Union orders:
- Standard shipping is free on orders over €100. Express shipping is available on orders over €100, and free on orders over €400.
Poland orders:
- Standard shipping is free on orders over 250 PLN. Express shipping is free on orders over 500 PLN.
What about local taxes?
By default prices on the site include sales tax at 20%. The precise sales tax rate for your country will be calculated at checkout.
Do you ship to my country?
We ship to all EU member states from our warehouse in Warsaw, Poland. Add an item to your cart and enter your country and postcode to see the available shipping options and prices for your location. If you have any questions about shipping to your country, drop us an email at info@signalsounds.eu and we'll be happy to help.
Shipping methods
All EU orders are shipped via UPS. We offer two service levels:
- UPS Standard – our default shipping option. Delivery times vary by country (see estimated delivery times below).
- UPS Express Saver – next business day delivery to most EU destinations.
Each product page shows the estimated delivery time for your location, so you'll always know what to expect before you order.
Estimated delivery times (Standard shipping)
The times below are estimates in working days from dispatch, based on UPS Standard service. Express Saver delivers by the next business day to most destinations.
| Country | Estimated delivery (working days) |
|---|---|
| Austria | 2–3 |
| Belgium | 2 |
| Bulgaria | 4–5 |
| Croatia | 2–4 |
| Cyprus | 10 |
| Czechia | 2–3 |
| Denmark | 3 |
| Estonia | 2–3 |
| Finland | 3–5 |
| France | 2–4 |
| Germany | 2 |
| Greece | 5–7 |
| Hungary | 2–3 |
| Ireland | 4–6 |
| Italy | 3–5 |
| Latvia | 2–3 |
| Lithuania | 1–2 |
| Luxembourg | 2 |
| Malta | 5–7 |
| Netherlands | 2 |
| Poland | 1–2 |
| Portugal | 4–5 |
| Romania | 3–4 |
| Slovakia | 2–3 |
| Slovenia | 2–3 |
| Spain | 4 |
| Sweden | 3–5 |
These times are estimates and are not guaranteed. Delivery may occasionally take a little longer due to customs processing, local conditions, or carrier delays.
Dispatch times
Orders placed before 15:00 CET (Central European Time) on a working day are normally dispatched the same day. Orders placed after 15:00 CET, or on weekends and public holidays, will be dispatched on the next working day.
If you have an urgent order, please email us at info@signalsounds.eu before placing your order and we'll do our best to accommodate you.
Pre-orders
If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.
If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch at info@signalsounds.eu if you have questions.
Product Overview
Manufacturer's description
A cellular automaton pattern generator that also functions as a MIDI to trigger converter.
Legendary mathematician John Horton Conway's "Game of Life" algorithm is generated and displayed on the 8x8 LED matrix, with the activity of the cells mapped to the outputs below.
The MIDI input can also be used to control 64 separate trigger outputs.
Overview
If you're not familiar with Conway's Game of Life, a brief explanation:
Imagine a grid of cells, each of which can be in two states, either alive or dead. A set of simple rules determine what happens to each cell, depending on the state of neighbouring cells.
For each step in time:
(1) Any live cell with fewer than two live neighbours dies, as if caused by underpopulation.
(2) Any live cell with two or three live neighbours lives on to the next generation.
(3) Any live cell with more than three live neighbours dies, as if by overpopulation.
(4) Any dead cell with exactly three live neighbours becomes a live cell, as if by reproduction.
The module makes use of these rules, applying them to an 8x8 grid of cells.
The generated patterns can then be used as an interesting source of triggers, which may be used to sequence drums, envelope generators, or any other modules with trigger or gate inputs.
After selecting a pseudo-random set of starting conditions for the cells, the simulation will run until the cells either die out, or end in a stable loop. If the cells die out or end in a stationary configuration, the simulation will reset with a new set of starting conditions. Loops can end up as the classic "glider" or "blinker", or more elaborate patterns.
Features and controls
MIDI IN: The module responds to notes ranging from C2 / note 36 to E7 / note 100.
CLOCK IN: By default the internal clock runs at 10Hz, but the clock input allows other sources to set the speed up to about 270Hz. After 270Hz things start getting weird, which of course is not necessarily a bad thing! Run it from any source of gates or triggers - LFO, VCO, or even audio for timing strangeness.
RESET: Clears the current loop and starts with a new set of cells. Also clears stuck MIDI notes if necessary.
MIDI / LIFE: Selects MIDI or Game of Life mode.
TRIGGERS / GATES: Sets active outputs to either trigger on every clock event, or to remain as a high gate signal as long as the cell is alive.
Technical details
- Width: 20HP
- Depth: 43.5mm behind 2mm thick panel
- Current @ +12V: Typically up to 80mA in GoL mode. Max 215mA if all 64 LEDs lit up via MIDI.
- Current @ -12V: 0mA
- Gate & trigger level: 8V
- Trigger length: 20 milliseconds
Technical Specs
Shipping Details
How much is my shipping?
Shipping costs are calculated automatically at checkout. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll see the available shipping options and their prices. VAT at the applicable rate for your country will also be displayed at checkout.
European Union orders:
- Standard shipping is free on orders over €100. Express shipping is available on orders over €100, and free on orders over €400.
Poland orders:
- Standard shipping is free on orders over 250 PLN. Express shipping is free on orders over 500 PLN.
What about local taxes?
By default prices on the site include sales tax at 20%. The precise sales tax rate for your country will be calculated at checkout.
Do you ship to my country?
We ship to all EU member states from our warehouse in Warsaw, Poland. Add an item to your cart and enter your country and postcode to see the available shipping options and prices for your location. If you have any questions about shipping to your country, drop us an email at info@signalsounds.eu and we'll be happy to help.
Shipping methods
All EU orders are shipped via UPS. We offer two service levels:
- UPS Standard – our default shipping option. Delivery times vary by country (see estimated delivery times below).
- UPS Express Saver – next business day delivery to most EU destinations.
Each product page shows the estimated delivery time for your location, so you'll always know what to expect before you order.
Estimated delivery times (Standard shipping)
The times below are estimates in working days from dispatch, based on UPS Standard service. Express Saver delivers by the next business day to most destinations.
| Country | Estimated delivery (working days) |
|---|---|
| Austria | 2–3 |
| Belgium | 2 |
| Bulgaria | 4–5 |
| Croatia | 2–4 |
| Cyprus | 10 |
| Czechia | 2–3 |
| Denmark | 3 |
| Estonia | 2–3 |
| Finland | 3–5 |
| France | 2–4 |
| Germany | 2 |
| Greece | 5–7 |
| Hungary | 2–3 |
| Ireland | 4–6 |
| Italy | 3–5 |
| Latvia | 2–3 |
| Lithuania | 1–2 |
| Luxembourg | 2 |
| Malta | 5–7 |
| Netherlands | 2 |
| Poland | 1–2 |
| Portugal | 4–5 |
| Romania | 3–4 |
| Slovakia | 2–3 |
| Slovenia | 2–3 |
| Spain | 4 |
| Sweden | 3–5 |
These times are estimates and are not guaranteed. Delivery may occasionally take a little longer due to customs processing, local conditions, or carrier delays.
Dispatch times
Orders placed before 15:00 CET (Central European Time) on a working day are normally dispatched the same day. Orders placed after 15:00 CET, or on weekends and public holidays, will be dispatched on the next working day.
If you have an urgent order, please email us at info@signalsounds.eu before placing your order and we'll do our best to accommodate you.
Pre-orders
If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.
If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch at info@signalsounds.eu if you have questions.
