I know there's a cult following for the Monotribe here, so I thought I would make a thread where I maintain various resources related to the Monotribe in the first post. Think of it as a one-stop shop for fans of this quirky little box, rather than having to wade through the old megathread about the Monotribe. Feel free to respond with anything I should add to the first post!



MIDI Mods:

• Altitude909's MIDI Mod - this is the best MIDI mod available in my opinion. It comes with extremely clear step-by-step instructions, is affordable, and is made by a fellow glearslut!
• Amazing Machines Miditribe I/O - one of the more popular MIDI mods available.
• USBTribe - a MIDI mod with a USB-only interface, if that's your kind of thing.

External Accessories

• beatnic.jp CV/Gate Breakout box for Monotribe - The TRRS wiring for the CV/Gate input is a little funky and generally requires modding an AV cable to be right. This is one option for a pre-made breakout box that provides conventional 3.5mm inputs for CV and Gate instead.
• Amazing Machines NastyMono - this is an external box that loops the headphone out back to the external in with a knob for controlling the level of feedback for a distortion effect.
• Touchprone MIDI clock to Sync Pulse Adapter - if you just want to sync the sequencer with MIDI clock, no need to do a full MIDI mod...just get one of these!
• J74 MTribe - PC/Mac MIDI control software for the Monotribe (requires MIDI mod). From the website: "Mtribe allows control of all Monotribe native MIDI parameters and adds new features such as filter tracking, tempo sync LFO, glide emulation, LFO auto-tuning, preset storage and parameter randomizers."

Overlays/Aesthetic Mods:

• Styleflip.com Monotribe V1 Overlay
• Styleflip.com Monotribe V2 Overlay
• TradeMarker Fat is the name of the monotribe font, in case you want to add additional labels to your overlay to indicate, for example, the in and out for your MIDI mod. There are various places you can buy the font, but you can probably also find it for free.
• ebay seller synths_and_wood has in the past sold custom wood end-cheek stands for the Monotribe. I don't see any listed currently, but you could contact him to possibly commission one.

Simple Audio Mods:

• De-click Mod - one of the most common complaints about the Monotribe is a very loud click at Gate On and Gate Off. This very simple mod dramatically reduces the clicks to a negligible level and requires just one capacitor.
• The Monotribe Mods Thread over at muffwiggler.com has discussion about tons of mods for various modder experience levels.
• gearslut monkeyxx's Monotribe mods: Synth Voice Mute, Synth/Drum Separate Outs, Noise Mute, De-click

Here's an example of using the TradeMarker Fat font to add custom labels to a Styleflip overlay design. I used the font to make the "IN-MIDI-OUT" label identifying the in/out of my MIDI-modded Monotribe. As you can see, it's a pretty seamless match with the other control labels!

Awesome resource!

Allow me to add this mod FOR TWO MONOTRIBES.
Take Headphones Out on #1 and feed it to Audio IN on #2 .
Then Feed Headphone Out on #2 to Audio IN on #1 .

A nice feedback loop!

Also, use ONE SHOT LFO, Set one to SAW, the other to triangle, with slightly varying "SPEED" settings.

Route the #1 to LEFT and #2 to RIGHT pan inputs on you mixing board.

When set right, you will get a resonance sweep from left to right to left.
EXPERIMENT!

Anyone reading this thread can feel free to click on my DIY blog in my signature below this post. I have a lot of Monotribe stuff in there, including a stripboard MIDI layout, de-clicking mod, noise mute mod, VCA mute mod, and it's all pretty straightforward and inexpensive to do.

Thanks guys!

@ monkeyxx - I added direct links to your mods in the first post

@ Zaphod Betamax - I couldn't think of a good way to add your feedback loop idea to the first post, but I'm glad it's posted in this thread! Can you also post your MS20-to-Monotribe CV range fix? I think that could be helpful here.

Monotribe CV attenuator for Monotribe.
I noticed I spelt Monotribe wrong back in the day!
I have successfully run 3 Monotribes off the attenuated CV!!!

Where's the best point on the Monotribe to access the CV to control the filter cutoff?

Sorry, I haven't looked into that.

Great thread. Finally an opportunity to ask what this guy does:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151238063766

Obviously I've read the description but I'm still none the wiser.

Allows you to use sync on Monotribe into the MIDI of other gear for time sync

here you can get a 2nd vco, among other things.
Monotribe Mods

Good find! I added a link for it to the first post.

Do you know for sure if Daren is still selling his mods? His last action on the blog was in June and his runs are usually pretty limited...


To all: I also have reorganized the first post a bit and added some info about wood end-cheek stands.

On the fence about getting one of these. What would the Monotribe offer me that the Monologue wouldn't?

Prior to the Monologue, there would have been more to list, but the Monologue appears to inherit much of the Monotribe's pedigree, which has me very excited for it. That said, I believe the following is all still unique to the Monotribe:

• CV/Gate input
• Sample + Hold mode for the LFO
• Combined VCO & VCF target for the LFO
• MS-10/20 LPF (the Monologue has a new filter design though it sounds similar to my ears in the demos)
• Though the sequencer is technically much more limited than the Monologue's, the combination of the ribbon controller, narrow and wide continuous range modes, gate time, flux mode, and sequencer quirks give it the ability to do things the Monologue won't really ever be able to do.
• The half-tempo setting allows the Monotribe to serve as a 1/2 clock divider between pieces of gear that use sync pulses for clock.
• The analog drum voices, obviously

A "just for fun" bump: Monotribe Cake!


(no idea what the story is behind it)

I stopped my Monotribe addiction at 4, but the crazy doctor had prescribed 6 for my madness!
The original theory was that each MS-20kit would power 3 Monotribes, but reality set in
and you can only practically power two Monotribes with stability over an attenuated CV from the MS-20xx!!!

So, 2 MTs per MS-20xx is a nice compromise, it would be interesting to see if I could find an active CV attenuator,
to see if stability...and reality..would kick back in!!!!

I did the de-click mod (4.7uF), and while I had it open I put a 2.2uF electrolytic capacitor between the snare decay solder point and ground. It made the snare more ringy.

This piece is the modified Monotribe played together with the Teenage Engineering PO-12 (all drums except for said snare and hats), with overdubbed Monotron warbles towards the end, and also an overdubbed Monotribe lead.

First four beats is the unprocessed snare (save for some master eq); from that on everything goes through a Minifooger Drive.

(transposition was done by assigning the (slowest, one-shot) square LFO to pitch, then marking points on a piece of sticky paper)

Testing out my tribes through a TC Electronics HOF.
I am impressed!

https://soundcloud.com/markpigott-1/...onotribe-blues

Hey people!
Here's a question that might not have an answer.
By default the Monotribe has High Note priority, just like the MS-20xx!
Any supersmart person know if you can hack the priority to Low?

Thanks

Three monotribe setup

Any every Monotribe you add in series will give you a theoretical 12db mode added onto the filter?

As long as 4 monotribes were
(a) in series
(b) each output feeds the input of the next
(c) each MT is active at the same time, note on trigger to each
you might end up with an interesting mess!

I tried to get individual outs for the drums....the tracking was too small for that mod so I gave up.

Anyone synced it with a sq1.....?

I've tried more variants of these TSSR cables, nearly every kind I could track down and order from anywhere, and every time all I can do is get Gate to the Monotribe. I can't seem to send pitch.

So is there a wire or a box someone has actually used and can recommend?
Cheers

I can get Gate In
But I haven't had any luck with Pitch

I've tried so many different TSSR cables and no joy.

I have gotten the SQ1 to send Gate at least.


Can anyone recommend a wire or box that they've personally used and know works?

1) Do you have OS2.1 installed?
Please download and read the guides in the zip, it has lots of useful info.

Version 2.1 | monotribe - ANALOGUE RIBBON STATION | KORG (USA)

Hi!

Yeah, I've got the newest firmware.
Just had issues with pitch. Assumed it was the cables.
Will try your tips from other thread!
Cheers!

The first post in this thread has a link under the "External Accessories" category to a CV/Gate breakout box that I've personally used.

Hello! I've had a fuss trying to get the TRRS cabling the work as well. This article helped me a lot - http://www.cablechick.com.au/blog/un...d-audio-jacks/

I bought a Y headset splitter and a TRRS AV cable. The cables I bought didn't work the pitch as well, and that's because they have the ground under the second ring while Korg expects CV there. I'm pretty sure the piece of the puzzle missing (besides wiring/soldering experience) is a CTIA to OMTP converter which M-to-F TRRS flips the sleeve and second ring to line up with Korg (thus it's bidirectional for cables). I ordered a Sony one, but its reviews were only marginally better than the other ones as far as sturdiness. I will report back, but I'm very hopeful!

edit: I have it working with this cabling - CTIA/OMTP adapter M/F > PC TRRS headset splitter (ext audio + mic) M/F > 2 TS M/M audio to Gate + mic to CV

ps - sony adapter is flimsy but tidy

I'm using the Keystep and these are my Midi Control Center settings - V/Oct output, C0 0V midi note, V-Trig 5V for Gate CV. Monotribe wants C4 and C5 to calibrate and I had to push the Oct+ button twice to lay them out on the Keystep's keys.

I hope this helps people looking for it - best wishes for working solutions

Has anyone fabbed up a DIY MIDI OUT for the Monotribe?
If so, where do you get the +5V as indicated in this schematic
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gameboygenius/6039056736/

This shows the MIDI out wiring, something I do not need
I want to build a CV to MIDI converter. MS20>Monotribe> Per4MER
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gameboygenius/6034837003/

Thanks