Klavis Flexshaper

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mdoudoroff
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Klavis Flexshaper

Post by mdoudoroff »

Another new intriguing module from Klavis:

Image
The Flexshaper is a highly versatile module when it comes to modify evolving voltages in other directions and levels.
Five settings allow you to fold/expand/clip/compress/invert partially or completely any CV or audio signal.
The module can act as an envelope-shaping tool, frequency multiplier, waveshaper, clipper, distortion, limiter, curve changer, and more.
Five CV inputs offer limitless control over the placement of the voltage points for dynamic signal sculpting.
Birth of the product
The idea of the Flexshaper comes from a feature in the Oberheim® Matrix synthesizers called Tracking Generator.
This signal processor was part of the modulation matrix and meant to be virtually inserted between modulation sources and destinations in order to change the shape of the controlling signal.
The Flexshaper applies the same concept using the same 5 shaping points. However, it goes beyond Oberheim’s implementation on two main aspects:

- It goes fast enough to process signals at full audio rate
- The 5 points are dynamically adjustable (CV) in real-time

Besides, the Flexshaper can process adequately bipolar and unipolar Eurorack signals, even changing them one another.

http://www.klavis.com/index.php/all-products/flexshaper

6 mA +12V
7 mA -12V
32 mA 5V
21 mm deep
The manual is already on-line on their site (link above). Quite a bit of CV control on that thing for a ~$150 module!

https://www.modulargrid.net/e/klavis-flexshaper
flies
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Post by flies »

seems to be similar to http://www.doepfer.de/a136.htm ?
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dubonaire
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Post by dubonaire »

flies wrote:seems to be similar to http://www.doepfer.de/a136.htm ?
Very similar except that it has a lot more CV control.
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deftinwulf
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Post by deftinwulf »

Just saw this pop up on modulargrid and was amazed to see it was already available for purchase. Without the drawn out marketing hype cycle we're so used to these days I questioned whether it was actually a new module or just something I had never noticed before. :lol:

Looks like a useful set of functions in 6hp! Adding to the wishlist...
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Post by Funky40 »

I would like to see a Video with scope shots,
and especially how good it can manipulate Envelopes !

also bending LFOs, the original vs. the bent one.
Can work wonders in musical context and can even be better than just phaseshifting one vs. the other. / imho
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Post by Paranormal Patroler »

It's definitely on my to-buy list. I recently got the Logica XT and I'm very excited about Klavis designs. This did bring to mind the a-136 but I like the extra points and the CV control.

I wonder if this can also by used as a VCA - granted a very weird one, but still.
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Post by Phitar »

I am SO screwed! Definitely heading into Klavis fanboy territory...

Got the Twin Waves and loved it so much that I started saving for another one.

Before I could get the 2nd TW I decided to get the Mixwitch instead and started saving again for the second Twin Waves.

Before I could get the 2nd TW I decided to get the Logica XT instead and started saving again for the second Twin Waves.

Before I could get the 2nd TW I decided to get the Caltrans instead and started saving again for the second Twin Waves.

Before I could get the 2nd TW I decided to get the Quadigy instead and started saving again for the second Twin Waves.

Now this!

Guess I'll never get the second Twin Waves... :despair:

To heck with it.... It's like Pokemon... gotta catch'em all! :mrgreen:
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Phitar
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Post by Phitar »

Funky40 wrote:I would like to see a Video with scope shots,
and especially how good it can manipulate Envelopes !

also bending LFOs, the original vs. the bent one.
Can work wonders in musical context and can even be better than just phaseshifting one vs. the other. / imho
Agree. Hopefully the upcoming "soon" video will show output on O-scope. Just read the manual and I'm sold either way but still would like to see video. The use case ideas in the manual are interesting.
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starthief
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Post by starthief »

This seems pretty clever, and I too look forward to some scope shots/video.

I feel like an input VCA/gain stage would have made it a little friendlier for audio... but then Via Scanner doesn't have an input VCA either, and tanh[3] doesn't have any CV control, so I'm used to it :)
cg_funk
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Post by cg_funk »

Wow, this is a fascinating module. Love the manuals, the diagrams are great!

This really needs a scope demo....

It seems to be like the gradient mapper tool in Photoshop, where you can map every color value to a different one- but for audio signals. Basically, it lets you re-map 5 points along a Saw wave to new target voltages.

They list a bunch of purely "academic" applications that try to explain how the module could be utilitarian in the manual:
Triangle->Sine conversion
Frequency Multiplication: 2X, 3X, 4X
Waveshaping - Saw>Triangle
Half Wave Rectification
Deriving a 2nd Melody from an input pitch sequence
Doubling a decay envelope for percussive effects

Yeah, I can imagine a lot of interesting ways to use this.

:hyper:
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Dragonaut
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Post by Dragonaut »

Super interesting for sure. Could make for some weird FM feedback loops at first thought.
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Post by Angroc »

Audio rate tracking generator!? Yes please! Love that the tracking points are CV controlled.
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Post by Zentek »

Phitar wrote:I am SO screwed! Definitely heading into Klavis fanboy territory...

Got the Twin Waves and loved it so much that I started saving for another one.

Before I could get the 2nd TW I decided to get the Mixwitch instead and started saving again for the second Twin Waves.

Before I could get the 2nd TW I decided to get the Logica XT instead and started saving again for the second Twin Waves.

Before I could get the 2nd TW I decided to get the Caltrans instead and started saving again for the second Twin Waves.

Before I could get the 2nd TW I decided to get the Quadigy instead and started saving again for the second Twin Waves.

Now this!

Guess I'll never get the second Twin Waves... :despair:

To heck with it.... It's like Pokemon... gotta catch'em all! :mrgreen:
How man! LOL to tears ! :lolsign:
Thanks for the good laugh.

More seriously, It is heartwarming to see all my designs being appreciated.
Thank you.

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desolationjones
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Post by desolationjones »

reminds me of this old gem:
[video]http://youtu.be/K-ml72uqEhM?t=63[/video]
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Post by vibralux »

I already have it. Really nice one. I am doing a video as I type this
so You can expect a review really soon.
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Post by ookrsia »

vibralux wrote:I already have it. Really nice one. I am doing a video as I type this
so You can expect a review really soon.
Great! Looking forward to it.

I really need a video on this to actually understand if it would be useful for me or not.
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Post by starthief »

The idea of individual segments under CV control seems promising. I'm imagining patching Filter 8's outputs to it... 8-)
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vibralux
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Re: Klavis Flexshaper

Post by vibralux »

Here goes the overview. Super useful stuff.
MY YT CHANNEL WITH MODULES REVIEWS:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3IgU2 ... hKH8ou7YTQ

MODULARS, ABLETON, MIXING. Stop reading manuals. Start making music.
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Re: Klavis Flexshaper

Post by starthief »

Nice. I think I'm going to have to get one of these.
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Re: Klavis Flexshaper

Post by pedroflute »

This is great!!! I've been waiting for this for long time!!! Yes, you can do something similar with -among others-- MI's FRAMES, Malekko's VOLTAGE BLOCK, or Anti Matter's BRAINSEED [though discontinued, & limited to 0-5V, exclusively!!], but NONE directly --& powerfully-- implemented as the FLEXSHAPER is... I could use four of these! Might have to sale some of my FRAMES!!! THIS IS BEYOND BRILLIANT!!
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starthief
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Re: Klavis Flexshaper

Post by starthief »

While nobody in the US seems to have Flexshaper in stock, Signal Sounds in Glasgow and Found Sound in Australia are selling them on Reverb. Hopefully I'll have one on the way soon -- I'm looking forward to seeing what it can do, both with and without CV :mrgreen:
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Re: Klavis Flexshaper

Post by Zentek »

starthief wrote: Tue Dec 31, 2019 3:38 pm While nobody in the US seems to have Flexshaper in stock, Signal Sounds in Glasgow and Found Sound in Australia are selling them on Reverb. Hopefully I'll have one on the way soon -- I'm looking forward to seeing what it can do, both with and without CV :mrgreen:
The shipment has left Europe.
Allow another couple of weeks for the goods to be delivered from the US warehouse to the retailers.
Thank you for your interest and your patience. :zen:

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starthief
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Re: Klavis Flexshaper

Post by starthief »

Mine just arrived :hyper:

First impression: very cool. :)

Setting the gain is crucial to getting it to process envelopes the way you want -- it will determine the ranges that take effect as well as, to some extent, the rate that each division is passed through. Maybe LEDs to show which stage is active would have helped visualize what's happening, but then that would increase current draw and cost too I'm sure. Using it with a dual-trace scope to compare input and output is definitely educational. At any rate, you can create some cool derived envelopes, and also modulate their shapes with some other source (like another envelope triggered by a division of the same trigger...)

It definitely spices up LFOs, especially when you start combining unsynced LFOs.

Interesting on audio, for clipping etc. but also just disrupting the shape. Running an envelope into one of the CV inputs gives it a little extra dynamic interest that doesn't sound like wavefolding. Of course you can control overdrive into it with a separate VCA, though an input VCA would have been a nice extra.

And you can patch it "backwards" -- nothing in the input but audio into a CV, or different audio into different CV inputs and an LFO or envelope into the main input to fade between them, in a distorted and weird sort of way.

Overall it's a very creative tool and I'm glad to have picked it up.
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Re: Klavis Flexshaper

Post by starthief »

Patching it "backwards" (e.g. audio into "Halfway") acts as a sort of bitcrusher. And if you patch one source into Halfway and one into the input, it sort of crossfades automatically based on the level of the input.

Self-patching it leads to all kinds of fun places too. :mrgreen: The more I play with this, the more impressed I am at the variety of things it does.

Here's a jam with it, using Filter 8 as an oscillator, Tallin VCA, Maths for modulation/rhythm. In the box is Valhalla Delay, E-Phonic XPressor and DDMF MagicDeathEye :)

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Updated Flexshaper user manual

Post by Zentek »

The Flexshaper manual is updated with recommendation to make the most of the module.
Download it here: Klavis Flexshaper manual V1.2
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