30 days FREE DEMO PERIOD!

Polly O'Lowrey is inspired by the 'Marimba Repeat' function that was available on certain models of Lowrey electronic organs.

The most famous use of this function was in the 'synth sequencer' intro to Baba O'Riley by The Who.

The module works by splitting the POLY CV Pitch and Gate signals into two 'Banks' - A & B. Each key within an octave (from C to B) is split into Bank A or Bank B based on the setting of the bank select rocker switches on the right hand side - left for Bank A and right for Bank B. The default setting of the Bank Select rockers matches the hard-wired configuration of the Lowrey organs which featured Marimba Repeat:

Bank A = B, C, C#, F, F#, G

Bank B = D, Eb, E, Ab, A, Bb

All notes held in Bank A are triggered simultaneously by the first pulse of the internal or external clock. Then, all notes held in Bank B are triggered by the next pulse. This repeats for as long as the keys are held down.

The internal clock has a range of 30 BPM up to 160 BPM. The keys held in Bank A and B will sound alternately on every 1/32nd note, giving rise to that characteristic 'trilling' or 'ratcheting' sound. At faster rates, it sounds more like mandolin tremolo. Faster and slower rates than the internal clock can be achieved by connecting an LFO to the EXT CLK input jack.

The SET A and SET B jacks are logic level inputs which control how the module cycles between Bank A and Bank B:

SET A low, SET B low: output will cycle between Bank A and Bank B alternately, every clock pulse.

SET A high, SET B low: output Bank A only on every clock pulse.

SET A low, SET B high: output Bank B only on every clock pulse.

SET A high, SET B high: output currently selected Bank on every clock pulse without advancing to the alternate Bank.

This is new variation of the Baba O'Lowrey module, released in 2022. The original Baba O'Lowrey was a MIDI processing unit. Unfortunately, this meant that it was hard to get working in Voltage Modular "Nucleus" or "Ignite", and you pretty much required to own Voltage Modular "Core Edition" (which normally retails for around $100). I received many enquiries from potential customers who wanted to replicate the 'Marimba Repeat' function, but who were new to the world of Voltage Modular. It would be a bit much to expect them to buy multiple additional modules / bundles in order to utilise a $2 module! So, I decided to port the core functionality of Baba O'Lowrey, but make it operate on "POLY CV" signals rather than MIDI messages. This way, it can be used with VM Nucleus, and other free-of-charge third-party modules (such as Micro Stringer).

If you own the original Baba O'Lowrey (or the Dome Music Technologies Ultimate Collection), then you will also be able to download Polly O'Lowrey free-of-charge. Similarly, if you purchase Polly O'Lowrey, then you will also be able to download Baba O'Lowrey free-of-charge.