Pressure Points

Make Noise 20HP
SEQUENCER GATE UTILITY

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Four-stage touch-controlled voltage source. Each stage has three tuned voltages (X/Y/Z) and a pressure-sensitive copper touchplate that fires a gate and outputs pressure CV. Up to four units chain into an 8- or 16-stage controller.

Patch Ideas · 7

★ Tactile 4-note keyboard
Row Y → VCO V/Oct · Common Gate → envelope Trig · envelope → VCA CV · tune Y knobs to four pitches · press plates to play notes
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 5 modules and 5 connections. Modules: PRESSURE POINTS, VCO, Envelope, VCA, Output. Signals: 2 audio, 1 cv, 1 pitch, 1 gate.PRESSURE POINTSVCOEnvelopeVCAOutputRow Y: tune to 4 pitchesTuned Voltage Out Y1v/octCH 4 Gate / CombinedgateV/Oct1v/octOutaudioTriggateOutcvInaudioCVcvOutaudioInaudioaudiocvpitchgate
★ Preset patch-state recall
X/Y/Z rows become three CVs per preset · Common Pressure adds expressive layer per stage · pick a stage = recall three timbre/modulation values at once
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 4 connections. Modules: PRESSURE POINTS, Filter, VCO, VCA. Signals: 4 cv.PRESSURE POINTSFilterVCOVCARow X: cutoff per presetRow Y: resonance per presetRow Z: FM index per presetTuned Voltage Out XcvTuned Voltage Out YcvTuned Voltage Out ZcvCH 4 Pressure / CombinedcvCutoffcvResonancecvFMcvCVcv11. expressive touchcv
Toggle / latch switch
Two stages of one PP · stage A X knob full CW (+8V = ON) · stage B X knob full CCW (0V = OFF) · tap A to turn a destination on, tap B to turn off
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 2 modules and 1 connection. Modules: PRESSURE POINTS, Destination. Signals: 1 cv.PRESSURE POINTSDestinationStage 1 Row X: full CW (ON)Stage 2 Row X: full CCW (OFF)Tuned Voltage Out XcvGate/Mute Incv11. latched statecv
Pressure-modulated wavefolder
Common Pressure → DPO Fold attenuator full CW · Fold panel CCW · press harder to bloom harmonics from a clean sine
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 3 modules and 2 connections. Modules: PRESSURE POINTS, DPO, Output. Signals: 1 audio, 1 cv.PRESSURE POINTSDPOOutputCH 4 Pressure / CombinedcvFold CVcvSine OutaudioLaudioaudiocv
Morphagene splice picker
Common Gate → Morphagene Play · Row Y → Morphagene Organize · each stage selects a splice and fires playback with its own touch-triggered gate
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 3 modules and 3 connections. Modules: PRESSURE POINTS, Morphagene, Output. Signals: 1 audio, 1 cv, 1 gate.PRESSURE POINTSMorphageneOutputRow Y: tune to splice voltagesCH 4 Gate / CombinedgateTuned Voltage Out YcvPlaygateOrganize CVcvOut LaudioInaudioaudiocvgate
Bongo with damping
FM VCO → Optomix · Common Gate → Strike · stage 3 Gate → Damp via attenuator · touch 4 to strike, touch 3 to dampen
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 5 modules and 5 connections. Modules: PRESSURE POINTS, VCO, Optomix, LFO, Output. Signals: 2 audio, 1 cv, 2 gate.PRESSURE POINTSVCOOptomixLFOOutputCH 4 Gate / CombinedgateCH 3 Gate OutputgateLinear FMcvOutaudioInaudioStrikegateDampgateOutaudioSinecvInaudio11. 2-op FMaudiocvgate
★ Clocked 4-step sequencer (with BRAINS)
BRAINS attached · clock → BRAINS clock · reset → BRAINS reset · Row Y now acts as a 4-step pitch sequence, advanced by the clock
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 5 modules and 3 connections. Modules: PRESSURE POINTS, Clock, BRAINS, VCO, Envelope. Signals: 1 pitch, 1 gate, 1 clock.PRESSURE POINTSClockBRAINSVCOEnvelopeBRAINS expander attached (1PP mode): Row Y: step pitchesTuned Voltage Out Y1v/octCH 4 Gate / CombinedgateOutclkClockclkV/Oct1v/octTriggatepitchgateclock

Behaviors

Active-stage selection touch any plate

Touching a plate selects that stage. The X/Y/Z common outputs switch to display that stage's tuned voltages. Functions as an analog sequencer played by hand.

Pressure-sensitive CV variable finger pressure

Pressure output amplitude scales with flesh-to-copper contact area. Light fingertip tap produces a low CV; flat-finger press with force produces maximum. Per-stage outs are independent; CH 4 pressure is also a mix bus.

Combined Gate BUS CH 4 Gate unpatched

With nothing patched to CH 4 Gate, the jack carries a logical OR of all four stage gates. Stacking any gate output to a single gate input also sums gates.

Row X as gate source Row X knob full CW

Top row voltage range reaches +8V — high enough to trigger most gate inputs. Setting a stage's X knob full CW and another full CCW turns the stage selection into a toggled gate at the X output.

Chaining with CHAIN cable 10-pin CHAIN cable + jumper config

Up to four Pressure Points units chain into 8- or 16-stage controllers via rear headers. Master unit keeps Close 4 Master jumpers closed; slaves open them. Gate and Pressure busses extend across the entire chain.

BRAINS expander Make Noise BRAINS attached

BRAINS adds clock/reset/address CV inputs, turning the touchplates into a clockable 4- or 8-step sequencer. Maximum is two Pressure Points per BRAINS. Jumper on BRAINS selects 1PP or 2PP mode.

Digit Trimmer calibration dry skin / vertical install / weak response

Touchplate sensitivity varies with skin moisture, finger size, and orientation. Adjust internal trimmer CW to compensate for dry fingers or vertical racks; CCW for greater pressure-CV resolution at the cost of fast sliding between plates.

Controls

Per stage (4 knobs) Tuned Voltage Row X Top row of knobs. Sets Tuned Voltage X for each stage. Range extends higher than the other two rows, useful as a settable gate source.
0 to +8V
Per stage (4 knobs) Tuned Voltage Row Y Middle row of knobs. Sets Tuned Voltage Y for each stage. Typical range for 1V/oct pitch when calibrated.
0 to +5.5V
Per stage (4 knobs) Tuned Voltage Row Z Bottom row of knobs. Sets Tuned Voltage Z for each stage.
0 to +5.5V
Per stage Touch Plate 1–4 Copper finger-plates. Touching selects the Active Stage and generates gate plus pressure CV. Requires clean bare hands — the finger closes the circuit.
Resistive touch · dry/clean skin required
Global (internal) Digit Trimmer Internal trimmer pot for touchplate sensitivity. Accessed from the right side of the PCB with power off. More CW increases sensitivity for dry/small fingers or vertical installations.
Default: 40% CW · adjust with power OFF
Global (rear) Close 4 Master / EXPAND jumpers Rear headers configuring whether the unit is Master (rightmost in chain) or slave. Master has Close 4 Master closed; chained slaves leave them open. EXPAND headers also jumper for standalone use.
Master = closed · Chained slaves = open

I/O

OUT · 11

  • Tuned Voltage Out X 0 to +8V
    Unified output carrying the X voltage of whichever stage is currently Active.
  • Tuned Voltage Out Y 0 to +5.5V
    Unified output carrying the Y voltage of whichever stage is currently Active.
  • Tuned Voltage Out Z 0 to +5.5V
    Unified output carrying the Z voltage of whichever stage is currently Active.
  • CH 1 Pressure Output 0 to ~5V CV
    Pressure CV from stage 1. Amplitude proportional to finger contact area and force.
  • CH 1 Gate Output gate GATE
    Gate output for stage 1 while touchplate 1 is held.
  • CH 2 Pressure Output 0 to ~5V CV
    Pressure CV from stage 2.
  • CH 2 Gate Output gate GATE
    Gate output for stage 2 while touchplate 2 is held.
  • CH 3 Pressure Output 0 to ~5V CV
    Pressure CV from stage 3.
  • CH 3 Gate Output gate GATE
    Gate output for stage 3 while touchplate 3 is held.
  • CH 4 Pressure Out / Combined Pressure 0 to ~5V CV
    Pressure CV from stage 4. Normalized to the Combined Pressure BUS — when nothing else is patched into CH 4, this jack emits a mix of all four pressure signals.
    NORM → Combined Pressure BUS of all 4 stages
  • CH 4 Gate Out / Combined Gate gate GATE
    Gate output for stage 4. Normalized to the Combined Gate BUS — when nothing is patched, this jack emits a gate whenever any stage is touched.
    NORM → Combined Gate BUS of all 4 stages