This week's patch shows how you can use the Gemini 2412 VCF (otherwise a twin or 2 filters) to create stereo panning effects, by using an LFO and 2 VCAs. It's easy to create stereo amplification or panning of a sound just by using a pair of VCAs in the same manner as detailed in this video, or just in post-processing, but where's the fun in that?? Actually filtering and shaping the sound in stereo, using two filters that can have completely unique settings, is much more sonically interesting, and offers a huge range of sound possibilities.

The Gemini 2412 is perfect for this kind of usage, as in addition to providing 2 completely independent SEM-style VCFs, it also has a very flexible mixer section allowing the two filters to be used and controlled together, in parallel or in series. With Low Pass, Band Pass, High Pass, and variable Lowpass-Highpass filtering modes, all selectable by a switch, and with individual outputs for LP, BP and HP - it provides almost limitless tone-shaping possibilities.

In the age of fifteen Sebastian Niessen had a first modular synth and - his very last passion was exactly this: a "perfect" own modular system. It was existing in hardware already but most probably it will never be finished anymore.

Born in the earlier German capital Bonn he moved to Brussels, became a sound engineer, studied, lived in NYC for a while and came back later on to live in Munich for the rest of his life.

Mostly busy in design works, electronics and repairs he was always a hardliner declaring good synthesizers and studio electronics should electronics should be something for established musicians only but nothing for the masses! His "specials" in custom design and consulting generated a quite prominent list of clients, where Kraftwerk is just one example. 

Two releases as a musician on different Samplers called "Blimp" and "Während der Arbeit" could have been found, no relation to his collection of road compatible instruments as seen in his apartment and workspace in Munich, ready to go.

His Brand "SND" became famous with the SAM16, an amazing high quality sequencer tool that not just started events in a row, followed up by his harmonic Filterbank FB14/FB14S. Finally, he defined (Midi-) timing as a complex creative tool in electronic music with their ACME-4, a co-production.

Sebastian Niessen died a the beginning of November in the age of just 62 after a long and serious illness in Munich.

Hr. Schneider

Read the detailed epilogue on Amazona (in German).