We’ve been a little remiss in posting our new videos to this forum, so hopefully this makes up for it!
You may have seen some of these already, but we’ve created a new Planar playlist called “Planes of Existence - The Many Uses of Planar 2”. These are mostly short videos demonstrating more specific uses of Planar. There’s so many ways this fun module can be used it’s easy to forget, or get stuck using it the same way again and again. Hopefully these videos will give you some inspiration and help you discover new ways of using Planar. A lot of them offer unique approaches to panning, and creative uses of the Scan mode CV input.
This is pretty awesome! Definitely considering looking into one now, as I wasn’t sure how extensive it was upon a first look. I’m currently using a Doepfer panning module, which is much simpler and smaller, but I do wish I could do more interesting types of panning modulation. I’m curious as to whether I’d actually use the joystick, but it does look fun
question: is it possible to use the planar as a three channel xy stereo panner? what I would like to do is have x be left channel, y be right. If x is zero, the left channel outputs completely the centre channel. Same with y. This would be interesting because planar goes in a circle, not a square; so you could never have completely centre channel. I could use a planar with the xy outs, but it would require more modules and I don’t know what those would be. If it’s not possible to do this with the planar, what additional modules would I need? if it is possible, how?
I would love to use this in soundscapes where I simply record the planar moving slowly in a circle, then loop that and use two channels (half-rectified for the centre channel) I would then send the left and right out, add effects, and then xfade it all using planar
Many of those panning videos show Planar being used as a stereo panner, either with one or two stereo inputs.
X and Y on Planar refer to the x-axis and y axis, so I would avoid using those when thinking of your left and right channels. Instead think of the ABCD quadrants. If you connect the left channel input to C and the right to D, then connect the C and D outputs to your final output stage you can pan between silence on A and B, or panned more to one channel in either the C or D quadrants, or panned center with it straight at the bottom.
Is that what you were going for, or did you have something else in mind? Were you meaning to use Planar’s XY outs to control a VCA for stereo panning?
the second option yes. three channels in. x crossfades between channel one and two, y crossfades between two and three. two channels out (or one stereo out). How would I achieve this?
I’m not sure I understand what you’re going for, but I think this would work. It would require Quad VCA, Quadratt/Quad Inverter, and three mults/hubs.
Send the Left channel to IN 1, and the Right channel to IN 4 of Quad VCA.
Mult your center channel and send it to IN 2 and 3 of Quad VCA.
Connect the left out to Out 2 and the right out to Out 4 of Quad VCA.
On Planar 2, set X and Y to Uni and Mult both the X and Y outputs.
Send the X out to CV in 1, and Y out to CV in 4 on Quad VCA
Invert the multed X and multed Y using Quadratt or Quad Inverter and send them to CV in 2 and 3 on Quad VCA.
Set the LEVEL of channels 2 and 3 fully clockwise, and turn up the CV IN level of each channel. You might need to adjust these to taste.
This way, when X is to the left and outputting zero it will only send the center channel, then as you move right it will raise the volume of the left channel and reduce the center channel. When Y is at the bottom it will output the center channel and as you move it up it will xfade to the right channel. Is that what you were going for?
That was what I was going for, but I have a simpler way, but I’m looking for the most simplest way.
My way:
Send audio into A,B,C of Planar. Run A out and C out into left side of mixup or quad VCA. B and D into right channels.
For added interest, send the planar mix out to a simple mono in, L/R out panner (mine has a slider and three jacks. That’s it—it’s just not on modulargrid) and put the left and right into the final inputs of the mixup. what I was asking though, is how to do this within the planar. There seem to be so many options that this should be possible…but isn’t. How if I wanted to skip the mixup and additional panner?
The top three cables are in L, in R, and the centre track.
The bottom two cables are the LR out. The planar is set to sense gates. In the future I might patch the plonk into the centre channel. Uncertain.
Thinking about picking one of these up. Can I plug a signal into the A input and pan it between A&B outputs and at the same time plug a signal into the C input and pan it between C&D outputs or will the signal from A bleed into the C&D Outputs?
Yes, that’s correct. An input to A would go to A and B. An input to C would end the normalling from A-C and it would go to outputs C & D. You shouldn’t experience any bleed.
I had a black ‘Intellijel planar 2’ module flaceplate manufactured a while back. I take approx zero credit for the beautiful design :D, thanks for @intellijel for the tips on getting this made. Here’s a quick patch using it alongside ericasynths fusion modulator and spring reverb amongst others. Really loving this module.
Here’s another live performance heavily using Planar 2 alongside some live performance elements, piano, cello, vocals etc…
