I understand the general idea how a ring modulator circuit works...stick in two signals and get back the sidebands. Usually ones for use with guitar supply the second signal from some kind of oscillator, and the result is that normal musical intervals end up making huge leaps, and how far the pitch changes is no longer making consistent half-steps with every fret, etc.
But...the green Ringer has only one input and the harmonics it adds are still pretty wild and sound like sidebands, but it's slightly more musically usable; the original signal isn't all nulled. It's still pretty wild and a niche effect. But...I don't really understand it.
Anyone got a better idea how it works? How does it derive the second signal into the ring modulator? I've seen some circuit diagrams and it uses a dual diode (which many people thought was a transistor) instead of the common bridge of 4 diodes in a more conventional ring modulator.
But...the green Ringer has only one input and the harmonics it adds are still pretty wild and sound like sidebands, but it's slightly more musically usable; the original signal isn't all nulled. It's still pretty wild and a niche effect. But...I don't really understand it.
Anyone got a better idea how it works? How does it derive the second signal into the ring modulator? I've seen some circuit diagrams and it uses a dual diode (which many people thought was a transistor) instead of the common bridge of 4 diodes in a more conventional ring modulator.
That's because it's NOT a ring modulator, it's nothing like one 😀
It appears to just add harmonics and distortion to the original signal?, no modulation at all.
A true ring modulator has 2 inputs, you send your guitar signal into one, and a modulating signal into the other.
*Usually* it´s an external oscillator.
But, you can use any signal as modulator ... even the original guitar one 😱
The most important effect is that you create a lot of second harmonic (a.k.a. frequency doubling or up-octave) 😉
The Green Ringer simulates a true ringer sound by creating that higher octave by full wave rectification.
See that it first preamplifies sound, then drives a cathodyne phase inverter to create 2 equal out of phase signals, then rectifies and adds both.
Exactly the same as what happens in any power supply, where you rectify 50/60 Hz AC and end up with 100/120Hz ripple.
Result is weird but usable and 1000 times simpler than a true ring modulator.
Dan Armstrong is a GENIUS 😛
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