Bastl Instruments Aikido

Quad VCA mixer with submix routing & two styles of integrated envelope followers

Aikido is a performative quad VCA mixer with flexible submix routing and two styles of integrated envelope followers. Clever normalization allows ready-to-go sidechain compression, expansion, and rapid routing experimentation.

Clickless mute switches and level faders make for immediate performability, while dedicated attenuverters on each channel make Aikido a powerful and flexible quad VCA. The main mix output is accompanied by individual VCA outputs with patch-programmable cascading mix routing. The Side Chain envelope follower offers 3 different response curves, while the Spectral Follower can be set to focus on treble, mid or bass frequencies.

Test Your Might!

In a modular system, Aikido can become your central mixing hub or a powerful utility. Thanks to the envelope followers, it allows signals to interact and mix in new ways. Because the VCAs are DC coupled, Aikido can be used for flexible modulation routing as well. As a martial art, Aikido teaches you how to harness the power of your opponent and use it to your advantage. With the help of the Aikido module, your modular system can become an arena where anything is possible and small signals get to wrestle over big ones.

Side Chain & Spectral Follower
The Side Chain envelope follower input is normalized to input of Channel A, but can be overridden by plugging in any external signal. Its output is normalized to the CV paths, so you can start compressing instantly. Patch a kick drum to Channel A and use the attenuverters to compress (CCW) or expand (CW) other signals. The switch lets you select the envelope follower response time.

The Spectral Follower listens to the Channel D output (which can also be your mix output, thanks to the cascade mixing), and you can select with a switch whether it focuses on high, mid, or low frequencies. Patch it anywhere to make a spectral compression!

Several Aikido units can be daisy chained to create larger cascading mixers.

Features:
4 VCA channels - each has:
- clickless mute with light indication
- level fader with 6dB boost
- CV input with attenuverter
- input (DC coupled)
- output (DC coupled) cascaded mixing

Mix output (AC coupled)

Side chain envelope follower
- input (normalized to A input)
- output (normalized to CV inputs)
- switch to select response time

Spectral envelope follower
- input taken from Channel D output
- patchable output
- switch to focus the follower to low, mid, or high frequencies

Backside jumpers
- select whether direct VCA outputs are pre/post Mute
- cascaded mixing input and output (joins 2 aikidos to 8 channel mixer)
- main mix input and output (for chaining the normalized MIX outputs), chainable with BUDDY

Technical details
PTC fuse and diode protected 10pin power connector