Pittsburgh Modular — Taiga Desktop
Taiga Desktop Electronic Musical Instrument Manual V2.0 (PDF)
Pittsburgh Modular Taiga Eurorack Module Cheat Sheet
A powerful all-in-one semi-modular analog synthesizer voice with deep MIDI integration, three complex oscillators, mixers, multi-mode filter, dual ADSR, VCA/dynamics, analog delay, and utility modules. Fully eurorack compatible; all internal connections can be overridden via patch cables.
Power & Setup
- Power: 16-pin Eurorack ribbon, connects to standard +/-12V. 650mA (+12V), 475mA (-12V)
- Don't hot-plug: Always power off your case before plugging/unplugging.
- -12V stripe line up required.
- All connections (except MIDI): 3.5mm mono jacks; MIDI uses 1/8" TRS to DIN adapter.
Panel Controls & Sections
All button edits: Hold [Edit] to access secondary (yellow-labeled) button features.
Main Sections:
- Control (MIDI/CV, clock, arp, mod tools)
- 3 Oscillators (complex analog, waveshaping)
- Dual Mixer / Preamp
- Utilities (LFO, noise, S&H, splitter/mixer)
- Multimode Filter (analog state-variable: LP/BP/HP/Notch)
- Dual ADSR
- Dynamics (VCA/LPG/Pluck)
- Analog Delay (BBD)
- Output
Knobs & Buttons Reference
| Function |
Knob/Button |
Section |
| Glide |
1 |
Control |
| Clock |
2 (Button), 3 (LED) |
Control |
| ARP/Seq |
4 (LED), 5 (Button) |
Control |
| Octave Up/Down |
8,9,10,11 |
Control |
| Edit |
12 (Button) |
Control |
| Osc Pitch, Shape, FM, Shape CV |
13-16,22,23-26,32,33-36,42 |
Oscillator |
| Osc Seed (waveform select) |
21,31,41 |
Oscillator |
| Mixer Ch 1-4, Preamp Gain/Level |
43-48 |
Mixer/Preamp |
| LFO Rate |
49 |
Utility |
| Filter Freq, Res, Mode, CV1/CV2 |
51-58 |
Filter |
| ADSR (A, D, S, R) 1 & 2 |
59-63, 64-68 |
ADSR |
| Dynamics knobs (Resonance, Response, Mode, CV, LPG, Pluck) |
69-78 |
Dynamics |
| Output Volume |
79 |
Output |
| Delay (Time, Regen, Mix, Time CV) |
80-83 |
Echos |
Jacks Reference (Numbers refer to illustrated panel in manual)
Control
- 84. Control Clock In/Out: Input/output, 0V=off, 5V=on (CV/gate).
- 85. MIDI Input: Type A 1/8" TRS MIDI in.
- 86. Control Pitch Output: 1V/oct CV out, 0–5V
- 87. Control Gate Output: 0/5V gate
- 88. Control Velocity Output: 0–5V velocity/paraphonic/random
- 89. Control CC/Mod Output: 0–5V from chosen MIDI CC, LFO, etc.
Oscillators 1/2/3
| Input/Output |
Function |
Voltage |
| Pitch In (90, 96, 102) |
1V/oct CV in |
0–5V(?) CV |
| Shape CV In (91, 97, 103) |
For wavefolder |
0–5V CV |
| FM In (92, 98, 104) |
Linear FM |
Audio-rate |
| Sync In (94, 100, 106) |
Reset/hard sync |
Any pulse |
| Sine Out (93, 99, 105) |
Clean sine |
Audio |
| Audio Out (95, 101, 107) |
Shaped output |
Audio |
Mixer/Preamp
| Input/Output |
Jack No |
Notes |
| Mixer Ch 1–4 In |
112-115 |
Normaled to Oscs 1–3, noise |
| Mixer 1+2 Out |
116 |
Sends Ch 1+2 summed |
| Mixer Out |
117 |
Master sum (preamp in norm) |
| Preamp In |
108 |
For external/excess signal |
| Preamp Out |
109 |
Soft clip, normaled to Mixer Out |
Utilities
| Input/Output |
Jack No |
Notes |
| LFO Triangle Out |
110 |
±5V |
| LFO Square Out |
111 |
±5V |
| Noise Out |
119 |
±5V, white-pink |
| S&H Sample In |
118 |
Normaled to noise |
| S&H Hold In |
120 |
Normaled to clock |
| S&H Out |
121 |
As sampled (CV/Audio) |
| Mixer/Splitter In 1/2 |
130,132 |
Unity mix/buff split |
| Mixer/Splitter Out 1/2 |
131,133 |
Unity mix/buff split |
Filter
| Input/Output |
Jack No |
Voltage |
| Freq CV 1 (attenuator) |
122 |
Bi-polar, ±5V |
| Freq CV 2 (attenuverter) |
124 |
Bi-polar, ±5V |
| Audio In |
123 |
Normaled to mixer |
| Audio Out |
125 |
Audio |
ADSR (x2)
| Input/Output |
Jack No |
Voltage |
| Gate In |
126/128 |
Trigger/Gate |
| Envelope Out |
127/129 |
0–10V |
Dynamics
| Input/Output |
Jack No |
Voltage |
| CV In |
134 |
Amplitude CV; 0–10V |
| Resp. CV In |
136 |
Decay/response; ±5V |
| Audio In |
135 |
Normaled filter out |
| Audio Out |
137 |
Audio out |
Delay (Echos)
| Input/Output |
Jack No |
Voltage |
| Time CV In |
140 |
±5V or ±10V |
| Audio In |
138 |
Normaled to dynamics out |
| Audio Out |
139 |
Audio |
Output
| Input/Output |
Jack No |
Voltage |
| Input |
141 |
Normaled to delay out |
| Main Out |
142 |
Line-level mono |
| Headphones Out |
143 |
Stereo (mono L/R) |
Voltage Ranges (by function):
- Gate signals: 0V (off), +5V (on)
- Pitch (1V/oct): 0–5V (standard)
- ADSR Out: 0–10V
- LFO/Mods: ±5V
- Velocity/CC/Mod: 0–5V
- Mixer, Filter, Dynamics, Delay: standard modular audio; can soft clip
- Filter/Dynamics CV inputs: ±5V preferred for bi-polar/attenuverters
Panel Labeling Quick Reference
- Green: CV/audio input jacks
- White: output jacks, primary button functions
- Yellow: secondary (Edit) button hold functions
Digital Function Shortcuts
- Arpeggiator, Sequencer, Hold, Octave Shift: see section 5 for [Edit Button] + combo cheats
- Random/Clocked parameters: Hold Seed or Filter Mode + [Clock] for random cycles
- Paraphonic Mode: Use Vel out to Pitch in, calibrate as per sec 15
- Factory Reset: Hold [Oct Up] + [Oct Down] + [Dynamics Mode] for 5 seconds
Notable Defaults / Normalings
- MIDI→Oscs, Arp, Velocity, Gate via internal (can disable per module)
- Mixer feeds filter, filter→dynamics, dynamics→delay, delay→out
- All major CV ins normaled to internal mod sources (LFO triangle, ADSRs, etc), overridden when patched
Patch Examples
- Basic Subtractive Voice: Use default internal routing, play from MIDI
- West Coast: Patch Velocity out to Osc Pitch, patch S&H/noise/random to modulation ins, LPG mode in dynamics
- Feedback/Overload: Patch Output or Preamp out back into Mixer/Preamp in for wild timbral effects
Useful Links