Paperface 50 | Serge Origins | Episode 01 | Visual Language

Foreword.
I made this series as a documentary. A 'how it was done 50 years ago'. So it's not about luring you into the exclusive 4U world, it's more a tutorial about making cool sounds with very limited resources.
I agreed to make a tutorial series if I could borrow the set for a week. Feel free to skip it, but I hope you'll check it out if you have a few spare minutes.
This is the first video of a seven episode playlist. It features the Paperface 50 'Helios' and 'Tempo di Roma' panels which are part of the 50th anniversary release and updated by Serge himself. These are the designs that started it all back in '70-71.
Serge used pre-drilled grid panels where all kinds of DIY circuits could be added. The front was made of a paper template where you could write down your labels. Commercial designs followed, where the typical flowchart symbols were used. This video tries to explain what they mean.
I will not be doing more 4U videos because this channel is focused on eurorack only, and focus is important. However, I recently committed to a lot of Serge euro modules and the Paperface started this fever. I was completely unfamiliar with Serge except for his contribution to Maths. So this is a bit like an 'origin' story and a tutorial for those who are interested in Serge. All episodes can be used to learn what the Eurorack modules have to offer.

[@benjiwill]

Thanks for doing this series! Your videos are always fantastic! Really looking forward to rewatching these clips to apply to an original paperface setup here in Melbourne AUS at MESS Ltd (public synthesiser library). Those symbols always looked so intimidating and cryptic, keen to give it a go now! 🤓🙏

[@andreasschmelas]

Love this series. Excellent material!

[@mymodularjourney]

I love that you added explanation the Serge hieroglyphs. The original paperface has that black magic vibe.

[@geraldgoodiii6993]

Ppl say Make Noise symbolism and font is confusing 🫤 I’m confused 🤔 when I hear that but to each his own But that Serge stuff is beyond me. Maybe it’s due to lack of exposure.. or that I never got to use any Serge Panels etc

[@colinstratford9952]

Thanks for these! I noticed the white Bananuts on your Eurorack Serge modules, have you coloured them yourself because Befaco don't sell them?