The Many Sounds of Analog Synthesis (CB's DIY Modular Synthesizer)

Published on May 5, 2015 Chris Beckstrom

"A collection of patches that demonstrate the variety of sounds my synthesizer can make. All sounds are made by the synth except for a splash of spring reverb.

For more about this project:
http://cb.hopto.org/cbfishes/2015/05/...

Here is each patch from the video:
0:00 Shotgun-shell Light "Theremin"
0:41 Acid bass sequence
1:20 Tuned Noise
1:42 Weird Resistor Ladder Sequencing
2:09 Big Thick Drone
2:31 Playing my Stylophone-style Keyboard
2:51 Playing the keyboard with fingers instead
3:08 Cowbell!
3:29 Laser bass drums
3:45 10 step sequencer as oscillator
4:10 Manual and clocked arpeggios"

Chris Beckstrom's DIY Modular Synth- Improvisation 5/4/2015

Published on May 4, 2015

"Improvising with my DIY modular analog synthesizer. I've been building this synth for a few months now, now it's time to learn to play it! Here's some improvisation/noodling from this morning. The synth was recorded live through an analog mixer (with a touch of spring reverb) into Ableton Live."

Interesting bit via CB's website:

"My approach to building the modules– the various musical Lego bricks– was to use the simplest circuits possible and keep the per-module features low. I wanted each piece to do one thing well; before starting this project I had zero electronics experience, zero understanding of the inner workings of synthesizer hardware, and zero math skills. I reasoned that if I created one thing at a time, eventually I would have enough modules to make some sounds. Keeping the features low helped me keep the circuits simple. If any experienced DIYer looked at my circuits they’d see how laughably simple they are, but in the end it doesn’t matter. All that matters is the sounds that come out!

So far I’ve probably put about $100 into this instrument, most of that expense coming from the electronic components themselves. Aside from the Monotron I panel-mounted, everything was built from raw components following schematics I found on the internet. No kits. I’ve altered most of the circuits to cooperate with the rest of my synth– removed capacitors here, added resistors there– completely by trial and error. I don’t have an oscilloscope, so the main way I test things is by actually using the synth (to hear if the LFOs are working correctly, I have them modulate an oscillator). I think this is a different approach than some electronics enthusiasts who rely mostly on the oscilloscope to show them what is happening. So far it’s mostly worked– aside from the hours spent troubleshooting circuits that didn’t work..."