Cat Full of Ghosts YOWLER Kickstarter Campaign Opens Design to Supporters

YOWLER KICKSTARTER VIDEO from Cat Full of GHOSTS on Vimeo.

"The Kickstarter video for a synthesizer that the buyers help design.

www.kickstarter.com/projects/218568730/the-yowler-a-community-built-diy-noise-synth"

"About this project

Low epic throbbing halls, rasping vocal choruses, burning thick churning waves of static. The Yowler is waiting.

The Yowler is a versatile little noise/drone synth, don't let it's size fool you, it is packed with features most small synths don't have:

External trigger + decay: trigger the Yowler from external gear, use it as a drum synth

Built in speaker + mono/stereo output: means you can use it with mono gear like guitar pedals or a modular synth, or stereo gear like mixers, headphones etc...

Pitch knobs + light dependent pitch control: get crazy sounds from the three oscillators by shining light on them

BUT WAIT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE...

If the minimum successful funding amount is raised, you get the Yowler as you see it in the video, with all the features described. BUT, once we reach the funding goal backers will be able to contribute to the design and development of the final product. How? Read on.

WHAT'S A COMMUNITY BUILT SYNTH?

Ever $1,000AU above the fully funded amount unlocks a bunch new options for features that the backers get to vote on having included in the final design. Some of these upgrades are aesthetic, like better knobs and buttons, others are extra features like a filter or the design becoming open-source, or Eurorack compatibility, and others are design improvements, like a case, a thicker PCB, or rubber feet.

The idea is that as a community the backers will steer and shape they Yowler through their choices. The more people who support the Yowler the better it gets.

When each voting milestone ($1,000AU over the funding goal) is reached, I will send out a survey to backers to decide between two new features. If enough voting milestones are passed then features are passed over will return for a second chance of inclusion. If your favourite feature missed out early on, with enough backers, it may still end up in the final product!

TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE SYNTH!

At its heart the Yowler is three square wave oscillators with pitch control that goes from very low to uncomfortably high. The pitch is controlled by knobs with switchable light dependent resistors. The oscillator mixing happens through two XOR gates creating rich harmonics, screaming highs and throbbing lows. The third oscillator can be switched off. A diode VCA (voltage controlled amplifier) can be switched on to allow external triggering of the synth, turning its voice off and on. The diode VCA can also be controlled with CV (control voltage) to create primitive volume changes. A switchable decay capacitor creates drum sounds. The Yowler can be battery powered or powered from a DC wall wart and it has an independant volume control knob.

WHAT KIND OF FEATURES GET UNLOCKED?

I don't want to give them all away but here are a few exciting choices you may get presented with:

Choose between upgrading the buttons and jacks and a thicker PCB
Choose between the project becoming open source and a case for the synth.
Choose between the synth being Eurorack compatible/Eurorack mountable and an extra oscillator.
Got a great suggestion for a feature? I'll be putting out the call for these too if we pass enough voting milestones!"

Additional details at the Kickstarter campaign here.