MATRIXSYNTH: DIY

Thursday, January 29, 2026

Roland Jupiter 8 from 2x JP-08's


video upload by Craig Barnes

"This is the latest iteration of my Jupiter 8 style synth from two JP-08 boutique synths.

If anyone is interested then here is the code repository with schematics.

https://github.com/craigyjp/Jupiter-8..."

Reminds me of the various custom controlers from Synth-Project.

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Jeannie Polyphonic DIY Synthesizer - TouchOsc Midi Controller


video upload by Rolf Degen

"Jeannie Polyphonic DIY Synthesizer - TouchOsc Midi Controller

DIY blog: https://www.sequencer.de/synthesizer/..."

Monday, January 26, 2026

Bringing a vintage Italian polysynth Siel LX61 back to life and looking at the insides


video upload by Ted murena

This appears to be the first post to feature the Siel LX61.

Sunday, January 25, 2026

New Filter Design Experiment!


video upload by gotharman

"ONLY AUDIO IN LEFT CHANNEL!
When I discontinued Urano for the first time, I was stupid and selling my own Urano. Last weekend I managed to finish a new Urano for myself :)
After playing with it for a week, I realized how much I love its dual filter with drive, and I decided to try to engineer this design a bit further.

This test design has lot of character and LPF, BPF and allpass modes.
I hope that you will enjoy :)"

www.gotharman.dk

Prism Circuits TKB | Interview


video upload by Under the Big Tree

"Prism Circuits has released their take on the classic touch keyboard/sequencer, the TKB. Available in pre-built or DIY versions, the TKB is a 16x4 capacitive touch plate keyboard and sequencer. This unit brings expressivity and control to Serge, Buchla, and even Eurorack systems.

www.prismcircuits.net

Under the Big Tree is Nicolas Peck's YouTube channel, focused on esoteric electronic music, modular and vintage synthesizers, sound design equipment and techniques, and the composition, production and performance of music.

http://www.underthebigtree.com"

Monday, January 19, 2026

Oberheim DX MIDI Upgrade


video upload by jakeschrock

"Installing the Electrongate DX MIDI kit upgrade"

Figuring out the circuitry of old DIY drum synth


video upload by organfairy

"I play it manually at 3:23 and run it with a step sequencer at 4:17.

This is another un-documented one from the vaults - one that I, for some inexplicable reason, have not made any written information about.
So in this video I go through it and find out how it is made.

The music is 'No Hollywood movie', originally recorded by Lesley Hamilton, that was a hit in Germany in 1978. Same year it was recorded in Danish by Gitte Hænning as 'Hollywood drømme' and in German as 'Von Hollywwod Träumen'. I play it on my Yamaha HE-8 organ with Korg Rhythm 55 drum machine - but I probably didn't do a very good job since YT couldn't recognise it..."

Sunday, January 18, 2026

Jamuary 18th 2026 - Prototype Pretense


video upload by Captain Credible

"This sequencer has been in the prototype stage for as long as I can remember. Does it need more features? Definately yes. Is it intuitive for new users? No. Will I ever finish it? ehm...
#motherbrain #rolandP6 #rolandS1 #tonic"

Saturday, January 17, 2026

Jamuary 17th 2026 - Collateral Clankers


video upload by Captain Credible

"Today I held a workshop at the Oslo library and these kids built me some glorious remote controlled clankerbots. Then they jammed with me with wonderfully clanky style. Absolute legends!
#microbitorchestra #motherbrain #diy #clankers #jamuary2026"

Ecodynamics: generative music from ecological processes (2 patches)


video upload by Electrum Modular

"Introducing 'Ecodynamics' – a Lua script for Disting NT, coded with Claude. This project grew out of my interest in minimalist processes, “controlled probability,” and “biomodelling” (using modular synthesis to mimic natural processes).

0:00 Introduction
0:10 Patch I: entropic
3:28 Patch II: ecologic

Ecodynamics (Lua script, for use on Disting NT):
https://github.com/expertsleepersltd/..."

ELEKTRON Model Samples - ENCODER REPAIR!


video upload by ST Modular (Stefan)

"My Elektron Model:Samples encoder started to move slowly and skip values.😵‍💫

So I reached out to Elektron, and they were incredibly supportive and sent me two replacement encoders 🙌

After the repair, everything works perfectly again! It honestly feels like a brand-new machine! ✨

#Elektron #ModelSamples #SynthRepair #GearFix #ElectronicMusic #DIYRepair"

Friday, January 16, 2026

EMS Synthi 100 Repair Part 2 Belt and Braces Approach to bring back to life a beautiful linear PSU


video upload by Really Nice Audio

Part 1 here

"Join me in this second video to repair a classic EMS Synthi 100.

This synth is part of the Pete Townshend collection at the University of West London
https://www.uwl.ac.uk/study/study-fac..."

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Completed software and hardware for the Jupiter 8 Controller by Craig Barnes


video upload by Craig Barnes

"This is the final version of the Jupiter 8 from two JP-08 builds, I finished each section off and finally completed the DAC outputs to control the mixer volume and balance."

Monday, January 12, 2026

Drone Scope by Tim Kaiser


video upload by Tim Kaiser

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Vintage PAiA 4700 Series Modular Analog Synthesizer with Keyboard

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.


via this eBay listing

"Vintage PAiA 4700 Series Modular Analog Synthesizer with Keyboard – Needs Repair

Offered here is a PAiA 4700 Series Modular Synthesizer, produced between the early 1970s and early 1980s. This system is being sold as-is and will require service to be fully operational.

Functional Status

VCO 1: Powered and producing signal. Can be patched through the filter and mixer and triggered via the keyboard.

VCO 2 & VCO 3: Not producing output. Both modules are not connected to power or ground.

Sequencer (4780): Does not power on or respond. The power and ground wires are present on the bus but not connected to the sequencer module.

Filter (4730): Produces sound when triggered through the mixer.

Keyboard / Pitch Tracking: Synth triggers properly, but pitch does not track consistently across notes within the same octave and will require calibration or service.

Internal Condition

Power and ground wiring for the sequencer, VCO 2, and VCO 3 are disconnected internally.

Loose wire ends have been insulated.

Reason for the disconnections is unknown.

Included Modules

4720 VCO (x3 total)

4730 VCF

4740 Envelope Generator (x2)

4710 Balanced Modulator (x2)

4711 4/2 Mixer

4712 Reverb

4770 Watt Block (x3)

Control Oscillator

4761 Wing

4780 Sequencer

Notes

No patch cables included

Vintage condition with cosmetic wear consistent with age

Not fully functional and sold as-is for restoration, repair, or knowledgeable users

The PAiA 4700 is a historically interesting DIY-era modular synthesizer with a distinctive analog character. This example will appeal most to technicians, restorers, or modular enthusiasts comfortable with vintage electronics."

Thursday, January 08, 2026

Talk ‘N Learn Alphabet – Unleashing Demons & Chipmunks


video upload by Manitou Productions

"Today's feature is the Talk N' Learn Alphabet by Scientific Toys: made sometime in the early 90's (I think). We test a unit that has wonky pitch, and explore how to make it even wonkier (and eventually fix it); then we'll look at a modified example. The alphabet never sounded so scary!"

Chapters:
0:00 Did I do that?
0:07 Titles
0:15 Intro
1:04 Let’s turn it on!
2:04 The alphabet through a tiny speaker
3:28 Some melodies
4:46 Let’s open it up!
6:10 Hen scratches
6:37 Not happy
7:49 Bad battery experiments
10:15 Try button
10:53 Demonstrating pitch modifications
13:53 Dodgy switch
14:49 Chipmunks
15:35 The modified version
16:22 Demonstrating the body contacts
17:34 The pitch knob
19:24 The release switch
22:06 A look at the innards
23:10 Outro
23:35 Ivy’s Corner

Wednesday, January 07, 2026

ELEKTOR FORMANT ANALOG MODULAR SYNTHESIZER


video upload by FunkTechnikDirk

Tuesday, January 06, 2026

Tau Hydrae Filter v2 and Azure Dragon Spring v2


video upload by Amongst Projects

"This is a quick video which gives a demo of the updated sections of the Tau Hydrae and Azure Dragon projects. Some more details over at https://amongstprojects.blogspot.com/..."

The Expanse Level 4 - The APC - Atari Punk Console

video upload by Amongst Projects

"The APC or Atari Punk Module is the left most module in the Expanse Level 4."

Monday, January 05, 2026

Making a sawtooth and sine from a triangle wave - converting waves the opposite way as usual .


video upload by organfairy

"I switch it on at 4:35 and run it with a sequencer at 5:25.

After having made the 'classical' sine wave generator • Analog sine wave generator [video below] and the 'sort of digital' sine wave generator • Synthesizing waveforms with a frequency di... [posted here] a couple of months ago, I thought I should do a sine wave the third way - if not for other reasons it could be to say that I have done a sine wave trilogy: Start with a triangle and convert it to a sine wave.
This is a method that was often used commercially. If a function generator has both triangle and sine it is often made this way, and the XR2206 component that is often found on cheap tone generator kits works this way internally. I am not sure about the EMS VCS3 but I have a suspecion that OSCILLATOR 1 is also based on this idea as it can make saw and sine at the same time.
I do start with making a sawtooth wave though. I have not seen this method used before, but I doubt that I am the first to have done it.

The music is sort of a mood composition where I focused more on the mood and the sound construction than the melody, which is rather unusual for me as I consider myself a melody focused music tinkerer. Whatever it is I made it on my Roland D-20."

Analog sine wave generator

video upload by organfairy

"I test run it at 4:15

After making that "somewhere in the swampy wasteland between analog and digital sine wave generator" last week, I decided to try and make a classical analog sine wave generator - just for the fun of it.
Sine wave generators are sort of an interesting thing: They are basically just an amplifier connected back to front through a filter, but the amplifier needs to be regulated in some way, otherwise the sinewave will get distorted to a point where it is often more a square wave.
This sine wave generator is not controllable from a keyboard like the other one I made, so it is more for modulation purposes or maybe if I one day take up the obscure art of musique concrete.

The musique ridicule that I play during the video is something I fumbled together playing my Korg Rhythm 55, Elka X-1000, and Roland D-20."

Sunday, January 04, 2026

Antonus Step Brother DIY - Test Drive w/ A2600, SR-909 and Fractal VP4


video upload by Tumeni Knobs

"It took a couple of months, spending a few hours on weekends, but I got it done! And it's very cool. This demo is pretty rough, but highlights a bunch of the key features of the Step Brother and the "performability" it offers.

See my full build log here: https://www.modwiggler.com/forum/view...

In this setup, the Steda SR-909 is sending midi clock to the Step Brother and the VP4 to keep them in sync. Step Brother is configured to run 2x8 step sequences on channels A and B. Channel A quantized CV output is sent to the 2600 mult and then routed to the CV inputs of oscillators 1 and 2. Channel B quantized CV output is sent to the CV input of oscillator 3.

Step Brother Gate Bus 1 is routed to the 2600 main gate input and triggering the 2600's ADSR envelope. SB Gate Bus 2 is triggering the envelope on the Step Brother and audio out of Osc 3 on the 2600 is routed to one of the VCAs on the Step Brother which is controlled by the Step Brother's envelope. That is then routed back to the 2600's mixer.

Audio out of the 2600 is routed to the VP4, and then routed to the ALA Bartender along with the audio of the SR-909. Output from the Bartender is sent to the iRig Pro and recorded on iPhone with the video.

Cheers!"
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