In 1984, I had it modified by Boston tech Ron Rivera. Updates included a fourth LFO, individual sync switches for oscs 2 and 3, military Vernier tuning knobs add tuning stability and are 40:1 in Normal mode and 1:1 when pushed, and (the best one) the ability to individually switch the filter envelope to control pitch, filter or both on oscs 2 and 3.
In 1987, while working at Kurzweil in Waltham MA with Bob Moog, I talked him into autographing it for me.
In the mid-90s, synth tech extraordinaire Kevin Lightner (RIP) cleaned it up and put a green light on the main power switch.
In 2020, the amazing Ken Rich totally cleaned it up inside and out.
This instrument comes with a ATA flight case, and I will also include a Kenton Pro Solo Mk II CV to MIDI converter."
Demo of the Touched Out Sampler, which is a mod to my TouchedOut Synth. It adds a MAX4466 microphone to transform it into a chromatic sampler! The new code is open source under the 'sampler' branch of the TouchedOutSynth. The mod requires two 100uF capacitors and a 100 ohm resistor, along with the microphone. The Sampler is separate firmware, but repurposes the controls for recording and trimming samples, and looping."
Previously:
I Designed a Synth using Daisy and Arduino! KiCad PCB and Code Walkthrough
video upload by GuitarML
"Demo of my latest creation, a polyphonic touch synthesizer. Audio demo song, followed by overview of the synth, design process, Kicad PCB schematic and layout, and code walkthrough. I used the Arduino IDE with DaisyDuino to program the Daisy Seed along with MPR121 capacitive touch modules.
"After finishing the second voice board and debugging the filter issues with the first board I've now connected everything up into a 12 voice configuration for more testing and fixing of bugs."
"The NTS-4 is a compact performance mixer kit designed for modern hardware setups. With six channels (two mono and four stereo), built-in effects, USB-C connectivity, and support for up to 10 audio signals, the NTS-4 makes it easy to bring together volca units, NTS instruments, modular gear, grooveboxes, and desktop synths into one streamlined setup.
In this overview, Fess Grandiose walks through the NTS-4’s flexible channel architecture, Eurorack-compatible mono inputs, dual stereo effects engines, per-channel CUE and MUTE controls, USB-C audio and MIDI connectivity, and the hands-on Nu:Tekt DIY assembly experience.
Features:
• Compact 6-channel performance mixer
• 2 mono + 4 stereo 3.5 mm channels
• Supports up to 10 audio signals
• Eurorack-compatible mono inputs
• Standard 1/4" main outputs
• Per-channel CUE, MUTE, and FX send
• Dual stereo effects engines
• SEND FX + TOTAL FX processing
• Stereo send/return loop
• USB-C audio + MIDI
• Record directly to computers & mobile devices
• Rugged steel chassis
• Nu:Tekt DIY kit assembly
Learn more about the NTS-4: https://bit.ly/4w0QxLQ"
And a user video from supporting member Knobs & Switches:
KORG NTS-4 Performance Mixer Kit
video upload by Knobs & Switches
"Here is my review about the new Korg NTS-4 Performance Mixer Kit together with loads of other Korg gear:
MS20m, Drumlogue, SQ-1, 700Sm, Harmonic Distortion, Opsix, Sigma, Minipops-7, ISE-NIN Single Voice, Ryk M185 Sequencer and of course the NTS-4. The Nu:Tekt Mixer will be released today! Have fun
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:037 Title Track (only the NTS-4’s FX were used)
00:03:04 Epilogue
00:04:41 NTS-4 Run Down
00:08:58 NTS-4 Send FX
00:14:56 NTS-4 Send/Return
00:15:58 NTS-4 Total FX
00:21:19 Conclusion
00:22:47 Outro (only the NTS-4’s FX were used)
Used Equipment: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max, Apple iPhone 12, Sony ZV-1, Rode Wireless ME, Universal Audio Apollo Twin Solo, Yamaha MG-06, Steinberg Cubase 15 and Final Cut Pro X"
A compact performance mixer for modern hardware setups
Build the perfect bridge for your music. The NTS-4 brings the flexibility of the Nu:Tekt series to a compact performance mixer kit designed for today’s hardware setups. With six channels (two mono and four stereo minijacks), built-in effects, and USB connectivity, the NTS-4 makes it easy to mix and perform with volca units, NTS instruments, modular gear, and other desktop synths in one place, supporting up to 10 audio signals in a single setup.
From the integrated effects to the steel chassis, every part of the NTS-4 is designed to turn your collection of instruments and gadgets into a professional-grade creative hub.
"🔊 Exploring the Mettalicum: a new XOR-based percussion synthesizer built for harsh metallic hits, industrial rhythms, and unpredictable noise. Unlike traditional drum machines, the Mettalicum relies on logic gates to generate complex, inharmonic square-wave clusters that cut right through a mix. In this hardware demo, we run through the raw oscillators, tweak the parameters, and patch it into an experimental setup to hear what it can really do.
⚙️ Sponsored by PCBWay Huge thanks to PCBWay for sponsoring this video! Whether you are prototyping a chaotic new noise box, building a custom MIDI controller, or ordering high-quality circuit boards for a full production run, PCBWay has you covered. They offer incredibly fast turnaround times on custom PCBs, 3D printing, and CNC machining. Bring your DIY audio projects to life: https://pcbway.com/g/1AhZrq
Ⓜ️ What makes the Mettalicum different? Traditional subtractive synthesis uses standard waveforms and filters to create drum sounds. The Mettalicum takes a different approach by running multiple square waves through XOR (Exclusive OR) logic chips. When these frequencies interact, they create dense, metallic, and grinding textures perfect for noise music, industrial beats, and lo-fi soundscapes.
⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 00:20 - The Raw Sound of the Mettalicum 00:32 - PCBWay Sponsor Message 00:44 - Demo with Ampero Mini 02:42 - Hardware Jam: Mettalicum + Experimental Setup
🔗 Gear Used in this Video: Mettalicum XOR Synthesizer Tempest Kick Synthesizer Korg Monotron Delay Bastl Instruments Bestie Hotone Ampero Mini MyVolts CandyCords
✌️ I’m Sid Rockett, a designer and explorer of experimental synthesizers and custom noise-machines.
From boutique pocket synths to DIY Eurorack builds, this channel is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of compact hardware. Join me as we navigate through industrial soundscapes, deep cinematic reverbs, and the infinite feedback of outer-space delays.
"🔊 Learn how to build the Arena Digitalis, a high-performance Arduino granular audio processor for real-time glitch, shimmer, and ambient textures.
In this deep dive, we explore the Arena Digitalis—an open-source Arduino audio project designed for experimental musicians and sound designers. Granular synthesis is often gatekept by expensive hardware like the Mutable Instruments Clouds or Chase Bliss Mood.
The Arena Digitalis brings those "micro-looping" capabilities to the Arduino Nano/Uno platform using the new R4 processor.
⏱️ Chapters: 0:00 – Intro 0:30 – PCBWay Ad 0:45 – Controls 3:20 – Sound demo with Kastle ARP
Thanks to @PCBWay for sponsoring this video! Check out all their services under the following link and get 5$ new user credit. https://pcbway.com/g/1AhZrq
🔗 Resources & Links: Get the Code/Schematics: [https://github.com/SidRockett/Arena_D...]
Key Features of Arena Digitalis: Real-time Granular Processing: Low-latency audio manipulation. Arduino-Based: Highly customizable and open-source. Tactile Control: Manual knobs for grain size, spray, and pitch. Compact Design: Perfect for pedalboards or tabletop synth rigs.
✌️ I’m Sid Rockett, a designer and explorer of experimental synthesizers and custom noise-machines.
From boutique pocket synths to DIY Eurorack builds, this channel is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of compact hardware. Join me as we navigate through industrial soundscapes, deep cinematic reverbs, and the infinite feedback of outer-space delays.
Thank you for watching. My name is Meska of the statik collective . I've been making mostly 'dark and expérimental' music for more than ten years now, i'v learn so much online, now it's time for me to share my knoledge, my exploration and this channel is a place to talk about the tools, sound design and techniques to make music with. You can stream my albums and EPs at https://statikwave.bandcamp.com/. If you'd like to support the channel consider buying music from bandcamp ;) Contact/booking: meskastatik@gmail.com"
Missed in South America: GS Music - Argentina, EMW - Brazil, and AtomoSynth - Peru. AnalogFX in Netherlands. Meng Qi is worth a DIY stand out mention for China as well as Aforack in Uganda, Africa. There's no way to list every manufacturer, but if he missed a country/region feel free to comment (feel free to comment regardless of course). It's an interesting video and a useful reminder of where manufacturers are based.
"If a country can support one or even more synthesizer manufacturers, that tells us a lot about its place in the world. I have some numbers to back this up, look at some of those synthesizer-producing countries and then make some predictions on their future trajectory.
Table of contents:
00:00 introduction 00:50 the idea (explained with the UK) 02:43 the synthesizer world map walkthrough (west to east) 03:01 United States of America 04:21 France 04:56 United Kingdom 06:27 Germany 07:50 Italy 09:08 Scandinavia (i.e. Sweden) 10:07 Eastern Europe 11:18 Ukraine 12:18 Russia 13:19 China 15:11 Australia and New Zealand 16:37 Japan 18:40 The DIY scene 19:34 conclusion - where are the countries headed to? 20:32 my personal thoughts 21:29 bye - please subscribe (and if you like this style of video, please tell me in the comments)
"Here's GOLDFINGER, the literal pure gold, finger wiggling, signal routing & mixing matrix mixer from Music Thing Modular. It has 6 bidirectional connections (so ins and outs as you choose), its passive and routes and mixes signals depends on what parts of the surface you touch."
*TIMING INDEX // CHAPTERS*
00:00 Hello & previews
00:49 What is Goldfinger?
02:09 3 in 3 out West Coast Workshop System
05:28 Eurorack techno touched based FX sends
08:17 Exploring abstract filter pings and textures
11:02 Routing pulses, rhythms & clocks across ambient modular patches
13:53 Feeling my way through 4 voice chord intervals
"Goldfinger is a desktop matrix mixer. It’s made of gold. You play it with your fingers. It comes pre-assembled with no DIY required."
"This is a homebrew from kit Paia 9710 mixer with noise source and envelope generator. It is encased in a standalone yellow box in the spirit of early Metasonix pedals.. The case also has the PAIA power supply board to power the envlope generator board.
[manufacturers description]
The PAiA 9710 is a versatile module that combines three VCAs, a white noise source, and a full-function ADSR envelope generator. It allows for mixing signals before processing with the VCA, making it a compact solution for various sound design needs.
The PAiA 9710 is a multifunctional module designed for sound synthesis, combining several key features that enhance its versatility in music production.
Key FeaturesFeatureDescription
VCAsIncludes three Voltage Controlled Amplifiers (VCAs) for dynamic sound manipulation.
White Noise SourceProvides a built-in white noise generator for additional sound textures.
ADSR Envelope GeneratorFull-function ADSR (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release) with adjustable parameters for shaping sound.
Mixing CapabilityAllows mixing of multiple signals before processing through the VCA, streamlining setup.ADSR Specifications
Attack Time: Adjustable from 500 microseconds to 5 seconds. Decay Time: Ranges from 2 milliseconds to 7 seconds. Sustain Level: Adjustable from 0 to 10 volts. Release Time: Adjustable from 2 milliseconds to 7 seconds. Trigger and Gate Inputs: Separate inputs for re-triggering the envelope. Cycle Switch: Enables self-triggering for Low Frequency Oscillator (LFO) functionality.
The PAiA 9710 is ideal for musicians and sound designers looking for a compact and efficient solution for creating complex sounds and effects. Its combination of VCAs, noise generation, and a comprehensive ADSR envelope makes it a valuable tool in any modular synthesizer setup.
The envelop can self cycling (always on) or activated by trigger or gate voltage pulses."
"The Mynah is a 6 track sampler you can buy as a DIY kit from https://groovesizer.com/. In this video, I build it and go sampling and creating tracks. Table of contents:
00:00 demo
00:05 hi, what's this?
00:23 building the thing
05:44 overview: user interface basics
08:25 sample something!
11:08 create a song
14:48 conclusion
"So after seeing Author and Punisher live earlier this year, I felt inspired to build my own drone machine.
These controllers consists of a 2lbs aluminum rod attached to a optical rotary encoder, while sitting atop thrust ball bearings. This encoder is then wired to an Ardunio Uno R3 measuring the RPM value along with it's rotational direction. I then used that data to control a synth patch I made in Max Msp 9 using the abl.drift and abl.roar objects along with two DMX controlled light panels using the Beam max package.
__________________________________________________________________________
You can find more at:
zackberwick.com
https://causticclouds.bandcamp.com/"
"Step inside the Nord factory and discover the story behind the original red keyboards. This unique short documentary offers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the craftsmanship, innovation and people who bring Nord instruments to life.
A documentary by Jonas Embring Executive Producer at Nord: David Sjöqvist Sound Design: Martin Stenberg Narrated by John Russell
"Grip! My take on the LevelLoc compressor. I designed it and let Claude Code handle the coding and debugging."
Additional details from Izhar:
"Here’s a new compressor I built with the amazing help of Claude Code.
It’s a modern and fine tuned homage to the legendary Levelloc.
It sounds like an analog beast but is actually hosted on a Pi Pico 2 microcontroller. "
"I purchased it brand new in 1981. It is my baby…
