Dradique - Casio CZ inspired DIY synth - Teaser

Published on Aug 28, 2018 DrummingEvil

"A little impromtu teaser of the new Dradique! A Casio CZ emulation on an Arduino Due, with some of my own flavour added to it."

Meet OTTO - New Raspberry PI Based Multi-Engine Based Synth Inspired by the OP-1

Details via Github:

"Making electronic music is awesome! But for most of us, it requires a lot of setup, a lot of moving a mouse around on a laptop that's probably not quite equipped to handle realtime audio processing. Don't you wish you had one single device, which was xbuilt to do it all for you, easily and on the fly?

Introducing the OTTO!

The OTTO is a complete hardware and software solution, with synths, a sampler, effects, sequencers, and studio modules. The interface is modal, easy to use, simple, but most of all, it encourages experimentation. The graphics are quirky, and the workflow is minimal.

That sounds cool and all, but haven't I heard about this before?
— You

Yes, the OTTO is heavily inspired by the OP-1, in fact it started off as a direct clone, but these days we try to take a different spin on an idea that is fundamentally the same.

At this point it might be important to mention that the OTTO is not, and will never be, a commercially aimed product. It is open source by nature, in both hardware and software. If you want an OTTO, you're going to get your hands dirty, if not with the code, at least with the hardware.

Now that proper introductions are made, we would like to invite you to our discord server where we hang out and discuss all things OTTO.

The OTTO is basically going to be a Rpi3 (or other similar boards, we are looking into that), a screen, a DAC, 4 encoders and some 30+ buttons/keys. Some of us are currently building prototypes, and the formfactors and features vary greatly. Below this you see two OTTO hardware prototypes. Feature wise they are similar, but the first one is hand-wired, lasercut, and uses arduino pro micros for handling the keys/encoders. The second one is 3D printed, uses a PCB with onboard microcontroler etc.

As you can see, the OTTO can be built very differently depending on your skills, your avaliable resources and tools, and your priorities. You can also have other features than these two, for example the DSP all supports velocity sensitive keys.

You can find more info about the first prototype design on the "Otto Proto One" on this dedicated repo, and @cester-ino's over at his repo

The software

The software is written in (very) modern C++, and the goal is to be as modular and flexible as possible.

Technology
Core C++ 17 (you will need a very new compiler.)
Graphics C++ wrapper on top of NanoVG, with swappable backends, currently GLFW and EGL are available.
Audio/MIDI Designed to be swappable, though currently the only one available is jack.
DSP C++ and Faust (compiled down to C++)
It is possible to run the software on the desktop, with keybinds emulating the physical buttons and encoders.

For build instructions, check out the wiki.

Backbone

While OTTOs may differ on a lot, some things are fairly set in stone :

A Raspberry Pi (or similar) at the core, running a minimal Linux distro.
A >= 320x240 RGB screen, preferably AMOLED.
~30 hardware buttons, so nearly every feature has its own button.
4 colour coded rotary encoders (full credits to the OP-1 for that idea), as the main controls. Each screen has a maximum of 4 variables which will be coloured corresponding to their encoder.
Roadmap

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Electro Smith 2144 LPF Eurorack Module Build

Published on Aug 19, 2018 Reckless Experimentation Audio LLC

"Today lets look at the 2144 Low Pass Filter board by Electro Smith

Video begins with a demo of the sound the module makes. Then talks about how the module is put together."

RH Electronics Synth Noir - Modular Update

Published on Jul 18, 2018 RH Electronics

All finished so far, still modules and things to build.
The synth has
MIDI to CV
VCO
VCF
VCA
2x ADSR
and the 16 step sequencer

RH Electronics 5 Voice analog synthesizer - Major update

Published on Aug 18, 2018 RH Electronics

"It works! Well one voice does on breadboard.
Up and running are 2 oscillators (CEM3340 based, but using AS3340)
These go to a 4066 switch then the waveforms are mixed, so you can switch on all of them on both oscillators.

The oscillator is based on the Prophet 5 circuit, the voice chip is a CEM3372, which was £35 but worth it, as it has everything, 2 inputs voltage controlled mixer, a low pass filter with cutoff/resonance and a VCA

Then an envelope generator to control the filter and amp (test just the amp)

So one full voice will need
2x oscillators
1x Signal processor
2x Envelope generators
1x CV mixer for the envelope and cutoff (filter only) and LFO CV

Microcontroller will feed SPI DACs that will be the voice and control CVs, but then all the voice circuits are analog."

InsWorks Esencial Rev02, controlado por el Korg SQ-1

Published on Aug 14, 2018 Carlos Alberto Gutiérrez Vera

New Kiwitechnics Kiwi-1000 Upgrade for the Oberheim Matrix-1000

Kiwitechnics, makers of the Kiwi upgrades for the Roland JX-3P, JX-8P, Juno-106, and KORG Polyix, have a new DIY upgrade available for the Oberheim Matrix-1000. The cost is $295 plus shipping.

Details via Kiwitechnics:

This is an upgrade for the Oberheim M1000 rack mount synth module. This will transform the M1000 from a difficult to edit preset module with a poor midi interface into a full featured synth with some excellent features. The M1000 synth hardware is based on the CEM3396 ‘synth on a chip’ and this gives the synth a versatile set of features including multiple combined and editable waveforms on each DCO as well as PWM and VCF FM controls but will still retain the Oberheim ‘sound’. The upgrade will also replace the on board DCO master clock. The M1000 clock is a single fixed master clock that both DCOs use and this limits the range possible to about 6 octaves. The K1000 upgrade will replace the single master clock with separate clocks sources and each of these will have a range of 64’-2’. This is pushing the CEM chip to it’s limits but we feel the results are worth the effort.

The Oberheim M1000 has been hamstrung with most of the patches that cannot be edited, poor midi and a difficult patch format making editing and sound creating a challenge. We are using the experience gained with our other upgrades to redesign the M1000 to be a fully fledged synth with all the usual Kiwi features. This is not a M1000 with the midi fixed it is a completely new synth. We are incorporating Oberheim tone imports but because the tone layouts are so different the conversion is not going to produce exact matches. We are also putting in imports for the K106 & K8P products and well as Roland JX8P and JX-10/MKS-70 (Tones only) which will provide a big tone library from the web to use as a starting point.

The upgrade comes with a front panel label that will fit over the existing buttons and LEDs.

The Kiwi-1000 Upgrade features:

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::vtol:: modulator

::vtol:: modulator from ::vtol:: on Vimeo.

Another fascinating creation by ::vtol::. The sound that you hear is software. The hardware controls the sound.

"I have always perceived the concept of modulation in music as a complex cyclical visual system: the ricochets of the crest of a wave constricted in its own amplitude, rotations within rotations (in particular, if the shape of the wave is aspiring for a sinus), compound pendulums and centrifugal spirals. Meanwhile, I actually experienced the frequency modulation as synesthesia a long time ago – I had such an experience when playing a guitar, with the oscillatory movements of my fingers accurately and demonstrably accompanying the palpable vibrations of the string.

The modulator is a system consisting of electric motors and a composite hand, with a passive magnet installed at the end. The Hall effect sensors register the movements of the magnet. This only occurs if the rotation phases coincide in such a way that both composite parts of the hand with the magnet at the end and the senor are on one line. After registration of the magnet’s movements, the status of the entire system shifts -– there is a change of pace, the direction of the rotation of one or both motors changes, and most importantly - the parameters of the sound synthesis. The more frequently the system mutates, the more complex the sound becomes and vice-versa, the more infrequently, the tone becomes more diffuse. As the Hall effect sensors register not only the existence of a magnetic field, but also its strength and polarity, another three additional magnets have been installed on the object on the rotating axes which modulate the position of the main magnet when it is all of a sudden in close proximity to them. Taken all together, they form a composite dynamic system in a closed loop and in a constant state of mutation and modulation of its state rotating in an endless sound composition.

soft:

- axoloti

hard:

- axoloti
- 3 custom made Hall-sensors
- 5 dc motors
- custom electronics
- 1 channel sound system

Moscow, 2018."

Be sure to see the vtol label for more.

Electro Smith FV-1 DSP Eurorack Module Build

Published on Aug 5, 2018 Reckless Experimentation Audio LLC

"I take a Electro Smith FV-1 DSP and build a eurorack module around it."

A DIY Clock Divider Groove

A DIY Clock Divider Groove from Izhar Ashdot on Vimeo.

"You can program drums without a sequencer or drum machine!

A Clock Divider is a module that creates various divisions of the basic clock which is the beating heart of a modular synth system.

My DIY Clock Divider is made from two cute little chips: The CD4040 which divides an incoming clock by 2,4,8,16,32,64,128 etc. and the CD4022 which counts up to 8 and can be reseted after counting any number of steps, thus creating interesting divisions of 3,5,6,7.

Each division is sent to a different drum module, altogether making a cool automatic groove."

nonlinearcircuits Shat noir Phaser

Published on Aug 2, 2018 cirtcele

"The core of the Shat-noir phaser is based on classic LDR based phaser designs, notably the Carlin, Compact Phasing A, Morely Phaser and ADA final Phase. The CV drive is an anti-log circuit, it works a little differently as both the CV and phase pots must be adjusted to find the sweet spots. The In2 pot is 0 at centre, the incoming signal is inverted below that. it is intended as a feedback input for one of the stage outputs, but shove in whatever you want of course.

Please note the build pictures below when constructing to make the box fairly light-proof. A little bit of leakage does not seem to matter much but you could add a bit of black silastic sealant around the edges if you really want to. When soldering the connector pins, use the SIP connectors, jumped across 1 or 2 pins (see pics) to ensure they are nicely perpendicular to the PCB. When soldering the PCB to PCB connectors, I press lightly on the PCB to help keep the connectors tight against the board.

The PCBs are 2mm thick with black soldermask to prevent light getting in. Also, please note the pots go on the side of the PCB that has the pot symbol screenprinted, this is different to previous NLC PCBs……I try to conform, its hard, really hard. Anyway look at the pics to make sure.

PCB set = USD24 Panel = USD22 assembled = USD220"

FPGA Portable Music Generator

Published on Aug 1, 2018 miya miya

Source Code:
https://github.com/miya4649/fpga_pmg

Moonshot - Letterpress Synthesizer

Published on Jul 31, 2018 Billy Muschinske

"This letterpresses synthesizer was built using the Bare Conductive touch board and conductive paint."

https://www.bareconductive.com/shop/touch-board/

Guessing the top section with patch points is just for show. :) This is just a touch capacitive keyboard controller. Looks cool though!

via Bare Conductive

"The Touch Board makes your projects interactive.

One tool, a million possibilities! Create sensors with the Touch Board’s 12 electrodes and trigger sounds through its MP3 player. Make a MIDI piano, an interactive wall, a proximity sensor — you decide. Use our cross‐platform installer to add loads of code examples to the Arduino IDE.

Not sure where to get started? Take a look at our Touch Board Starter Kit. It comes with all the materials and ideas you need to get making today!

Works with:
Protoshields, crocodile clips, copper tape, solder and e‐textiles. Use with Electric Paint to design your own sensors.

LEVEL: Beginner to Expert Engineer"

Synth Voltage Controlled Oscillator 1v/oct tracked DIY how to.

Published on Jul 29, 2018 LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER

"DIY HOW TO make a proper synth oscillator, with temperature compensation 1v/oct and all that jazz! using the CEM 3340.

Im giving away 5 component packs, and a DIY modular furby i built on a livestream a week ago, on my patreon next week! so if you want any of that go check that out!
Patreon :- https://www.patreon.com/lookmumnocomp...
Where there will also be updates on the progression of this project before it goes up anywhere else! All the funds goes straight back into Look mum machines :)

more info on this project over here :-
https://www.lookmumnocomputer.com/pro..."

Follow-up to Build A DIY Case And Power Supply For A Modular Synth CHEAP.

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Pantala Labs Planets + Noise Engineering BIA

Published on Jul 27, 2018 Gibran PantalaLabs

via Github:

"Eurorack module with 3 channels of Euclidean Rhythms. For channels 2 and 3 there is a Rotate button to advance the step grid each time it is pressed and the Gravity button to create a behaviour correlation between tem."

New DIY Vocoder Demo - 18-channel Analog Stereo Vocoder and Formant System

Published on Jul 27, 2018 Glubsch Productions

"Update 2018-07-30: for more information about this DIY vocoder, go to http://vocoder.hoerold.com.

The video demonstrates a variety of vocoder settings using the text of the German song "Für mich soll"s rote Rosen regnen" (red roses shall rain down for me), followed by a few samples of vocoded voice accompanied by analog synthesizer sounds.

Playlist:
0:00 Introduction ("Für mich soll's rote Rosen regnen", originally sung by Hildegard Knef)
3:50 Autobahn -- Kraftwerk
4:40 Silence bridging
5:10 "Wir sind die Roboter" ("We are the robots") -- Kraftwerk
6:12 We are the Borg...
6:53 "Transformer man" -- Neil Young
7:38 "Mr. Roboto" -- Styx
8:12 "Daisy Bell" -- Harry Dacre"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Dannysound Cali OSC & Thru Zero EN129 OSC with Thonk

Superbooth 2018 - Dannysound Cali OSC & Thru Zero EN129 OSC with Thonk Published on May 8, 2018 DivKidVideo

"Steve from Thonk takes us through the two new Dannysound west coast / Buchla style oscillators at Superbooth 2018. There's the Cali OSC based on the 258 with some new features and also the Thru Zero EN129 which is similar to a single oscillator from the famous 259 dual complex oscillator. There's more features and options, great sound and of course it will be DIY first and foremost."

Note this is the first post to feature Dannysound. Superbooth video above and one from Thonk on the Cali Oscillator:

Dannysound - Cali Oscillator (Thonk)

Published on Jul 24, 2018 Thonk Synth DIY

Available at Thonk

"The Cali oscillator is a new and improved version of the classic Buchla 258 waveshaping linear FM oscillator with an additional pulsewidth modulated output.

The oscillator features the classic Sine to Square and Sine to Saw wave shaping with dedicated CV control. The Cali Oscillator differs from previous versions of the 258 in that it has a 3-way position switch rather than 2-way. This new middle position features a bonus waveform that will shape from a pulse into a kind of triangular trapezoid shape. The shaping control is more unpredictable in this middle position – it can be thought of as an extra bonus waveform!

There are dedicated inputs for linear and logarithmic FM and the Cali also adds a Pulse output with it’s own width control and PWM CV input. The behaviour of the pulse output can be affected by the position of the waveform switch and wave shape control.

The module features Coarse and Fine frequency controls and an LFO mode, LFO range is accessed via an LED pushbutton that also acts as the LFO speed indicator – the button will light up when the waveform moves through its positive cycle.


Features:
* Sine to Saw/Square Waveform Output with CV over wave shaping
* Pulse output with voltage controlled PWM
* Linear FM with attenuator
* Logarithmic FM with attenuator
* Bonus ‘trapezoid’ output
* Coarse & Fine controls with LFO mode
* Genuine Rogan USA knobs (Hex keys included)
* All Through-hole build – no SMD components!
* Width: 12HP
* Depth: 42mm"

via Available at Thonk

"The EN129 Thru Zero Oscillator is an all analog triangle-core VCO specialising in frequency modulation. Analog thru-zero FM modulation produces a wide array of timbres particularly useful for bell like or percussive sounds. Frequency modulation can be precisely dialled in thanks to a dedicated input attenuator and v/oct offset control. Logarithmic FM is also available via it’s own dedicated input with attenuator and both FM inputs have an LED to indicate incoming voltages. Simultaneous analog wave outputs include: Sine, Triangle, Sawtooth, Square and Pulse wave with Pulse Width Modulation. The PWM control goes to zero at either end of it’s range, which is very useful for creating rhythmic sounds with voltage control. Furthermore the PWM control doubles up as waveshape modulation for the Sawtooth wave – gradually altering the waveform until it shifts half a cycle. The EN129 features Coarse and Fine frequency controls as well as an LFO mode. LFO range is accessed via an LED pushbutton that also acts as the LFO speed indicator – the button will light up when the waveform moves through its positive cycle.


Features:
Thru Zero linear FM
Logarithmic FM
Zero to zero pulse width modulation
Sawtooth wave shape modulation
Simultaneous outputs for: Sine, Triangle, Saw, Pulse & Square
Coarse & Fine controls with LFO mode
Genuine Rogan USA knobs (hex keys included)
All Through-hole build – no SMD components!
Width: 12HP
Depth: 43mm"

Polyphonic Synth Prototype by cnagorka

Published on May 9, 2018 cnagorka

Playlist:

1. Polyphonic Synth prototype demo

"A crude voice board made of twelve schmitt-trigger oscillators and twelve binary dividers hooked up to an organ keyboard. Sounds great!"

2. DIY Polyphonic keyboard update...

"This monstrous thing is making some good sounds...but there's a long way to go. This is demonstrating two oscillators, when the final product will 'go to 11' (oscillators, that is)."

blackfin fm synthesizer demo

Published on Jul 22, 2018 Dean Miller

"This synth has 6 operators, 16 polyphonic voices, and an LFO.
The video shows a few sound demos.
I am patching it via midi using MAX MSP."

New Erica Synths Bassline Eurorack Module - Build Demo by Synth Diy Guy

Kit Review #24 - Erica Synths Bassline Published on Jul 21, 2018 Synth Diy Guy

"Introduction, unboxing, construction report and audio demo of the new Bassline module from Erica Synths! A complete and powerful synth voice for Eurorack modular synthesizers."