Custom White MiniDexed - TX-816 in a tiny box

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

via this VEMIA listing

Click the auction link on top when you get there for additional listings.

VEMIA is Peter Forrest's auction house. He is the author of The A-Z of Analogue Synthesizer Books.

"What is it? MiniDexed is a high-performance FM synthesizer that replicates the sound of eight DX7 instances, delivering the iconic tones of the TX816 and TX802. Designed to run 'bare metal' on the Raspberry Pi, MiniDexed operates without the need for a Linux kernel or operating system, ensuring efficient and seamless performance. It is assembled into a custom made case, 3D printed. It’s ready for immediate use and compatible with any MIDI keyboard or sequencer featuring MIDI out. By default, its eight modules are assigned to MIDI channels 1-8, but these settings—and more—can be easily customized using the intuitive menu. Used just 3 hours: I had bought it just to compare it to my vintage TX816. I loaded the same sounds in either synth (yes, it loads by MIDI the DX / TX sounds!) and compared A/B. Simply UNBELIEVABLE. For a deep dive into MiniDexed's software and features, please visit this page."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Syd and I - Live at the Faight collective in San Francisco 2025

video upload by Saul Stokes - Frequensea

This one is in via supporting member Saul Stokes.

"Syd and I are a father-daughter electronic music duo. Our style of music comes from Syd's amazing singing, lyrics, and compositional skills combined with my 30-year history of electronic music. This is our first EP, 24 on 7. For our live sets, we have fine-tuned the perfect live show setup. Our entire set is battery-powered and built into a travel case. This allows us to set up and perform quickly anywhere. Contact me for booking possibilities! Check out the rest of our EP using the links below.

Instruments:
1010 blackbox
Novation Circuit Tracks
Korg Kaoss pad Nts-3
Rasperry Pi MiniDexed
Bastle Bestie
all battery-powered!

Spotify -
https://open.spotify.com/track/54cHys...

Bandcamp -
https://saulstokes.bandcamp.com/album...

Apple
/ syd-and-i

Thank you,
Saul

Follow us to stay updated on future live shows and new music.

ig@syd_and_i"

Teensy Audio Library on Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W

video upload by Ghost In Translation

"Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W is capable of running Teensy's Audio Library after some minor modifications.

Here I'm sending MIDI over USB to Pico which is running a 16 voices polyphonic synth sketch. The audio is then sent by I2S to a DAC (the same audio expander from my Motherboard).

There is some light cracking that is coming from the I2S library that I still need to take a look at, otherwise that chip is very capable."

Modu-Grain: The Ultimate Granular Synth for MODULOX BRAIN | Open-Source software & MIDI-Ready!

video upload by RaspiAudio



"🎛️ Introducing Modu-Grain: The Granular Synth for MODULOX BRAIN! 🎛️

🔗 More info & get yours here: https://raspiaudio.com/produit/brain

We're thrilled to introduce Modu-Grain, a powerful granular synthesizer for the MODULOX BRAIN, designed for music creators and sound designers! 🎶

🧠 What is MODULOX BRAIN?
The RASPIAUDIO team has spent two years developing an open-source audio synthesizer platform. Our vision? A versatile hardware unit capable of running multiple applications. This week, we're releasing the Granular Synthesizer, with more to come, including Sampler, VA, and FM. Our open-source code on GitHub allows the community to create and share new applications!

⚡ Why Modu-Grain?

Comes with pre-recorded samples
Four-voice polyphony for rich sound layering
Adjustable sound parameters (grain size, density, envelope, random playback, sample duration)
Real-time waveform visualization and boundary adjustments
Live sample recording via built-in mic or external input
Customizable real-time effects: Filter, Delay, and an assignable LFO
MIDI support for integration into any setup

💾 How does it work?

Precompiled firmware available in our [app store] (apps.raspiaudio.com)
Community-driven: Modify, enhance, and expand features!
🔧 MODULOX BRAIN Specifications:

24-bit DAC & ADC resolution
320x240 color screen
Headphone jack + onboard mic & speaker
MIDI in/out (3.5mm jack) + USB-C MIDI
Expandable via magnetic connectors for MODULOX devices (Knob, Touch, Slide)
Nano pad anti-slip bottom for stability

🎛️ Accessories Included:

3.5mm jack to MIDI DIN RX-TX + sync cable

🚀 Join the Open-Source software Revolution!
MODULOX BRAIN is more than a synthesizer—it’s a platform for endless sonic exploration. Download the firmware, modify it, and create your own instruments!

🔗 Get started now: https://raspiaudio.com/produit/brain

🔗 Explore the source code: [GitHub Link] (apps.raspiaudio.com)"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Zoxnoxious: The Four Voice Cards

video upload by Ultratroninator 3000

"Four voice cards developed (so far!). And their VCV Rack interfaces.

Up til now the voice cards were named based on the analog chip the card was designed around. The Z3340 for the Curtis / Alfa Rpar 3340 VCO, Z3372 for the Curtis / AS3372 chip, and the Z5524 for the Curtis / Alfa Rpar 3394 + SSI2130 (3394 + 2140 = 5524). A boring but technically accurate description.

The most recent card could have been named Z2140, for the SSI2140 filter chip. Or 2040, after the SSM chip it originated from. Z4330 would have also been acceptable given it's core function is SSI2140 + SSI2190 chips. However, nothing better describes its function than Pole Dancer. It's a rarity and deserves a name better describing the function. Take a great sounding analog filter, add voltage controlled mixing of the filter poles, and you've got the Pole Dancer. This voice card does a good job of realizing many many filter types. Lowpass, highpass, bandpass, notch, allpass. Along with morphing between them. Not to mention it has options for resonance compensation, something not present on other '2140 implementations. So boom. Baby. Boom.

Open source on github: https://github.com/brer-rabbit/zoxnox..."

DIY Oscillator using PIC12F1571

video upload by alloutofsync

"I used this weekend to create a square wave oscillator that operates with the PIC12F1571, which is an extremely affordable CPU available for just $0.71 each.

Since it was my first time using PWM, I spent an entire day generating a square wave at the desired frequency. The required settings and their interconnections were so complex to me, so that I had to carefully investigate each one as I went, which was quite challenging.

The next day, I spent working on ensuring that the output sound smoothly followed the CV input. To convert the CV input into a frequency assuming 1V/Oct, exponential calculations are typically used. However, the PIC12F1571 has limited program memory, so I couldn't use a floating-point math library. I had no choice but to approximate the calculation of powers of two using a Taylor series expansion and rely solely on integer arithmetic. Initially, I approximated up to the second-order term, but the accuracy was insufficient at higher frequencies. Eventually, I extended the approximation to the fourth-order term, which gave excellent results.

While testing with the Pico3 sequencer, I noticed that when the RATE was set to the maximum, the output failed to keep up with the changes. Increasing the PIC's clock frequency from 1MHz to 4MHz resolved the issue, and it followed the changes without any problems.

At this point, about 70% of the program memory has already been used, so I'm not sure how much further I can expand. At the very least, I want to implement duty cycle adjustment. If possible, I’d also like to use an additional PWM channel to detune and combine the signals for richer synthesis."

Sunday Jam #55 : Halloween special : 4am again with visualisations

video upload by MIDI IN

After last week's effort I'm kicking back a bit this week and have spent the time on a visualisation. The music is something I first posted in 2020 [video below], at that time with a compilation of some spooky C64 and Vic20 games.

0:00 intro
0:16 talking about Dr.VIP 2040 board
0:42 talking about the visualisation
2:05 the track

"4am" - Original music, with Spooky Vic20 and C64 games (listed in description)

video upload by MIDI IN

"Original spooky music, all sounds are produced by a real C64 (6581 SID). Accompanied by me playing some of my current favourite games on Vic20 and C64.

This time I used the C64 as a midi instrument (via Datel MIDI cart and my own software) and recorded around 30 sounds separately, and mixed them using minimal post-processing (a little reverb and eq).

All of these games have their own music, by better musicians than me. This isn't an attempt to deprecate their music. I've enjoyed the games and the visuals make a great accompaniment to this piece of music.

I am a fan of using real hardware and usually play these games on original computers. However, I don't have a capture device and pointing a camera at the screen looks crap, so I resorted to emulators for the purposes of making the gameplay footage.

Games shown:
Zombie Calavera Prologue, Vic20, from Digital Monastery https://majikeyric.itch.io/zombie-cal...

Pumpkid, Vic20 from Hewco https://hewco64.itch.io/pumpkid

The Isle of the Cursed Prophet, C64 from Icon 64 https://psytronik.itch.io/cursed-prop...

Luna, C64 from Shallan https://shallan64.itch.io/luna"

Bilma Raspberry Pi Pico Based DIY Drum Module

video upload by Maarten Hofman

"This is my second Eurorack synthesizer. It is notable for being only 4 centimeters deep and solid enough to drop from a meter high and only damage what it falls on, and not itself. The case has room for 78 HP worth of modules. All the current modules are 6 HP, some of them are described in the video. The case itself also offers power (700mA for all voltages), MIDI (1 1v/oct, 4 paraphonic pulse waves, 5 drum channels), a hardware spring reverb (barely fit) and a headphone amplifier that can mix two mono signals.

License for the samples used (and the code for the Raspberry Pi PICO drum module):
https://github.com/cashimor/eurorack/..."

"Bilma is a Raspberry Pi pico based drum module. It features 8 local sets, and 4 sample based sets. It has a dial to select the kit, and a dial to change the output filter, which for some reason has some overdrive. The python file works, but the gerber files and schematic have not been tested.

Original file: https://github.com/todbot/circuitpython-tricks/blob/main/larger-tricks/pidaydrummachine.py

samples from https://freesound.org -- License: Creative Commons 0 samples set 1 from: Trvth (Snare1Drum, PedalHiHat1, Ride1Drum, HiHatOpen1Drum, Bass1Drum, Crash1Drum) samples set 2 from: BaDoink (Drum Kit Pack 1), DigitalUnderglow (drumhit_Clap3) samples set 3 from: RytmenPinnen (SemiLoopDrumsamples), ankealtd (Meinl_Byzance_16_Extra_Dry_Thin_Crash_H_3) samples set 4 from: IanStarGem (Electronic Snare Drum 4, Simple Kick Drum, Electronic Closed Hihat #2, Electronic Snare Drum #3) additional samples from: pomeroyjoshua (Anu Clap 06, HH Op 04)

This is a tested circuit. The PCB and schematic will work as included in this repository. Bugs: Access to the USB connector is a bit cramped after placing the PICO on the board, but it would work with a 90 degree connector.

The 'beat.c' file is for a 16F684 to add a drum sequencer."

Zynthian 5.1: A very powertool update

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"Shortly after the release of #Zynthian 5 (https://zynthian.org/ ), the #RaspberryPI foundation came out with the Raspberry PI5, changing the order of USB- and network ports. So in order to use the vastly increased computational power within Zynthian, you'll need to make some drastic changes. Table of contents:

00:00 hello
00:25 why the update?
01:13 what's in the box
01:36 disassemble
02:42 make your marks
03:12 a clean cut
03:39 we're going to need a bigger saw
03:42 the enclosure needs some attention, too
04:17 thermal strip cutting
04:56 display cable installation
05:12 thermal block installation
05:31 USB type C adapter installation
06:18 the last cable bender
06:37 RasPi 5 installation
07:11 enclosure assembly
07:55 turn it on again
08:10 download and install the software update
08:29 zynthian side chaining tutorial
14:15 demo 1
15:12 conclusion
16:12 demo 2
19:37 bye

HÄLP ZIS CHANNEL
https://www.patreon.com/floyd_steinberg
https://floydsteinberg.gumroad.com/
https://floydsteinberg.bandcamp.com/"

Guitar noodles with Phantasmal Force (beta firmware), MT32-pi, norns shield XL

video upload by Arman Bohn

"Phantasmal Force micro midi controller is available here:

www.distropolisgoods.com

New PF firmware soon!

Testing out the new ARP/sequencer functionality in the beta firmware for the Phantasm Force. There are a number of new features and a lot of functional improvements and changes in the new firmware which I hope to release in about a month or so.

Here, we have eight of the sequencers sending notes on four different midi channels going into the MT 32 and triggering a soundfont of jazz guitar. The top row of four buttons are sending midi LFO signals  that are slowly changing the vibrato on the guitar sound.

The second row of buttons on the PF have sent program change messages to the MT to instruct it to load the jazz guitar sound before I started recording this video. The PF is really useful for sending program change messages to some of the synths that I have that require them to load new sounds such as the Kasser Arcade."

System1 - Raspberry Pi ML

video upload by Rarebeasts

"I’m really excited with this new setup of a System1 into a Raspberry pi running IMPSY(written by @cpmpercussion ) which predicts musical control data in a call and response manor and returns it back to control 8 channels of the System1. The IMPSY system is trained with data from the System1 as it is played."

The music tracker you've propably never heard about

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"Here's Tutka, an older, yet still very interesting MIDI tracker, running on a "#ClockworkPi" console on #Linux on #raspberrypi .

Links & resources:
Tutka MIDI sequencer: https://www.nongnu.org/tutka/
Linuxsampler on RasPi: https://github.com/hexdump0815/linuxs...
Linuxsampler homepage https://linuxsampler.org/
Clockworkpi: https://www.clockworkpi.com/"


Also:

Raspberry PI 5 with Reaper, Surge XT and ZynAddSubFX - real world test with professional audio apps

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

USB MIDI HOST w/ Raspberry Pi controlling hardware synths (Circuit Tracks, SP404mk2, ecc.)

video upload by Mountain Piercer

"I want to find a cheap and easy way to connect my gears via Midi using only USB, my old raspberry is capable of doing it! I also using my Novation Launch control mk1 to control the Circuit Tracks, SP404mk2 and the Ultranova. I also change my camera (did you notice?)

Raspberry Pi MIDI HOST(not affiliated): https://neuma.studio/raspberry-pi-as-..."

SUPERBOOTH 2024: Koma Elektronik - Chromaplane Electromagnetic Synth

video upload by sonicstate

"At Superbooth 2024, Chris showcased the Chromaplane*, an electromagnetic synthesizer developed with the support of *KOMA Electronic*. The instrument features 10 electromagnetic fields emitting from specific points on its surface, which are played using two pickup coils. The sound is detected by the coils, passing through a low pass filter and delay, creating a unique modulation effect. Additionally, the *Chroma Plane includes an envelope follower output and an external input for playing external audio sources.

The concept of the Chroma Plane originated from Chris's experience as a musician and visual artist, leading to the development of a smaller version of the instrument for live performances. After more than 100 concerts worldwide, Chris and KOMA are working towards making the Chroma Plane available as a commercial product in the coming months. Stay tuned to the Koma website for updates."

via Koma Elektronik

"KOMA Elektronik & Passepartout Duo are collaborating on a new standalone instrument called the Chromaplane.

Are you ready to start a new journey together?

The Chromaplane features a touchless interface, organic analog sounds, and an intuitive way of playing, all made possible by invisible electromagnetic fields. It combines the expressivity of traditional acoustic instruments, with the endless experimentation of electronic sound design.

Passepartout Duo has been road testing the Chromaplane in their performance setup for a while, and now we’re finally at the last stages of development. In the next month, we’ll be revealing more information about this unique instrument, so…

…think about making some space in your studio!

Shipping Worldwide!"

Wee Noise Maker PGB-1 – The all-in-one open-source pocket groovebox

video upload by Crowd Supply



via Crowd Supply

"Wee Noise Makers PGB-1 is an advanced yet portable sequencer that lets you craft complex musical pieces anywhere. This all-in-one, open-source, customizable device is designed to empower aspiring musicians, seasoned creators, and makers. It isn’t just an instrument—it’s your gateway to the world of music production and audio synths.

Rock Out, Anywhere
PGB-1 has an open-source stock firmware that makes it a playful and powerful groove box. It allows you to craft complex musical pieces with drums, bass, lead, samples, reverb, bitcrusher, overdrive, and others.

Orchestrated by an advanced sequencer with conditional steps, repeats/ratcheting, pattern chaining, chord sequencing, song mode, live sequencing effects, and more. And it’s also a hackable and customizable device, with CircuitPython, C\C++, and Ada support for programming your own synthesizers, video games, or any audio based projects.

Features & Specifications

Processor: Raspberry Pi RP2040

16 MB Flash
Audio IC: Cirrus Logic WM8960 (or equivalent)

Up to 32-bit at 48 kHz digital audio link
On-chip Headphone Driver, 1 W Stereo Class D Speaker Driver
Up to 3 stereo Line-in/Microphone interfaces
User Interface

128 x 64 monochrome OLED screen
24 addressable RGB LEDs
30 tactile switches
1 capacitive touch strip
Input & Outputs

1x USB Type-C (Power & Data)
1x 3.5 mm Headphone/Headset
1x 3.5 mm Audio Line-in
1x 3.5 mm MIDI Input (TRS type-A)
1x 3.5 mm MIDI Output (TRS type-A)
Internal microphone
Open Source
PGP-1 is an open hardware project. Right now, you can browse the GitHub repo for the device’s firmware. Later, we will make the schematics available to the public."

SPIN: AI-Music Synthesizer - Vinyl Meets Grid

SPIN: AI-Music Synthesizer from Arvind on Vimeo.

SPIN is an AI music synthesizer that allows you to co-create compositions with a language model, MusicGen. It is a playful invitation to explore the nuances of algorithmic music, encouraging you to slow down and zoom in on its artifacts. It celebrates the marriage between human and machine creativity through music."

via Arvind Sanjeev

"SPIN is an AI music synthesizer that allows you to co-create compositions with a language model, MusicGen. It is a playful invitation to explore the nuances of algorithmic music, encouraging you to slow down and zoom in on its artifacts. It celebrates the marriage between human and machine creativity through music.

SPIN breaks down the process of co-composing music with an AI using a tangible interface. Enter the desired mood, genre, sounds and bpm to listen to the music come alive on an LP record. A DVS (Digital Vinyl System) allows you to slow down, zoom in, scratch and listen between the notes. Use it to create new compositions, as a simple sound synthesizer, as a playful scratch tool, or to play relaxing music in the background.

SPIN is an artifact from a future where music will be hyper-tailored to people’s tastes and preferences. It is an explorer of musical curiosities that can generate music unlike anything heard before, blending unheard-of combinations of sounds, rhythms and harmonies. This opens up exciting possibilities for pushing the boundaries of music and creating entirely new micro-genres. Who’s ready for some happy, death-metal, disco?

Under the hood, SPIN takes the input prompts in the form of button presses through an Arduino Mega. This is sent via serial to a Raspberry Pi which prompts the MusicGen API. An mp3 file is received as the output which is loaded onto a Digital Vinyl System (DVS). A transmuted Numark PT-01 and a timecoded control vinyl record serve as the turntable. The Xwax DVS package for Raspberry Pi reads the vinyl timecode through a Behringer audio driver, and the output is played via stereo speakers.

There are a lot of amazing generative music experiments, from Dadabots’s relentless death metal streaming AI on YouTube to Holly Herndon’s experiments around voice transplantations. But I realized we hit a tipping point when I stumbled upon the Riffusion music model; I was taken aback by its depth and realism, including its new update that adds lyrical voices to the output. Inspired by this, I wanted to build a platform to let me further explore and combine never-before-heard combinations of music and sounds. This laid the seed for building SPIN.

I wanted SPIN to encourage people to be playful; having a scratch interface served this purpose. A DVS (Digital Vinyl System) adds an extra dimension while listening to the generated compositions. It allows us to slow down these synthetic tunes and listen between the notes. So, I decided to combine a DVS system with the MusicGen API in the form of an old-school synthesizer."

Zonoxious Deep Dive Part 1: Project background & Frontend with VCV Rack

video upload by Ultratroninator 3000

"The initial video in a deep dive series provides background info and details how the Zoxnoxious analog synthesizer works. The focus is on the frontend, VCV Rack, and getting the signals required to run the synthesizer from VCV Rack out to a Raspberry Pi.

Project code and docs: https://github.com/brer-rabbit/zoxnox..."

Zonoxious Deep Dive Part 2: Raspberry Pi Gadget Mode with 54 audio channels + MIDI

video upload by Ultratroninator 3000

"This second deep dive video on the Zoxnoxious synth goes into detail on the Raspberry Pi's gadget mode. The Zoxnoxious synth receives 54 control voltages as USB Audio and also USB MIDI for commands. This video shows how that is setup and used. To show the Pi gadget mode working I pull in VCV Rack and roundtrip signals from a host computer to the Pi."

Raspberry Pi based installation art: the melody that started at the beginning of the universe

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"'Pentatonic Permutations' ( https://pentatonic-permutations.de ) is a piece of algorithmic piano music that's performed in installation art using a Raspberry Pi-based hardware player synchronized to DCF77, an over-the-air time protocol. In this video, I sit down to talk with its creator, Benjamin Heidersberger, about the technical intricacies, artistic intents, the history of algorithmic music and how media consumption has changed over the last decades.

00:00 hello
00:46 interview - how the hardware player was made
03:08 does the development of technology pave the way for art?
04:21 artist intentions
06:49 coding the algorithm
09:06 how the web player / app was made
14:16 short demo: using the midi out function of the app with some synths
16:07 conclusion

Android app is here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...
IOS app will follow soon!

HÄLP ZIS CHANNEL
https://www.patreon.com/floyd_steinberg
https://floydsteinberg.gumroad.com/
https://floydsteinberg.bandcamp.com/"

Simple rhythmic variations w/ Hologram Microcosm, Dirtywave M8, MT-32 pi, TX-6 & RK-006

video upload by Arman Bohn

"Generative patterns from the M8 are producing the rhythms and bass. M8 is also sending random chord information to the MT32 pi. The MT32 is playing back an E piano soundfont that is sent through the microcosm.

The microcosm is kind of like my therapy right now. I can feed it generative random stuff and play with the knobs and occasionally make some really magical sounds."

Picophonica — A Raspberry Pi Pico synth for a toy keyboard, with instrument presets and Midi out

video upload by Turi Scandurra

"A friend gifted me a cheap toy musical keyboard. The sound quality was atrocious, and it could only play one note at a time. So I removed its circuitry while keeping its enclosure, speaker, and keybed, and with some tinkering and a Raspberry Pi Pico I turned it into something usable.

I integrated a software synthesizer into the Pico. It's pico_synth_ex by Ryo Ishigaki - ISGK Instruments. The new engine boasts two oscillators, featuring descending sawtooth and square waveforms, a customizable filter with resonance control, cutoff modulation, a Decay-Sustain amp envelope, and an LFO for added modulation possibilities.

This video shows the makeover. The soundtrack is entirely played on the Picophonica, recorded one instrument at a time through the new audio out port.

Source code: https://github.com/TuriSc/Picophonica
Blog post: https://turiscandurra.com/picophonica/"