"This is a first edition Manta with Amber LEDs only. Serial no 23.
It is a touch sensitive controller interface requiring a computer or MantaMate accessory to turn capacitive touches into midi, OSC, or CV information.
You can get super geeky with it in MaxMSP or SuperCollider, use a free third-party program like MantaJUCE to get MIDI to your program of choice, or get a MantaMate to convert your touches to CV signals."
"Inspired by the arrival of a Molex power splitter, I got my modular stuff organized on the techno table and ripped out a patch. Some Noise Engineering Basimulus Iteras Alter, Plaits, Expert Sleepers FH2, Snyderphonics Manta Mate Arturia Microbrute and other fun items."
"Perfunctory video for mandatory audio. Slowly getting things organized and wired...I finally got something coordinated and jammed out. The magic sauce is the Snyderphonics Manta Mate which is spitting out a bunch of semi random voltages to stuff.
I have several small modular kits that I've built for easy travel and setup. No travel, no setups these days, so I have them wired together finally making some lovely noise."
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Jeff Snyder - additional demo here.
"This is an example of an effective technique for using the continuous data from the sensors on the Snyderphonics Manta.
While it's possible to get useful data from the sensors when conceiving of them as a sort of psuedo-pressure sensor, they are actually sensing the total surface area covered by the finger. The technique demonstrated here is what we have found to be the most effective way to achieve a nice range of control over the sensors.
Placing your finger on the sensor with the flat part of the fingertip covering as much surface area as possible, and then rolling the finger up until only the tip is touching the top of the hexagon will produce a smooth decrease in sensor values.
Conversely, starting with the finger pointing straight down, and the fingernail just above the top of the sensor, then rolling the finger down to cover more surface area, will produce a smooth increase in sensor values."
"Nice touch-plate controller for synths, DAW or video apps. Velocity-sensitive with aftertouch. Mint conditions, fully functional, comes with USB cable and padded carrying case"
"At Superbooth 2019, we talked with designer Jeff Snyder of Snyderphonics, who gave us an overview and demo of his unique Manta controller and a companion Eurorack module, MantaMate."
"Jeff Snyder and Josh Becker present the Snyderphonics Manta, a touch-sensitive hexagonal grid controller, and the Snyderphonics MantaMate, a Eurorack module that allows the use of the Manta as a powerful sequencer/keyboard for a modular synth, along with additional functionality including converting game joysticks to analog voltage, communication with a computer over USB-MIDI, and a surprisingly rich set of utility features such as multi-channel random voltage pattern generation and clock division. They will also use the soon-to-be-released Snyderphonics Genera, a DSP Eurorack module with an unusual set of synthesis and effects algorithms."
"With Firmware update 1.3, the MantaMate now supports MPE (Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression) Midi devices. Here's a little demo using the Roli Seaboard to control a Eurorack modular synthesizer through the MantaMate. In this example, the MantaMate is in 2-voice polyphony mode (preset 02) with MPE turned on. Each voice sends pitch, gate, velocity, trigger, pressure, and Y position."
This is an animated notation piece for an open instrumentation. It was written for PLOrk in 2016 and is intended to be performed by a combination of acoustic and electronic musicians, but this is a version that just uses electronic sounds. The graphic score is realized in javascript and the synthesis is all created using WebAudio.
The conductor changes the image components live to guide the course of the piece. For instance, the conductor can add and remove rings (performers), planets (pitches), and ticks (percussive sounds) at will. The color of the lines conveys which of five scales is used. Moons are played by the same performers that are handling the planet they orbit around.
Thanks to Drew Wallace for additional javascript magic!
It's controlled with the computer keyboard and the mouse position.
` (the top left key below escape) selects all rings.
numbers 1 through 8 select individual rings.
9 makes rings visible or invisible.
0 adds or removes moons.
- adds or removes ticks.
p adds or removes planets
the arrow keys add or remove the "play" lines.
s, d, f, g, and h set the color of the next line you add (and therefore the scale)
z through / set the division of the ticks.
mouse X position is the size of planets - maps to decay time of notes.
mouse Y position is the blue/red color at the upper left hand corner of the screen. It maps to timbre, dark to bright.
//
For an interesting collection of information about animated notation works, check out Ryan Ross Smith's animated notation website. http://www.animatednotation.com/"
"Announcing the release of the Snyderphonics MantaMate, a Eurorack-format analog synthesizer module that connects the Manta controller (and many other things) to your analog modular synth.
The MantaMate has 12 analog control voltage outputs (4 are 16-bit high resolution and 8 are 12-bit medium resolution). It acts as a USB host for the Manta, allowing you to use the Manta as either a touch keyboard or as a powerful sequencer without the need for a computer. It also translates USB-MIDI controllers, such as keyboards and knob banks. Unusually, it can also convert certain game controllers and joysticks to analog voltages as well, so you can plug in a flight-simulator joystick and control your analog synth. It is also capable of connecting to your computer as a USB-MIDI device, allowing you to easily send control voltages from a DAW like ProTools or a music programming language like Max or Supercollider."
"Here's some video of me testing out the MantaMate prototype. I'm still working on the firmware, but it's going well!
The MantaMate is a USB host Eurorack module for USB-MIDI and USB-HID devices, like keyboards, Mantas, and joysticks. It takes input from a USB device and sends 12 channels of 0-10V control voltage. It can also be put into device mode, so that you can use it as a control voltage output for your computer. Fun stuff!"
"Pedro Eustache dropped by Princeton, NJ to try out the Snyderphonics Birl prototype electronic wind instrument. The first part of the video shows him testing out more discrete playing and the ending shows him trying out fingered pitch bends, one of the advantages of the Birl's "open-holed" design. Learn more at http://snyderphonics.com/products.htm"
The Snyderphonics Birl was featured back in 2014 here.
Watch your volume levels on this one. It starts out loud.
"We just got the MantaMate prototype to be able to understand joystick data. Here's Reid Oda using a flight sim joystick to control a modular synth, without a computer involved -- the MantaMate module acts as a USB host for the joystick and converts the information to control voltages."
Side note: I did a quick search on MantaMate in the archives and found the one and only post from back in 2011! As Morrissey would say, "these things take time..."
"Fancy handmade in the US midi controller. The Manta is similar to a Buchla/Serge touchplate but with USB! Beautiful wood panels and backing with a metal touchplate makes for a very expressive instrument/controller with a very quality feel. Mine is version 2 with bi-colour leds.
The Manta is designed to be incredibly flexible depending on how you wish to use it. It makes a fantastic complement to a MAX/MSP, PureData or modular setup but can be used with any DAW such as Live or Logic. I've used it as velocity-sensitive 48 note keyboard, which I found useful for breaking old keyboard habits. You can assign the little hexagons to pretty much any midi parameter though. It can be a sequencer, X/Y pad, keyboard, fader. A lot of potential in a small package.
It has a USB connection so you have to interface with the computer for now, though Snyderphonics are apparently developing a little breakout box with midi and CV for analogue and other external gear."
JD1 Custom: Keyboard mode with surface area output
Snyderphonics JD-1 Quantize Mode
JD-1: Testing Functionality
"Testing the functionality of the Snyderphonics JD-1 keyboard/sequencer prototype."
JD-1 Melody Test
"Testing keyboard mode with joystick control on the Snyderphonics JD-1 keyboard/sequencer prototype. The synthesizer patch used has a really gritty filter resonance that barks out when it aligns with a harmonic."
