KiCad in 5 minutes: Designing an SMD PCB for my $30 chord sequencer + firmware updates

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"I finally learned KiCad and with the help of PCB Way https://www.pcbway.com/activity/anniv... or https://pcbway.com/g/4nkLCf , I created an SMD PCB for my $30 chord sequencer, and I added all the features you asked for after the last video on this project. Table of contents:

00:00 short demo
00:07 hello, what's this?
00:58 KiCad design quick walkthough
05:04 a parcel from PCB Way!
06:36 creating some JST adapter cables
07:04 my thoughts on the whole process, and some advice (read those spec sheets!)
08:36 Quick overview: Analyzing chords and using suggested chords
09:43 chord complexity selection
10:05 passing chords
10:43 santanic chords
11:34 rolling chords
12:07 reacting to velocity
12:29 bass: root note
12:44 bass: key root note
13:04 swipe menus
13:23 sending CC data with the ring
14:04 arpeggiator
14:48 user arpeggiator patterns
16:08 chord sequencer + auto chord progression
17:07 multitimbral multitrack demo (Montage M)
17:57 conclusion and where to get

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


Previously:

This $30 chord sequencer adds more Gospel to your music #synth #midicontroller

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"I built a nifty little MIDI device that might help you find some interesting new chord progressions. This runs on a 1.28" CrowPanel by ELECROW ( https://tidd.ly/49pImPW , or the new 1.46" version https://tidd.ly/4u51ZEi ) for roughly $30. Table of contents:

00:00 hi, what's this? + quick demo
00:40 sponsored by ELECROW
01:05 hardware needed
02:01 Yes, I came up with the firmware, but that's not important here
02:44 you'll need an external sound source #synthesizer and set it to local mode
03:15 you can play on the device itself or on a midi keyboard
03:28 basic usage
03:49 emotional chords!
04:41 ... or not
05:05 chord analyzer
05:52 passing chords
06:33 bass (chord root + key root)
07:23 this channel needs you support
07:48 trigger key changes (some music theory)
09:15 functional chords, related keys and chromatic/altered chords
09:53 chord sequencer
10:44 flip the screen
11:13 disarm the passing chord function
11:19 some interesting details (automatic voicing, slightly random velocity and more)
12:19 playing "chord melodies" and throwing some "emotional chords" in (proof of practicability)
12:45 using the device to create chord progressions in other sequencers
13:02 a short improvisation (left hand: chord machine, right hand: keyboard)
14:16 conclusion, and some more ideas (and why I need your help)"

Yamaha DX100 Digital FM Keyboard Synthesizer

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

via this listing, 2nd one listed here.

Additional Perfect Circuit listings

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Yamaha TX802 FM Synthesizer Sound Module SN NN01854

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via this listing

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Kawai K1m Digital Synthesizer Module

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via this listing

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MOOG MUSIC SUBHARMONICON ANALOG SYNTH & SEQUENCER w/ Original Box & Preset Cards

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via this auction

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ROLAND TB-03 DESKTOP BASS SYNTH w/ Original Box

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

via this listing

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ROLAND SH-01A DESKTOP VIRTUAL ANALOGUE SYNTH - Blue w/ Original Box

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via this listing

Additional Signal Sounds listings

Mandala mk2 tutorial 14: the arpeggiator

video upload by likaoninstruments

"In this video we'll see all the arpeggiator features !
Place melodic steps
Fill mode
Arpeggio length and form
Simple and complex modes
Note masking"

See this previous post for a full playlist of tutorials (2nd embed).

Plinky 12 Blocks - Full Walkthrough

video upload by Nathan Plante Synths, Alex Evans (mmalex), Making Sound Machines

"At long last, I have made the Plinky 12 Blocks walkthrough! This panel is so jam-packed with features it was hard to fit it all in to one video (and I did leave out a few things). Blocks can do it all - sequencing, live play, loop recording, chords.... an EVERYTHING machine! I can't wait to see what great music people are going to make with this synth. Enjoy!"

00:00 Intro
01:24 Play Surfaces
03:33 Piano Roll
05:55 Velocity, Gate Length, Ratchets
06:42 Alternate (Sparkly) Notes
09:30 Mute
09:54 Fancy Randomization
11:58 Live Loop Recording
13:00 Clip Launcher (Launch Mode)
16:22 Preset Banks
18:01 Synth Settings (Mutate Mode)
22:58 XY Pad (Modulation)
24:47 Saving Presets
25:11 The LFOs
27:37 The Mix Page
28:57 Arp Settings
30:10 Performance FX
33:40 Changing Root and Scale (Chord Mode)
36:23 Outro & Jam

Jeannie2 - Wavetables

video upload by Rolf Degen

"Jeannie 2 - Polyphonic DIY Synthesizer & Sampler
Part - Wavetables

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

What Can Polyend Tracker + & Doboz DVNA Create in 10 Minutes?

video upload by Demover

"Hey everyone!

Today I'm sharing a multi-pattern club vibe created with the Polyend Tracker + and the Doboz DVNA.

The MIDI notes are sent from Channel 9 of the Polyend Tracker+, while the atmospheric sequence is generated entirely by the DVNA, with the Tracker+ driving the groove underneath.

I hope you're all having a great summer and finding some time to relax!"

school lunchroom table type beat

video upload by TOSKABYSS

"Used my phone to capture the audio from my desk and processed the audio of the Arturia MicroFreak in Ableton."

All parts here

Drum Farm Quick Start

video upload by knobula

"A quick run through of the main principles behind Drum Farm:
• How to Load and Save sample banks.
• The difference between GET and REC
• Output and FX routing with MAIN and AUX channels.
• Top tips and hidden features."

Turismo - Electro

video upload by ALM TV

"「 Turismo Electro 」🐠 Jamming a full electro track using the Turismo, with beats, bass, a lead voice, chords, sequencing, modulation and FX all produced from directly within the system. 🌊

Starting with a beat from the Squid, the TAZM-O is mixed in followed with dynamic through-zero FM from a self oscillating filter of the MCFx2. Additional drum sounds are brought in via the mutes of the ASQ-1. A bass sequence is then added, also produced by the TAZM-O using one of its 2 sub oscillator outs filtered and triggered to alternate with the lead voice. The result is effectively 2 voices using only 1 oscillator. Finally, a vocal like chord sequence from the CIZZLE is mixed in, with both its pitch and inversion sequenced to create ‘arpeggiator’ style stepping from both oscillators. The reverb time of the MFX is increased as the elements are mixed out to conclude the track.

The Turismo is our fully modern Eurorack modular workstation, blending a curated mix of our flagship analog and digital modules for a versatile and creative patching experience. It offers a distinctive ALM character, designed for both precision and fun. 🚘"

'Dance Arp' the initial integral version of 'We are the fire' with Crumar Bit99 synth from the '80

video upload by Davide Micheli

With vocals further below.

"'Dance ARP' is a music song composed in 2024 by Davide Micheli. Some parts were extracted from it and later used to compose the song 'We are the Fire', released in July 2026 with the Sir Donkey band made by me and my friend Piero Pirani.

The song uses mainly vintage Italian electronic synthesizers from the 1980s

The track was strictly recorded with an analog mixer, similar to what was done in the 1980s, except for the digital conversion of the audio using a 24-bit audio interface and Cubase at 96 kHz.

In particular:
--A1985 Crumar Bit99 synthesizer was used for the Bass, Arpeggio, and Pad parts;
--An Elka Rapsody 610 and an Elka Twin 61 synthesizer from the 1980s were used for the string machine parts;
--A Crumar Multiman S from the 1980s were used for the string machine parts;
--A Elka Rapsody 610 synthesizer from the 1980s were adopted for the vintage '80 piano;
--A CRB Diamond 910 Gold vintage electronic organ of '80 was adopted for organ part on the initial part of music track
--A Korg Prologue was used for the synthetic sound effects.
--A Akai S5000 sampler for some for the strings in a central section of the song.

Finally, for the rhythm section, a Behringer RD-9 Drum Machine with a phaser and stereo modulation effects on some parts was used and you can hear drom going from left to right stereo channel. Hope you enjoy the music."

With vocals:

We are the fire (Sir Donkey band by Davide Micheli and Piero Pirani) recorded in Ankon Record studio

video upload by Davide Micheli Piero Pirani Sir Donkey

"This piece was conceived, composed, and then produced using almost exclusively vintage Italian electronic synthesizers from the 1980s at the private recording studio Ankon Records.

We appositely decided to make use of vintage Italian brand synthesizer to reproduce the music dance atmosphere, sonority and resonances of the Italo Disco dance of '80 era.

We are the fire is a dance music brand that harks back to 1980s music revisited with a contemporary twist. The song features my friend Piero Pirani and I who are the components of Sir Donkey band. A friend of ours, singer Maruzio, sang some parts in falsetto on some of the chorus parts.

The choruses and vocals sometimes have slight imperfections that we deliberately left on the recording without correcting."

Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics - synth pattern on Prophet 6

video upload by jami.m

Oberheim TEO 5 + Push 3 Standalone techno performance pt.2

video upload by Kamil p aka The Influence

Part 1 here

TOSKABYSS and the Arturia Microfreak

video uploads by TOSKABYSS

"Take a minute to remove the toxins from your mind with the Arutira MicroFreak."

Playlist at the time of this post:

1. wet deposition atmospheric wash out meditation
2. i have many pet spiders now
3. pretty soon we'll all be quantized
4. this changes EVERYTHING
5. meditation wind chimes with the microfreak
6. building courage [previously posted]
7. Arturia Microfreak Chord Board with Condukt App [previously posted]

Sinevibes Shift frequency shifter

Playlist:

1. Sinevibes Shift frequency shifter – with KORG NTS-1 mkII
2. Sinevibes Shift frequency shifter – with Elektron model:cycles and KORG NTS-1 mkII

https://www.sinevibes.com/korgshift/

"Shift is a frequency shifter for KORG prologue, minilogue xd, NTS-1, NTS-1 mkII, NTS-3 and microKORG2. It features two distinct models: a frequency shifter and a ring modulator. The frequency shifter model shifts each frequency partial in the input signal’s spectrum upwards or downwards by an equal amount in Hz, changing the original ratios between all frequency partials; this makes the sound more and more atonal, un-pitched. The ring modulator model uses a 2× oversampled sine oscillator as a multiplier of the input signal, producing a new spectrum with all frequency partials shifted both upwards and downwards; this algorithm makes the sound even more atonal and metallic, bell-like.

HIGHLIGHTS

Studio-grade DSP algorithms, calibrated specifically for KORG’s hardware platform.

Individually chosen mapping for every plugin parameter, providing a very natural feel.

Built-in lag filters for noise-free, ultra-smooth parameter adjustment.

Tested and optimized for maximum performance and stability on each individual device type."

Rest in Peace PENELOPE the Synth Kitty

Long time reader Adam Abraham wrote in to let me know his little synth kitty PENELOPE has passed away. You might recognize these pics from prior posts, Odyssey Cat and KORG MS20 with KORG 35 Filter & Synth Cat.

According to Adam, she's been a synthhead by his side since day one. These little friends keep us company along our journey. She will be sorely missed.