littleBits & KORG Synth Modules CV, MIDI, and USB I/O

Published on Mar 31, 2015 littleBits Electronics

littleBits on eBay

"The CV module developed in partnership with Korg, a pioneer of electronic musical equipment, enables amateur and professional musicians to easily explore the iconic synthesizer instrument, allowing you to make exciting new sounds and build their own infinitely customizable and expandable analog modular instrument and put on your own performances - all with little to no engineering or musical knowledge.

More about the latest Synth Kit Modules at
http://littlebits.cc/new-synth-modules"

Playlist:
Introducing: littleBits New Synth Modules - MIDI, CV and USB I/O
Getting started with littleBits & Korg MIDI module Pt. 1 MIDI IN
Getting started with the littleBits & Korg MIDI Moldule Pt. 2 MIDI IN (USB Controller)
Getting started with the littleBits & Korg USB I/O Module
Getting started with the littleBits & Korg MIDI Module Pt. 3 MIDI Out
Getting started with the littleBits & Korg CV Module
littleBits + Korg and Cycling '74 Max Introduction
Sequencing the littleBits Synth Kit with the Korg Volca Keys

littleBits x KORG Press Conference

littleBits Introduction - littleBits x KORG Press Conference: Part1

Published on Jun 4, 2014 KORGINC·410 videos

littleBits synth kits on eBay

"littleBits: http://jp.littlebits.com/
KORG: http://www.korg.com/

----------------------------------------­------------
2013.11.3
littleBits x KORG Press Conference
at Maker Faire Tokyo 2013

- Paul Rothman (littleBits)
- Sakamaki Tadahiko (KORG)
- Takahashi Tatsuya (KORG)
- DJ TARO
----------------------------------------­------------"

Synth Kit Introduction - littleBits x KORG Press Conference: Part2


Synth Kit Demonstration - littleBits x KORG Press Conference: Part3

KORG Introduces Little Bits - Magnetically Snappable Modular Synth

Litttlebits * korg

Published on Nov 3, 2013 Sota TOSHIYOSHI·2 videos
Update: module list & more added below.

Update2: I thought the following was an interesting note from PatchPierre of PatchPierre.Net on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge: "Assuming all LittleBits can interact, the connections with the already existing bits look the most interesting to me. For example: theremin-like creations with http://littlebits.cc/bits/light-sensor. and projects with http://littlebits.cc/bits/bend-sensor and http://littlebits.cc/bits/pressure-sensor"

This was supposed to embargoed until November 8th, but it looks like the little bits are out of the box. Below are some shots via lhuga on Flickr and some initial details.   Some of you might remember Little Bits from previous posts (see the LittleBits channel for more). LittleBits was created by Ayah Bdeir. You can see her in this video. The first post went up back on August 12, 2008. I always wondered if more synth bits would be coming. Thanks to KORG it looks like they have.

The price for the kit appears to be 16,000 Yen which translates to roughly $162 US.

CLICK FOR MORE »

KORG littleBits Synth Kit Launch Performances - Nullsleep, Seth & Reggie Watts

Nullsleep live in concert (littleBits Synth Kit Launch)
Published on Nov 13, 2013 littleBits TV·282 videos

http://littlebits.cc/kits/synth-kit

"Nullsleep performs with the new littleBits Synth Kit, live at (Le) Poisson Rouge on Nov. 7th, 2013 for the littleBits Synth Kit Launch Event.

littleBits makes an open source library of electronic modules that snap together with magnets for prototyping, learning and fun. Find out more at littleBits.cc"

"Seth" live in concert (littleBits Synth Kit Launch)


"Tadahiko Sakamaki and Tatsuya Takahasi from Korg ("Seth") perform with the new littleBits Synth Kit during the littleBits Synth Kit launch at (Le) Poisson Rouge in NYC on Nov. 7th, 2013. Paul Rothman, from littleBits, joins the duo at the end of the performance."

Reggie Watts live in concert (littleBits Synth Kit Launch)


"Watch Reggie Watts perform live with the littleBits Synth Kit during the littleBits Synth Kit launch party at (Le) Poisson from Nov. 7th, 2013."

EURORACK MODULAR SHOCK ELECTRONIX ENSEMBLE

Published on Jul 17, 2015 PLUCKA,S SHED

Synth bird!

"A new eurorack modular from shock electronix featuring the sequencer ,delay and modulator a very easy and fun starter setup
http://shockelectronix.com/shop/"

A list of their first set of products for the archives (these are available as completed or as various DIY kits):

"EsQu-One Step Sequencer

The Shock Electronix Modatron EsQu-One Step Sequencer is our Eurorack conversion of the super compact and highly versatile Korg SQ-1 Step Sequencer.

As standard, the Korg SQ-1 is a compact step sequencer with 2 x 8 steps. It's wealth of connection jacks allows it to be integrated with a Eurorack System, connected to the MS-20, and a variety of other synthesizers.

Vintage analog synths or the latest compact synths can be controlled from this single unit. You can also switch between a variety of synthesizer modes and use the step buttons to create performances overflowing with spontaneity.

As a descendant of the SQ-10, and just like the SQ-1, the EsQu-One supports the Hz/V standard, enabling it to perfectly control the MS-20 or MS-20 mini. It goes without saying the V/Oct standard is also supported, and the voltage level of the CV output (*) and polarity of the GATE output can be specified as appropriate for the device you've connected. This versatility will enable you to control a wide variety of other synthesizers as well.

* V/Oct supported for 1V, 2V, and 5V; Hz/V supported for 8V.

Just like the SQ-1, the EsQu-One provides two CV/GATE OUT channels, the standard MIDI OUT and USB MIDI, littleBits out (to connect to the littleBits synth kit by littleBits Electronics Inc.), plus the SYNC IN/OUT channel that allows you to connect to the volca series and monotribe. In addition to this, we’ve designed the EsQu-One with an added 4 rows of multiples, and easy access to the USB port at the bottom."

"Modatron Delay

The Shock Electronix Modatron Delay is our Eurorack conversion of the extremely popular Korg Monotron Delay.

As standard, the Korg Monotron Delay offers analog-style echoes, an LFO with selectable triangle or square waveshape, the same classic analog filter found in the legendary Korg MS-10 & MS-20, and with newly added controls, there is much more flexibility and functionality than ever before."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Introducing the littleBits Mounting Board - Make a Synth for Your Skateboard

Published on Feb 10, 2014 littleBits TV·322 videos

littleBits synth kits on eBay

Video is for a light kit, but you can always mount a KORG littleBits synth on your board. Add the little Bombox below and you are set.

"Brand new littleBits accessory!

"Buy Mounting Boards at http://littlebits.cc/accessories/mounting-board

The mounting board allows you to keep your circuit intact and move it around with ease! Simply snap together your littleBits circuit and press the feet of your modules into the holes of the mounting board.

*Hold your circuit upside down, vertically, and carry it from place to place without it coming apart.
*There are four holes in the corners so you can permanently mount your circuit to any surface, project, or permanent installation.
*Mounting boards come 2 to a pack and can be used individually or tiled to accommodate circuits as large as you can make.

littleBits makes an open source library of electronic modules that snap together with magnets for prototyping, learning, and fun. Find out more at littleBits.cc"

little Boombox

littleBits Synth Kit: Random envelope & Filter mod

Published on Jan 17, 2014 Patrick McMaster·3 videos

"Today we go through a simple patch given some interesting upgrades by using the random bit to control the envelope and using a second oscillator to control the filter cutoff (filter modulation)"

littleBits synth kits on eBay

And a couple of tracks:


"Brex" littleBits Synth Kit & Korg Volca Jam

Published on Jan 15, 2014

"Track made with an interesting littleBits synth patch - or at the very least the end result was shaped pretty uniquely!

Had a lot of fun with this and learned quite a bit about the littleBits synth kit along the way.

For more information check out the project page here:

http://littlebits.cc/projects/brex"

"No Scrubs" - Korg Volca & littleBits Synth Kit Jam
Published on Jan 11, 2014

"Introduced my Korg Volca Beats and Bass to a new friend, the littleBits Synth Kit. Some pretty great sounds are possible from this fun combination, but the problem is I don't have enough hands! Definitely looking forward to getting some more individual littleBits modules when they're available separately.

The only effects used are an MXR Distortion+ for the Volca Bass and the built in reverb on the Tascam DP-008. Recorded direct without overdubs in one take on January 11, 2014."

Korg littleBits Test (Poor Man's Buchla Bounce)

Published on Jun 21, 2014 GenshiMediaGroup

"Another quick test of the littleBits Korg Synth Kit. This is a simple attempt at getting that "Buchla Bounce" sound out of the littleBits Korg Synth Kit.

I was able to accomplish this "poor man's Buchla" by glitching the littleBits through the way I had the signal chain structured; with the balance of the Mix of the two Oscillators (Mix/Osc 1 needs to be half the volume of Mix/Osc 2) and the Envelope's short Decay, as well as the relationship of the Filter's Cutoff and Peak knobs (both at about half way) as they are modulated by the Sequenced Random bit.

I also discovered that if you touch the "Trigger In" of the Envelope with your finger, you can modulate the sound further (as long as there is also a cable in the Speaker's Output jack) by opening up the Decay each time you touch the connector.

Diagram of the signal chain is shown at the end of the video."

littleBits synth kits on eBay

Korg littleBits CV I/O & Make Noise System 0 modular synth

Published on Mar 31, 2015 MAKEN0ISE

"Showing how the new CV I/O bit from littleBits and KORG allows for conversations between littleBits and the modular synthesizer."

See the littleBits & KORG Synth Modules CV, MIDI, and USB I/O intro videos posted earlier today here.

littleBits on eBay

New KORG LittleBits Introduction & Demo Videos

Playlist:

littleBits Synth Kit - Published on Nov 8, 2013
"The littleBits synth kit is an incredibly powerful, easy to use modular synthesizer in the world. The Synth Kit enables amateur and professional musicians to easily explore the iconic synthesizer instrument, allowing you to build your own sound machines (with signal generators, modifiers, modulators and controllers) and put on your own performances - all with little to no engineering or musical knowledge.

Developed to inspire innovation in hardware, littleBits lets users create circuits in seconds, with no soldering, no programming and no wiring required. littleBits has been recognized as "LEGO for the iPad generation" and has been heralded as the most extensive, modular and accessible electronics platform in the world. The brand's Bits™ modules revolutionize the way people interact with technology by breaking down electronics into their very basic parts (lights, sounds, sensors, motors, programmable circuits), and making engineering fun and accessible to "non experts" of all ages including children , teachers, artists, designers, makers, hobbyists and tech-enthusiasts.

littleBits makes an open source library of electronic modules that snap together with magnets for prototyping, learning, and fun.
Find out more at littleBits.cc
Credit: Reggie Watts: youtube.com/reggiewattsjash"

Keytar - Published on Nov 8, 2013
"Create your own electronic instrument!"

Play a Song: Row Row Row Your Boat - Published on Nov 8, 2013
Serenade your friends! Go to littleBits.cc/synth for color coded instructions on how to play this song and others!

Pressure Sensitive Pitch Sweeps (Basic) - Published on Nov 8, 2013
Create a sound generator the responds to your applied pressure.

Pressure Sensitive Pitch Sweeps (Advanced) - Published on Nov 8, 2013
Create a sound generator that responds to your applied pressure.

Play A Song: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - Published on Nov 8, 2013
Serenade your friends! Go to littleBits.cc/synth for color coded instructions on how to play this song and others!

Percussion Party - Published on Nov 8, 2013
Dance to the beat of your own drums!

Note: Noise is an un-pitched sound. It is often used as a way to create percussion sounds because most drums are un-pitched instruments.

Metal Music - Published on Nov 8, 2013
Recreate metallic sounds with the envelope!

Light Sensitive Sound - Published on Nov 8, 2013
Use a light sensor to change the pitch of the oscillator.

Spooky Sounds - Published on Nov 8, 2013
Create a supernatural soundtrack.

In this circuit, the peak knob has a large effect on what the cutoff knob does. It emphasizes certain frequencies and creates a "peak" at these frequencies. If the peak is turned all the way up, the emphasis can be strong enough to increase the loudness of the sound and in some cases create an oscillation.

Tuning - Published on Nov 8, 2013
Tuning is the relationship between the pitches in a musical instrument. Instruments need to be "tuned" and a synthesizer is no different. by tuning instruments, you can create "melodies" that are recognizable.
The tuning dial on the oscillator bits module will alter the relationship between pitches. This will be important when using the keyboard and micro sequencer.

Beats and Base - Published on Nov 8, 2013
Create a bass line with LFO filter sweeps and a drum beat.

8 Step Sequence - Published on Nov 8, 2013
Using additional modules from the littleBits library such as the latch and inverter, two micro sequencers can be used to create an 8 step sequence.

Filtering Noise: Create a unique sound using the filter module - Published on Nov 8, 2013
The filter is known as a low-pass filter. This means that frequencies higher than a certain point will be reduced or filtered out. When the peak is increased and the cutoff is adjusted the timbral effect can sounds like a person making vowel like sounds.

Key Player: Learn how to play notes on the keyboard - Published on Nov 8, 2013
A synthesizer is commonly controlled with a keyboard similar to a piano. Each key creates a voltage that represents a note. Since a synthesizer is electronic, it is not limited to the same notes a piano can play.

Frequency Modulation: Discover how two oscillators interact - Published on Nov 8, 2013
An oscillator can produce a frequency that is too low to be perceived as a pitch. In this case it is known as an LFO or low frequency oscillator. Because the oscillator in your kit can be both low frequency or audio range, you can turn up the frequency of one oscillator and feed it into another oscillator to create "frequency modulation".

Synthesizer with the works - Published on Nov 8, 2013
Create one monster synth with all of these modules!

Play a Song: When the saints go marching in - Published on Nov 8, 2013
Serenade your friends! Go to littleBits.cc/synth for color coded instructions on how to play this song and others!

White Noise: Experience the random module - Published on Nov 8, 2013
The random module has two modes and one of them is called "noise". Un-pitched sound is generally categorized as noise or a collection of many frequencies that are not distinguishable from one another. Unlike a waveform, noise has no repeating pattern.

Synth Band - Published on Nov 8, 2013
Learn how to play a melody with accompaniment.

Echo and Delay: Learn how to make infinite repeating sounds with the delay - Published on Nov 8, 2013
The delay affects the sound but unlike the filter, its primary function is not to add or subtract from the original sound but to reproduce it. Think of it as an echo in a large room or cave. You make a sound, and that sound gets repeated for some amount of time depending on how big the space is.

Shape Your Sounds: Experiment with the envelope - Published on Nov 8, 2013
The envelope of a sound has a big effect on the character of the sound. The controls on the envelope Bits module are "attack" and "decay".

ATTACK - Attack is how long it takes the sound to get to its loudest point
DECAY - Decay is how long it takes the sound to fade to silence.

Synth Designer Tatsuya Takahashi Leaving his Role at KORG

The man who brought the boutique magic back to KORG will be transitioning from his role on February 17. In his message below, he mentions a few key points, one, it's been 10 years since he started at KORG, two, he will be switching to an advisory role for KORG, but will not being going to competitors, and three, he will be moving from Tokyo to Cologne to explore new endeavors. I may be wrong, but the way the following is written, it sounds like he will be switching from being a full time employee of KORG to an independent contractor for KORG.

Here is his message:

"THANK YOU!!!

It's been a good ten years at Korg!

A few years after starting at the office, Tada and I, over a cigarette break, started shooting ideas around for a battery powered pocket analog synth. The monotron was the humble beginnings of what became a mission to make synthesizers fun, exciting and accessible again. To give synthesizers back to the people. To make synthesizers less snobby. To open up creative opportunities. To get people interested in electronic sound and see some kind of light in creating their own sound using technology amidst a world that is inundated with it.

monotrons, monotribe, volcas, minilogue, monologue, some reissues, SQ-1, littleBits synth kit - we put out a lot of gear.

After a blur of 21 products we released over seven years, I look at the world of synthesizers and it's a pretty cool place. I see kids getting their first taste of synths with the volcas. I meet people who have their dormant synth passion rekindled by the minilogue. And it's not just Korg. The whole industry has set out to achieve this common goal.

The name volca comes from the German word Volk: 'the people' or 'crowd'. Like Volkswagen 'the people's car', the volcas are 'the people's synth'. I have fond memories of meeting Mike Banks and being told how the volcas reached poverty-stricken youths in Detroit. That manufacturers have to take responsibility for the social implications of putting out gear.

On the 17th of February I will be leaving my full time position at Korg and will sidestep to advisor. I will also be moving out of Tokyo to Cologne to explore new areas where sound and technology can have positive social implications. I won't be going to any of the competition, but rather will be shifting direction of my main line of work while at the same time guiding the now super team at Korg venture into the future.

I am hugely indebted to everyone in engineering (my super duper team will keep designing the best of the best), production (love you all in Vietnam we did this together!), sales (job well done), marketing (fun times making those movies), distribution / dealers (essential work the world over), media (you guys got the word out) and most of all the musicians out there who are creating music with our synths - without you our work is meaningless.

THANK YOU

it's been a ton of fun. more to come.

Tats"

New littleBits Synth Kit Videos from KORG

littleBits Synth Kit with AZUMA HITOMI
Published on Nov 18, 2013 KORGINC·384 videos

"AZUMA HITOMIさんにlittleBits Synth Kitを一足先に体験してもらいました。
http://jp.littlebits.com/synth/
...
http://azumahitomi.com/"

littleBits Synth Kit with たむらぱん
Published on Nov 18, 2013

"たむらぱんさんにlittleBits Synth Kitを一足先に体験してもらいました。
http://jp.littlebits.com/synth/
...
http://www.tamurapan.com/"

littleBits Synth Kit with □□□（三浦康嗣、村田シゲ）
Published on Nov 18, 2013 Published on Nov 18, 2013

"□□□の三浦康嗣さん、村田シゲさんのお二人にlittleBits Synth Kitを一足先に体験してもらいました。
http://jp.littlebits.com/synth/
...
http://www.kuchiroro.com/"

New Korg LFO Module for littleBits

Uploaded on Feb 19, 2015 littleBits Electronics

littleBits is asking people to vote for the new Korg LFO.  I'm guessing we will see it happen, but if you want to make sure and perhaps bump it to the front of their list for new modules, you might want to vote.

"Hey there! I’m Tatsuya Takahashi, chief analog engineer at Korg. The LFO or Low Frequency Oscillator module was designed alongside the littleBits Synth Kit but didn’t make it into the final kit configuration. We thought we would see if people would be interested in it, and thus have submitted it here to the bitLab!

The LFO is an oscillator module that allows you to make slow sweeping changes to sound parameters in the synth kit or with other littleBits modules. You can control the following parameters directly on the module:

-Rate/Frequency knob (speed of oscillation)
-Waveshape control knob (change the duty cycle of a pulse wave or morph a sawtooth to triangle to ramp waveform)
-Waveform selection switch (select triangle/saw or pulse waveform)

The input of the module controls the amplitude of the LFO. We’ve also included an LED on board to help show the rate of oscillation.

Need some circuit ideas? Watch the video to see the LFO in action!!"

littleBits on eBay

CLICK FOR MORE »

Korg littleBits x2

Published on Jul 11, 2014 GenshiMediaGroup

"Ok, I know this sounds like crap, but I just wanted to show a quick example of using two instances of the Korg littleBits Synth Kit... that's 4 Analog Oscillators, 2 Sequencers, 2 MS-20 style Filters all running off a single 9 Volt battery! Pretty fun if you ask me..."

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Korg littleBits improvisation #3

Published on Aug 17, 2015 organfairy

"Again I have made an improvisational whatever-it-is in four tracks on Korg littleBits synthesizer."

littleBits on eBay

Korg littleBits improvisation #5

Published on Aug 24, 2015 organfairy

"There is not much to say about this video. It's made the same way as the others: Me playing around with a Korg littleBits synthesizer :-)
Actually it's two sets - I borrowed one more..."

littleBits on eBay

Synth Kit Introduction - littleBits x KORG & Synth Spin Table

Published on Dec 3, 2013 KORGINC·386 videos

"MAKE SOMETHING THAT MAKES MUSIC

littleBits and Korg have demystified a traditional analog synthesizer, making it super easy for novices and experts alike to create music.

LEARN MORE:
English: http://littlebits.cc/
Japanese:http://jp.littlebits.com/"

littleBits synth kits on eBay

Update:

littleBits Synth Spin Table with Explanation
Published on Dec 3, 2013

"For instructions on how to create your own check out http://littlebits.cc/projects/synth-s...

Play your Synth Kit like a DJ! With two turntables attached to the two oscillators, you can make a variety of sounds with the spin of a disk. This sound circuit was designed to mimic the sounds a DJ might make when scratching the turntables.

littleBits makes an open source library of electronic modules that snap together with magnets for prototyping, learning, and fun. Find out more at littleBits.cc"

Korg Littlebits Synth Kit Unboxing

Published on Dec 12, 2013 sonicstate·585 videos

"Korg Littlebits Synth kit arrived! Full review coming, leave questions in the comments"

littleBits synth kits on eBay

KORG littleBits Synth Kit 玩具のフリして常識を覆す革命的アナログモジュラーシンセサイザー！コルグ・リトルビッツ・シンセキット

Published on Jan 5, 2014 ジェット☆ダイスケ·2,247 videos

"どんなつなぎ方も正解だから面白い、本気になれるトイ・シンセ！
シンセキット→ http://www.amazon.co.jp/o/ASIN/B00GZC...
ベースキット→ http://www.amazon.co.jp/o/ASIN/B00GZC...
プレミアム→ http://www.amazon.co.jp/o/ASIN/B00GZC...
デラックス→ http://www.amazon.co.jp/o/ASIN/B00GZC...
追加セット→ http://www.amazon.co.jp/o/ASIN/B00DFQ...
littleBitsを検索→ http://www.amazon.co.jp/s/?_encoding=...
※上記製品リンクURLはAmazonアソシエイトのリンク（検索結果ページ含）を使­用しています。
※※ KORGよりサンプル品をお送りいただいてのレビュー動画です。
※※※ 各パッケージにより含まれる内容物が違います。ご購入の際にはくれぐれも各々のセット­内容をご確認のうえご購入ください。

littleBits ブログ記事その１：
http://gajetdaisuke.com/archives/1410..."

littleBits synth kits on eBay

Sequencing the Synth Kit with the KORG SQ-1

Published on Apr 7, 2015 littleBits Electronics

littleBits on eBay | Korg SQ-1s on eBay

"To connect the SQ-1's littleBits OUT jack with the littleBits Synth Kit without the CV module, you'll need the littleBits Proto module and a mini-monaural cable.

1) Strip some insulation from the mini-monaural cable.

2) As shown in the illustration to the right, fasten the core and shield of the cable to the terminal screw of the Proto module.

3) Of the Proto module's three jumpers, remove the middle jumper.

4) Set up the littleBits circuit (one example is shown to the right), and connect the Proto module's mini-monaural cable to the SQ-1's littleBits OUT jack.

5) Press the SQ-1's START/STOP button to make the littleBits Synth Kit start playing."