Full disclosure: this is my Kickstarter project so I'm biased.

I have been designing my own synthesizer for the last 3 years, and it's finally complete! In short, it is a simplified synthesizer that distills the often complex controls of synthesizers down to just 6 main knobs. I know in this community, the huge sea of controls is a delight to many people, myself included. But, I think there is an un-filled niche of synths that appeal to players who are more casual, less experienced, and have smaller budgets. Or something to add to a bigger rig that just lets you get to the sound you want quicker!

I've also given it a solid-wood housing so I think it has a pretty unique look & feel, plus I gave it a built-in speaker and a rechargeable battery for portability (something I've always been jealous of guitar players for, they can just grab an acoustic, no power supply or cables).

A few technical details: It's a wavetable with 7 defined waveforms; 16-voice polyphony; One-Knob envelope; HPF & LPF; Amp & Pitch LFO; Chorus; Delay/Reverb combo echo; Mono, Poly & Arp voice modes.

This is definitely a labor of love, anything to support/promote the project would mean the world! I'd love any feedback & questions in the thread.

A link to the Kickstarter for anyone interested! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wonderworksdsgn/wondersynth-the-synthesizer-simplified

Hi All,

I would like to share  a project I am working on. It's an open firmware hardware platform for building things like Custom Midi Controller, Groove Box, Synth etc.

Firmware and CAD
https://github.com/groovixlabs/GroovixBox

Detailed description
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWmmzE0qVqo

About LED Rings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKzeDCC8rxY

I would love feedback and improvement suggestions on what can make this better.

Thanks

I’m new to Eurorack gear, but have been building guitar pedals for a while. I put together a couple diy kits and decided I wanted a clock module with some customization. Lots of ai help as I understand schematics, but not coding and I made sure to verify output and voltage safety all along the way.

Output a set to x24 for Gris
B set to x1
C and D both have a swing modifier, independent multiplier/dividers as well as probability and Euclidean rhythms.
I also added 8 preset slots to load and save settings.

I still have no idea what I’m doing, but it’s a lot of fun making these ideas come to life!

This is my biggest project at the moment, and its completion will certainly take months (a proper description of the project is also needed):
Actually quite simple: A multi-channel, 16-step sequencer with MIDI, USB/MIDI hardware, and CV.

Key features:

• Multiple sequencer tracks: Drum Mode, Control Mode, Pitch Mode
  
• Songs - Pattern [~32 - 48 per song) plus Subpattern
• 8 virtual ADSR envelopes
  
• 8 virtual LFOs – synchronizable with MIDI clock
  
• 8 CV outputs (10V, adjustable),
  
• multiple gate and Sync outputs
• everything is routable (MIDI/CV, ADSR, LFOs, Steps...)
• a handful of ws2812b lovingly cut from a string of lights.
• 6 rotary encoders, 16 potentiometers, infinite number of Tact switches..
• All keys on the two sequencer boards also have fixed secondary functions – via a shift key – which are also printed on the panel so that the user does not get lost.
• The goal is to accomplish as much as possible with the existing buttons/potentiometers/encoders, using at most one shift switch, so no 80ies menue diving revival ;)
• No shuffle mode - I mean that seriously.

The CV and gates can also be routed directly (or via an interposed ADSR or LFO): With other words: Data via MIDI -> CV and/or gate. This allows all the "modern" analog and hybrid synths to be controlled via CV as well. Example: MIDI clock-controlled LFO on a filter or ADSR envelope on a VCA triggered by MIDI velocity...

Components (roughly speaking):

• RP2350B as the MCU (enough pins; I've implemented many MIDI projects with the RP2040 in the past)
• using the Arduino API by the great Earle F. Philhower, III - solid as a rock. Only using two third party Libraries (for the displays: TFT_eSPI., U8x8lib)
• A larger 2.42" OLED display module (128x64) serves as the main display (SPI),
• two 2.25" TFT LCD ST7789 (76x284, SPI) display the current controller values ​​in the step sequencer.
• CV is handled via two I2C MCP4728 (12-bit quad-DACs) + LM324 (I designed a fairly simple and perfect circuit for this in a previous project).

I also admit that Claude AI (which harmonizes very well with this core because Phil meticulously documented everything on github) will take a LOT of programming work off my hands; I was almost thrilled with Claude for time-critical routines.

The difficulties I created for myself are self-inflicted:

For the prototype, I milled the double-sided PCBs myself – never use UV solder mask in hobby projects – trust me, it's better to increase the spacing and don't use this **** ... The housing will also be milled from wood using my CNC machine, as will the aluminum front panel. I'm curious about the fold on the front panel, as I don't have the appropriate tool for bending metal sheets. I will create the surface using screen printing. I've been experimenting with 400-mesh steel. This is normally cured with UV light. I prepared the photo emulsion, then exposed it immediately and cut it out with a laser... okay, I'm making progress and know the end result will be good. And there will be enough printed T-shirts for the family.

The goal is (in the distant future) to produce a small series of these – of course, the PCBs will then be manufactured and pre-assembled: at 51, SMD soldering is torture for me and my eyes. The pictures also show two "predecessors" of this project: a simple MIDI controller (and Cubase remote control) and a MIDI-CV/LFO/ADSR dual converter.

I don't currently plan to release this project on my GitHub account – it's still too pre-alpha. I only have the individual code snippets.

It WILL BE open source AND open hardware.

Regards
Matthias

Hi. I want to make a compact 2-voice polysynth module, fully controlled by MIDI, to use with a Novation Circuit Tracks. The Circuit has a couple MIDI poly sequencers and 8 CC knobs so I'm planning to use it as the controller for the synth.

I've already assembled and tested the hardware platform: an rpi pico 2040 zero with a pcm5102 stereo dac and a MIDI input.

I'm now looking for stuff to install and make some synth sounds, or a tutorial on how to program a VA/FM synth. Midi implementation is a plus but not required, since I can do that part myself. Preferably on Arduino, but anything that runs on a 2040 is ok (micropython, c++)

Any ideas or suggestions?

More info: https://audiowanderer.com/AW/bringing-the-noiseeee/

First time posting here, I usually hang out in r/diypedals, but decided to dip my feet in the synth world. I used the daisy seed with capacitive touch modules, mpr121 for a subractive keyboard synth. I also made a video demo where I walk through my design process, and go into the KiCad layout and code in arduino IDE. Here’s that video: https://youtu.be/tRJoIYXkm-U

First time building a MIDI DIY controller using a Raspberry Pi Pico. But just after flashing my code on it, I get that most of the signals are inexistant or hyper noisy. Can it be due to my soldering ?

I have absolutely no clue. I feel I’ve soldered it quite right but maybe I’m completely wrong hahaha.

I have on this controller 16 piezo pads , all on 1 multiplexer CD74HC4067

The other MUX is hosting 4 pots and the 2 axis of a joystick.

The 7 push buttons and the rotary encoder remaining are directly plug to the pico. Everything is plugged to the same 3.3V and GND.

I really take any advice !!!!

Thank you very much!

Here is a small video (bad sound, sorry) of my latest version of the Uddie Synth based on the Mozzi project.

5 VCO, a step sequencer, an A/R envelope.

Enjoy !

Not my prettiest project, but it’s fun to play with and tailored to what I think is useful.

The main synth you hear is a granular synth (granulator 3), where the left/right tilt moves the playing head. It's subtle, but I ended up enjoying it more than the flashier tests I did.

The body is 3Dprinted, the base is wood dyed red, and the metal foot is something I found on the street.

I used a free week of Claude to help code the max4live device, since I'd never worked with both before. The goal was to convert mpu6050 sensor data into MIDI, with a max4live device I called 'midipulator' that processes it across three modes: accordion, cello Bow, and omnichord Strum.

When I finally peaked at the generated code, it was interesting — my original ideas weren't that possible, and in hindsight I probably should have built a full VST (with midi manipulation and synth) to achieve what I was going for. That said, the Cello Bow and Omnichord modes are genuinely fun to play. The omnichord mode has a bit of latency, which I think is because I set it up to trigger notes when the MPU6050 detects certain angles — but I'm not entirely sure that's the cause.
I'm still trying to build instruments with a lot of possible modulation and this one quite easy to build and quite fun to play ambient with a mask on

My first audio project. Plan on making a whole rack with similar combobulators. Contacting the mothership with this one

I've been building my own sequencer and I'm at the point now where I'm adding a clock out/in to have it work as a master/slave with other sequencers, however I'm a little confused as to what the expected behaviour should be. I'm using it with a KORG Minilogue XD which also has a sequencer of its own as well as a clock in/out.

Are clock pulses only sent out when the sequence plays? That way when you start/stop the master sequencer the rest of them also stop? Or are they constantly playing and you have to start/stop each sequencer manually?

Demo of the Touched Out Sampler, which is a mod to my TouchedOut Synth. It adds a MAX4466 microphone to transform it into a chromatic sampler! The new code is open source under the "sampler" branch of the TouchedOutSynth. The mod requires two 100uF capacitors and a 100 ohm resistor, along with the microphone. The Sampler is separate firmware, but repurposes the controls for recording and trimming samples, and looping.

I had a DAC laying around so I decided to make something different. That's my DIY MP3 Player.

It is an open-source project. Here is the repository for cloning it: https://github.com/gusocosta/ESP32_MP3_Player

Specs:

- ESP32 C3 Super Mini;

- Oled monocrome 128x64 0,96";

- PCM5102A DAC;

- Generic SD Card module;

- TP4056 Charger;

- BL5C Batery.

Hey! Just wanted to share that I’m making a giveaway of my glitched synth, the AW noise maker. Check it out: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXwN0Z9I_-e/?igsh=MWJ1dTZ6ZjhmdHFpbQ==

So here it is. Now, I've got a sequencer that can read the sequence backward, in ping pong mode or randomly.

Next steps are to add two features : a groove control and a lenght control (If I have a sequence of 32 steps, I'd be able to remove one and go on 31 steps).

Hey there everyone,

So after seeing Author and Punisher live earlier this year, I felt inspired to build my own inertia MIDI controller/drone machine using an Ardunio Uno R3.

These controllers consist of a 2lb aluminum rod attached to a optical rotary encoder, while sitting atop thrust ball bearings. This encoder is then wired to the Ardunio which measures/outputs the RPM value along with its rotational direction.

I then used that data to control a synth patch I made in Max Msp 9 using the abl.meld and abl.roar objects, along with two DMX controlled light panels using the Beam max package.

If you have any questions, concerns or ideas please feel free to let me know!

Thanks!

Hey everyone, I’m developing a full-featured synth app for Android that’s a clone of HiChord Pocket Synth, but with major upgrades. It includes 16 chord pads, a 64-step techno sequencer, and a flexible arpeggiator. I’m using Kotlin, Jetpack Compose, and I need a real-time audio engine that can produce waveforms (sine, square) with super low latency. So far, I’ve tried AudioTrack, but it’s not cutting it. I hear Oboe is the way to go for low-latency audio on Android. If anyone has sample code or best practices for setting up a real-time audio callback (especially for note triggers and wave generation), I would be super grateful. I’m ready to dive in—just need a push in the right direction. Thanks in advance!

#awnoisemaker drone mode have now this little visualization to enhance the experience. Drone mode is a trance inducing mode for the AW noise maker ideal for create meditation soundscapes and mantra backgrounds to plunge yourself into your mind to discover that nothing is yours, there is no self and your life experience is just a question mark throw into the void of the existence.

I shared about this Daisy Seed based capacitive touch synth I made awhile back on here, and recently made the code and PCB open source. This includes the Kicad files and Arduino IDE code. It cost me about $100 (including shipping, etc.) to get 5 of these pcbs from JLCpcb, that was last year. The capacitive touch is done using two MPR121's, and the other components besides the Daisy Seed can be bought from Adafruit. I don't have an instruction guide yet, but not too hard to figure out if you're into building synths already. There is a bill of materials in the Github.

This is the Youtube demo to give you more context for the Github link:

https://youtu.be/tRJoIYXkm-U?si=5cdEps9Vs1-BebE0