Tag Archives: synthDIY

SDIY progress report – 2/2009

  By glacial23 | 2/6/2009 - 1:32 am | electronics, General, synthesizers 1 Comment
  • SN-Voice: Primered the front panel (not sure how well that’s going to work. I’m using spray primer and it’s 17 degrees F outside. It may get a coat of white latex paint if it doesn’t). Figured out an easier way to do pcb->panel connections instead of making my own cable rigs. Still need tempco, but going to work around it at first (putting in headers, and just using a regular 2k resistor for now)
  • MPS: Most of the way there. Still need a couple of caps (the polystyrene ones) and panel components.
  • Tried to build Rene Schmitz’s 4069 VCO. Thus far not successful. Not sure where the problem lies.
  • The new rack chassis: Figured out the existing panels will need widening if they are to accomodate 1/8″ jacks. Given the material is some kind of reasonably study metal (steel? aluminum?), this could be a challenge)
  • New thing: It’s a re-implementation of the 1970s/1980s Remco Sound FX Machine. The schematic is somewhat based on the Saratronics SARA-002, but with some improvements (specifically: added a switch for one-off or constant operation, and fixed some things that looked weird in the schematic). Working great in prototype so far. Working on a fancy enclosure (ok, a cigar box, as usual, but it’s going to be painted up all fancy-like, so it’s fancy, dammit!)
  • I must really like the SN76477 – in addition to the two projects using it above, I’m also planning to build a Thomas Henry SN76477 SuperController. I may build a second Sound FX Machine box as well.
  • Also trying to figure out a way to mount the power supply without electrocuting myself – I think it’s going to get its own enclosure, and hook into the cabinet(s) via XLR connectors.
  • Even though I’m not a major Atari Punk Console fan (you get twice as much fun out of a CD4093), I went ahead and got a pack of GetLoFi’s APC 2.0 PCBs. If nothing else I may make a couple of little kits for friends who want to get into SDIY.
  • I’ve got some other PCBs enroute. Looking forward to getting them.
  • Debating some Hi-Fi type projects (chipamp, maybe speakers). Maybe when some of this other stuff is actually done.
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Time for a mixdown

  By glacial23 | 12/20/2008 - 6:51 pm | arduino, electronics, New Stuff, synthesizers Leave a comment
ready for mixdown

I’ve got things more or less ready for mixdown on this thing I’ve been poking at for the last few months. Here’s a little excerpt of a track: teaser1.mp3

What’s all that you say? Well, going from left-to-right on the 4-track: track 1 is  shortwave radio, track 2 is my cigarbox Lunetta, track 3 is Sound Lab, and track 4 is percussion (ADV-Bass for bass drum, Realistic MG-1 for snare, and the  Sound Lab is doing the hi-hats. BD & snare triggered by Arduino Sequencer, and Sound Lab triggered by its own S&H and not really synced)

Not bad for a pile of gear I either built or repaired myself, eh?

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a cold wave demo on a cold day

  By glacial23 | 11/21/2008 - 2:33 am | arduino, electronics, future projects, General, New Stuff, synthesizers 2 Comments

Here’s a little something from the whatever it is that I’m working on: thingdemo.mp3

Bass Drum: ADV-Bass

Bassline: Sound Lab Minisynth

(both controlled by the Arduino Sequencer in Drum Mode)

FM-y noises: Arduino Pocket Piano

The mix really isn’t properly done. I just wanted to get something out there. Have fun!

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Progress report – 10/20/2008

  By glacial23 | 10/20/2008 - 11:36 am | arduino, electronics, General, New Stuff, synthesizers Leave a comment
  • Scratched an itch, and made the Arduino Sequencer act as a drum machine.
  • Modified the Sound Lab ever so slightly – added a power cable to allow it to run off of the same bipolar power supply I also use for the ADV-BASS.
  • Did a little more recording for the super-secret project. Still a long way to go, but will probably be done before the end of the year. But hey, now it has two channels of drums at the same time!
  • Started my next major DIY endeavour – the Thomas Henry SN-Voice. It’s going to become the first module in the DIY cabinet I’m going to build. So far all I’ve done is solder in the IC sockets, and tore apart my TH Classic Snare+ (which never worked right for me, anyway) to get the SN76477 and its socket for the SN-Voice. Stay tuned.
  • Finally ordered a good soldering iron (if it’s good enough for fluxmonkey, it’s good enough for me), as well as some other soldering gear and a couple of vero/stripboards (
    gristleizer, here I come!)
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Summer of Synth-DIY: Week 16

  By glacial23 | 9/8/2008 - 12:10 pm | arduino, electronics, synthesizers Leave a comment

Sound Lab: Mostly done (after a 4-5 hour marathon on it last night). Here’s a rough looking demo:

Arduino Sequencer: I talked about that Thursday. I showed it off at Playshop on Saturday to rave reviews (i.e. “you should try to sell those”). I suppose I could try, but there really isn’t that much to it – a generic PCB, the CD4051, a 220 ohm resistor and then the pots and connectors. Any interest in a kit?

SN-Voice: PCB has been received, and I think almost all parts are on hand or en route(I think the tempco is the only outstanding part). Still unsure of how to enclose it – Standalone? In some kind of modular-style rack? Something in-between with a simple VCF and LFOs attached?

Other yet-to-be determined projects: Things are being determined. More information soon.

Playshop involved playing with the 556. It wasn’t an APC, but more of a plain “beeper” thing with fixed frequencies. Y’know, I prefer the 4093 to the 556. You get twice as many oscillators out of it.

And I think with the two big successes this week, this is the last “Summer of Synth-DIY” post for the year. New ones will just be “SynthDIY update” or maybe something specific to the project.

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