Introduction As Korg Volca Modular prices dropped recently to around 100 euro, it became a great and quite cheap introduction into the World of Voltage Controlled Modular Synthesizers. With additional Arduino and few components, you can ensure yourself many nights of modulation heaven (or hell, it all depends). So, how to connect Arduino to Volca […]
What a great click bait title! And in fact, true! Volca Modular specs in Korg’s manual are not exactly precise, but this is actually a good news. Let me explain: Korg made a great and much explaining manual, but (IMHO) for sake of easiness of understanding, some specs were simplified. Who wants to interact with […]
As far as I remember, Glidophone was one of my first synth projects (May 2012), somewhere around Stylophone clone and Atari Punk Console. And as some of my early synths, it failed to generate any sound. I tried to resurrect it around 2016, but I was unable to find an error. Finally it ended in my […]
Nobody reads labels It must have happened, I just waited. When I was enjoying playing Bomberman in another part of the city, my girlfriend decided to hit some tunes on my old, trusted Microkorg. When I returned home, she seemed scared. I asked, what happened. She replied, something happened to my synthesizer, it behaves strangely. […]
After few years of fight I finally finished my eurorack drum synthesizer. I was very proud of it, till my girlfriend asked: “Why there are empty spaces in your noisy box? You still don’t have enough modules?”. I laughed, made myself hot chocolate and started to cry in the corner. Cure? Blanks. I was […]
As I deal a lot with system control block diagrams, I feel in power to say something about synth block diagrams, as they seem to have a lot in common. I analysed a lot of drawings from different synthesizer manufacturers and decided to create my own Inkscape template to simplify my documentation process. So if […]
Stay calm, this is simply the beginning Durning my early synth DIY days I made a lot of simplest stuff – all kind of “beginner friendly” projects. They were cool devices to make, but after an initial exciment phase, a reflection came – they make some bleep sound and thats it :/ (It think the […]
Back to 2006 It was year 2006 and my electronic knowledge was extending. I’ve allready build a ICL 7107 voltometer and a dekatron spinner, therefore I felt I can do something really complex. One day I saw a Syntom II, an electronic drum synthesizer project printed in Electronics and Music Maker magazine, (E&MM, 1983). I […]
…but why? A friend asked me to make a LFO output for his Korg Monotribe. I had some experience with synth modding, so I though its the job just for me! On Muff Wiggler, topic “Korg Monotribe modifications thread” you can read, LFO signal (fed to VCO) is avaliable at pin7 of IC15. It should be […]
This article should not be considered as a beginner-friendly do-it-yourself synth list, more as a more general showcase of possible synth DIY entry points. Some devices presented here are already obsolete or hard to find, but I kept them as good examples of what you may looking for in the future. All photos are shown only as […]
Lets go to the last part of our eurorack DIY. The PCB is designed and tested, front panel with decal and PCB holder made. The last thing is to electrically connect PCB with all panel mounted devices. There is a lot of place for mistakes, so I recommend to work slowly and stick to the […]
This is a third part of my eurorack DIY tutorial. Previously I wrote about front panel mechanical work and waterslide decal applying. Now the PCB and front panel need to be connected together. Custom PCB holder is a must if potentiometer and jacks are not included in PCB design. Lets get to work! The […]
So, you have tested your prototype, got the PCB manufactured and soldered. How to get from here to complete, professional looking eurorack module with mostly hand tools and minimum outsourcing? Here’s a small tutorial. It documents a creation of my Kraft Drum DIY eurorack module. Why I just won’t order a profesionally made front plate? I just […]
Kraft Drum (aka V829 Drum) is a Vox Percussion King inspired device. VOX PK is quite rare drum synthesizer from about 1967. The most noticable use was on Kraftwerks track called Autobahn – you just cannot miss this punchy and somehow distorted bass drum. The circuit First, I got some lovely Vox Percussion King […]
Tetsuo eurorack power supply indicator was my first eurorack module and it detemined the graphics for my entire modular system. It was inspired by “Akira” movie stadium scene, when Tetsuo, sitting on the concrete armchair, sets free his power. To be specific, I made two versions of Tetsuo – one with power socket and one without it. […]
Not everybody needs an 808 Some time ago i started a DIY handclap project. The design was not based on Roland TR808, but Boss HC-2 (or Amdek HCK-100, if you like). With some problems I completed the prototype and made an eurorack module – it works really well. The circuit Boss circuit is different […]
Hip bass drum is project brought to you by Craig Anderton. Compared to other drum circiuits it’s very simple (but unique) design. The schematics scanned form Polyphony, October ’83 can be found all over internet (but if you have any problems getting one, call me). It is hard to find any clear demo of the […]
On Monday I have noticed, I don’t have a TR808 rimshot module in my drum setup. I decided to make one. The research 808 sound modules ale very popular in eurorack world, so the first thing I did was some small research. I found modules from Acidlab (8RS), Analog Soultions (RS88 and CL88) and […]
When I first saw Korg Monotron Duo in 2014, I thougth: “Nothing to do here”. Mod points were quite boring, even with schematics there was not a lot to do. With Original Monotron, or even Delay, there were some exciting and very simple hacks. So I bought a Monotron Delay, modded it and forgot about […]
I was making synths and stuff, while my girlfriend played on Youtube a Manu Chao live performance. I noticed some familar sounds I knew from my childhood – the Executor keychain, true classic (there is also an Android app thats imitates it). I made some research and I found a specialized, proffesional device destined for […]
One day I decided to move my modular drum synth into bigger case. The main reason was my girlfriend wanted to use my previous Ikea Rast style case as an balcony table. I had no choice. The plans The design is based on Doepfers A-100 Low Cost 9U case. I made few “improvements” to […]
When you type “Clangora” in your web browser, you will find maybe 5 different finished builds. It is not the most popular project, that’s why I feel I should show my device. The synth was designed by Thomas Henry, full description of the circuit along with printable PCB can be found in “Nuts & Volts”, […]
This a story about squeezing 16 kg of pure analog goodness into childs keyboard. Introduction For a long time i was thinking about modifying some small, cheap toy synth. I wanted to possess an unusual, battery-powered device with a built-in speaker, so I could play in a spare time. Initially, I wanted to make a […]
This is a successfull attempt to bring famous ClapTrap drum synthesizer (analog version) into eurorack synth world. It was not very easy. This particular device intrugued me for a long time. It is definitely well-known, but except pictures there is not a lot of info all over web. You can find schematics without any semiconductors […]
It’s my attempt to build a famous 808 cowbell drum module. I must say, it sounds like nothing else (including real cowbell). I made some mods in original circuit – some of them are well known: decay mode – lets you choose between 2 decay times: “original” and shorter one, filter mod – changes output […]
Stylophone is a portable, miniature sound synthesizer, designed around 1967 and build between 1968 and 1975. In 2006 it was put on market again, with some major modifications. Its most recognizable feature is a way of play – musician uses stylus and a metal keyboard. The similar instruments are Gakken SX150 and Dr Bohm Hobbyton. […]
MFOS Echo Rockit is an small, portable synth / effect processor. The original project can be found on www.musicfromouterspace.com and belongs to Ray Wilson. The device is somehow similar to Korg Monotron Delay, but it has more modulation options. In my construction I have added amplifier with small, but very pugnacious Visaton speaker. In small […]
Resonance mod, LFO to cutoff modulation mod, if you are into Monotron Delay modding you have probably done it or at least know it exists. I wanted to go step further (and keep Monotrons sexy size). Introducing: Monotron Delay Implant! What is implant? It is an additional mini PCB, containing opamp and some passive stuff […]
I can barely remember when I started this project… After I build Atari Punk Console I decided to build similar 2-knob device. The idea was very blurry – small music box, powered by 9V battery, easy to use and fun. This is how it started and how it is ended. This is the story of […]
When two sines, with similar, but not equal frequencies are mixed together, beating effect occures. But when they are played by separated channels (f. e. in stereo), mixing happens in your head, resulting in binaural beat. This device lets you make this kind of beats. Please welcome, one and only (I couldn’t find any […]
Catophonator, first try (15.02.2015) If you ever build cacophonator DIY syntesizer, you probably experienced bleeding from your ears. Catophonator (derived from bunch of screaming cats) is more “gentle” version of cacophonator and allows for some more “musical” results. Or more unmusical, it depends on what you like. The circuit is very simple and synthesizer can […]
There is a story behind this module. Using my countless stupidity, i menaged to broke both hands while riding my bike. After that, i had a lot of free time, but i wasn’t able to many things. With some training i menaged to master computer mouse with partially plastered hand and keyboard striked with pencil. […]
The design has over 30 years – it was created in 80’s by company named Waveform Processing. Synthesizer was sold as a kit for self-assembly . This is probably the simplest analog synthesizer, with all the basic modules, that every “adult” synthesizer has: 1x VCO , 1x VCA , 1x VCF , 1x LFO and […]
