The DIY Synth/FX/Stuff thread ... =)

[paradigm_x]

cigar box guitar ftw!!

ive just ordered this pcb, filter the sick.

http://www.oakleysound.com/filtrex.htm

[benjam]

I dont suppose anyones ever built a spring reverb? I got this..
http://www.remo.com/portal/products/6/6 ... drums.html
.. from a friend a few years ago and I was wondering if there was an easy way to adapt it?
I was thinking I could mic it up to record its output but im not sure how to go about this or if it would even work, anyone?

[paradigm_x]

Piezo disks; cheap, tiny, great fun.

For example;



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-x-35mm-Piez ... 0611433979

For example, have a look around.

Have a read of the reverb pdf here

http://www.nicolascollins.com/newcircuits.htm

[paradigm_x]

well, that pcb has arrive, not quite as scary looking as i thought. And a front panel. Need to order some parts when i have some time and money... on the backlog pile atm.

Been working really hard on this liquid hihat thing; completely analogue hihat/percussion generaotr. sounds amazing. Its 'proper' DIY - not a kit, have to source all the parts, and build an additional Envelope generator, VCA and other bits (LFOs for mods etc). I built a version based on the boss dr110/tr606 envelopes and VCA which sounds lush!

http://www.paradigmx.com/lhh/lhh4.mp3

http://www.paradigmx.com/lhh/lhhcapstest2.mp3 - this one has variable 'range' via a rotary switch and really adds to the sound.

Information is very sparse, its a proper diy thing, rather than kits, you can find some vids on youtube of the inventor demonstrating it ... he nuts :hahaha: so been a challenge to say the least. The only real info is on his site, very helpful people there tbh, but very quiet (and very geeky). http://deathlehem.com/php/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3163 if youre interested.

ive spent ages researching various things, and trying different options, learnt a huge amount in the process. Half thinking of making some of these up to sell now ive done all the hard work.

Only thing to do now is to add a filter, probably a clone of the old WASP filter (reasonably easy). then box it all up.

Cheers

[paradigm_x]

Ok, so heres a run thru a bit more in context, for me at least. LHH with a very basic loop on 909 and 606. Grooves like a mother.

http://www.paradigmx.com/lhh/lhhtechno.mp3

Theres some serious voodoo magic in those envelopes/vcas. Its really got that old roland magic, when the 606 hats come in about half way the way they blend together so nicely, although how much of that is due to 606 sending the triggers too i dont know. Its going to be amazing to actually write a proper track with rather than a demo. And learn how to use the thing, will be a lot easier when its boxed too.

No way of explaining, grabbing various knobs and twiddling - everything used, LFOs, cap switching etc. Sorry, impossible to say what where!

Theres a tiny bit of compression and reverb on the LHH but otherwise dry; its mixed a bit loud to compensate (all thrown together, by no means a propoer mix!) - im bouncing out a dry solo'd LHH now.

The versatility of this thing is incredible. Its well hard to twiddle properly when it looks like this; however

[collective]

MOdding out a few things right now:


Monotribe:

Drum - Decay
Snare - Decay (possible tone too)
Hat - Decay
CV/Pitch
Midi IN
Seperate outs for each drum


Rhodes 1972 Mark I -

Putting a patch bay into this, as well as a signal splitter and then blend. So essentially dry signal and two wet signals going through patch bay located on the front of the rhodes.

Homemade talkbox, DIY Plate Verbs, A few DIY Speakers and contact mics for recording up close on drums (Kick and underside of the snare specifically)


Few other things in the mix I can't think of. Pics/Walkthroughs soon.

[OllieScott]

that hi hat sounds awesome

been wanting to make some stuff recently, last thing i built was a wooly mammoth clone (Bass guitar fuzz pedal) been thinking of getting a x0xb0x kit, maybe when i get some more free time

[paradigm_x]

MOdding out a few things right now:

Monotribe:

Drum - Decay
Snare - Decay (possible tone too)
Hat - Decay
CV/Pitch
Midi IN
Seperate outs for each drum

Cool stuff man, loads more mods here
http://deathlehem.com/php/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3184 - have to go thru a painful antispam registration, but worth it - theres tons of gold (and geniuses) there. If you get stuck let me know and ill copy pasta it here.

that hi hat sounds awesome

been wanting to make some stuff recently, last thing i built was a wooly mammoth clone (Bass guitar fuzz pedal) been thinking of getting a x0xb0x kit, maybe when i get some more free time

Yush ! x0xb0x ftw ! Also, bass fuzz in on my list to investigate, will look out for that, cheers. If you get a x0x, be super careful iof cheap crap on ebay (technology transplant/chipsforbrains) - sub standard parts, shoddy in general. Either x0xshop.de or willzyx for kits, or carefully (painfully!) source all the parts yourself.

Nice on DIY crew, lets have more pics and sounds !

[Ongelegen]

Very cool stuff Paradigm

I'm building a binaural head, well haven't actually started building. Mic capsules will be placed in the ears. My current pairs of binaural mics run on plug-in power thru a 1/8"/3.5mm jack. I want to power the head with phantom power, but the capsules will fry with 48V so I'm making a P48 adapter for it with balanced XLR output. It's still in the research/sorting out parts phase, but it's comming along nicely. Still a beginner at electronics but having fun so far

[Ongelegen]

EDIT: double post

[paradigm_x]

Still a beginner at electronics but having fun so far

As i am, but having fun is what its all about.

People (i) look at diy as cheap; its not klet alone factoring in time; but you can make stuff exactly how you want it, which is priceless IMO.

Keep having fun man

[OllieScott]

that hi hat sounds awesome

been wanting to make some stuff recently, last thing i built was a wooly mammoth clone (Bass guitar fuzz pedal) been thinking of getting a x0xb0x kit, maybe when i get some more free time

Yush ! x0xb0x ftw ! Also, bass fuzz in on my list to investigate, will look out for that, cheers. If you get a x0x, be super careful iof cheap crap on ebay (technology transplant/chipsforbrains) - sub standard parts, shoddy in general. Either x0xshop.de or willzyx for kits, or carefully (painfully!) source all the parts yourself.

Nice on DIY crew, lets have more pics and sounds !

Wooly mammoth is a nice one if you haven't heard it, gives quite a synthy sound to a bass guitar. Weren't too difficult to put together either.

[jrisreal]

I'm wanting to design and build an analogue synth from scratch...any tips?

Today, I've been thinking about it and I can't figure out a way to vary the clock speed by pressing different keys. And with that said, portamento would be equally impossible. Also, would I need to buy different clocks for the different wave shapes (saw, square, sine, triangle) and how would I generate noise? Another thing, does anybody know any linux or windows-compatible CDS applications? It might be useful to design and test my circuits virtually before moving on to wiring it up for real.

[paradigm_x]

Very simple oscillators literally only need a change in feedback resistor to change pitch.



Change R1, bigger = higher pitch.

Better oscillators are far to complex to describe, in that there a million ways to skin a cat, but work on a 1v/octave pricniple (generally), so 1v = F, and 2v = 2F etc. Hence VCO - voltage controlled oscillator.

Portamento is a slewed voltage, a low pass filter is portamento on control voltage. Imagine a square wave as voltage, that would produce two distinct frequencies. Adding a LP filter to the control voltage will slew it, resulting in portamento.

edit: pics too big, click link.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m7_umBkieew/T ... ircuit.jpg

RV5 and C5 are all the portamneto is, the two opamps either side are just buffers.

Its a headfuck!

Again, tons of ways to make noise, a leaky transistor is the oldschool way, again super simple.



Ignore everything to the right of R1, they just turn it off and on and the IC is an amplifier. Basically, the transistor (tranny!!!) is wired up backwards, and it breaks down randomly, letting current through. As its random it sounds like white noise.

I made one for my hihat generator, but sacked it off in the end.

Since you asked !, heres the (getting there) version; Sounds fucking wicked. Not got any newer audio than that posted above. But has new functions. And the panels taken ages, drilling, filing, sanding, painting. And i scratched it Need to redo. And still a ton of wiring to do, psu, LEDs... never ending.






Seriously, youre going to have to start off super simple, an analogue synth is super complicated, even a VCO or VCF is. Go to electo-music forum and muffwigglers, tons of info there.

Cheers

[jrisreal]

Oh, got it. Thing is, I thought an increase in resistance would affect the amplitude rather than the pitch...seems strange to me.

And that thing looks mad so far! I'm so cheap I'll probably encase mine in a shoebox

[paradigm_x]

Oh, got it. Thing is, I thought an increase in resistance would affect the amplitude rather than the pitch...seems strange to me.

First rule, nothing ever does what you think! It would change amplitude in a VCA, or could at least, but were talking VCOs. But even that simplifying it too much. The output is just a voltage, which can be scaled with a voltage divider.

And that thing looks mad so far! I'm so cheap I'll probably encase mine in a shoebox

http://electro-music.com/forum/download.php?id=23336
http://electro-music.com/forum/download.php?id=23340

Too big again.



Not mine.

My case and front panel was £16 delivered off ebay, about a tenner for paint, and a bit more for some tools i didnt have.

[wub]

Looking good paradigm, keep me posted once on this, still very interested

[jrisreal]

Wow lol. But I just got thinking, I'm probably upgrading keyboards soon, so I can shell out my old one and probably use it as a casing with built in keys. Does that sound like a good idea?

It's a casio ctk533, light on features, and is older than I am, so it's not gona get much use as a keyboard

[paradigm_x]

Anything is possible in DIY land, with time and effort (and money!)

http://www.jacobwatters.com/c-monster.php

[Ongelegen]

Looks amazing so far Paradigm

Finally sorted out components for the mics. Got also new mic capsules, amazing S/N ratio according to the specs. Interested if it will remain low when hooked up to the circuit. Building will hopefully start in a week or two