DIY Synthesizer Features 3D-Printed Keyboard

The F0 is a minimalist, analog, square wave synthesizer with custom 3D-printed piano keys.

Here’s a quick demo of the DIY synth in action:

The heart of the F0 is a Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) from a CD4046 chip. A 9v battery feeds a 5v regulator to create a constant reference voltage, which is then dispersed across buttons, diodes, and trim potentiometers (13 of each) to make voltage dividers.

Potentiometers tune each note, the diodes prevent the notes’ voltages from contaminating each other, and the button switches ensure that the voltage only passes when the user intends for the note to be played.

See the project site for build details.

8 thoughts on “DIY Synthesizer Features 3D-Printed Keyboard

  1. The keyboard’s dimensions are wrong, it is ugly, and this all angers me greatly.

    3D printing means you can do whatever you want. For goodness sake at least take the time to get things right with this freedom.

    There is no possible excuse to justify the eye abomination that was foisted upon us above.

    1. “The keyboard’s dimensions are wrong, it is ugly, and this all angers me greatly.”

      What in the name of the synth gods would be the purpose of 3D printing a standard keyboard? Isn’t the whole point of 3D printing and synth DIY to enable you to do something custom?

    2. Jeez, what’s wrong with you? Be nice, for god’s sake.

      Sincerely, the person who made the thing that offended you

  2. The only good result that may come from this new DIY movement may be that it will mature in years to come. Hopefully we will look back in years to come and say “these guys were pioneers”
    Although I have my doubts. Even in their youth, Buchla, Perlmam, Moog, Linn, etc. were creating more sophisticated instruments than the above.

    1. That amount of work, time and components just to get a single tone over an octave? Hopefully it’s just a vanity project, because I can’t see it finding a place in my studio. That being said, I’d be pretty pleased with myself if I’d made this.

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