Electronic Instruments

The !Malfunctionator is a DIY synth project, designed to be “a handy UFO dector doubling up as a Electro Music Device.”
It consists of 3 oscillators, each modulated by 3 low frequency oscillators. The oscillators are based around the hex invertor IC known as CD40106 aka 7HC04; the wave froms produced from this logic device are […]

 

 Malfunctionator: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

First videos of the Chimera Synthesis BC16 miniature synth in action.
The bC16 miniature patch synthesizer wraps up a VCO, LFO, 24dB VCF, VCA, envelope generator, noise source, ring modulator and headphone amplifier all in a round, white acrylic housing the same diameter as compact disc.
Powered by six AAA batteries, the bC16 can be used on […]

Nanoloop on a Gameboy (whose audio is coming in on track 2) is synchronized to the drums playing in Ableton Live (track 1).
Says littlescale - “This is to test out a new interface I have been working on that syncs Nanoloop to a MIDI clock.”

CNet Asia reports that the Korg DS-10, the software synth for the Nintendo DS, should be available in Japan in July:
The original MS-10 (price 53,500 yen in 1978; US$300 then) was a monophonic, single oscillator job. DS-10 simulator works as two synthesizers (each of them, dual-oscillator affair), since Nintendo DS has dual-screen, upper and lower.
Adding […]

Interesting synth DIY project, via noystoise, the Mouse Trap features quad frequency modulating oscillators built with 556 timers.
The oscillator frequencies are controlled by a quadruple pot joystick. two of the four have switches to add a slow decay. The mouseball changes the pitch of the oscillators randomly. The thumb wheel pot sets the minimum frequency […]

DIY kit maker CuriousInventor has introduced a new music sequencer kit, called the Voice of Saturn, that looks like an inexpensive way to get into analog sequencing.
This is a 10 step analog sequencer, which basically steps through 10 different […]

Minneapolis is the last stop for Bent Festival 2008, being held at the the Intermedia Arts Center, Thursday May 1 through Saturday May 3rd.
Workshops will begin on Friday with tutorials on HighlyLiquid’s MIDI kits and on Saturday there will be a wide range of classes for every skill level. Each night there will be Music […]

Sometimes it seems that there’s no end to the types of MIDI controllers that people come up with.
Want proof? Here’s are some of the strangest MIDI controllers we’ve seen:
Using Pennies As A Drum Controller

That’s just of start of it. Read on for MIDI Hamsters, MIDI Drivers’ Licenses and more!

Arturia’s preview for the Origin synth is a teaser, more than anything else.
Origin is the first Arturia Hardware synthesizer. It is a modular system, featuring modules based on some of the best synthesizers of all time (Moog Modular, ARP 2600, CS-80, Minimoog and Prophet VS).
Features:

500+ presets created by talented musicians and synthesizer specialists
Up to 32 […]

Totally Wired is a documentary film about Andreas Schneider’s infamous Schneider’s Buero, the boutique electronic musical instrument Mecca in Berlin.
The firm explores one man’s electric evangelism, and the interface he has built to connect analogue instrument inventors with their end-users.

The film features a selection of inventors and artists, including:

Dieter Doepfer
Junior Boys
Ken MacBeth
Anthony Rother
Jessica Rylan
Daniel Miller
Wowa […]

Q. What’s the difference between a bagpipe and an onion?
A. No one cries when you chop up an bagpipe.
Glamorous MIDI controllers like the Tenori-On get all the press, but MIDI bagpipes are where the real action is.
There’s a significant amount of work being done in the area of bagpipe-style MIDI controllers. And it’s no surprise […]

This iPhone synthesizer video is making me lookforward to iPhone apps in iTunes.
FYI - this is just the latest of many iPhone music software stories.

Stretta got his hands on the new Tiptop Audio Z5000, a modular analog CV-friendly DSP effects processor, and says “Go buy one”:
What the world needs is a Eurorack-format DSP with CV control. Along comes the Tiptop Audio Z5000. First of all, it is in stock, you can buy it now. None of this, announce, wait […]

Jean Michel Jarre, who’s on tour with truckloads of rare vintage keyboards performing his classic Oxygène, says that the old gear posed some unique challenges at his most recent concert:
The MemoryMoog went out of tune, the same for the ARP; we had very little time to set up everything. I tried quickly the Moog Liberation […]

Remember Eboman’s car crash music?
Eboman specialises in the production of audiovisual sample compositions (which he calls Sample madnesS), the development of audiovisual sampling software and hardware and performances as a DVJ or with his SenSorSuit.
This is a compilation of clips of an Eboman performance in Utrecht in April 2008:
Guillermo uses the video drumkit to trigger […]