Dr Bleep is trickling out more info on the new Thingamagoop 2 synth robot.

The video above demonstrates using a Thingamagoop 2 to control a Moog Prodigy.

Dr Bleep says:

The Thingamagoop has a stereo 1/8? jack on the side to facilitate control voltage in and out. You can make your own cable very simply or order a nice, shielded one from us. It’s simply a stereo 1/8? to two, mono female 1/4? jacks. Here’s Dr. Bleep and his band, The Hearts and the Minds, using the Thingamagoop 2 to control a Moog Prodigy.

Note that the CV input is not 1volt/Octave but you can use it to make some ridiculous sound!

Arduino Support

The Thingamagoop 2 uses Arduino to control the analog VCO as well as the LEDacle. You don’t need an Arduino board to use the Thingamagoop 2; you only need on if you want to reprogram it.

The Thingamagoop 2 circuit incorporates an AVR chip that has been programed without the Arduino bootloader. This allows the device to start up immediately but you’ll have to switch out the chip for one with the bootloader if you want to reprogram it.

The programmer cable is a stereo 1/8? cable with a ferrite noise suppressor and 3 pins on the other end that go into the Arduino headers. Not only can you directly program the Thingamgoop 2, you can communicate with it.

“Who will be the first to get processing to use the photocell as a variable!? Or build a MIDI i/o!?” asks Dr Bleep.

Kyle Evans created this electronically modified digeridoo.

Details below.

via yakthekyle:

I created this instrument to experiment in the combination of the organic sound qualities of a didgeridoo with the advanced signal processing capabilities of modern computer programming and sound synthesis.

This custom built didgeridoo features externally mounted modules that allow the performer to process and manipulate the sound of the instrument in real time. All control data is transmitted wirelessly via blue tooth and is controlling several audio processes created in a custom-built software environment.

This video demonstrates a DIY project to make a box to send MIDI continuous controller messages based on expression pedal input.

via hotchk155:

My reason for doing this was to drive the wah effect in Line6 GearBox (MIDI CC#4) using my M-Audio EX-P pedal. … since I have a Toneport UX2 it has no expression pedal input. Based around a battery powered homebrew Arduino clone built on stripboard.

Lavalamp as MIDI controller…

via hotchk155:

6 voltage-dividing pairs of light dependent resistors arranged round a standard lavalamp and read by analog inputs of Muduino (arduino clone) to generate semi-random streams of MIDI continuous controller messagesMIDI controllers then mapped to various controls in Propellerheads Reason.. just to see what happens really… Result is rather addictive and hypnotic… turn up the speakers, watch the lamp, turn into a zombie

Critter and Guitari have introduced the Pocket Piano Arduino Shield – a board for making the Arduino into a portable stand alone music synthesizer.

Features:

• 25 keys and multiplexer circuitry
• 4 potentiometers, 1 controls output level
• Microchip MCP4921 12 bit SPI DAC
• Passive low pass output filter

It plugs directly into the Arduino board and provides 25 multiplexed keys (2 full octaves), 4 pots, status LED, reset switch, digital to analog converter IC, and a RCA audio jack. The Arduino board with its powerful AVR processor is more than adequate for a wide range of sound synthesis techniques, including additive / wave-table synthesis, frequency modulation, ring modulation, sampling, polyphony and various arpeggiators.

Audio demos are available at the C&G site.

Kit only, Arduino Board not included: $44.95

Ableton Live 8: This video demos Liubo Borissov’s simple arduino 4-sensor controller for an FM synth.

Code: 2rem.net/projects/m4l/lab.arduinofm.zip

This video demonstrates ducino2’s BBox Drum Generator – an Arduino-based MIDI sequencer housed in a banana box:

The BBox Drum Generator is an Arduino-based Midi sequencer mounted inside a Banana Box. The BBox contains a few preset drumbeats. These drumbeats form the basis for a drum variation algorithm. The amount of introduced variations is controlled by the blue rotary knob.

The two top buttons navigate through the functions of the BBox. The two lower buttons change the value of the function.

The BBox only generates midi messages, the sound is generated by a Roland Juno-D.

More photos and info are available at the Projectify site.

via hackaday

This is a proof of concept video for Cantarino, a software speech synthesiser for Arduino.

It is still a work in progress, but a tech demo that runs on Arduino is now available.

Jacob Remin demonstrates his Cheap, Fat & Open synth:

the CHEAP, FAT and OPEN synth put trough the audio gate of an electribe. trigging some more noisy sounds in rhytmical patterns is real fun, and it makes we want to implement a gate sequencer to the platform

More images are available in his Flickr stream.

Below, he demos a light sensor:

Click here to view the embedded video.

via jabstarr:

using mini-jack cables as stylophone sensors turned out to be a clever move: the cables carry 3 signals, allowing me to run 5V and GND through the cable along with the sensor signal. this opens up for modular plug and play with home built sensors, that get powered by the platform.part of the CHEAP, FAT and OPEN project: http://tthheessiiss.wordpress.com

SynthGlove (prototype)

via Denkitribe:

This is my first attempt at using Power Glove as a musical instrument. I made a small circuit using Arduino which converts finger movements into MIDI CC messages.

I’m planning to add an accelerometer to replace ultrasonic sensors which is embedded in the original Power Glove.

This is a must see – Calvin Harris may have created the ultimate electronic music controller – bikini clad models painted with conductive ink.

Harris performs a version of his new single Ready For The Weekend on a unique human synthesiser- the Humanthesizer.

The instrument employs 15 bikini clad models painted with Bare Conductive, a new skin safe ink which conducts electricity. When the performers touch, the connection completes a circuit, triggering a sound.

Think it’s all fake, and just a cheap excuse to get 15 bikini clad babes into a music video?

Then check out the behind the scenes video below!

Click here to view the embedded video.

The instrument consists of 34 pads on the floor which have been painted with the conductive ink and connected to a computer via some clever custom electronics. The performers stand on the pads, and touch hands to complete a circuit and trigger a sound. Different combinations of pads trigger the different sounds needed to play the track.

The project is the result of a collaboration between Calvin Harris and masters students from the Royal College of Art’s Industrial Design Engineering programme.

Bare Conductive was developed by RCA students Bibi Nelson, Becky Pilditch, Isabel Lizardi and Matt Johnson. The custom electronics and software for the project were created by Matt Johnson, employing two Arduinos and the graphical audio programming tool Max MSP. The performers, floor pads, Arduinos and Max MSP combine to create a giant MIDI controller which is used to create music which is sequenced and quantized with Ableton Live.

Do you think you could get creative, if you had 15 bikini clad models and a gallon of conductive ink at your disposal?

Leave a comment with your thoughts!

via icreateddisco

Luca De Rosso’s OTTO is an electronic musical instrument for realtime manual beat slicing of audio samples.

OTTO provides a tangible user interface designed with the aim of giving the user the feel of having the sample in his hands. The musician can manipulate an audio sample in real time through the use of a restricted number of simple physical buttons and switches.

In computer music audio samples are generally represented as the waveform itself or as little colored blocks. Since the sample inside OTTO as to be controlled really fast, the performer needs to quickly understand where and how to play a specific part. The sample visualization has been designed to provide just the information needed and nothing more.

There are several more demo videos at Luca De Rosso’s YouTube channel.

via Peter Kirn’s Create Digital Music – Peter puts up something incredible every day, so make sure CDM is on your shortlist of sites to visit!

MrBook has shared documentation on his awesome hack to add MIDI to the Gakken SX-150 synthesizer.

Here’s what you’ll need to turn the Gakken SX-150 into a MIDI synthesizer:

• Gakken SX-150 Analog Synthesizer Kit
• Arduino (This one is the classic, but my favorite ones, are the ones from Modern Device)
• MCP4921 12-bit DAC
• 4N28 Optoisolator
• 1/4” Audio Jack
• DIN 5 Pin Chassis Socket (Female MIDI plug)
• Diode (N4148)
• Resistors(220 ohm, 100k ohm and 3.3k ohm)
• Wire, breadboard (or wherever you wanna do the circuit), soldering stuff and patience.

Details at MrBooks’ site. See this previous post for a demo of the Gakken SX-150 being sequenced by Ableton Live.

This video documents a hack that turns a Stylophone into a basic MIDI controller, and using it to control Propellerheads Reason.

Details on the hack available at Jason Hotchkiss’ site.

via hotchk155:

The technicals… Soldered wires to Stylophone PCB to use its keypad / resistor ladder.. put 5V across it and read voltage at stylus by analog input pin on arduino clone (miduino).

Found out input value for each note and sent out MIDI note on/off messages thru serial connection when notes are detected. Simple.

Used Propellerheads reason to make the sounds.

This is a geektacular demo of a choir of MIDI-controlled stepper motors playing the Mario Brothers theme.

Details on the hack below.

via cmhiekses:

Now that I’ve figured out how to store song information in flash memory on the Arduino, I can actually play full songs. This is a little suite of Mario Brothers themes that I put together. Enjoy!

Note: See my earlier video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L8hY8…

Motor #2 buzzed a bit on the table this time. I’m going to find a better way to hold the motors still while still allowing them to vibrate.

via Make

Mike Cook made this Junk Box Monome:

A Monome is basically a simple eight by eight grid of push switches and lights. However, the official Monomes have always had a nod towards eco friendliness by incorporating renewable wood in their construction. Well I wanted to go at least one better and use parts that I already had in my junk box, or surplus obsolete parts I could scrounge, all based on a Arduino. This dictated the electronic and mechanical design, resulting in a unique variant on the Monome theme, which is why I call it the Econo Monome.

Let’s kick off by saying that 40 years of working, and playing, with electronics has given me a junk box that is perhaps deeper than most people’s, your mileage may vary.

Cool reuse of old junk, eh?

Kanjun Qiu demonstrates the soundie, her awesome musical touch-sensitive light-up hoodie, aka the hoodie synthesizer.

Qiu created the hoodie synthesizer using the LilyPad Arduino, designed by MIT High-Low Tech guru Leah Buechley.

According to Qiu, “The hoodie was designed with purely artistic intentions and with absolutely no practical applications in mind.”

Take one look at the words hoodie and synthesizer put together, though, and you know you want one of these things!

Who needs practical applications when you’ve got a hoodie synthesizer?

If you feel the need for more hoodie synth, Qiu has put together a tutorial on making one.

Remember the Gakken SX-150 synthesizer, the cheapy $54.95 synth kit?

While a lot of people dismiss the Gakken SX-150 as a music toy, it’s really a platform for experimentation, because it’s cheap enough to hack on without too many worries.

With the addition of a MIDI input and a 1/4′ input audio output, the Gakken SX-150 becomes a great-sounding synth module, something you can sequence with Ableton Live or any other MIDI sequencer.

This video, via kbroom, shows what the Gakken SX-150 synth can do.

Detail on the hack are available at MrBooks’s site.

Spikenzie’s PolyPhonic SQ is a 64 button, wireless – Bluetooth, MIDI controller with a steampunk twist.

The controller is based on the Project 64 Button board hardware, an Arduino and serial to MIDI software from SpikenzieLabs. It is fully polyphonic – any number of keys may be pressed at the same time and notes are sustained as long as the keys are pressed.

It uses a new version of the SpikenzieLabs Serial – MIDI Converter software which also allows you to select the baud rate of your serial port. (The new version will be available for download next week.)

Note: “It works equally well with a USB cable but the bluetooth is sort of fun.”

Here’s another Sunday Synth Jam for you, featuring the Ciguar, a cigar box synth, fed into Ableton Live.

via BrianWilliamGreen