Gakken

This “wee theremin”, the Gakken Theremin, is sized for a Barbie doll, but Ken Moore proves that it’s actually “playable”.

via kenmoore:

For my wife’s baby shower our friends Sarah and Mika got us a tiny Gakken Theremin so we can get our girl a head start as the next Theremin virtuosa. It’s a fun but very sensitive instrument, and since Sidney can’t even get her hand in her mouth yet I’ll wait a few more months before starting her lessons. THANKS SARAH AND MIKA!

Janglish Jungle #01 SX-150: In Japan, you can buy an analog-synthesizer at bookstore.

via bhaus

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.

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.

Testing the Gakken SX-150 Analog Synthesizer, a $54.95 DIY synth kit distributed in the US by Maker Shed.

via hampush