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

zeni69 has created a mod for the Gakken Analog Synthesizer SX-150 based on a alcohol sensor – turning it into a breathalyzer-controlled SX-150 Sakesizer!

via zeni69

MakerShed is now selling the SX-150 Analog Synthesizer Kit, a $45.99 kit that lets you build a simple synthesizer. 

Here’s a demo video for the SX-150:

Click here to view the embedded video.

There are a lot more SX-150 videos on YouTube, and a lot of people are coming up with SX-150 hacks, too.

Description:

This cool little synth kit is easy to put together, requires no soldering and is easy to hack (see links below). There are no English instructions included (book and kit are in Japanese but beautifully done) but the detailed illustrations are more than enough to easily put this kit together. 4 AA batteries (not included)

Features

• Size: 4.5 x 6 inches
• Controls for LFO, pitch envelope, frequency cutoff, resonance and attack/decay
• Slide controller (pen type electrode)
• Output and external input 1/8″ Jacks
• Small built-in speaker

Gakken analog synthesizer “Theme of SX-150/ELEKTEL”

via polymoogs:

Gakken analog synthesizer SX-150’s theme

“Theme of SX-150/ELEKTEL”composed & arranged & SX-150played by polymoog

ELEKTEL official site