Hacker & Commodore 64 expert Jeri Ellsworth wowed visitors to the Bay Area Maker Faire with her Commodore 64 Bass Guitar.
Ellsworth noted via Twitter that it uses the SID chip and is based on an FPGA - a re-implementation of the Commodore-64 computer using reconfigurable logic chips. See the video below for an overview of the instrument from Ellsworth.
Saturday Synth Porn: Jacob Watters wanted more from his Korg Monotron, so he created the Megatron, a MIDI and voltage controlled bass synth, based on the Montron.
Mods include:
From the stupidtacular department comes the Bananaphone - a DIY touch-capacitance banana-controlled synthesizer.
Here’s the Bananaphone in action:
You can substitute other strange musical control devices for the bananas, if you like. See the DIY guide at Gadget Gangster for details.
via adafruit
Here’s another cool project from Kyle Evans, creator of the electroacoustic didgeridoo.
The de/Rastra oscillographic synthesizer is a real-time audio/video instrument and computer-interfacing device that lets you generate visualizations intrinsic to cathode ray tube technology while simultaneously creating the acoustic analog of the displayed imagery.
Here’s what Evans has to say about the de/Rastra oscillographic synthesizer:
Through hacking and exploiting the capabilities intrinsic to all CRT devices, the technology becomes repurposed as a performative interface, breaking down the device’s ‘consumption only’ nature. The performer is given control over the technology by removing it from the intended application and forcing it into an active state through a combination of physical and mental effort.
Textile designer Lara Grant is giving ‘soft synths’ a new meaning.
This soft interface is made from metallic wools, Velostat (a resistive material), conductive fabrics, sheep’s wool and acrylic craft felt. It is connected to the circuit with snaps soldered to wires and alligator clips.
Livid Instruments has introduced Builder v2, the second generation of its MIDI Brain system.
Livid Builder is a line of DIY parts that make it easy for you to design your own MIDI control surfaces and devices, using buttons, knobs, encoders, velocity pads, arcade buttons, accelerometers, faders, other sensors, and talkback LED’s.
On May 19 and 20, San Francisco’s music production school, Robotspeak, will be offering the first in an ongoing series of Modular Synth Building Workshops that will be led by a variety of master modular synth designers.
The first session on May 19 sold out within eight hours of the announcement. For those interested, there is still a spot or two left for the May 20 workshop at noon.
“You may be building an oscillator one month and filter the next, using each class to build all of the different elements of a Modular Synthesizer,” Steve Taormina of RobotSpeak said. “Each session will be overseen and advised by a different synth designer/builder, who will offer their expertise and time to bring back the communal modular synth building mind set from the past.”
The workshop will cost $150 per session and all PCB and supplies are included to build one module. Participants will be able to take their module home.
“We will build one every month,” Taormina said. “This is more than a product-based workshop; We want to build a monthly group where we can hang out and solder, and learn and share SDIY.”
See the RobotSpeak site for details.
In the video below, controllerist Moldover explains, step-by-step, the evolution, design, and building of his custom Mojo MIDI controller:
Dubspot Instructor, DJ and producer Abe Duque takes a look at the Korg Monotribe and shares his thoughts on using it, in and out of the studio.
On a recent gig in Moscow, Duque added the Monotribe to his live setup, using it to cue in patterns on the fly during his set. Duque share his experiences and then offers a detailed overview of the Monotribe and a walk-through on how to update the OS.
via DubSpot
Netherlands-based developer Fabrizio Poce has released MTribe - an editor and control surface for the Korg Monotribe.
MTribe is available as standalone for Mac and Windows as well as an Ableton Live / Max for Live device.
Note: A MIDI mod for the Monotribe is required.