Synth DIY With Monsters, Junk & A Tapered Reamer

Author & synthesist David Battino (Keyboard, Electronic Musician) has started a new column for EM, Adventures in DIY.

He shared this video that goes along with the first column, which demonstrates how he used some junk and a tapered reamer to add color-changing LEDs to Japanese monster toys. The video also shows how he ‘plays’ the monsters, using the CV outputs of an Arturia KeyStep

“My original idea was to see the status of the KeyStep’s mod ribbon, but I kept finding new applications,” Battino told us.

“I debuted these monsters in a performance with (author) Mark Vail at the Don Buchla memorial concerts in April,” he adds. “My iPad mini 2 powered the KeyStep, two monsters, and Korg Gadget. Mark made due with a modular synth, OP-1, and contact-miked kalimba.”

Battino says that each of his EM columns will have an accompanying video demo, which he is sharing on YouTube.

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