The LMN 3 – An Open-Source Teenage Engineering OP-1?

Fundamental Frequency shared this in-depth look at LMN 3, described as “an open-source synth/sampler/sequencer/DAW-in-a-box”.

Some may see it as a DIY alternative to the Teenage Engineering OP-1, since it’s designed to be an all-in-one portable solution for music making.

The LMN-3 DAW is based on the Tracktion Engine, an open-source audio engine, and offers standard capabilities like recording, editing and mixing. The hardware platform is based on the Raspberry PI, a popular single-board computer design.

Topics covered:

00:00 – Introduction
00:31 – General Settings
00:55 – Tracks Screen Overview
01:42 – Plugins Screen Overview
02:06 – Drum Sampler Overview
02:28 – Step Sequencer Overview
03:19 – Drum Programming
04:11 – Sampler Overview
05:10 – Bass Sequencing
05:39 – Clip Cut/Paste
06:02 – 4OSC Synth Overview
07:24 – Adding Effects
08:07 – Recording
08:51 – Editing, Loop Controls, Saving, and Track Addition/Deletion
09:37 – Mixer Overview
10:19 – Pitch Bend
10:42 – Modifiers
11:20 – Project Rendering
11:31 – Implementation Overview

LMN 3 is an advanced DIY project. Details are available via Github.

22 thoughts on “The LMN 3 – An Open-Source Teenage Engineering OP-1?

    1. If you actually knew the developer and his engineering acumen and the effort required to accomplish this sort of project, you would return under the pebble you crawled out under from and never return here again. Ever!

      1. Can’t both be true at the same time? Earwavpaper’s comment was about the look, not the function. That doesn’t invalidate the engineering, nay, just the project management it takes to complete a project like this. And also it *could* look more polished, even from the modempunk standpoint. It’s likely the one prototype, but that is what the developer is showing the world so it will be commented on.

    2. The best science projects are the kid-only ones with no parental involvement. How is a kid supposed to how to do things if their parents take the reins from them? That’s how we end up with 25-year-olds sex don’t know how to plunge a toilet or change a tire.

  1. Def worth keeping an eye on. There’s lots of room for innovation in the field of relatively low-cost hardware sequencer/synth

  2. There is also a Teensy based OP-1 like diy synth that has been in development for a few years. I tried posting a link to the GitHub page earlier, but it didn’t come through. If interested, look up prajwal1121 portable-synth.

    1. He is grad school at the moment and thus I believe only works on the project during breaks. Interesting development and very advanced unit, closer to the OP-1 than this.

  3. This is a no bullshit intuitive workflow for people coming from a computer music background. This is definitely a better daw alternative than using other groove boxes I’ve used and works like I expect… Unlike the op1. That tape deck arranger on the op1 is just a pain in the a$$ if you want to write a song on it.

    Good job on this project! I like it

  4. Think about it, you all are comparing this to the OP-1, a polished $2000 USD (all be it over priced) project, to a $350 USD (If that) open source project. You can finish it however you want. You don’t have to keep the look, its open source so you can change it to your liking. Those that complain about the look, are not seeing the whole picture (unintended pun). It is up to the person building it to make it look how they like.

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