Auduino DIY Synth

If you’re into DIY and got an Arduino board, why not try to make the FOF/granular based Auduino synth in this video?

Instructions are here

Here’s another example, using the stylus controller from the Gakken SX-150 synth kit:

touch.listen.synth

The touch.listen.synth must be inspired by the cracklebox, but it’s capable of creating more complex sounds. And it’s got an audio output. Cool thing!

More pictures here

OSC Controller nearly finished

The C++-based OSC-controler I’ve been working on for my master degree in music technology is nearly finished.
Here is a screenshot:

As you can see it’s on Windows, but since I’ve been using the openFrameworks library, it should be possible to compile it for Mac and Linux as well.
The sound is generated in Max. The only thing you have to do in Max is load samples, everything else can be controlled from the application itself.

Here are some of the features:

• 16 step drum sequencer with individual settings per step and the ability to store patches
• 16 step synth sequencer (a little cheesy at the moment, but it might become cooler) based on a simple synth design with saw, recangle and noise oscillators + filters and envelope
• For the step sequencer, you can adjust BPM and lenght (1 to 16 steps)
• Sampler with 25 voices with looping. Each voice has it’s own filter, distortion and frequency reduction effect and it’s own send to grain
• Pitch controller per sample voice
• Samples can be sequenced, but for now it’s only note on and note off
• 4 effects; reverb, delay, ring-mod and flipper (FM-style modulation) – for delay and reverb effects I use freware VST-effects (for best result)
• Granular effect – audio output form every synthstep, drumstep and sample voice can be sent here
• Circle-based effect parameter editing
• Audio recorder – controls audio recording in max
• Mixer with 7 channels: drum, synth, sampler, granular, fx, audio recorder, and main
• Each channel has it’s own volume and pan controls, and sends to the four effects (excluding the effects, audio recorder and main channels)
• It’s sadly not possible to save patch settings (exept for the drum sequencer)
• Different screens is selected with tab-buttons on the left side
• Signals are sent via Open Sound Control to Max

The program is made primaraly for use with a touch-screen monitor, but it’s of course possible to use a regular mouse. No support for multitouch.

Here’s a little example I made, please be aware of loud noisy sounds:

The file is about 20 minutes and 30MB so it might take some time to load it completely.
It’s improvised, and besides converting to MP3, I’ve done nothing with it after recording.
Here I use the sampler, loaded with single shot drum sounds. They are played back at different speeds and the sound is sent to the granulator and the other effects.

It’s also possible to make some less experimental music with the application. I will post more examples later..

Touchscreen drum machine for Max/MSP

On Cycling ’74’s site I found a video of a drum machine someone have made in Max/MSP. They use it with a cheap touch overlay and the result is very impressive. A real performance tool!

read more about the project here

Bon Iver Night drive

I give you Bon Iver + someone driving at night:

I love videos w/driving through city at night!

Music: “Blood Bank” by Bon Iver
Video by david l

Cool organic synth thing

I stumbled across a brilliant post on Synthopia, a video showing a demo of the project the Sound of Touch. The instrument is made by David Merrill at MIT and is based on using a contact microphone and DSP to record and manipulate the sounds. I’m glad to see that there’s still some good ideas out there. Just wish I could do something like that..

More aboute the project on this link
See some of David Merrillis other projects

DIY multitouch

Now you can buy a DIY multitouch kit!
You will also need a projector and a modified web cam.
More about the project: http://eyebeam.org/project/cubit

More DIY multitouch:
Lumenlab
NUI Group – makers of the Touchlib library (NUI = natural User Interface)

Weird Sound Generator DIY

I want a Weird Sound Generator so I can learn to solder and learn to make things myself. Stein from http://electro-music.com/ who recently bought my synthesizers.com synth got me inspired to make some electronics myself. Besides, I’m also planning to use the wiring electronic board for my masters project. I got two of them, they’re quite similar to the arduino boards, only better with more possibilities. The problem is I get bored too easily..