electro-music.com   Dedicated to experimental electro-acoustic
and electronic music
 
    Front Page  |  Radio
 |  Media  |  Forum  |  Wiki  |  Links
Forum with support of Syndicator RSS
 FAQFAQ   CalendarCalendar   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   LinksLinks
 RegisterRegister   ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in  Chat RoomChat Room 
 Forum index » DIY Hardware and Software
Touch sensitive mini synth
Post new topic   Reply to topic Moderators: jksuperstar, Scott Stites, Uncle Krunkus
Page 1 of 1 [14 Posts]
View unread posts
View new posts in the last week
Mark the topic unread :: View previous topic :: View next topic
Author Message
nicolas3141



Joined: May 25, 2007
Posts: 185
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand

PostPosted: Mon May 25, 2015 3:38 am    Post subject: Touch sensitive mini synth Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

In the same sort of vein as my bleepy machine of last year, this is a similar mini-synth, but this time touch controlled. With reasonably large touch plates made of something that is not too good a conductor you can get some measure of control. Stainless steel is ideal. Not quite play-a-tune control, but fun nevertheless. Springy touch plates allow LFO type effects by bouncing. VCO+VCF

Nicolas

Last edited by nicolas3141 on Tue May 26, 2015 3:55 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
nicolas3141



Joined: May 25, 2007
Posts: 185
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand

PostPosted: Mon May 25, 2015 3:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

And here is the big brother with 2xVCO+VCF+VCA

Nicolas

Last edited by nicolas3141 on Tue May 26, 2015 3:57 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
blue hell
Site Admin


Joined: Apr 03, 2004
Posts: 24079
Location: The Netherlands, Enschede
Audio files: 278
G2 patch files: 320

PostPosted: Mon May 25, 2015 3:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Looks like nice devices, and a good idea to have that output transformer.

Have you got any sound samples?

Edit .. oh wait .. I now re-realize I heard some .. hmm or did I .. I saw some ...

_________________
Jan
also .. could someone please turn down the thermostat a bit.
Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
nicolas3141



Joined: May 25, 2007
Posts: 185
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand

PostPosted: Mon May 25, 2015 4:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

No sound samples yet for this one. Will see what I can do next week. The vco is a normal saw sound, the filter is a weakish bandpass which can sound a bit resonant if you treat it right. Not the best sounding filter out there, but I am challenging myself with what I can achieve with a single quad opamp chip and nothing else other than simple 2 legged stuff Smile
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
nicolas3141



Joined: May 25, 2007
Posts: 185
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand

PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2015 12:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Here is a stripboard layout. Not verified yet as the prototype I have built is a bit messier. Offboard connections not shown, but should be easy to work out.

Nicolas
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
nicolas3141



Joined: May 25, 2007
Posts: 185
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand

PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2015 4:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

There were some errors in the BOM I posted earlier, so I have removed those and am uploading this corrected version. The filter needs to be on the edge of oscillating to sound interesting, but if it persists in oscillating all the time you will need to reduce R14. I found 600k to be just right on my prototype. Needs some experimentation so perhaps putting a trimpot in there would be a good idea.

Nicolas

Last edited by nicolas3141 on Mon Jun 01, 2015 2:11 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
nicolas3141



Joined: May 25, 2007
Posts: 185
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand

PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2015 4:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

corrected version. I have tweaked a few of the component values in the BOM. If you have trouble with the filter oscillating too much try a smaller value for R14. TP4 and TP5 are not very useful. TP1,2,3 are the main ones. They work well if big enough to contact your whole palm for the most effect or just a single knuckle for the most minimal effect with a reasonable range in between. If your touch plates are smaller you may want to try reducing C3 and increasing R16, but I really encourage you to try good big touch plates as they make it much more playable.

Nicolas


touchsynth0.jpg
 Description:
 Filesize:  107.4 KB
 Viewed:  290 Time(s)
This image has been reduced to fit the page. Click on it to enlarge.

touchsynth0.jpg



Last edited by nicolas3141 on Mon Jun 01, 2015 2:10 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
dougseidel



Joined: Feb 10, 2010
Posts: 74
Location: NJ

PostPosted: Tue Jun 23, 2015 6:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Thanks! that is a really fun circuit! I made a dual version, which is fun to play.
_________________
http://soundcloud.com/douglasmseidel
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
L´Andratté



Joined: Sep 23, 2012
Posts: 150
Location: Hamburg, Germany
Audio files: 5

PostPosted: Tue Jun 23, 2015 12:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Amazing, thanks!
Your circuits will be a fully featured modular synth soon.
And I keep being inspired by your design philosophy.
Would love to hear/see more of the resulting music...

PS: It seems, there are some photos missing in the first posts, or is it me missing something Razz
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
wackelpeter



Joined: May 05, 2013
Posts: 461
Location: germany
Audio files: 10

PostPosted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 2:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

[quote="nicolas3141"]No sound samples yet for this one. Will see what I can do next week. The vco is a normal saw sound, the filter is a weakish bandpass which can sound a bit resonant if you treat it right. Not the best sounding filter out there, but I am challenging myself with what I can achieve with a single quad opamp chip and nothing else other than simple 2 legged stuff Smile[/Quote]

so no mice are included?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9nGyPz9uT0 Very Happy

_________________
https://soundcloud.com/bastian-j
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
animalman



Joined: Jan 21, 2013
Posts: 18
Location: out past midnight

PostPosted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 10:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Looks like good fun. Sorry my ignorance, but is there a way to build this without the output transformer? And can someone tell what is the transformers function?
Hi-fi snake oil dudes often mention how warm audio sounds just running it through transformers Razz
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Starspawn



Joined: Jun 14, 2013
Posts: 85
Location: Oslo

PostPosted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 10:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Hmm, also if one wanted to use it as LFOs would increasing C3 work?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
wackelpeter



Joined: May 05, 2013
Posts: 461
Location: germany
Audio files: 10

PostPosted: Fri Jun 26, 2015 1:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

animalman wrote:
Looks like good fun. Sorry my ignorance, but is there a way to build this without the output transformer? And can someone tell what is the transformers function?
Hi-fi snake oil dudes often mention how warm audio sounds just running it through transformers Razz


http://electro-music.com/forum/topic-64453.html&highlight=

in the first post Nicolas mentions it's function...

_________________
https://soundcloud.com/bastian-j
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
nicolas3141



Joined: May 25, 2007
Posts: 185
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand

PostPosted: Sat Sep 26, 2015 4:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

If you are building this as a separate unit with output to headphones then the transformer can be avoided. Or add a battery powered amp like an LM386 and include a speaker in the unit, to do this just use a cap between the LM324 and LM386 to avoid any DC bias.

The transformer is only necessary if you want to connect this up with other non-battery-powered gear such as effects/mixer/amp/PA/etc.

Nicolas
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic Moderators: jksuperstar, Scott Stites, Uncle Krunkus
Page 1 of 1 [14 Posts]
View unread posts
View new posts in the last week
Mark the topic unread :: View previous topic :: View next topic
 Forum index » DIY Hardware and Software
Jump to:  

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum


Forum with support of Syndicator RSS
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
Copyright © 2003 through 2009 by electro-music.com - Conditions Of Use