aramok

aramok

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Mini Synth




I have begun my most ambitions project yet, to build a Modular Analog Synthesizer, It has been a dream of mine to build, design and own a Analog synthesizer ever since I watched a group of Youtubes from a user I unfortunately cannot remember the name of. He began his videos by walking down the stairs into his basement saying "Hello boys and girls!" with a cigar between his lips. It was sometime in 2009 when I watched these videos and I think his username had "dolphin" in it. Dang I have searched high and low.

Anyway the time has come in my life to begin building this fantastically complex electronic machine. I began back in October 2014 and will be playing a lot of catch up with these posts and videos. It is at a time when my knowledge is at an sufficient level to actually be able and build it, while also learning a whole lot while doing so.

The Synth DIY community is small but totally hardcore. A french scientist username:YuSynth has an extensive library of do it yourself instructions for all the basic electronic synthesizer modules. Each module page has schematics, single-side PCB images, tuning notes, wiring guides, panel graphics, almost everything you need to build your own modules. However, having lots of electronics trouble shooting experience is actually very necessary due to the complexity of these analog modules.

Although Yusynth has designed the modules, but its up to the DIYer to choose the modules they build, it makes a big difference in how the overall synth operates and sounds. The physical designs of the control surfaces I design myself, along with any circuit mods.




The inspiration for my synth.
  1. Minimoog
    1.  first modules will be built will mimic the futures of the Minimoog model D, a famous Moog synthesizer. The features Minimoog  are:
      1. 3 VCO's with Tri,Tr-Saw,Saw,Ramp,and Pulse, can be tuned to a very low pitch
      2. A Noise Generator with Pink and White noise
      3. A Mixer
      4. A Minimoog Filter (The soul of a Minimoog)
      5. 2 ADSR's, one for the Filter and another for the VCA
      6. A VCA
      7. Glide
      8. Another feature similar to the Minimoog will be the sloped control surface, which is very natural to operate.
      9. Wood
  2.  non-Minimoog
    1. This is no faithful recreation of a Minimoog, but rather my synth just is coppying its tonal concept. There are many types of synthesizers, from 555 timers to software synths, but the Minimoog concept stands on its own. That being said there are additional things I would like:
      1. PATCHability, The Minimoog has an almost all built in, switch based patching and is very limited. This makes patching as easy as a flick of a switch which is great when your jamming out. However I would rather have an endless possibility of stupid noises.
      2. NO KEYBOARD. no pitch bend and and mod wheel. I might build a Jammer Keyboard but the jurys still out on how notes will be played.
      3. NO LIGHTS, no screens, the only indications are the positions of knobs and switches. it helps bring the daemons out.
      4. And finally BE AS ANALOG AS IS REASONABLY POSSIBLE. Analog lets stranger things happen. A digital synth can make the same wave forms of an analog synth but is immune to the sea of imperfections. It is also my desire to learn analog electronics and I can't do that if there isn't any. The module I am designing is very digital but only because it is much more practical to be and I'm working hard to make it sound as analog as possible.


An artiststic rendition of my future synth in Google Sketchup

This is the final drawing of my synth in Sketchup, Without all the wizbangs of course, I will talk about it more when the time comes. Next Episode is on my first DIY Yusynth Analog Modular Synthasizer Modual... see ya