i barely found out that u can make ur own synths (??!!?) this morning and now i need to do this immediately so lmk anything i should know

i have a bit of a crazy idea and idk if it’ll work… but i want to create a synth that uses capacitive sensors inserted into stuffed animals (i make ragdolls) that i can then touch to play notes. my idea is having a setup of about 10-12 ragdolls on a table that i tap to play like keys.
i was wondering if anyone knew a board to start out with that could fulfill this idea and have the capacity to also do audio output through a 1/4” cable, and the ability to hold more than one preset. i rlly dont want anything toooooo crazy tho bc i’ll have to learn how to code as well.

Hello everyone , Im writing this because i need guidance. Im starting my journey to build a small diy modular synth , ive already been experimenting on the breadboard using Moritz Klein guides. Now i want to get something on a perfboard, i decided to go with the Moritz Klein x Erica VCF for the start , i managed to understand the schematic, at least i think i do, and now Im wondering how Im going to put this all in the protoboard ive already drew a lot of times somewhat of a sketch but it always ends up either not fitting or getting way too confusing. Im making to post to know how u guys do it, im still kinda new to perfboards the only things ive done with it were Arduino related. If someone can share photos or just help in any sort of way ill be apreciated.

A huge hug to all the makers community ✌🏾

From our distant Belgium, hidden in the deep forests🌲 , we built this vintage sampler/multi synth.

What's inside?

- Wavetable synth

- SID emulation (c64 ^^ )

- Casio CZ-101 emulation

- FM with 4 operators

- 3 oscillators analog emulation

.. and many more nice stuffs!

Come and try it at our stand @ Synthfest UK, on 24th of October

Want to discover more now? Visit us @

Our Web or Instagram

From Belgium with ❤️

Using a hundred year old crystal radio detector diode as a component in a synth, the circuit is loosely based on the one in Moritz Klein's ladder filter video. As you move the cat's whisker around the crystal it creates point contacts that all have different voltage drops and IV response curves, changing the sound.

There is some music made with this stuff here: https://cornish-semiconductor.bandcamp.com

Hi r/synthdiy,

Since early 2024 I've been building USBSID-Pico: a Raspberry Pi Pico based board that plays one or two real SID chips (or SID replacements) over USB. Firmware, PCB and docs are all open source.

Hear it first:

• Raster Bar by LukHash
• Outerversal, dual SID stereo

What you can do with it

• Play SIDs in your browser with nothing to install: DeepSID (WebUSB or ASID) or the USBSID web player
• Use it with VICE 3.10, JSIDPlay2, Denise, Acid64 Pro, sidplayfp 2.16 and Phosphor
• Compose on the real chip with my USBSID forks of SID Factory II, GTUltra and LoadTracker
• Use it as a USB MIDI device (beta)
• Linux, Windows, and Android in the browser

The v1.5c board

• 6581, 6582 and 8580, plus SIDKick-pico, ARMSID, FPGASID and SwinSID
• Mixed voltage: a 6581 next to an 8580 on the same board
• Jumperless: 9V/12V, filter caps, 6581 shunt and 8580 digiboost are set automatically per socket, based on the detected chip

The pre-order run

People kept asking for assembled boards, so I'm running a small batch on SmallRun. It needs 10 commitments to go ahead, 4 are in.

• EUR 60 board only, EUR 70 with a soldered Pico2, case EUR 15 extra. SID chips not included.
• You're only charged if the run reaches 10. If it doesn't fill, nobody pays anything.
• Ships worldwide from the Netherlands, tracked and insured: EU EUR 15 (no customs), Europe non-EU EUR 17.50, US EUR 30, rest of world EUR 25.
• Estimated shipping: December 1, 2026.

Join the run on SmallRun

Links

• Source, firmware and docs: GitHub
• Website and web player: usbsid.loudai.nl
• How it all came together: build log

Happy to answer questions about the hardware, firmware or chip compatibility.

Hello everyone! I want to build a knob control interface for my Synton Syntovox SPX216 Vocoder, on the original manual it says that it is possible but i barely know anything about electronics and i'd REALLY love to build this and gain some experience. I don't know what components i need but please help me all the good hearted people of reddit. Thanks!

I’ve been building a mobile version of Orca as an AUv3 MIDI plugin for AUM, Drambo and other hosts on iPad.

It’s a port of Hundred Rabbits’ Orca (MIT licence), and it plays exactly like the original: I tested it against the real Orca interpreter on 22 real patches, plus hundreds of generated ones. Over 125,000 MIDI messages, and every one came out identical.

What’s new is the touch side: an on-screen keyboard and save, load, import and export of .orca files.
The host controls the tempo, and < > change the speed against it.
It’s an early personal build, running on my iPad.

Here is a very simple patch in AUM.

I've never dealt with encoders before, how do I safely remove the knob to tighten it back up? It's just loose and not clicky, it seems to function the same as the others in all other respects, and the settings haven't seemed to drift yet.

I built this mainly for myself, to make circuit-modelled plugins for a browser DAW I’m working on (daw.synthcity.org). I figured others here might find it useful, so feedback is very welcome, here or via the feedback button in the app.

https://circuit.synthcity.org/

You draw an analog circuit and play it like a synth. It isn’t modelled curves: it’s component-level simulation every sample, so the knobs are actual pots in the circuit. Under the hood it’s MNA with trapezoidal integration and Newton iteration for the nonlinear parts, written in Rust and running in an AudioWorklet as WASM.

• 22 classic filters at component level: MS-20, Moog ladder, 303, SEM, Polivoks, Wasp, Steiner-Parker, Juno’s IR3109 and more. There are also pedals like the Tube Screamer, Big Muff and Uni-Vibe.
• Plays in real time. Use the keyboard or MIDI, patch VCO → filter → VCA, and swap the filter while it’s playing. It works on a phone too. You can make macro level synth blocks and play those - it's like a modular synth/Reaktor. When you double click on a macro block, it zooms into the editable circuit.
• Lots of modelled nonlinear parts: OTAs (CA3080, LM13700), tubes, JFETs, BBD chips for chorus and flanger, vactrols for LPGs, and transformer hysteresis. Swap an MN3009 for an MN3007 and hear the difference. Let me know what’s missing!
• Plugs into your modular. With a DC-coupled interface (ES-8/ES-9, a DC-coupled MOTU or similar) you get calibrated CV in and out, including 1 V/oct tracking.
• The simulator is differentiable. It computes exact gradients with respect to every component value, so it can fit a circuit to a recording of real hardware, optimise part values to a target response, or search for new topologies. One of the presets is a filter the search came up with.
• Works with your tools and your agents: Docs: circuit.synthcity.org/agents
  • import .cir netlists and LiveSPICE schematics;
  • export to LTspice, ngspice and KiCad;
  • an MCP server and API, so Claude/Codex or another agent can design, simulate and fit circuits.

LMK if you'd like some more features, or something done differently etc.

You can also share your playable circuits with others, just click "Share" and copy the link!

Enjoy!

Hey all,

Can anyone recommend a good wood-working course or book etc that has helped you build wooden cases for your projects? I've been making cases for a while, but I'm completely self taught and would like to up my game a little. surprisingly I still have all of my fingers :-)

**EDIT**

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Some good advice:

Local Courses / Maker Spaces
Youtube channels (3x3 custom and Workskop Companion)
Book: Tage Frid's "Tage Frid Teaches Woodworking 
Book: The Anarchists Design Book (available as a free download)
TV Programme: The Woodwright's Shop
A good blog post: how cutting boards like this are made

Howdy folks- I was hoping I could get a sanity check on this 1970s instrument that’s been in a storage unit for an indeterminate number of years.

Dare I plug it in? Is it a bad idea to mod or service it myself? My pal and I are moderately handy and educated in electronics

IJust finished this 4-layer drone generator. Three layers generate drone sounds that can be manipulated, shaped and blended. The fourth layer brings in external audio, processing it and mixing it seamlessly into the evolving soundscape.

Hello!
I'm new to electronics (and having a blast) so I decided to start with some of Erica Synths EDU modules. I've successfully built the "Output" and "Wavefolder" so far.

Over the past few days, I did the S&H. followed the lesson on breadboard, and then soldered the component on the pcb... but as the title say, it's not working 100% correctly.

The noise generation section works perfectly but the sample and hold only works when it have external clock. When I use the internal clock, nothing happen. The LED is either fully on, or fully off once the RATE reach 70%~ (it should be pulsing at different rates). I'm guessing the problem might be from the internal clock?

I'm not sure the slew section work either. I've spent hours looking over the schematics, testing the components I can (I only have a basic Kaiweets KM100 multimeter), and double-checking my solder joints, but I still can't figure out what I'm missing

So, I have two questions:

- What is your troobleshooting process when you run into that kind of issue?? What do you check first ?

- Does anyone have any idea what might causing the module to behave like this?

Thank you ! <3

I love my mbase but the digital parts of it are going to shit. I was thinking I'd be cool to build something like that or the lancet but more simple and all analog, just with knobs to control the sound and a trig in so I can use it with my Roland kick trigger.

has anyone built something like this? I want deeeep base, but I also want to be able to give it some grit, maybe some germanium distortion section added in. maybe a noise generator too? Is there a way to build a cheapish 4 pole filter? Have any of you circuit heads drawn up something like this before?

I’m in the process of developing an idea on the daisy seed but I keep running into a fairly significant issues. Basically, the codecs on them keep permanently dying; something is frying ‘em. I have a fairly vanilla setup here: USB is connected and I have the codec outputting directly to my sound card, which works for a while and then… they die. Never to return from the grave. I’ve recently added some 1uF coupling caps on the outputs, in case there’s a bias issue. That board hasn’t died yet. These are Rev7 boards in case that helps.

Anybody else run into this issue?

I got so frustrated trying to build the Blasser circuits and running into issue after issue: esoteric parts, missing documents, difficulty troubleshooting.

I decided to make a better paper circuit for beginners: the Old Faithful, our beloved Atari Punk Console.

I based the design it on a previous build I've already made a guide for, my dead-bug style Mosquito. You can find the guide here

Paper Mosquito Guide

I'm currently working on an upgraded version which includes polarity protection and an indicator LED.

I definitely overwhelmed myself with projects and I need to clean house for my own sanity. I'm going to focus more on the projects I'm interested in.

I have the Klee sequencer which is almost 100% finished (of course minus the absolutely huge task of wiring lol)

[SOLD]And a Tellum Corporation Doomsday Machine that's mostly populated but will need some more components and ICs. [SOLD]

Just shoot me a fair offer and cover shipping.

(Not sure if this is allowed here mods but not really sure where else people would appreciate these)

Thanks for looking and message me if you have any questions.

Hi Nerdz,

I'm building a line in to eurorack converter using the Befaco In Amp schematics and I want to add a Sallen Key Highpass filter to remove 50 hz rumble

I've taken the Befaco INamp schematic and deleted the 2nd input

Basically the Befaco inamp is 2 stages:
The first opamp stage is doing a 2.2 gain,
Through the potmeter
to the second opamp stage to output

Where would it be best to add the filter:
1 Before the inamp
2 In between the first and second gain stage
3 After the whole inamp

Where would you integrate the Highpass filter, and could opamps be shared?

Based on patmcbennets code. Expanded to 8 steps via 4051.Added tempo control via knob. Added 3 vc out plugs and vc in

Sounds really good for arduino

:)

I'm trying to build a synth using the Daisy Seed. I've built a functioning demo that I like in Plugdata, but right now I'm just focusing on getting the hardware to work. I made a quick test patch to map 5 potentiometers.
I connected the right pins to 3V3 Analog and the left pins to AGND, while the middle pins (wipers) are wired to A0, A1, A2, A3, and A4. None of the potentiometers are responding. Even when I bypass them and test by touching the A0-A4 jumper wires directly to 3.3V or GND, I don't hear any changes in the audio.
 Because of this, I suspect the issue might be with the custom JSON board file I selected while compiling (I've attached it below). I've also attached images showing my breadboard wiring, the Plugdata patch, and the compiler page.

If anyone knows how to solve this, I would be very grateful, as I've been stuck on this for a few days now. Thanks in advance! 

{
  "name": "MySynth",
  "som": "seed",
  "components": {
    "knob1": {
      "component": "AnalogControl",
      "pin": 15
    },
    "knob2": {
      "component": "AnalogControl",
      "pin": 16
    },
    "knob3": {
      "component": "AnalogControl",
      "pin": 17
    },
    "knob4": {
      "component": "AnalogControl",
      "pin": 18
    },
    "knob5": {
      "component": "AnalogControl",
      "pin": 19
    }
  }
}
  

Model D running on a battery in a oak case next to obligatory cactus

if there’s interest I can describe what all the other junk is

first, credit to Maffez and his mod guide for the osc 3 tap guidr, and graciously responding to a question by email, the guide in general

this is a portable Behringer model D with two built in speakers. It has a leather strap and you can carry it around. It get about 5 hours battery life. I wanted something you can bring out to a porch to jam with that still felt acoustic / homemade. This is constantly changing. I really enjoy working on it and often take things apart and redesign them. I go where my ADHD takes me.

Also pictured, an optional helper DIY stereo speaker cabinet.

Specifics:

FEEDBACK SYSTEM --> The speakers are designed with interesting resonance and feedback in mind rather than to sound perfect. Both the front and back are little 2" 4 ohm gikfuns powered by a class D amp at 5 volts. Front speaker are in a little sealed enclosure to provide larger range. It's a funny shape - about 8" long but only 1.5" deep. I built it by ear for weirdness, just like all of this. The back speaker (not pictured) is at the end of a baffle (I really like the open baffle sound), pointed inward and under the Model D with the exposed back nearly touching a set of strings. It is reverse-wired... because I enjoy the weird cancellations / resonances of stuff bouncing around weird places, doing weird things. The strings are in front of a pick up, which then goes out through one of those 3.5 mm ports on the side (not pictured). That gets plugged into the Model D's extension in. The D's circuit board is soldered so that the extension in is tapped at the pot -- that tap is then fed into the DIY module on the left. When the top switch is OFF you just hear normal model D. When it's on the back speaker is fed the input of the extension in. (the knob is a tone knob to cut the high end) This creates a feedback loop. The back speaker vibrates the strings which omve the speaker. If you tune it right you get a humming self resonance that also picks up the room a little bit and the main synth coming out of the front speaker.

DRONE -- the model d's board is tapped at the Osc 3 mix pot. That second switch sends the output to the front speaker. It has a tone knob as well. The volume is set by the Osc 3 mix pot.

WOODEN SPEAKER CABINET --> This is portable as well. It's also designed to not sound perfect, but interesting. The DIY speaker cabinet runs on 12v battery too - but not as sophisticated as the one the main synth is using. The cabinet is stero. Left channel is the top one whic is in a (overly large) enclosure for the 2.5" speaker but it is sealed. Bottom is open at the bottom. The speakers are Douk Audio 1PC 2.5" inch 8 ohm Hi-Fi Desktop Full Range Speaker High Sensitivity Speakers for Home & Car Auidio 8-15W. They have super high Qs - probably because the backs are sealed, which means they do relaly well without enclosures. Anyway, the point is these cabinets and speakers have distinctive / fun /experimental resonance points and weird cancellations and all sorts of interesting artifacts and its fun to connect it all in different weird ways... especially on a late night porch.

BREADBOAREDED INTERNAL COMPONENTS -- everything in the DIY modular extension is breadboarded rather than permanent. I just taped the breadboard to the bottom of the spacious model D case. This is version 3.1. I've had an auto panner in there based on light exposure, a teensy looper / delay, probably more stuff I'm forgetting. It's fun to build and rebuild. I actually run the breadboard on two 9v batteries because it's easier for me to think in 2 rails when it comes to audio than it is to split 12v into 6 and 6 (and more headroom too).

MODWHEEL --> that's a DIY modwheel. it's just a real simple 5v voltage divider. I bought this part from some other synth for like $10. I just run 5 volts through it and take the output from the other side through one of those 3.5 mm ports. You can use it for any of the model D inputs as CV. It should probably have more protections in place from accidental grounding but the Model D circuitry is so rock solid I don't relaly wory about it (trust me...I have done EVERYTHING BAD YOU COULD THINK OF to the model D. It is almost impossible to hurt it.)

KEYBOARD The keyboard is a disassembled / reassembled Rockband keytar I bought for $13. Those things had MIDI input for some reason and it works great. The two red buttons on the left are oct up and down. In past versions I've had other breakouts, like program up / down, which I used to do sneaky things like send signals to the teensy to control the looper (I had it set up so you could plug in buttons via an audio cable... the buttons were big arcade buttons I put into a cigar box)...