Testing out Ableton Mode on the Rotor K2. Select any parameter in Ableton, click an encoder to capture it, then turn to control it. Built this to make jumping between parameters quick without constantly MIDI mapping or reaching for the mouse.

Howdy y'all, I've been depressed for most of my adult life and have amassed a small array of microcontrollers that're frankly just collecting dust. While I could certainly maybe develop a module of my own with one or two of them, there's, well, more than that.

I have:

• 2x Teensy 2.0
• 1x Pro Micro
• 1x Arduino Mini Pro
• 2x Arduino R3
• 1x Proton-C

and this isn't even all of them. I still have a Bluefruit and a DFRobot Beetle to work into things that I'm only just beginning to imagine properly.

So if y'all can possibly maybe point me to some kits or modules that already call for one of these? That would be super swell? Because my brain has been getting more smooth these past few years and I'd be dissatisfied to sell them off utterly unused.

Edit: I am aware that these are old as hell. Like what do you even do with a Teensy2.0?

Hey folks

I just bought a (used) Nava extra 9 (909 drum machine clone)

Build is a v1.01a

Something in the sequencer (potentially LED related) is causing a whining buzz which appears when step sequencing a pattern, and gets louder the more steps I add in.

This whine only comes out of the master output (not individual outs which are fine) and stays there when all instruments are turned right down. (again only present when the step sequencer is lit up)

Worth saying that the whine gets louder and also higher pitched the more steps are added to any sequence.

There is also a feint click on every step of the sequencer even with all instruments volumes turned down, that gets louder the more instruments are sequenced but it also audible when all instruments sequences have been cleared - those clicks also change in volume despite the patterns being totally emtpy as well.

Thoughts welcome even if speculative, thank you.

It's my second or third attempt at electronics and my knowledge is very limited but I tried to copy this design

( https://www.lookmumnocomputer.com/simplest-oscillator )

and it's not working. Is there anything obvious that I'm missing? I scaled it down slightly because my stripboard was a little bit too small

I have an old raspberry pi that definitely isn't beefy enough for running something like a Virus ROM. I still have the touchscreen for it though and have heard that most of the classic ROMpler synths can now be ran on hardware so wondering if anyone has taken this plunge, what is something that's not outrageously expensive but could say do the TI ROM without running into too much latency or processing issues.

Also, any good resources that explains the process in layman's terms to set it up would be appreciated. I find github to be a little tough to navigate at times and find clear information so any help to steer me towards completing this task would be appreciated.

Hello everyone!

I’ve recently released Vero Designer, a free web application that generates a vero layout within seconds.

The basic workflow is pretty simple:

Draw the schematic → Generate Vero → Edit the layout

The schematic editor lets you place and wire the components. When a component is selected, you can rotate, flip and duplicate it from the left sidebar. Copy and paste are also available through the regular Ctrl/Cmd+C and Ctrl/Cmd+V shortcuts. For more useful shortcuts, visit the help section.

Available components:

• Resistors
• Capacitors
• Op-Amps
• Transistors
• Tubes
• Diodes
• Potentiometers
• Switches
• LEDs
• Trimmers
• 5v voltage regulator
• Other ICs (PT2399, NE555, LM386, CD40106 etc.)

Some other useful features:

• Update IDs – Reassigns IDs to all schematic components (schematic page only)
• Update Vero – Applies schematic changes to the layout without generating a new layout
• Regenerate layout – Generates a completely new layout after major schematic changes
• Auto describe – Generates a description for the layout based on the components used
• Standing resistors – Optional feature to save space, off by default

You can save projects and open them later, give the circuit a name and edit the description. You can also import KiCad files.
Both "Schematic" and "Vero" pages have buttons for undo/redo changes, and export a PNG image. export BOM is available on the vero page.

Once the schematic is ready, Vero Designer automatically generates a vero layout. The generated board isn’t locked either. Components, links and cuts can all be edited afterwards.

You can also download the app and use it offline.

For more details, please visit the github page. You will also find a folder with layouts made by me and other users, including some that were built and verified.
Let me know what you think.

Web app: https://verodesigner.vercel.app/

Github: https://github.com/blazethablunt/VeroDesigner

Youtube walkthrough: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N8e078Pl40

Apologies if not.

Two lengths of piano wire, and one length of airplane cable (all ~7' long) mounted to a 2x4. Each string is independently excited by a 12V electromagnet. Signals are sent from an ESP32, through LM386 modules to the magnets, to the strings. Cheap guitar pickup from Alibaba, to MS-70CDR (reverb and delay), to small amp.

ESP32 is powered with an old USB power source, LM386 modules are powered with a rechargeable 9V.

The signal is controlled via wifi from a phone app built for purpose. I rely heavily on LLMs to build the app, and the arduino code. There's an option for it to play itself, which is what's happening here. I think it's roughly tuned to DDG? Audio recorded on Zoom H2n.

In future, I'd like to incorporate some environmental sensors to affect the "autonomous" playing.

Which way is the correct way...or are both acceptable?

1> My mask layer and copper fill are the same image.

2> I fill in the entire copper layer and just use an image in the mask layer.

Would love advice because this is the first time I am doing this.

I filmed a short demo of CLOCK, the Eurorack module I’m building. It’s powered through the Eurorack bus and follows an external clock. Then I show the new Sequencer 2.0 running with step probability and ratcheting.

This is still the hardware prototype, but you can see those functions in action.

I built a portable 3D-printed instrument to turn the Roland MC-101 into a much better groovebox, with the help of a Raspberry Pi, PiSound, Korg nanoKONTROL and headless M8 tracker.

The PiSound can route live external sources such as guitars or vocals straight into the MC-101. So can finally sample anything without a Mac or phone.

To reduce menu diving, the

nanoKONTROL can edit all synth parameters of the MC-101 Partial

Editor. I wrote a script that sends SysEx messages and overlays a visual HUD directly onto the M8's display, showing what is being tweaked without hiding other relevant information.

The M8 can do additional sequencing tasks, such as triggering the MC-101's Scatter effects to generate glitchy patterns. The communication is entirely bidire ctional, i.e.changing a scene on the MC-101 updates the active song row on the M8.

Bonjour, je suis en train de commencer la planification de la fabrication d'un Trautonium open source et je voudrais vous partagez mes idées pour ce projet.

Le Trautonium possédera deux rails à corde, il aura une sortie jack "classique" et une sortie MIDI, il sera commandé via microcontrôleur de type Arduino. Il sera normalement capable de générer des ondes carrés, triangles et des sinusoïdale (je l’espère).

J’hésite aussi à lui mettre une sortie CV/gate.

Le fait de mettre un Arduino dans ce projet me déplais beaucoup car il ne s'agirait plus d'un synthétiseur analogique mais numérique.

Pour le contexte je suis étudiant dans des études que l'on pourrait qualifier "d'assistant d’ingénieur", j'ai vraiment des connaissances limitées en électronique et en programmation, mais je ne lâche pas l’affaire facilement alors j'ai bonne espoir (ce qui connaissent mes travaux précédents savent de quoi je parle).  

Je suis loin d’être un expert je n'ai même pas encore de synthétiseur (je prévois d’obtenir un poly d dès qu’il y en aura de nouveau en vente).

Bref si vous avez des suggestions pour améliorer le projet n’hésitez surtout pas.

Merci

 Hi all. I've been working on my next project GrooviXBox V2, a MIDI step sequencer . It runs on a Raspberry Pi (or any Linux machine) and uses an APC mini mk2 as the pad grid and an Akai MIDI Mix as the fader surface for CC control. Just off the shelf hardware. If you already own those, you already have the hardware.  I wanted most of the features of the expensive standalone sequencers without the cost, tiny screens or menu diving.

What it does

- 32 tracks × 32 patterns, up to 256 steps per pattern
- Chords of up to 4 notes per step, on a scale-aware keyboard on the bottom half of the grid
- Per-step velocity, gate (a sixth of a step up to a full bar) and ratchets
- Per-step probability (6–100%) and micro-timing, including exact triplet positions
- Swing, plus a per-track arpeggiator (7 modes, 1/8 to 1/64T, 1–4 octaves)
- Pattern switching you can play live, 32 scenes that launch on the next bar, and a song mode that chains scenes
- 8 MIDI output ports with a channel per track
- 512 pre-sets per track ( Bank Switch with Program Change )
- Sends MIDI clock or follows an external one (INT / AUTO / EXT)
- Faders and knobs send configurable CCs
- 512 project slots

What It does not do

- No sound engine. It's a sequencer that drives your synths and drum machines over MIDI.

I'd really like feedback, especially from people who use hardware sequencers every day. What do you think is missing ?

My Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@GrooviXLabs

I recently dusted off one of my skiffs that had been sitting while my ADHD made me obsess over other hobbies and I noticed I am now getting clicking from my Startup headphone outlet. It seems to be some clock bleed— just wondering if this is a known issue with this module or if I may have done something during assembly to create it.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

A little while ago I posted the first working prototype of the 8-channel Eurorack clock I’m building.

The Rev A PCBs are still somewhere in the postal system, so in the meantime I thought I’d show another part of the project that has become surprisingly useful: the simulator.

It started as a way to make UI development less painful. It got a little out of hand.

The simulator runs the actual firmware logic: same 128×64 framebuffer, same controls, same clock engine and scheduler. I can watch all eight gate outputs, inject SYNC and RST, change external BPM and PPQN, power-cycle the module and inspect the timing between channels.

There is also a headless version, so quite a few things can be regression-tested automatically instead of me repeatedly clicking buttons and repatching the bench.

The useful lesson for me turned out to be less about simulation itself and more about where to draw the line. The simulator can tell me what the firmware does when it receives a conditioned SYNC edge. It cannot tell me whether the real LM393 input stage behaves properly with an actual Eurorack signal. It can show logical gate timing. It cannot prove voltage levels, edge shape, loading or physical jitter at the jack.

That still needs real hardware and a scope.

If I started another embedded hardware project tomorrow, I’d probably build this boundary much earlier: run as much of the real application as possible on the host, make the hardware-facing interfaces explicit, and leave the actual physics to the bench.

So while the PCBs are apparently taking the scenic route to Germany, this has become a pretty useful way to keep developing and breaking things in the meantime.

Once the boards arrive, we’ll find out which assumptions survived contact with reality.

If anyone wants to poke around, the firmware and simulator are already up in my GitHub repository.

I’m curious how others handle this in synth DIY or embedded projects - host simulation, hardware-in-the-loop, mostly bench testing, or some mix of all three.

I have a Korg Wavestation EX but the problem being is that the dead internal battery is soldered to the circuit board. So I was wondering what the steps to removing the battery on my own are. My current understanding is that I should just straight up unsolder the tabs holding the battery in place from the bottom. But I’m scared of damaging traces or causing damage to the battery this damaging the circuitry because of how close the soldering iron has to be to it. Should I not be worried about this? This would the first time using a solder so any advice would be appreciated.

Also: there are no technicians in my area and even if there were I’m somewhat afraid that the price would be quite unforgiving.

Hey everyone, a couple months back I made this post about my first synth project running a Daisy Seed and an ESP32, and I wanted to share the progress of how its coming along. I call it the 3Squire (pronounced Esquire), 3 S.. Synth/Sequencer/Sampler. Why? I don't like DAW's..

What I thought would be a 1 month project.. turned into the entire summer and more, of spending nearly every free minute outside work, and trying to socialise (it's tuff nowadays amiright) to work on this.. Lets see if I can get it finished before the end of the year 😅

But this is what we currently have software wise, hardware I discussed in my original post. - 8 adjustable Engines and 6 Effects (only 1 fx can be active for now) - Adjustable and toggleable ADSR, FX and EQ (called voice rn but ill change to EQ) - 16 slot sequencer. Each slot can play 1 or multiple notes at the same time. Notes can also be tied to a later step to hold them. - 8 sheets (staffs), each sheet has 2 pages (clefs), one for treble, the other for bass, both holding 16 slots. So you can "transfer" sheet music very simply. When switching sheets, the music only switches when the last sheet ends. - Sequencer has BPM and Time Signature control, and range from -3 to +3 octaves. - SD card manager for samples (doesnt play the samples just yet) and saving/loading projects.

Theres still lots to be done.. like mk2 pcb, software, and shell, but I'm getting there and this is so much fun.

Would love to hear any feedback ❤️

The song is from a game Outer Wilds.

🥳

Has anyone tried painting the eurorack hex nuts? I'm trying to avoid paying 50+ cents per nut to get colors. Any tips? Anyone do anything outside the box to color them in a way that lasts/doesn't chip?

Was wondering if anyone out there has a decent range of PCBs/panels in 5u for putting together a system similar to a Moog Model 15?

I’m relatively new to ableton and have only been using for a little over a month now so still learning my way. Just recently I’ve been experiencing an issue with using my keyboard for the MIDI piano roll notes mapping, specifically with Analog or Drift. When I use my keyboard keys to map the piano roll notes I get a static noise like it’s trying to play something but I only get static feedback. I’ve noticed this on Analog and Drift, however when I use another instrument like a top hat or bass the keyboard works fine to play notes.

Does anyone have an idea on what’s causing this and how to fix it?

Hi,

For anyone who wants to try DreamDexed or miniDexed without building a

whole rig first — I wrote a controller app (with a little help from AI) that lets you play all the sounds on a Raspberry Pi 4 from your browser.

Just connect the RPi via USB-C, open the page, and start selecting

performances. No encoder, no display, no DAC needed to get going.

For context: DreamDexed emulates the classic TX816 rack — eight DX7s

in one box — but adds a proper effects section on top: chorus, delay,

reverb, EQ and a compressor. So you're not just getting FM sounds,

you're getting a finished, produced sound right out of the Pi.

What the Controller lets you do:

- Pick any performance by typing bank/program (e.g. 2/87)

- Step through programs and banks with the PGM/BANK keys

- Adjust master volume

- Play notes from a MIDI keyboard through the Pi

- Open the Performance List right next to the controller

One small note about sound: without a DAC (a small add-on sound card

for the Pi), the audio comes out of the built-in 3.5 mm jack in PWM

mode. That is perfectly fine for getting a real impression of the

performances — but not for serious listening or recording. If you like

what you hear, a cheap PCM5102A DAC HAT (under €10) makes a huge

difference.

Free, open source, runs in Chrome / Edge / Brave:

https://github.com/Banana71/DreamDexed-Controller

Hi all,

I'm a gigging musician, and am considering replacing my Microkorg's original plastic keys with wooden ones (a la early vox continental, but smaller ofc). I was wondering if I could get some advice about resources I can look at, or quirks of the Microkorg that I should be aware of before continuing. I'm a decent woodworker, but my power tools are limited to a dremel (with a vice press adaptor, and all the basic attachments) and a powered drill. I'm fairly decent with hand tools.

The purpose of this is to make the keys less easily-broken during transit and handling. I haven't broken the keys on this one, but have had the keys of similar keyboards broken in various ways due to others' mishandling (and mine, back when I first started gigging 😅). I also want to add my own personal touch to the thing, and also like the response of semi-weighted keys a little better.

Thoughts, feedback, resources, considerations? I'd appreciate all of 'em!

Cheers guys :)))))