DIY - Links to building musical synthesizers and keyboards

Started by Elantric, June 26, 2017, 09:41:10 AM

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Elantric

Links to building musical synthesizers and keyboards
http://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/building-musical-synthesizers-and-keyboards/

a) It's not easy! A lot of the circuits/modules are quite complex - everything has to be voltage controlled.

b) Start with google: https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=building+analog+synths

c) Don't rule out microprocessors completely. They can save you a LOT of work for things like the keyboard input (which doesn't actually produce sound so a synth is still an analog synth even if the keyboard is digital). You can always remove them later if you're a purist.

d) Starting with an Arduino and simple function generator (or two) will let you get to work on the important units right away (ADSRs, LFOs, filters, etc.) and it will still be 'analog', technically speaking.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=ad9833


http://musicdsp.org/archive.php






http://www.sdiy.info/w/Schematics_and_manuals


http://musicfromouterspace.com/


Video
Aaron Lanterman's "Electronics for Music Synthesis" lecture videos; see here for links.  Must see.
https://www.sdiy.info/w/Videos


Books
Hal Chamberlin, "Musical Applications of Microprocessors" is recommended all the time.  Out of print.  No, it's not about digital synthesis.
Barry Klein, "Electronic Music Circuits" is another that gets mentioned.  I've seen a PDF of it somewhere.

The synth-diy mailing list is where the serious builders go.  Lots of information in the archives.
http://synth-diy.org/


Some other places worth mentioning:
Muff Wiggler forum (mostly modulars and kit builders IIRC)
http://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/

DIY section of the Electro-music forum
http://electro-music.com/forum/forum-112.html

Ken Stone / CGS
http://www.cgs.synth.net/

Schmitzbits
http://www.schmitzbits.de/

http://www.openmusiclabs.com/files/expotemp.pdf


Dave Smith Instruments Prophet 6
Analyzed here http://polysynth.tumblr.com/post/134667237805/a-quick-tour-of-the-prophet-6-voice-card

http://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/34970/design-for-an-analogue-oscillator-that-doesnt-drift-in-frequency

Micromoog service manual http://www.cyborgstudio.com/synthmp3s/moog/micromoog/manual/micromoogmultimoogservicemanual.pdf

Builders/Kits/DIY
http://musicfromouterspace.com/

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3wD73e_RyWdbFlUbEpqeExRa0U/edit

Hybrid, polyphonic, discontinued: http://mutable-instruments.net/ambika

KIT MOOOG!!!!!
https://www.residentadvisor.net/reviews/16773


VCO
http://www.birthofasynth.com/Thomas_Henry/Pages/VCO-1.html
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/projects/diy-synth-series-vco/
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/electronic-music-instruments-electronic-music-production/1111463-how-do-continuously-variable-oscillators-work.html

CIRCUITS

http://www.univertron.com/SAS/manuals/RSF/Kobol%20Expander%20Schematics/





See Moog sub 37

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/electronic-music-instruments-electronic-music-production/800682-best-favorite-diy-analog-synth-kits.html

Electronic music & microprocessors book https://github.com/rabidaudio/synthesizer/blob/master/reference/Musical-Applications-of-Microprocessors-2ed-Chamberlin-H-1987.pdf





PLL Based en http://www.birthofasynth.com/Thomas_Henry/Pages/X-4046.html


http://randomsource.net/modules
Someone did some modular: http://people.carleton.edu/~jellinge/mysynth.html


http://www.cgs.synth.net/modules/cgs92_ssg.html





"An Analog Synthesizer for the 21st Century" at is a good start for a basic Synth.
http://www.lulu.com/shop/thomas-henry/an-analog-synthesizer-for-the-21st-century/paperback/product-20192513.html


Here's a schematic he published of his 555 timer based VCO. http://electro-music.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=54623

loating point DSPs have been reasonably cheap since the early 1990s.

This one is still in production:

http://www.analog.com/media/en/technical-documentation/data-sheets/ADSP-2101_2103_2105_2115.pdf?doc=AD7475_7495.pdf


https://www.roland.com/global/promos/roland_boutique/interview_3/










https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KISS_(algorithm)


http://boallen.com/random-numbers.html