Building your own modular synth - The Unofficial Access Virus & Virus TI Forum

Nigel Harkness · #1 30.11.2004, 07:35 PM

Does anyone know of any book on how to go about building your own synth? Also where you can buy oscillators, filters, etc, etc, etc....

I was thinking if it isn't to much money of giving it a try!

blay · #2 30.11.2004, 07:58 PM

what sort of background in electronics/synthesis do you have?

thats a pretty big project to start from scratch youre talking about there.

id have no hope - but please let me know how you go!

DIGITAL SCREAMS · #3 30.11.2004, 08:01 PM

Buy a kit from here and build it http://www.paia.com/

More specifically....try building these kits http://www.paia.com/p9700s.htm & http://www.paia.com/fatman.htm

Once you have the ability to build these (all parts are included...you just need to assemble it)...your then in a better postion to think about designing your own analog mono synth. And before you ask...to the best of my knowledge there ar eno analog poly kits (yet)

Here check out this site http://www.unease.se/paiabuild.htm The guy from there built a P9700S and made some demo MP3's!

Cheers

DS

Juho L · #4 30.11.2004, 08:05 PM

Forget books. You have the world's largest information database at your fingertips.

http://www.euronet.nl/~rja/Emusic/Synth-diy/

There's a mailinglist for synth DIY. Lots of synth DIY hobbyists and few total geniuses. If you have problem they are glad to help. A word of warning: When starting to build a synth, prepare to be frusturated when nothing works on first try. ?hih.

You find lots of synth DIY schematics from the internet. Just search. I'd recommend doing something based on ASM1 design because it's the most popular so there are lots of people out there to help you out.

By the way It's quite funny that today I decided to start my synth project. I'll be ending up with a semi-modular synth built inside a cheap late 70's psychedelia organ. I'm doing the design at the moment ant it will be (I hope) pretty insane stereo synth.

Feel free to contact me on this synth business. I'm eager to share thoughts. Maybe shared PCB images or even front plate designs.

Juho L · #5 30.11.2004, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DIGITAL SCREAMS

Buy a kit from here and build it http://www.paia.com/

Eww... Expensive. HC nutcases make everything by themselves. Kits are for wussies.

DIGITAL SCREAMS · #6 30.11.2004, 08:08 PM

LOL...kits are for inexperienced people who wanan try their hand at building. Its the best starting point for anyone.

DS

Onkel Dunkel · #7 30.11.2004, 08:10 PM

I don?t think the parts will be very expensive (maybe even cheap) if you built all the modules yourself. I found some web-site on making your own SID-chip synth from the SID-chip of your old Commedore 64. I just can?t remember the address. Try doing a search on "synth DIY" and i bet you will find a lot of helpfull pages. If you are able to solder, read diagrams and have the time then go ahead. If you want to start a little easier then try building a theremin. They are quite easy and inexpensive to built. I can post a link if you like. I also have the diagrams for a Moog Etherwave Theremin if you?re interrested...

3o3 · #8 30.11.2004, 08:23 PM

Onkel; You mean that german-page with a SID-synth in a C64-box? I've got the url somewhere here.

I've had a P9700s, i didn't buy it from paia - i bought it from a friend for 100:- SEK it worked for like 10 minutes then the filter-section caught on fire.

Juho L · #9 30.11.2004, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onkel Dunkel

If you want to start a little easier then try building a theremin.

Bloody hard to get working properly. I really wouldn't recommend it. Maybe an infrared version could do better, but still very tricky. I'd really advice to go for traditional synth. There are so many synth builders out there that yo ualways find help if you end up in trouble.

I think synth building isn't for people that want something easy to tinker with. Synth building requires time and patience. I'd recommend doing everything by yourself. That way you get a synth you exactly want and you can say you really built it by yourself and you learn lots of stuff like electronics, metal working, sodlering, PCB corroding and designing.

Juho L · #10 30.11.2004, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DIGITAL SCREAMS

LOL...kits are for inexperienced people who wanan try their hand at building. Its the best starting point for anyone.

The problem with kits is that you only learn to solder (or you end up ruining the whole PCB by sloppy soldering). Of course it's the easiest and "safest" way, but it's expensive.