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Build Your Own Stylophone-style synth controller

duncan's picture
February 4, 2008 - 4:43pm — duncan

This is just too cool looking, Make has instructions on how to make your very own Stylophone synth controller

fire up your soldering irons

link (via Engadget)

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February 4, 2008 - 5:31pm — rodgre
rodgre's picture

Re: Build Your Own Stylophone-style synth controller

This is so TOTALLY up my alley. We have all the samples from the original Dubreq Stylophone at Tremolo Lounge, in all their out-of-tune glory, but the truth is, the controller is really what it's all about.

I've been working on a reliable Ribbon controller to provide control voltage signals to analog synths, and I think I've finally got the right prototype happening.

My interest in alternative and DIY analog synth controllers really began in the mid-80's when my electronics bug bit me, and I bought a kit by a great DIY music electronics company called Paia called the Gnome microsynthesizer. It used an unusual ribbon controller to get it's pitch. Unfortunately I have yet to get the kit to function to this day, but I keep trying!

Roger



I also have the Moog Etherwave Theremin, which sounds fantastic, but requires so much concentration to get repeatable pitch out of it.

www.curtainsociety.com www.rogerlavallee.com www.tremolo.com

February 4, 2008 - 6:18pm — szoback
szoback's picture

Re: Build Your Own Stylophone-style synth controller

Much newer, and thus less cool in some ways, but I enjoyed this concept:
Kaossilator

February 4, 2008 - 6:31pm — duncan
duncan's picture

Re: Build Your Own Stylophone-style synth controller

I thought that the Kaos pad was a cool idea, this is as well. So far though, I have never seen anything as cool as this synth

http://volcanoboy.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=875

February 5, 2008 - 5:15pm — rodgre
rodgre's picture

Re: Build Your Own Stylophone-style synth controller

I absolutely love that optical synth that you linked to, Duncan. That whole concept both brings you back to the basis of modular synthesizers and the building-block nature of them, and also into completely forward thinking alternative controllers.

For someone who has a background in old-school modular synthesis and understands how you can start with one signal and process it again and again to create new and unique sounds, that optical synth seems like so much fun. It sounds great too!

Roger