The PSU is near the end of the design stage and hopefully will start building next week. Where should I go next Oscillators? Suggestions?
I’m not sure how far along you are, but I would think about some sort of case to house things - that way you dont have loose modules doing the dangle and flop.
I’m always hesitant to recommend an oscillator right off the bat. They are pretty tricky (for a full featured one). You can always make a super simple one if you don’t care about musicality so much.
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thanks I want to make it as best as… I originally started off hinking of making a minimoog so probably the best as… The housing/frame can be be put together fairly quick as I have done a lot of woodwork in the garage. initialy would some sort of metal frame that the face plates can be screwed to. the only stuff I can think of is shelf hanging racks.
The CEM3340 (AS3340, V3340) is a purpose built chip with exponential converter and wave shapers giving saw, pulse with PWM and triangle outputs, it’s used in many famous synths from the SH101 to the mighty Memory Moog. Good stability and easy to use, plenty of designs based around it and modular oscillators too. Look at Eddy Bergman’s site for an AS3340 build based on the original Digisound 80 VCO.
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yeah I’ve been looking there. Like I said where to start.
Filters; high pass, low pass and band pass are effects you can use on any sound source and are straightforward builds which add depth and character to your sound.
Oscillators are a good start but I’d also say a microphone type module is simple and let’s you use your built in noise machines, those being voice and fingers.
Crack on!
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There’s a couple ways to get yourself started easy, simple or complex.
Easy, buy premade Euro or kosmo stuff. No fuss just higher cost.
Simple, make some of Sam’s simple designs. 3x super simple oscillator, vca, env gen, mixer… Got yourself a simple drone and a bit of personality for it.
And check out Hagwio on YouTube too, he’s got a bunch of stuff that revolves around Arduino so part count is often low!
Complex, make the circuit designs yourself get them fabbed by the company of your choice…
Any of them three options will give you some faceplates to design your case around.
Personally I’d say, go simple then buy DIY kits.
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I would personally recommend one of the MFOS single board mini synths. My journey started with the Sound Lab Plus (ish) and i couldnt be happier with the result.
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I would suggest Sam’s stripboard 3340 based VCO (or make it on a breadboard to start with).
https://www.lookmumnocomputer.com/cem-3340-diy-simple
It’s the first thing I thought about, (after the power supply, you want to make some sounds) and in the video Sam says: “This is episode 2 of building a modular synthesizer from the ground up.”
It starts with just two output waveforms and then later adds the other outputs and features. It’s not too complex a circuit to start with but it is a “proper” oscillator and can be expanded to a full featured VCO.
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These are rails that are actually designed for synths (not general purpose industrial electronics):
Teian Shop | Synthesiser modules Parts Eurorack
If I was starting again, I would build a function generator first. The CGS Voltage Controlled Slope (licensed adaptation of Serge DUSG) is excellent, uses no specialised parts, and is simple enough to breadboard. It is about as useful and flexible a module as you can possibly build. It will get you making sound immediately, but you will never run out of uses for it.
Function generators are useful especially in subtractive synthesis but @TBone 's suggestion of the MFOS projects can give you a good foundation.
For simple analogue sounds I’m a fan of the relaxation oscillator; basic, no real active components and hard to destroy. You can use a gas discharge lamp (the light found in kettles and mains appliances) to make a descent LFO or stick several together (a multiple of the basic flip flop circuit) and make a weird sequencer.
My advice is make a list and see what excites, interests or challenges you then JFDI*
When I was helping another musician get started we worked through Kristian Blåsol’s excellent modular in a week series on YouTube just to have a plan we could work to.
Keep us posted.
*Just do it
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You could also go the way I do and follow the Moritz Kleins’s video tutorials. I started with his VCO and it works quite well. It’s probably more complicated than using a VCO chip based circuit, but combined with his awesome videos it’s a great learning opportunity. And he has more tutorials for all the other basic modules you’d need, like VCF, VCA and more.
Here is the playlist for the VCO https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHeL0JWdJLvTuGCyC3qvx0RM39YvopVQN
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