Ideas for a Raspberry pi based synth engine

[Johan von Konow]

I have done the following sketch for a raspberry pi based synth engine:

My idea was to use the OLED and navigation buttons to control how the the pi-zero maps different sounds to different channels. Probably using a selection of these engines: http://www.linuxsynths.com/index.html
It might be a good idea to add some encoders / potentiometers for sound control (aware that pi zero doesnt have A/D). Considered a pwm audio out, but think it is better to use USB soundcard (less complexity, better quality).

I think the Zyntian project is awesome, but rather complex and expensive. Here is a list of the engines they are using (most of them open source). https://zynthian.org/engines#synthesizer

I can design the module above, but appreciate all help on the Linux side!

Let me know if you can help development!

• This topic was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by Johan von Konow.
• This topic was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by Johan von Konow.
• This topic was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by Johan von Konow.
• This topic was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by Johan von Konow.

[samrausch]

Have a look at Sunvox. Wicked flexible and well supported. Would probably require a larger/full-color screen but a Pi-based module with Sunvox DAW would be a great capstone for the Leet Synth modules.

[Johan von Konow]

I love sunvox since it is free and powerful. The only thing that I can complain about is that I have to redo midi config every time I reprogram a device (which has been quite a few times during development ;)

A 7″ touchscreen in an angled stand would probably look just as cool as the LED sequencer that I built…

This project is probably useful if you want to run sunvox with a custom OLED and interface (a Python wrapper for the SunVox DLL):
https://metrasynth.readthedocs.io/en/latest/vision.html
(super eager to check it out, but need to finish documenting current project first…)

And here is another way to make rasPiZ headless with sunvox:

• This reply was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by Johan von Konow.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by Johan von Konow.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by Johan von Konow.

[Slydr]

Nice idea! I have some Raspberry Pi Zero W lying around doing nothing.

[Johan von Konow]

I have made a first version of a raspberry pi based sound engine. The OLED and keys are working and I found a python-based menu system that allows navigation, configuration and execution of various commands.

I think it would work great with software synthesizers as:

·        ZynAddSubFX

·        Sunvox

·        Fluidsynth

·        Samplerbox

·        etc

The UI can either use 4 or 6 keys for navigation and there are 4 or 6 keys left for selection of presents.

If anyone wants to help with development and integration, let me know.

[fullstopslash]

Actually If this was running  Pure Data that seems like a match made in heaven. The organelle synth does something similar and it’s super snappy how you can program patches anywhere Pure Data will run, then copy them over to the synth and run them. You have to tweak the patches of course, to take advantage of the hardware, but https://www.automatonism.com/the-software has some GPL  tools for that, and I bet  you could avoid completely  re-inventing the wheel by using those.

 

[Semantic]

Hi!

Could you share the STL files you used to build this prototype?

I’m good with linux (not so much with software synths, yet) and I need a standalone sampler/synth for my setup. I’d love to prototype one of these and play around with it :). Of course I’ll share my progress on this forum!

I can see that the display should be a 6-pin version of SSD1306, and I assume the menu system is based on this code on github: https://github.com/vonkonow/rpi-128×64-oled-menusystem

I think I’ll try to get some kind of software synth running on it, and see if I can hook it up to a LEET keyboard over usb.

[Johan von Konow]

Hi
Great timing! I’m just about to document LEET Linux – an improved version of the unit above. You can see it in action and hear how it sounds here: https://youtu.be/RMyfaAVU64k
I have uploaded the 3D models in development: (will crate a dedicated repo once the documentation is done).

Let me know what you think!

[Johan von Konow]

Hi
I just posted LEET Linux – the fruit of all great ideas from this post.

It is powerful, cute and sounds great (and you can build your own ;)

LEET Linux

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