If you insist with arduino, check this out: https://soulsbysynths.com/miniatmegatron/
This is arduino based and most of all, the source code is available.
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thanks for this link, i think im gonna attempt one of these.
I built one when it came out. Plenty of fun when using it.
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Have a look into this as well, seems like a very interesting project with Raspbery pi https://elk.audio/dev-kit/
But also do check the other stuff on the website.
https://elk.audio/
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You don’t seem to know what you’re talking about. But don’t let that stop you. Some of the best inventions came from under-informed over-ambition.
Here are some pointers from someone who’s done quite a bit of synthesis on Arduino’s:
- you’ll quickly find out synthesis is highly limited by the low processing power of the standard ATmega Arduino’s
- memory is also very limited so forget about putting all the different synthesis methods of the monomachine and a sequencer on there
- unless using a high resolution external DAC sound quality will be gritty given the 8bit PWM resolution
- but within those limitations there’s still synthesis fun to be had, examples:
-
- and much more to search for online
I’m not up to date with the audio capabilities of the newer generations of Arduino boards with other processors than the ATmega. Also, maybe this would be a better platform: https://bela.io/
Lastly, I don’t get why you keep going on about granular synthesis. There is none in any Elektron instrument (would be cool though).
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sure, how hard can it be? not like the MNM is a complex machine or anything
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Stop! 
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If you haven’t already then how about starting out with programming soft synths on your desktop/laptop? You probably want to go that route anyway and then “transfer” your final spec to a chip because iteration is so much faster on a pc than some chip on a breadboard.
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TBH, in terms of basic synthesis, the Monomachine really isn’t anything special. It’s the mixture of everything together—the weird temperamental filter, modulatable delay per track, the downright strange gain staging structure (negative distortion?!), and I haven’t even mentioned the effects yet. Or the sequencer, LFOs, and arpeggiator.
If you’re new to Arduino, it doesn’t make sense to try to replicate something so huge as a first project… even if you have two years. Gotta learn to stand before you can do gymnastics!
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Maybe also check out the electrosmith daisy:
https://www.electro-smith.com/daisy
It seems to be roughly as powerful as the teensy 4, but with much more sram, so if you want wavetables etc, you could do it with this.
It also comes with some building blocks; oscillators, filters etc, so could help you get going.
If you’re gonna shoot for the monomacine, i think first you actually need to understand what the monomachine is, which you don’t seem to. Once you have that down, I’d go like this…
- Make a synth engine, probably a simple subtractive would be a good start, that you can play over midi
- make a step sequencer for that synth engine
- make an effect, e.g. delay
- Make them work together
- repeat…
EDIT: the daisy isn’t available yet. It was a kickstarter, but it should be shipping this summer
Check out this project
Hi!
tbh:
Why not start with your own thing to learn about it?
Just build a basic VCO->VCF->VCA with envelope thing first perhaps, with controls?
Or really as very first project a sine VCO only thing with pitch and gate and midi din in - or with gate and pitch cv?
That way you can build up onto.
It seems like your enthusiasm is a bit overwhelming. You will take more than two years for anything and you will not come close to a MnM.
Small steps first!
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oh shit…too funny
There’s some cool things to build on that list. I made a few of these and I found this one to be a good clear build and the synth sounds nice but limited, has midi in which is cool: https://www.notesandvolts.com/2014/07/build-auduino-granular-synth-part-1.html
This one also sounded good but never made it past the breadboard as I moved onto axoloti core as it sounds amazing : )
https://moroccodave.com/2017/09/13/diy-modular-synth-solina-string-synth/
The axoloti core has a lot of processing power, midi in and out, 1/4" in and out and a headphone jack. The audio quality is really good sounding. Worth looking into!
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This thread quickly became a great resource for microcontroller based synth making… Good job team!
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https://www.mathworks.com/help/audio/ug/midi-synthesizer.html Starting with this as a smaller task to work myself up.
MATLAB is good for ardiuno also.
Also This link is to a google code repo where lots of people are editing their own vertion of the audiuno. For my uni project so far i made a couple boxes where the led turn on & off at faster rates due to an ldr less resistant to light, with the audiuno synth.
https://code.google.com/archive/p/tinkerit/wikis/Auduino.wiki
Doing stuff in after effects for another moduel. So havn’t properly started yet.
However, I have came across these videos: Which have sparked my attention
both use DSP-G1 Synth chip
at the at8mega can controll them: probably my best go at it.
When people want to code their own video games the usual advice is starting simple, for example with a Tetris clone. If they are not capable of finishing it, they won’t be able to do something more complex. I would suggest the same approach for your DIY synth adventures, create a few simpler devices and after you have a success track record get into something more ambitious.