Light-controlled FM & MIDI Synth
Tindie has a lot of really cool synth makers, and we love seeing cool, new designs with all sorts of crazy sounds coming out of them! This FM synth is controllable via MIDI, but you can also do all sorts of modulation effects with the built-in photocells. This gives theremin-like control over various parameters. Audio output is on a standard 1/4″ jack, which makes it easy to get up and running quickly.
It acts somewhat like an analog synth, with the light-based modulation giving almost infinite control over different parameters. The idea was to create a synth module with inputs not commercially available, to allow new avenues of musical exploration and improvisation. You can experiment by using different light sources, like incandescent bulbs, LEDs, lasers, strobe lights, EL wire, etc. All sorts of wild sounds can be made!
Add a 2.1mm centre-positive 9V power supply, or alternatively hook up a 9V battery, and you’re up and running in minutes. Standard MIDI note control is received on channel 0. You can hook it up to a sequencer, MIDI keyboard, digital audio workstation, or any other MIDI device you enjoy using. Make sure to check out the video below to hear the awesome sounds this board makes. Designer Tronicraft recently finished a move into a new lab, and it sounds like we’ll be seeing even more synths coming from them soon!
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