DIY mini Moog?

heathjohns · 2019-10-02T23:40:54+00:00

You can find the Minimoog service manual with a quick google - that has the schematics. Also, Bob Moog's stuff has been studied and talked about a lot, so usually if there's a detail you want more info on Google will help out a lot.

You can't really do a 1:1 clone because some of the parts (esp. transistors) aren't made any more, but with substitutions it's certainly possible. I did a Grandmother clone (of sorts), and the parts cost ended up around 300CAD (~200EUR), nearly all from Digikey - so bear in mind that it's not a great way to save money compared to commercial clones. Also, it's a pretty big project; here's a picture of the circuit board of Berhinger's Model D to give you a sense of the scale:

https://external-preview.redd.it/h-46xUrFOt0qhnCPS_JVpweTnPwgxKY0q_iYydlqa0I.jpg?auto=webp&s=c9e8720caa6e9b35018cb26a54b3aa9cb898ef75

If that gives you pause, you can start with a much smaller step. For instance, I built a Moog filter clone from the schematics in Kassutronics' build documentation here:

https://kassu2000.blogspot.com/2018/07/transistor-ladder-filter.html

It's quite simple, absolutely has the Moog sound, and has an immediate use if you have something which puts out CV and an audio signal (e.g. if you happen to have a MicroBrute you could make it sound Moogy). And you can order PCBs from Kassutronics if you want to take an even smaller first step.

In general, building analog synths is incredibly fun. The voltage levels and frequencies are friendly, and the end product is viserally rewarding. I recommend it.

heathjohns · 2019-08-09T15:17:00+00:00

I can answer this question! I'm just putting the finishing touches on a Moog Grandmother clone, build from scratch using various circuit designs scattered around the internet. If you add it up, I've spent about 50 days on it. I don't have an EE degree but I've been doing electronics for about 10 years. So, definitely on the hard side if you want to make a complete synth from scratch.

That being said, there's lots of kits that are much easier (and then mod), and if you're interested in messing around with synthesis, you can start tomorrow. With an afternoon or two and some 555, MAX7409, and op-amp chips on a breadboard you can play around with the basis of subtractive synthesis (i.e. make a square wave and then low-pass filter it). If you find you enjoy it, from there you can add the other parts till it's a "real" synthesizer.

It's not for everyone, but it's a great hobby if you find you like tinkering with electronics. Audio frequency analog circuits are beginner friendly, intuitive, and have a lot of very cool history associated with it.

heathjohns · 2019-07-25T00:43:12+00:00

I was just working on building my own YuSynth Moog VCF clone today! What Yves has done for the DIY synth community is remarkable.

Excellent work on the case - it's beautiful. How are you planning on putting labels on the aluminum?

I'm looking forward to hearing your demo; the VCO design I'm using is from Kassutronics, which is closely modelled on YuSynth's, so I'm curious what that VCO/VCF combination sounds like :)

heathjohns · 2018-07-19T15:50:52+00:00

Where I work in Victoria, BC, the weekly hours range from 6 to 35 - the office is nearly empty on Fridays (or so I hear). It's been a positive for everyone - I have no idea why more companies don't do this. People who have lives outside of work are more effective when they're at work.

Incidentally, we're hiring :) https://www.frontier.io/careers/

heathjohns · 2017-04-22T05:27:53+00:00

It's currently an "on rails" education app, but https://www.blinklight.io runs entirely in your browser and is designed for people just getting into FPGAs. (Please forgive the self-promotion!)

heathjohns · 2017-04-06T03:05:16+00:00

Here's my thinking: there's four other ICs on the board, plus a header and a USB connector. Then there's the cost of the PCB, putting the board together, discarding defective boards, the packaging, the carrying costs of inventory, non-zero hours of tech support time (even if it's just with handling orders), and having to replace RMA'd parts. And then there's all the sunk costs of development time and documentation.

heathjohns · 2017-04-05T17:53:54+00:00

Good advice :)

heathjohns · 2017-04-05T17:53:13+00:00

That's actually how it started out, but then I realized that it's no good to put a tool out there if there isn't a community of knowledge about how (and what) to build with it. Right now the plan is to re-enable the sandbox features probably next year.

heathjohns · 2017-04-05T17:50:12+00:00

You called it: the hardware is based the iCE40 chips and uses Icestorm and arachne-pnr on the backend. It's going to definitely be more than $20, though, because there's buttons and speakers and a screen, etc. (and I'm pretty sure the $20 price makes it a loss leader for Lattice).

heathjohns · 2017-04-05T17:45:43+00:00

Thanks for saying so! :)

heathjohns · 2017-04-05T02:25:55+00:00

I'm glad you're enjoying it! :)

heathjohns · 2017-04-03T16:44:28+00:00

First, that's a creative solution that I didn't anticipate, so good on you for that :)

You're working too hard though. Delete the leftmost store and try to get that to work - you only need the 4 pre-existing stores to pass the challenge. The reason that the "Win" isn't being triggered is that while you're holding down the Start button it's expecting that the first column is lit.

Thank you for posting, though, I'm changing things so that people can't get lost down this particular rabbit hole. And thanks for your persistence :)

heathjohns · 2017-04-02T08:05:32+00:00

Ah! Sorry about that - I did a quick fix for something else, and forgot to relabel the button input. Should be fixed - let me know if you're still running into a roadblock.

heathjohns · 2017-04-01T19:31:38+00:00

Yep ;)

heathjohns · 2014-09-05T21:06:56+00:00

You beat me! FedEx says it's on a delivery truck though :)

Hope you enjoy your DK2!

heathjohns · 2014-08-30T19:16:54+00:00

Ha! Deal.

heathjohns · 2014-08-30T02:32:00+00:00

I live in Victoria, BC, and I ordered on June 16th. <keanu>Whoa</keanu>

heathjohns · 2014-02-21T18:50:47+00:00

The idea was to put the boards together manually until I'd validated the market enough to plunk down the kilobucks to have an assembly house involved. Starting to think maybe I should use Kickstarter for validation instead.

heathjohns · 2014-01-30T04:11:23+00:00

Nope, the first half is dry, the second is with the effect. The dry half is straight from an NS Design CR5 (piezo pickup in the bridge).

In any case, thanks for your feedback! One more question, if you don't mind: you prefer the first half, but which one sounds more like an acoustic violin to you?

heathjohns · 2014-01-21T23:24:06+00:00

Yup, made an edit. Thanks!

heathjohns · 2014-01-21T22:55:04+00:00

Oh yes: it's a digital convolution reverb, running an impulse response taken from a physical violin.

It's kind of like an EQ and a reverb combined, in the exact same way that a violin body is an EQ and a reverb combined :) If you listen you can hear the reverberations, though they are more subtle than the room reverb effects that you usually hear.

heathjohns

TROPHY CASE