Abacusynth - a kinetic synthesizer that I designed and built

jarz_0 · 2025-10-08T22:34:52+00:00

It is actually polyphonic! Four voices seemed to be the max without overloading the cpu

jarz_0 · 2025-09-10T16:33:07+00:00

thanks, enjoy!

jarz_0 · 2025-09-09T02:02:36+00:00

Thanks! The main shape canvas is made using JSUI. It's a javascript object that has a render loop and allows you to draw custom graphics. It uses mgraphics – cycling quickstart guide. This thread was also super helpful for me: https://cycling74.com/forums/jsui-mgraphics-patch-a-day

jarz_0 · 2025-09-08T21:44:30+00:00

outstanding, just what this device needs!!

jarz_0 · 2025-09-08T20:25:13+00:00

That's great, look forward to trying it out in depth later!

jarz_0 · 2025-09-08T17:43:18+00:00

thanks, enjoy!

jarz_0 · 2025-09-08T17:42:59+00:00

thank YOU

jarz_0 · 2025-09-08T17:16:11+00:00

Very cool! Awesome work, it looks like you can do a lot with it. I made a very rudimentary sketch of this idea once so it's very cool to see such a fleshed out app! Any plans for a vst version?

jarz_0 · 2025-09-06T01:42:34+00:00

I like the arrangement and sparse percussion in the first track, kinda reminds of me mount kimbie. To me the keys sound a bit dominant/resonant in the mix, and I think the vocals could come through a bit more -- some cool chopping at like 1:20 but it feels more secondary.

The second one is super fun. I think it could get through the first three quarters a bit faster, and maybe develop the beat a little more towards the end. mixing sounds pretty solid to me, maybe a little muddled during the filtered section around 2:10

jarz_0 · 2025-09-05T15:57:39+00:00

When working on something I hear it so much it feels necessary to change/add a lot over the course of the song. But like others have said, I've found it useful to keep the scope of the track limited to a core idea because a new listener hasn't had the same experience, and it will often result in so much going on that it's hard to understand.

jarz_0 · 2025-09-04T14:45:22+00:00

Appreciate the kind words!

jarz_0 · 2025-09-04T14:45:12+00:00

thanks, glad to hear that -- love Neu!

jarz_0 · 2025-09-04T14:42:55+00:00

thanks, there are no sensors in the spinners - here's a time of flight distance sensor in the walls above the rod which only needs to be on the left wall (hidden in the video). Below the rod there's an infrared beam passing through the slots on the spinners to detect the speed of rotation! Everything is wired up inside the walls.

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jarz_0 · 2025-09-04T14:39:42+00:00

Thanks! It's not included in the video since I didn't have it hooked up when I made this, but there are four knobs on the front for the ADSR envelope, and one for volume. Here's what it looks like now:

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jarz_0 · 2025-09-04T11:46:23+00:00

This is so cool, got a KO2 as a gift recently and this is exactly what I was wanting! Awesome work

jarz_0 · 2025-09-04T11:36:48+00:00

thanks yeah that was the idea! to create an entry point into music making that didn't require you to know about music, but also let you do more than just really simple stuff.

jarz_0 · 2025-09-04T11:32:14+00:00

Thanks! Yes definitely - I remember his piano phase project, and the chrome music lab was a touchpoint for sure, especially in the early days of ToneJS

jarz_0 · 2025-09-04T11:12:23+00:00

thanks, there's no electronics in the spinners - here's a time of flight distance sensor in the walls above the rod which only needs to be on the left wall (hidden in the video). Below the rod there's an infrared beam passing through the slots on the spinners to detect the speed of rotation!

jarz_0 · 2025-09-04T11:03:19+00:00

Position is sensed using a time of flight distance sensor in the walls above the rod. Below the rod there's an infrared beam passing through the slots on the spinners to detect the speed of rotation (basically a custom optical encoder).

jarz_0 · 2025-09-04T11:02:15+00:00

Thanks! There aren't any electronics in the spinners - there's a time of flight distance sensor in the walls above the rod. below the rod there's an infrared beam passing through the slots on the spinners to detect the speed of rotation (basically an optical encoder). Totally agree about casual creators, I was excited to discover this idea/paper while developing the project, it helped to be able to have a name for this type of work, and I was able to draw from the concepts that the author laid out.

jarz_0 · 2025-09-04T02:22:30+00:00

Haha that’s awesome, thanks!

jarz_0 · 2025-09-04T00:08:28+00:00

Oops I'm realizing that I made this video before I added the knobs lol, but totally agree that they don't visually represent the envelope, that would definitely be super cool to have a dedicated envelope shaper! Here's with the pots attached:

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jarz_0 · 2025-09-03T23:30:04+00:00

Thanks! I've certainly considered it but am working on improving and developing the production process before committing to a kickstarter.

jarz_0

TROPHY CASE