fosstodon.org is one of the many independent Mastodon servers you can use to participate in the fediverse.
Fosstodon is an invite only Mastodon instance that is open to those who are interested in technology; particularly free & open source software. If you wish to join, contact us for an invite.

Administered by:

Server stats:

10K
active users

Andrew "Ace" Arsenault

Making good progress on a vacuum tube bass synthesizer. Got the four neon diode oscillators done and tuned up together.

Plus it glows in the dark. : }

@AceArsenault neon glowing is okay, how is it sounding? plz put an analysis.

@smhsuper It sounds amazing! It tracks a keyboard input pretty good and stays in tune with temperature changes.

Overall I'm really happy with how it's coming together.

@macbraughton I'll post a video when it's more complete. : }

It's perfectly playable as is, but I want to add a few more things to it, like cutoff filtering and some modulation.

@fortifieduniverse Thanks. : }

I'll try and get a video up in the near future when it's more completed.

Overall it sounds MASSIVE!

Each oscillator's parts where hand selected and burned in (aged), so they all stay well enough in tune across the keyboard.

@AceArsenault No rush... just pinging a reminder on this one. Looking forward to hearing it!

@fortifieduniverse No problem, Thanks for the reminder. : }

I'm finishing up the keyboard matrix for this synth now.

@AceArsenault dang! Looking forward to seeing/hearing more of this.

@stevenray Thanks Steve. : }

It's got a massive phat analog sound. : }
The 4 oscillators have just enough detuning to sound great, all while tracking across a keyboard and foot pedals.

@AceArsenault Awesome engineering there, mate. Does it have bonkwave and notbonkwave settings? Look forward to hearing it.

@Weru It doesn't have a bonkwave knob, *lol*

But it has a mega sub-bass knob that shakes the floor boards. : }

@AceArsenault That sounds suspiciously like a bonkwave knob.

@n8foo Thanks Nathan. : }

It's getting there. Still a few more things to solder together. Like the modulation circuity.

@18f54af1e10c5bb7a35468b0f62b295d12347903c9f95738d065c84bef1402ef Metasonix makes some really killer modules. : }

I don't eurorack though, I build all my own synths as standalone instruments.

@AceArsenault It looks like you are making us extremely curious about the sound🔈🔉🔊 I already love all the details.

@keradamo Thanks!
It sounds amazing. : }

Video will be coming in the near future once it's more complete.

@dennisfaucher I'll post more about it in the near future. : }

Thanks Dennis!

@AceArsenault Quick question: Did you (or are you planning to) use the Moog ladder filter for the VCF? I spice modeled one using pencils tubes a while back but never got the bandwidth to build it. :-( It did not track 1v per oct but I'd think that could probably be compensated for somehow these days.

@tneoini I'm not going to use the Moog Ladder filter.
But only because I want to build something different, that sounds different. : }

I'm thinking of using an unbalanced single sided neon gas diode ladder filter. Since tubes with filaments are current hungry.

Only downside to my design is it doesn't track the same raising and falling. *It has hysteresis*

But that's perfectly fine for this instrument, its just a simple Decay rate and Sustain volume envelope.

@AceArsenault sounds very cool! I’d love to hear it!

@tneoini Thanks!

I'll post a video and details after I finalize the design. : }

@kattytheenby Thanks! I recently made more progress on this design. : }

Will post updated photos soon.

@UNINOIZE Thank you! : } Was working some more on this just last night.

@manufaktur Thanks! : } I will be posting a new photo of the WIP soon.

@AceArsenault You're welcome !!! My comment is for the aesthetic aspect, I don't really understand what's it made for...music I guess...

@manufaktur Yes it's a musical instrument. : }

I do pay attention to the aesthetics though when I build things.

@AceArsenault is it like an analog synthetizer ? like a KORG ?

@AceArsenault Many years ago we lived in an apartment above a drugstore that had a tube tester. When my amp went out I took out all the tubes, took the elevator downstairs, and tested them, found the bad one, the pharmacist rummaged in a drawer & found one like it, paid a couple bucks, elevator back up, worked perfectly. That was a better world.

@stoicmike That's true, the world was a better place when things where designed to be repaired and serviced.

Now everything is just throw away.

@AceArsenault

impatient to see how vacuum tube bass synthesizer turns out, hoping some future post will be a demonstration

@Master_of_None Yes!! I made some really good progress on it. : }

I'll be posting an update soon.