Nerdsynth - Chip synth / hardware sequencer (Page 4 of 4)

Oh yes...some time ago and alot happened since then.

I finished a first prototype which i showed at several fairs and parties. And it is working quite well, even though some features didn't work as expected in the first place.
In general alot of things changed compared to the early versions and roadmap. The Nerdsynth itself will be a bit bigger than planned (Not as handheld as planned in the first place, but it is still portable and can run on batteries) so 4 cartridges will fit next to each other. I tried 2x2 carts but that turned up to be unsexy and shaky. (Actually the cartridges take most of the space)
Also all carts can be polyphonic now if they support it ( like the SID can use all 3 voices ). I made several cartridges which include soundchips or the designs of some digital/analogue synths: ATMegatron, Meeblip Anode, SID, Soundgin ( yes it can talk and sing, too), DSP-G1, CV/Gate/Mod out (right from the tracker) and a DIY one where you could add your own synth design and use it seamless in the Nerdsynth. They are more to come. I will add more and more carts frequently so you can choose yourself what your Nerdsynth will be. Only chip, mixed with analogue, noise...whatever...
There is one internal synthesizer in the Nerdsynth (SwinSID by default, which can be replaced by any SID (for the purists)... i decided to skip my own soundchip development for now in favour to get the Nerdsynth finished. (There will be a firestARTer cartridge one day though..)) And they are 4 sample tracks. So for the sound they are 9 polyphonic tracks! Beside that they are 4 visual tracks...So you can create visuals right from the tracker (HDMI and composite output). All can be triggered and played like the live mode in LSDJ or LGPT.
All Cartridges (soundchips) have a dedicated line-output. So you can use the direct soundchip sounds in your mixer. They will be also a internal stereo mix with effects so you can connect a stereo line out or your headphones directly.
6 Knobs can be freely assigned (also from the tracker) to any effect or feature of the soundchips and also the visuals.
There is Midi in-out and all tracks can also be midi tracks. A SEGA Gamepad can be connected too for the real feeling. (Gamepad + TV-Set = Tracking)

There is alot more to tell... i am now very busy finishing the next (and hopefully final) prototype.
Please check the last videos if you haven't yet. One from 2015 which shows some GUI basics: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy1dT0vTwQE

And the second which shows some improvement in the Graphics but also shows a first version of tracked visuals..the video output can be a clone of the tracker screens or the visual generation. I switch from one to the other in the video (video comes right from the video output and is in real in perfect quality, i got to improve the video recording quality):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FUP9JyeHGw

Please stay tuned...since i do this in my part time it's progressing slower than expected. But i will get there!!!

cheers
firestARTer

www.nerdsynth.com
www.facebook.com/nerdsynth
www.twitter.com/nerdsynth

Ah yes....i hope to get the hardware and the first release version ready (firmware can be easily updated and is a work in progress...i will listen to your feature requests..) by the end of the year...thumbs crossed....

Last edited by Frau Holle firestARTer (May 18, 2016 9:44 pm)