Bumping this thread as I’ve picked back up the idea for a functional children’s learning synth exhibit.
tldr summary: want to make a basic analog style synth with an interface that is kid-friendly and instructive, for use as a kids museum or science center exhibit.
- I think the simplest way to accomplish this would be to build a physically robust hardware interface for an existing soft synth.
- I think the simplest way to pay for it would be to appeal to the soft synth manufacturer to subsidize the project in return for advertising printed on the unit.
(if anyone has any better suggestions I’m open to ideas)
All that being said, seems like the first step would be to select the soft synth. I haven’t really kept up with advances in soft synths over the past 10 years or so (going back to school and having a kid and all), so less familiar with the options.
Required features:
- 2 oscillators with at least hard sync, coarse and fine pitch controls
- square, saw, and tri (or sine) waveforms
- LPF with cutoff and resonance control
- standard ADSR-type AEG & FEG
- at least 1 LFO with common assignments (pitch, amp, PW, LPF cutoff, rez) and standard waveforms (tri/sine, saw up/down, sqr, s/h)
Not required, but highly desirable:
- mono/poly modes
- portamento
- noise generator
- split mode
- pitch envelope generator (at least 2 levels/rates
- basic FX (reverb, chorus, delay)
- my Matrix 6 let’s you modify the saw osc wave shape to essentially morph it smoothly into a triangle wave. Haven’t seen this on many other units tho.
Any products come to mind? I’ve heard good things about the Arturia modelers and the u-he DIVA but not familiar with every feature. Are there any software products that let you custom-build your own soft synth?
As always, any input is greatly appreciated. You guys are a remarkable community and I consider myself lucky to be able to pick your collective brains.
Thanks!
Drew