Hi!
Since February 2024, I am developing an analog, modular synthesizer, which I call “FUSION CORE”. It is the big black box in the picture above, below my screens and is my biggest project yet. I want to develop as much as possible on my own.
What is an analog modular synthesizer? #
Synthesizers are electronic, musical instruments that generate sound signals. Synthesizers can come in digital and analog formats. A synth with raw, analog circuitry doesn’t sample signals like digital synths do. It always has its own characteristics, like being a little out of tune or having additional noises. Now, why modular? By having a modular synthesizer, every functional unit inside the synth is spread out onto different, discrete modules. If you want to make a sound, you need to connect the modules yourself and build your own signal chain. Although this might be intimidating, it opens up a huge amount of possibilities!
Why do you need an analog modular synthesizer? #
I love electronic music. A lot of music pieces spawn images of landscapes in my brain, shaped by the sound design of the synths. In attachment 1, I describe some of these landscapes. Building my own synthesizer from scratch gives me full freedom in the sound design and thus shape my own landscapes in my head!
Why build your own synthesizer? (And reinvent the wheel?) #
I am fascinated that simple, independent components inside an electric circuit create a sound when being interconnected. Circuits exploit physical laws to do magic things! Designing my own synth allows me to slowly develop skills how to do magical things.
Also, you have maximum freedom, since you play after your own rules!
And, it is cheaper to build everything myself.
My background #
Next to school, I had a 9-year education in playing the clarinet, both solo and orchestra. Music therefore was a big part of my life. However, I became interested in electronics. In the fifth semester of my computer science in engineering Bachelor’s degree, I started the synth project.
Getting Started & Resources #
Initially, I was overwhelmed by such a big project. I was fascinated by the practical approach of Look Mum no Computer. He is both an artist and an engineer and builds the synthesizers himself. In his songs, he has his own characteristic sound design. In one of his videos, he explains building a whole, simple analog synthesizer on two breadboards. That made me feel, o, that’s actually do-able! So I tried!
If you are interested, there are several resources out there, most of them for free:
People on YouTube, great for inspiration #
- Look Mum No Computer: With his enthusiasm and his characteristic sentence “don’t be scared to try it”, he gave me a lot of motivation to try it out myself!
- Omri Cohen: It is not easy to start with modular synthesizers, however he does many great tutorials in the virtual synthesizer program “VCV Rack”. VCV Rack is a great tool since one can try out a lot of different modules, make whole pieces, and it’s for free!
- DIY Modular Sessions See what’s possible with DIY analog modular synths!
- Moritz Klein: Already pretty technical, high quality tutorials, but explained from the ground up! Nice visuals and entertaining.
- Lauri’s DIY Channel TV Another creative channel on DIY electronic instruments!
Books #
Good for basic background knowledge. I didn’t read them from start to finish, but by jumping from chapter to chapter. Also starting at schematics again and again :)
Make: Analog Synthesizers
Make: Analog Synthesizers
This is from Ray Wilson, a famous guy inside the analog-diy-synthesizer community. It is the most helpful resource since it provides intro into different themes. Although being a small book, it both provides overview into every topic and also goes into detail. It also is a great starting point for further questions.
The Art of Electronics 3rd Edition
by Horowitz and Hill
For me, when dealing with individual components, like transistors or OpAmps, this book provided great center of knowledge. Sometimes, when I am free, I am browsing a little in it.
electronics Forrest Mims engineer
electronics Forrest Mims engineer
These summarize some useful, general circuitry in a nice format.
Look Mum No Computer Forum #
Look Mum No Computer Thingies
A Place For People Who Are Building Things Or Wanna Talk Stuff Related To Look Mum
When designing your first circuits, if you have some questions that aren’t answered in videos, then the LMNC-Forum is a nice community you can come to! You can ask detailed questions and present your progress. Before ordering my designed PCBs, it’s nice to get a little accompanying tips on the design and avoid obvious mistakes.
Further internet websites #
- Look Mum No Computer (Sam Bartle)
www.lookmumnocomputer.comSTUFF - LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER
Click on the images for more info on the projects, this is a work in progress and will build on the pages as i go.
https://www.lookmumnocomputer.com/projects#/ - Eddy Bergman
www.eddybergman.comEddy Bergman.com
A short introduction to KiCad 9.0 or 10.0 and step by step guide to making PCBs in KiCad. I go through the steps with you and tell you my learning …
https://www.eddybergman.com/ - Thomas Henry
www.birthofasynth.comThomas Henry Designs
The Thomas Henry Designs are for personal use only and may not be published without permission of Thomas Henry or Scott Stites. This site copyright …
https://www.birthofasynth.com/Thomas_Henry/TH_main.html - Music from outer Space (Ray Wilson)
musicfromouterspace.comMusic From Outer Space Your Synth-DIY Headquarters
From time to time, I'll share a story or two about Ray and his life and works, so you'll get to know him a little bit better through my musings.
https://musicfromouterspace.com/ - René Schmitz
www.schmitzbits.deSynth stuff
https://www.schmitzbits.de/index.html - Erica Synths
www.ericasynths.lvHome page - Erica Synths
An analog drum machine forged out of deep respect for traditional designs with innovative improvements and the combined spellwork of its makers.
https://www.ericasynths.lv/
Useful lectures in university #
These provided some basic understanding of circuits and signals:
- Electrical engineering I & II (Basic circuit theory)
- Signals & Systems
Progress so far #
As of today (2026-05-17), I am still developing the synth. My plan is to document my progress so far step by step in individual, upcoming articles in the following months. At the moment, I am developing a voltage controlled filter. I actually set up this blog to sort my thoughts on it and reflect on the results of my experiments.
Attachment 1: Landscapes, shaped by sound design #
When listening to music, my brain often imagines landscapes or scenes, defined by the sound design of the music, two examples here:
Mambo by Feral #
Mambo
Provided to YouTube by Triple Vision Record DistributionMambo · FeralCrossroads℗ 2022 Hypnus RecordsReleased on: 2022-11-08Auto-generated by YouTube.
If you listen to that, what do you imagine?
I think of an abandoned quay at night. There is no one out there, cloudy sky with the moon sometimes visible, sometimes not. The boats, hit by little waves in the black water, bump against the quay every now and then… It’s a pretty calm, ambience, but there is definitely something going on!
Sun Eater by Technical Itch #
Sun Eater
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard EnterprisesSun Eater · Technical ItchProgression Threat One℗ 2013 Technical Itch ProductionsReleased on: …
What do you think?
In my head, I am in the cold mountains. The mountains are high and snow and ice cover the ground and the tips of the mountains. The sun shines bright and cold and results in a lot of reflecting sparkles in the ice.
Now when the bass kicks in at first, something is going on. One cannot see anything, but one can feel something huge and massive walks through the mountains. The floor vibrates, a puddle on the ground has little waves on it.
When the beat arrives, one can see a big AT-AT from Star Wars walking slowly, but steadily into the scene. It is so huge that it doesn’t fit entirely on the view and its feet leave big craters behind.