Animal Factory Amplification
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New Hosted Sub-Forum. Check it out here:
Not exactly a new manufacturer but new to us. Check out their pedal and eurorack product and extend them a welcome all the way to Mumbai!
[Project] Music Thing Radio Music 4hp sample player
Moderators: Kent, Joe., luketeaford, Kent, Joe., luketeaford
- Tombola
- Super Deluxe Wiggler
- Posts: 1879
- Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:33 am
- Location: London, England
[Project] Music Thing Radio Music 4hp sample player
[video][/video]
This is the main thread for my new project, the Music Thing Radio Music Sample Player.
It's a 4hp module that behaves like a Voltage Controlled FM Radio or a Shortwave Radio, but is actually playing files from a SD Card, without the problems of actual live radio reception.
Why would anyone want a radio station in a modular synth?
Features
- 4hp x 40mm deep
- All through hole, no SMD soldering, including what I think is the world's only through-hole SD Card holder
- Samples stored as 16bit 44.1k mono .raw files on hot-swappable Micro SD cards (up to 32gb)
- 16 banks, up to 75 files in each bank
- Playback is 12 bit, 44.1k, AC coupled
- Based on a Teensy 3.1 microcontroller
- 75ma current draw
Controls
- Station pot (and CV Input) This is how you choose which file to play from the current bank. It works exactly like a radio tuning knob. Like real radio stations, the files loop endlessly and continue to play in the background - they don't re-trigger each time you select a new station. If you turn on the module and wait 5 minutes, then switch to a channel playing a 30 minute long radio recording, it will be 5 minutes in.
- Start pot (and CV input) This sets where the file will start playing from from if you press the RESET button.
- Reset Button (and trigger input) This restarts the current track at the point set by the Start pot.
- The module creates a settings.txt file on the SD card. By editing this, you can change how the module behaves; how quickly pots respond, how clicks are suppressed.
Status
- Here is the wishlist for kits from Thonk
- Software is stable (issue log)
- Rev 2 PCBs are available and will soon be prototyped for the Thonk run
- Hardware designs and my code is all CC-BY-SA licensed
Details
- Manual
- Documentation including build documents, BOM etc
- Suggested audio
- Hardware and Software details
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/179087720" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
https://soundcloud.com/musicthing/radio ... ndom-drums
https://soundcloud.com/musicthing/radio ... dom-voices
Like this project? Donate some money to Resonance FM so I have something interesting to listen to in the car
This is the main thread for my new project, the Music Thing Radio Music Sample Player.
It's a 4hp module that behaves like a Voltage Controlled FM Radio or a Shortwave Radio, but is actually playing files from a SD Card, without the problems of actual live radio reception.
Why would anyone want a radio station in a modular synth?
Features
- 4hp x 40mm deep
- All through hole, no SMD soldering, including what I think is the world's only through-hole SD Card holder
- Samples stored as 16bit 44.1k mono .raw files on hot-swappable Micro SD cards (up to 32gb)
- 16 banks, up to 75 files in each bank
- Playback is 12 bit, 44.1k, AC coupled
- Based on a Teensy 3.1 microcontroller
- 75ma current draw
Controls
- Station pot (and CV Input) This is how you choose which file to play from the current bank. It works exactly like a radio tuning knob. Like real radio stations, the files loop endlessly and continue to play in the background - they don't re-trigger each time you select a new station. If you turn on the module and wait 5 minutes, then switch to a channel playing a 30 minute long radio recording, it will be 5 minutes in.
- Start pot (and CV input) This sets where the file will start playing from from if you press the RESET button.
- Reset Button (and trigger input) This restarts the current track at the point set by the Start pot.
- The module creates a settings.txt file on the SD card. By editing this, you can change how the module behaves; how quickly pots respond, how clicks are suppressed.
Status
- Here is the wishlist for kits from Thonk
- Software is stable (issue log)
- Rev 2 PCBs are available and will soon be prototyped for the Thonk run
- Hardware designs and my code is all CC-BY-SA licensed
Details
- Manual
- Documentation including build documents, BOM etc
- Suggested audio
- Hardware and Software details
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/179087720" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
https://soundcloud.com/musicthing/radio ... ndom-drums
https://soundcloud.com/musicthing/radio ... dom-voices
Like this project? Donate some money to Resonance FM so I have something interesting to listen to in the car
Last edited by Tombola on Wed Dec 03, 2014 7:34 am, edited 4 times in total.
Music Thing Modular
Radio Music Details | FAQ & Troubleshooting | Video & Audio demos | Buy
Mikrophonie | Spring Reverb | Turing Machine Expanders | Turing Machine
Music Thing Module Generator®
Radio Music Details | FAQ & Troubleshooting | Video & Audio demos | Buy
Mikrophonie | Spring Reverb | Turing Machine Expanders | Turing Machine
Music Thing Module Generator®
- Tombola
- Super Deluxe Wiggler
- Posts: 1879
- Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:33 am
- Location: London, England
Questions and answers from the other threads, so everything is one place:
Windspirit asked:
1) will this be open source also? If so I may make a whole row for myself :p
> Yes, it is CC-BY-SA
2) with a fast enough clock can you "scrub" the sample position with a saw tooth wave?
> ...ish. If you edit the settings.txt file you can get the module to respond in a fast, raw, noisy way without the affordances that normally make it a bit more smooth.
Stainers asked:
Is there anyway you can get it to keep memory of all settings after a power cycle?
> It retains the current bank (which is set by pushing/holding reset) but not the play position
Waveglider asked:
Does that mean that once you trigger a station, leave it, then come back- the playback position will have followed in real time and it picks up at the current position rather than the position where you left off?
> Yes, that's the idea
B-Art asked:
I mean i really like the whole radio concept and think its awesome for long samples and recordings (conceptual yes!) but i was also planning on using it as a one-shot sampler. For various reasons.
>You can probably do this - ie fill up a folder with one shot samples, choose a sample by voltage, then trigger it from the start using the reset trigger.
>Would be easy enough to add a 'don't loop' option on the SD card if that turns out to be useful.
>OR if you have any arduino coding chops, it's very easy to hack the firmware - you can use the normal Arduino language and upload via a USB cable
SpunRaddish asked:
Do we have ways to write to SD cards in modular yet as a function of sample recording?
> And got a long reply from Teensy creator Paul Stoffregen
Taylor12k asked:
is it an fm radio that samples it's own stations?
does it sample outside sources?
>is that it's a sample player with a radio-like interface.
>So you can load up a bunch of Conet Project samples and it's like the easiest SW radio ever.
Windspirit asked:
1) will this be open source also? If so I may make a whole row for myself :p
> Yes, it is CC-BY-SA
2) with a fast enough clock can you "scrub" the sample position with a saw tooth wave?
> ...ish. If you edit the settings.txt file you can get the module to respond in a fast, raw, noisy way without the affordances that normally make it a bit more smooth.
Stainers asked:
Is there anyway you can get it to keep memory of all settings after a power cycle?
> It retains the current bank (which is set by pushing/holding reset) but not the play position
Waveglider asked:
Does that mean that once you trigger a station, leave it, then come back- the playback position will have followed in real time and it picks up at the current position rather than the position where you left off?
> Yes, that's the idea
B-Art asked:
I mean i really like the whole radio concept and think its awesome for long samples and recordings (conceptual yes!) but i was also planning on using it as a one-shot sampler. For various reasons.
>You can probably do this - ie fill up a folder with one shot samples, choose a sample by voltage, then trigger it from the start using the reset trigger.
>Would be easy enough to add a 'don't loop' option on the SD card if that turns out to be useful.
>OR if you have any arduino coding chops, it's very easy to hack the firmware - you can use the normal Arduino language and upload via a USB cable
SpunRaddish asked:
Do we have ways to write to SD cards in modular yet as a function of sample recording?
> And got a long reply from Teensy creator Paul Stoffregen
Taylor12k asked:
is it an fm radio that samples it's own stations?
does it sample outside sources?
>is that it's a sample player with a radio-like interface.
>So you can load up a bunch of Conet Project samples and it's like the easiest SW radio ever.
Music Thing Modular
Radio Music Details | FAQ & Troubleshooting | Video & Audio demos | Buy
Mikrophonie | Spring Reverb | Turing Machine Expanders | Turing Machine
Music Thing Module Generator®
Radio Music Details | FAQ & Troubleshooting | Video & Audio demos | Buy
Mikrophonie | Spring Reverb | Turing Machine Expanders | Turing Machine
Music Thing Module Generator®
- Tombola
- Super Deluxe Wiggler
- Posts: 1879
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- Location: London, England
The Teensy 3.1 has an on-board 12-bit DAC.lintfresh wrote: I'm assuming you're using the onboard PWM for audio output as I don't see a DAC. I'm curious how you feel about the audio quality trade-offs and what factors led to this design decision.
Is the code written using the teensyduino tools?
I've been very happy with the sound - it's probably more Akai S900 than Pro Tools HD, but it's full range, loud and clear, as you should be able to hear in the audio demos.
Yes, it's all Teensyduino - I've modified a couple of functions in the library a little bit, but it's basically stock, so is really easy for anyone with basic arduino skills to get started.
Music Thing Modular
Radio Music Details | FAQ & Troubleshooting | Video & Audio demos | Buy
Mikrophonie | Spring Reverb | Turing Machine Expanders | Turing Machine
Music Thing Module Generator®
Radio Music Details | FAQ & Troubleshooting | Video & Audio demos | Buy
Mikrophonie | Spring Reverb | Turing Machine Expanders | Turing Machine
Music Thing Module Generator®
- knob_alchemist
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- windspirit
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- executiveBlaster
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- Tombola
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+-15v should be fine but untested - it's TL07* op amps and a 78L05 feeding the Teensyvalis wrote:Very cool!
More questions..
1) Can it run on +/-15V
2) Do you envision one will be able to buy just the circuit board without the euro panel?
Thanks!
This is a pair of super tight boards - there are no mounting holes, no screws/spacers connecting the front and back boards, just panel mounted pots and headers/sockets connecting the two boards - so it might be harder than some other designs to hack into a different format.
OTOH, it's so tiny, you could probably make a quad sample player in one of the big formats.
If you did want to do that, the Teensy has more grunt than is being used here - I think people have got it playing 4+ separate .wav files simultaneously from one SD card, so with an outboard DAC it might be possible to do a quad/poly version...
Music Thing Modular
Radio Music Details | FAQ & Troubleshooting | Video & Audio demos | Buy
Mikrophonie | Spring Reverb | Turing Machine Expanders | Turing Machine
Music Thing Module Generator®
Radio Music Details | FAQ & Troubleshooting | Video & Audio demos | Buy
Mikrophonie | Spring Reverb | Turing Machine Expanders | Turing Machine
Music Thing Module Generator®
people have indeed done this. but doing more than stereo with separate outputs wouldn't be feasible with i2s devices (which most decent audio DACs are), and SPI/DMA isn't currently supported by the API so .. possible maybe, worth the trouble probably no.Tombola wrote: If you did want to do that, the Teensy has more grunt than is being used here - I think people have got it playing 4+ separate .wav files simultaneously from one SD card, so with an outboard DAC it might be possible to do a quad/poly version...
Last edited by mxmxmx on Sun Nov 30, 2014 6:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- MrNovember
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- Tombola
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Ah, got it.mxmxmx wrote:people have indeed done this. but doing more than stereo with separate outputs wouldn't be feasible with i2s devices (which most decent audio DACs are), and SPI/DMA is currently supported by the API so .. possible maybe, worth the trouble probably no.Tombola wrote: If you did want to do that, the Teensy has more grunt than is being used here - I think people have got it playing 4+ separate .wav files simultaneously from one SD card, so with an outboard DAC it might be possible to do a quad/poly version...
Music Thing Modular
Radio Music Details | FAQ & Troubleshooting | Video & Audio demos | Buy
Mikrophonie | Spring Reverb | Turing Machine Expanders | Turing Machine
Music Thing Module Generator®
Radio Music Details | FAQ & Troubleshooting | Video & Audio demos | Buy
Mikrophonie | Spring Reverb | Turing Machine Expanders | Turing Machine
Music Thing Module Generator®
ups. typo - i meant to write "SPI/DMA isn't currently supported by the API so ... " . anyways, it's perfectly possible to stream several files so adding additional clock inputs will be an easy mod.Tombola wrote:Ah, got it.mxmxmx wrote:people have indeed done this. but doing more than stereo with separate outputs wouldn't be feasible with i2s devices (which most decent audio DACs are), and SPI/DMA is currently supported by the API so .. possible maybe, worth the trouble probably no.Tombola wrote: If you did want to do that, the Teensy has more grunt than is being used here - I think people have got it playing 4+ separate .wav files simultaneously from one SD card, so with an outboard DAC it might be possible to do a quad/poly version...
- Thonk Support
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Will be doing panels in the same range of colours as the Spring Reverb, White and Black PCB and Aluminium. Oh and with four choices of button colour, couldn't resist 



Last edited by Thonk Support on Fri Dec 19, 2014 8:46 am, edited 2 times in total.
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AS of October 2020 this account which used to go by the name of Monobass is now manned by various staff at Thonk.
AS of October 2020 this account which used to go by the name of Monobass is now manned by various staff at Thonk.
- oscillateur
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I've already got an unused Teensy 3.1. It would be great to have a PCB/panel option sans the Teensy.
Last edited by makers on Sun Nov 30, 2014 10:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Ras Thavas
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A question that I'm sure the answer will be "no" to, but have to ask anyway-
Would two of these with the same "stations" saved on their cards stay remotely in sync after a "reset" pulse? I ask as two thoughts come to mind; stereo files and timing pulse tracks.
I'm actually more interested in the second option, I know this isn't supposed to be a sampler, but I'd like some way to sync up the stations with the rest of my modular beyond the reset input.
Would two of these with the same "stations" saved on their cards stay remotely in sync after a "reset" pulse? I ask as two thoughts come to mind; stereo files and timing pulse tracks.
I'm actually more interested in the second option, I know this isn't supposed to be a sampler, but I'd like some way to sync up the stations with the rest of my modular beyond the reset input.
- Tombola
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If you want to build a stereo version, you'd just need:Ras Thavas wrote:A question that I'm sure the answer will be "no" to, but have to ask anyway-
Would two of these with the same "stations" saved on their cards stay remotely in sync after a "reset" pulse? I ask as two thoughts come to mind; stereo files and timing pulse tracks.
I'm actually more interested in the second option, I know this isn't supposed to be a sampler, but I'd like some way to sync up the stations with the rest of my modular beyond the reset input.
- An outboard DAC for 2 channel audio - mxmxmx's Eurotrash project would be a good place to start in terms of schematic. OR you could use PWM pins
- Then you'd need to get my code playing stereo .wav files vs .raw, which shouldn't be a huge piece of work. Again, mxmxmx has done most of the work here: http://forum.pjrc.com/threads/24793-Aud ... #post55274
- A bit more panel space, and at least one SMD component - thats why I didn't do it.
Music Thing Modular
Radio Music Details | FAQ & Troubleshooting | Video & Audio demos | Buy
Mikrophonie | Spring Reverb | Turing Machine Expanders | Turing Machine
Music Thing Module Generator®
Radio Music Details | FAQ & Troubleshooting | Video & Audio demos | Buy
Mikrophonie | Spring Reverb | Turing Machine Expanders | Turing Machine
Music Thing Module Generator®
I read about this last night but couldn't watch the video at that time ... mind blown. Watched the video finally this morning. Gobsmacked! Can't wait to build one. Added my name to the Thonk notification list. Incidentally, thanks for making stuff to build that isn't SMD ... my vision doesn't go that small! 
