Wiggler - Mono Expressive Synth using a Flexure and Hall Effect Sensors

Sound Design, Tech Development, DIY
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Hi folks, I hope it’s not against the rules to share mono expressive synths here ;).

Two months ago I took a pause from work and I’m taking a shot at making synthesizers full time. For my first project I want to find something as simple as possible in order to have it ready this year. So I gave myself 3 rules: no screen, no injection molds, and no custom sensors.

I landed on Wiggler. It’s a mono 2D expressive synth using a flexure and linear hall effect sensors. It’s inspired by Ondes Martenot, Duduk, and mono synths like Sirin and Mono Lancet. Please check out this video for more details, I’m happy to answer any questions.

Next step is to learn how to make PCBs so I can make V2, here’s the panel so far. I definitely have lots of thinking to do to get to the final set of controls. Suggestions welcome.

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Really good TigerBalm - very cool and original. :+1:

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Thanks! Here’s a little jam showing it in action Sound Werkshop on Instagram: "Playing spooky music on my #synthdiy Wiggler. Showing off the looping pluck function and the octave up down buttons"

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Entries are open until April for the 2023 MIDI Innovation Awards if you were interested in entering this in the “Prototypes and non-commercial hardware products” category.

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ooh thanks for the tip, I’ll definitely submit.

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Looks like your project has been progressing very smoothly.

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Just saw a sneak peak of v3, figured it belongs here as well.

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yup Wiggler is coming along! Thanks for sharing it. At this point I’ve gotten lots of smiles and positive feedback from people who play it, so I know it’s offering something useful and unique. My only remaining concern is if the price will be right. Lots of machined, molded, and sheet metal mechanical parts are needed to make it work, the cost adds up. For now I’m focusing on getting a small number of beta units in the hands of working musicians, and seeing how they use it + how it survives in the wild. The big surprise for me has been the arpeggiator, it’s super fun to use and the new keyboard layout makes it easy to play diatonic riffs up and down the scale.

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I know this isn’t the focus, but as you get closer to having a product, are there plans to support MIDI out?

Like, not even at launch, necessarily. But, is there an accessible USB port that might one day become a conduit for MIDI?

That might be a deciding factor for potential customers, weighed against the overall cost.

(I’m seeing “dedicated controller for SWAM instruments” as a strong market segment, but I’m pretty well biased in that regard.)

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Wow, I didn’t realise this had progressed so far. Great work. :+1:

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Yup, my mental model for Wiggler is that it’s both a stand alone instrument and a high quality controller. So it’ll have TRS and USB MIDI out, as well as 5 analog CV outs (pitch, gate, press, wiggle, strike). Strike is Wiggler’s two stage envelope/lfo. I think with the CV outs it’ll be fun to tentacle into to any analog synth and take control of it without fiddling with MIDI to CV converters.