Parts for the first 50 kits are continuing to arrive and we are hard at work packing kits. To allow for a few more stragglers, we’ve adjusted out expected launch date to May 1st.
Microcontrollers, battery holders, audio modules and more!
In the meantime we’ve added complete build instructions. Head on over to https://groovesizer.com/build-it-mynah/ to see if you’re up for the challenge of soldering your own Mynah.
A grad student in electronic engineering from Istanbul, Turkey shared these shots of his graduation project – based on the TB2.
Here’s what he wrote:
Looking at the last product that I made, it really has similarities with yours upon hardware and software design. I also really can say that I appreciate your design. I used a 16×4 LCD and I put some additional buttons. I left a gap in the upper right corner for a future sd card module. My design became actually a little bigger because I only had a chance of one layer pcb design:)
Very cool! (Click the pictures to enlarge)
Yes, while the manual is still a work in progress, you can now download the Attack! drum machine firmware for TB2 here .
Here’s a feature overview:
Here are the vital statistics:
– 6 voices
– 12-bit, 22kHz, stereo playback
– loads wav-files off SD card (NB: samples are truncated to the first 250ms only!)
– individual control per voice over pan, pitch, sample start/end, volume, bit reduction
– assign sample start, pitch, bit reduction and volume to velocity
– save and load kits on SD card
– 32 step sequence
– 8 sequences per bank
– save and load sequences on SD card
– live recording/overdubbing
– set 2 velocity levels per voice (normal and accent)
– supports flams (individual delay and decay settings per voice)
– automate sample start and pitch per voice
– MIDI in/out/sync
– bult-in grain effects
It’s very early days as you can tell by the version number, but I’m working on ATTACK! firmware for the TB2 that turns it into a six voice drum machine. Hope to have it done by the time I show my instruments at the Maker Faire in Taipei at the end of May, but these things take time.
The Golf firmware for the Groovesizer MB is now available – you can choose it as a firmware option when buying a Groovesizer MB, or download the firmware from the Golf’s page.
Here’s a video with an overview of the features:
Here’s a video showing off the play modes of the Groovesizer RED – if all goes to plan we’ll be releasing the RED in the coming week. The kit will be priced at US$80 – postage included.
The Groovesizer RED is a DIY 16-step sequencer and granular synth. It’s based on the original Groovesizer mk1 Arduino project. It features 16 LEDs (one per step), 5 potentiometers, and 5 buttons, MIDI input and ouput on 5-pin DINs, MIDI sync in and out, and audio out (mono) on an 1/8″ jack. There are 32 user locations for saving patterns and patches. Up to 4 patterns can be chained together to create a 4 bar pattern. Note entry can be quantized to one of 12 pre-defined scales. Patterns can be triggered and transposed via MIDI. Notes can also be entered via an attached MIDI keyboard.
Here’s a demo of the Delta V111 firmware.
Drums are from Cakewalk Sonar and a touch of reverb, delay, and stereo chorus have been added.
With the exception of a couple of hitches, it was pretty straightforward to replace the DAC-based sound engine of the Groovesizer Alpha with the PWM-based granular one of Peter Knight’s Auduino. It positively drips with character and squelchy goodness. All the sequencer features of the Alpha firmware have been retained. These include:
– 32 step sequencer
– step ties, rests, and slides
– MIDI sync (in and out)
– 112 save locations for patterns
– saved patterns are chainable
– record movements of pot 1 with the option to send recorded automation out as MIDI cc data
– random pattern creation (chromatic, major, minor, pentatonic)
– accents
The original Groovesizer mk1 is still getting quite a bit of attention, so I’ve decided to offer it in kit form, too. I wanted to keep it simple and as close to the original as possible, but at the same time I couldn’t resist improving on some of the shortcomings of the first design. I’ve added two shift registers so that now there is an LED for each of the 16 steps – with some pins to spare broken out on an expansion header). I’ve also added a MIDI input alongside the output, so that it can be played as a standalone instrument, or synced to external devices.
Some prototype boards are being fabbed as we speak. It should be a great beginners kit with a low parts count and price. 
The proof-of-concept firmware for the Bravo, Charlie, Delta, and Echo will go up on the site today or tomorrow. I’ve uploaded first look videos to YouTube:
Bravo:
Charlie:
Delta:
Echo: