News: TubeOhm De-Generator DIY Mono Hybrid Sampling Synthesizer

A hybrid synthesizer as a DIY kit!

It is not a news for the NAMM 2019 but a nice DIY project of which you have to know. De-Generator is a project realized by Rolf Degen and TubeOhm Instruments together. It has been running for several years, but is now entering the final phase of developing.

The De-Generator is a hybrid Synthesizer with digital oscillators and an analog filter. It features two versatile oscillators that can be used as classic wave or as sample oscillator. It possible to design own waveforms with a built-in editor, record samples with the audio input or to load them in via the SD card slot (max 20 seconds). It comes with several parameters where you can customize the samples. All this is powered by an analog stereo filter based on the SMR4 mkII filter board from Mutable Instruments, three LFO’s, 2 envelopes, 12x modulation matrix and a 16-step sequencer.

Although it has no big innovations, it’s an interesting DIY Synthesizer that has features that other synths do not have.

Overview

First, the De-Generator is a complete DIY project. On this website we explain how to build and how to use it. The De-Generator is a monophonic sampling synthesizer with open software architecture, designed especially for the creative musicians with a DIY background. Attention – it is not an easy to build DIY kit. You must have good knowledge in electronics and also the tools like a good solder iron, an oscilloscope and multimeter.

The 2 oscillators can load normal waveforms or also samples from a SD card as a wave file in mono The maximum sample time is round about 20 seconds, this, if you use one oscillator as a sample player. If you now load one Sample in oscillator 1 with the sampling time 12 seconds, you can load in the second oscillator a sample with 8 Seconds, or 10 and 10 Seconds, or 2 and 18 seconds. Both oscillators can work as a normal Synthesizer oscillator too. For this we have implemented 16 different build in waveforms and a bank with 128 user waveforms.

User waveforms mean that you can add a new bank with your own 128 waveforms. The user waveforms are in a ‘raw’ format. This format can handle a normal (free) audio Editor. On the PC/MAC it is possible to draw new waveforms and than simply store it in a folder on the SD card. Than the waveforms are ready to use. While using 2 oscillators, equal if you have load samples, samples and waveforms or double samples you have also the possibility to ring-modulate, distort, bit-crush or synchronise both oscillators.

The oscillators/sample oscillators are route now through a stereo multimode filter. This Filter can have different filter types like 6, 12, 18, 24dB low-pass, 12dB high-pass, 12dB band-pass and a high-pass band-pass mix.

2 ADSR envelopes do the VCA and also the filter cut-off work. To get maximum flexibility you can control a lot of parameter direct in the 12 x mod matrix. De-Generator contains three LFO’s. This is more than enough to bring sounds alive. Also there is flexible routing in the modulation matrix. FX delay, you can control it in time, feedback and volume and with the mod matrix. Do not await clear digital sound, we use an analogue chip for this and this warms up the sound.

Stepper, another creative tool is a built in 16-step sequencer. Functions are real time record direct from the MIDI keyboard, transpose, you can also edit all notes manually. The sequence is stored with the sound patch.

The sample record menu With the build in microphone the De-Generator record samples in real time. In the integrated sample editor you can loop, cut, delete, reverse or section play the sample. Especially the ‘section-play’ or ‘section-play-Loop’ allows you to mark a loop in the sample and play only this loop! Then you can store this loop as a new waveform. After a real time record you can edit the sample

sample loop – set a simple loop, plays from the beginning to the loop and repeat the loop
loop reverse – reverse only the marked wave
loop mute – mute only the marked wave
loop cut – cut only the market wave
loop sec – plays only the marked wave one time
loop secl – plays only the market wave in loop

Features

two oscillators/sample oscillators
8-bit engine with wave interpolation
mix mode allows you to mix samples with waves
three LFO’s
2 ADSR envelopes
stereo filter with 6, 12, 18, 24dB low-pass, 12 high-pass, and 12dB band-pass mode
12x modulation matrix
16-step sequencer, external MIDI/internally synchronised
FX delay
can read waves files from SD card up to 20 seconds long
inbuilt wave editor/read, write to/ from SD card
real time wave record up to 20 seconds
DIY friendly
Power 12v 1A