MoanK

About

Moan-k is a prototype of a hybrid analogue/digital synthesizer. Due to its heart, an Arduino openscource microcontroller, this synthesizer is very easy to hack. The firmware we developed for Moan-k contains already a wide range of sounds. But through modifying the program you can even create your own ideas.

Tech

The truly digital sound source gets shaped by an analogue distortion circuit and a clone of the legendary MS-20 lowpass filter. Due to the built-in ribbon controller, it is great fun to play around with the various sounds of this little sound machine. The digital part of the synthesizer is based on an Arduino Duemilanove microcontroller. Because the Arduino community is quite big and the platform is open source, it’s easier to modify the program and create your own synthesizer.

Features

  • digital square wave oscillator (Arduino Duemilanove microcontroller)
  • ADSR amplitude-envelope control
  • various frequency and amplitude modulation
  • pitch control with a ribbon controller
  • various note scales (free, major, minor, chromatic, pentatonic, special)
  • analogue distortion stage
  • analogue low-pass filter (MS-20-clone)
  • external input for distortion and filter
  • integrated loudspeaker and battery
  • USB-connector for Arduino programming