This Cheap DIY TB-303-Style Hardware Bass Synth & Sequencer Uses Light To Control Pitch

Back in 2011 TristianDabbles.com created a simple, cheap and easy to make light controlled saw tooth synthesizer. Inspired by the classic TB-303, this DIY synth uses a 555 timer that’s controlled by a Javascript sequence. All in all, we’re talking about something rather awesome. As Hackaday explain, Tristian is able to “get a clean sawtooth wave out of it so that it sounds about right. Then he manages to make it more or less playable.”

Watch the shaky video of the 555-noisemaker circuit synth in action: 

Here’s what Tristan says about his creation:

"I created this simple baseline synthesizer by building a light controlled saw-tooth oscillator out of a 555 timer that is then controlled by a sequencer written in JavaScript. The script varies the brightness of a patch of my computer screen, stepping through the values of the sliders. The sequencer has eight steps, and a tempo control. The patch of screen is pointing at the CDS cell (light controlled resistor) which is shrouded by a piece of black heat-shrink tubing."

Visit the tristian dabbles link below to get access to all the code and know-how to make your own similar bass synth and sequencer.

[Via: Hackaday] 

Web: https://tristandabbles.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/555-lco-javascript-get-freaky-now/