Version Française
This website is dedicated to a DIY ribbon-controlled synth I created and called Le Slidophone.
In a first time, I'll speak about theory and the project itself, then I expose the steps of the construction.
Presentation of Le Slidophone
Le Slidophone is a semi-modular analog ribbon-controlled synth. Semi-modular because of the internal structure of the modules, but without the patch cables messing up the front pannel, everything is connected inside. The ribbon replaces the keybord, it's a potentiometric position sensor, that is used to generate the Control Voltages that are necessary to control the synth. There are two ribbons, one controlling the pitch, the other controlling the volume.
This instrument takes inspiration from several other ones: first, the Ondes Martenot, created by Maurice Martenot in the 30's, and that owned a ribbon allowing glissando playing. There is also a part of Electrtheremin or Tannerin, that was also played through a ribbon. Then came the time of synths, and some were controlled with a ribbon. About circuits, nothing brand new, there are only classic elements you can find in analog synths. Before thinking about Le Slidophone as a modular synth, I made a few tries with a VHS videotape and a multivibrator as the oscillator. Results are available there, for those who read French. The problem with that method, is the non-linearity beetween notes and the position of the finger on the tape. It's because of that default that the idea of using a VCO came to me, but I could'nt help adding more and more things, and it eventually became a full modular synth. le Slidophone doesn't have an envelope generator, it is controlled by the left hand with the volume ribbon. Nevertheless, there is a system that shuts down the sound when the pitch ribbon is released (Gate system).
Here is the architecture of Le Slidophone:
Red is for the audio, blue is for control CV, green is for modulation CV.
Because there is only one VCO, Le Slidophone is monophonic. However you can make harmonics plying with the timbre, by mixing native waveforms in the miwer.I also added an extra CV input to allow Le Slidophone to be controlled by a keyboard or a sequencer.
Here are the several modules:
Low Frequency Oscillator with Sample & Hold
Construction ici