In this 3 hour session you’ll learn how to use the Modern Device Fluxamsynth, a platform for making electronic musical instruments that are generative or have alternate interfaces. The Fluxamasynth is an add-on for Arduino, where you write simple programs using the Modern Device Fluxamasynth library. In this workshop we will use a minimal set of inputs to get started (two buttons, a pot and an AMBI light sensor).

Here are a few suggestions an what you can use the Fluxamasynth for:

• Make your own MIDI instrument with unconventional analog sensors
• Create algorithmic compositions
• Use it in a homebrew pinball machine to generate music and sound effects
• Build an unusual percussion device
• Augment an analog instrument with a Fluxamasynth-based hyperinstrument

In the gallery above is an image of a Fluxamasynth-powered instrument made by Ed Potokar of Potophonics. We won’t be getting into physically constructing instruments in this workshop, just the basics of getting started and up and running with programming. There is no soldering involved in the class either (photo is of a Benjolin-making workshop).

Workshop participants will a sneak preview of the new Fluxamasynth 32 all-in-one ESP32-based board.

The Fluxamasynth is based around a chip from Dream Sound Synthesis that would typically drive the sound on a Karaoke machine or keyboard. It has a built-in wavetable with 128 general MIDI sounds and an additional set of 128 variations and dozens of percussion sounds. It can play music in 64-voice polyphony without effects or 38 voices with effects. Here are some additional features:

•     14 bits of pitch bend range
•     Access to fine and coarse tuning in cents
•     Access to low level wavetable parameters
•     Stereo line level output
•     Master volume and per-channel volume control
•     4-band Equalizer
•     Chorus, flange, delay effects
•     8 Reverb effects
•     Spatial effects

See more at https://moderndevice.com/product/fluxamasynth-shield/.

This workshop is free to attend, but has a $40 materials fee. You’ll go home with a Fluxamasynth Shield and a custom board that has a minimal set of inputs and sensors that we’ll be working with. If you already have a Fluxamasynth board or want to try before you by, drop me an email at shawn@as220.org and I’ll put you on the list.

Basic Arduino experience suggested; if you’ve taken Introduction to Arduino you’ll be all set.