Music Thing Modular Workshop System (DIY Kit)

The Workshop System is an analogue modular synth and a powerful audio computer – designed to be useful and open:

• A genre-neutral toolkit, a little box of ways to make and manipulate music and sound.
• A patchable, hackable, code-able modular synth that can be used in many different ways.
• A system that works with things you already have. Plug in your phone, a drum machine, a laptop, guitar pedals or a microphone.
• A computer that uses tiny proprietary program cards that are completely hackable. Anyone who writes code can make, share, sell their creations — sequencers, effects, interfaces.

The Workshop System arrives as a DIY kit which will take a few hours to put together. All the tiny SMD components have already been soldered for you, so the build process consists mainly of soldering jack sockets, potentiometers and switches while following the build guide.

The Workshop System kit includes:

• All hardware required to build the Workshop System (PCBs, Front & Back Panel, components, knobs, buttons etc.)
• A rugged hard plastic carry case for easy portability with internal foam cutout to keep the system protected
• 2 x audio adaptor cables to plug a guitar pedal into the Stompbox section of the Workshop System – the cables are 3.5mm (1/8″) Minijack to 6.35mm (1/4″) Jack
• A 20cm DC barrel cable for directly powering a guitar pedal from the front of the Workshop – 9V (centre-negative)
• A keyring and set of 4 x Program Cards to get started using the computer section. The included cards are: a Turing Machine (random looping sequencer), a lush digital Reverb, a MIDI to CV converter and a Blank 2mb card to fill with another function of your choice – or to explore creating programmes of your own. More blank cards can be found HERE. These are NOT regular SD cards, but a proprietary design.

The kit does not include:

• Eurorack patch cables – we figure that many users of modular synths already have patch cables lying around.
• A power cable – The Workshop System has two power options: The easiest way is via USB-C PD power, but you can also use a regular 15-25v DC barrel connection. The system will happily run from battery powerbanks and laptop adaptors. We feel that there are already enough USB-C cables in the world.

The Workshop System has 14 modules:

• 2 x SineSquare Oscillators Simple vintage-style oscillators made of 1970s tech.
• 2 x Humpback Filters Similarly vintage-style filters, designed by Philip Goulding of God’s Box.
• 2 x Slopes These work as attack/decay envelopes, LFOs and portamento generators.
• Computer Is a multi-function module with knobs, a switch and audio, CV and pulse ins and outs. Initially, the system comes with a USB MIDI card, a Turing Machine sequencer and a Reverb card. A community of programmers are creating more cards.
• Stereo In takes a 3.5mm stereo input and boosts it to modular level.
• Ring Mod is a great-sounding ring modulator, connected to the two sines. It also works as a simple VCA.
• Stompbox is an interface for guitar pedals, with blend and feedback controls to make boring pedals more interesting. There’s a 9v power outlet for pedals below this module.
• Amplifier contains two simple circuits. One is connected to a piezo contact mic behind the panel, the other is the transistor-based input circuit from a MiniMoog. In other words, a Mikrophonie and a Mini Drive.
• 4 Voltages is a minimum viable keyboard: four voltage outputs, one knob, four pushbuttons. More fun to play with than to explain.
• Mix a simple output mixer, with two stereo channels, two mono channels and a powerful headphone amp / line out.
• PSU behind the panel is a power supply that runs on USB-C PD power or professional 15-25v barrel connectors. It works from battery powerbanks and laptop adaptors, most likely something you’ve already got at home.