Description
ARCANE is a generative synth that lies somewhere between a synth, a sequencer and a drum machine, depending on how you interact with it.
It is based on an authentic Yamaha YM2413 FM chip; the one used in some arcade coin ops, MSX and in the japanese version of the Sega Master System.
To control it it has 6 potentiometers and 3 buttons. The pots are:
- TEMPO: It controls the tempo/speed. Set to minimum to accept external clock.
- BASE REGISTER: It determines if the machine is more musical or glichy. Better left it around 3 o’clock position for more musical results. Turning it to the center and left side produces more noisy/glitchy and chaotic outputs. You have been prevented!
- INTENSITY: The higher this pot, the more amount of notes and percusions sounding. This is a very playable way of alter the generative composition by transitioning between the simple and complex sound patterns.
- SEQUENCE: It let you browse between sequences. Turn it to select random patterns.
- DISPERSION: the higher this pot, the most registers that we are writing on the chip, so the sequences get more complex and chaotic. This and intensity are a very playable pair and both are related. Once you tuned something that you like, try to do variations playing this pot and INTENSITY one.
- COMBINATION: It multiplex, demultiplex and recombines sequences, keeping the output related but always fresh and different. At minimun it produces a 16 step sequence. At maximun it produces a 8 steps sequence. Between is where the magic happens, and it recombines and produce generative patterns via bitshifting and logic operations of the sequences.
- It has 3 buttons, Left, Right and Reset: Reset is located in the arduino and is self explanatory. If you have been playing in the BASE REG pot center/left side and it has turned too chaotic or noisy, just put BASE REG pot around 3 o’clock and press reset. It will come back to more musical landscapes.
- Left and Right buttons are to be determined as the firmware is still in development.
- It has Clock In and Clock Out so you can synch it with external gear.
It comes comes in 3 flavors:
- As a fully assembled unit.
- As a complete kit (with all the components) so that the user can play with it from the beginning.
- As a prepolulated PCB + Programmed microcontroller for medium and advanced DIYers. The user has to source the rest of the components and build the synth.
DIY-loving users can see some interactive materials on our Github page.
See it in action:
AN ETSY’S CUSTOMER –
Tim | 14 Oct 2023
Ordered fhis synth fully assembled because I have no DIY experience. When it arrived the outer piece of the input was broken off, rendering it unusable. I was disappointed at first but I contacted the seller about the issue and he was extremely helpful. It didnt make sense financially to ship my Arcane from the US back to Spain so that he could repair and return it. So instead he just sent a second fully-assembled Arcane to me that was just missing a couple of chips which he obviously didn’t have many of to go around (blue Arduino and Yamaha chips) and then remained available for contact and walked me through removing the two chips from the first one and putting them onto the new one, which turned out to be a very simple process. The new Arcane is working perfectly now and is an awesome little machine. 10/10 customer service.
AN ETSY’S CUSTOMER –
Shaun | 19 Sep 2023
Amazing piece of kit.some really interesting sounds beats blips glitch synth fx sounds IDM Experimental Ambient this would compliment .this will be in my synth set up .one of the best purchases I.ve made..cause it makes me happy to jamm .I like buying these type of Equipment to get inspiration and creativity and its ease of use .
A TINDIE’S CUSTOMER –
Canecapovolto | 30 Aug 2024
Arcane è un piccolo strumento che chiede di essere conosciuto a fondo per svelare le sue possibilità sonore. Ho trovato eccellente l’assistenza del venditore.