This tiny synth will easily add something to most project studios and given the flexibility of the programmable oscillator, multi-mode filter and stereo effects, it won’t be a forgotten gift for a musician like a monotron or similar might end up being.
Little bits synth full#
Aftermarket support is impressive, with many free, donationware or reasonably priced oscillator and effects modules that are also supported by the polyphonic synthesizers in the expandable ‘logue family.Īlthough the controls are simple, it’s got full MIDI over USB support. The headphone output doubles as line-out, so it needs a bit of gain through a mixer – the opposite of the built-in very vocal and clear speaker!Ī ribbon keyboard, with a configurable preset-interval arpeggiator, plays the sounds into three user-definable stereo effect slots, vastly expanding the sonic palette of the little synth (which isn’t that limited to start with, thanks to the NTS-1 Digital Kit).
Volca and other ‘tiny synth’ enthusiasts will appreciate the sync in/out sockets, it has MIDI in via 3.5mm TRS and an audio input, too. The NTS-1 is most than just a DIY box of bleeps. It’s a simple enough project to build, with a single oscillator monophonic synth the result – at least, in theory. Careful selection of materials and a really clever approach to design means it feels like a surprisingly high quality gadget when finished, too.
The NTS-1 is something else, though, embracing the ‘out of the box’ cool that modern kit synths bring without the soldering iron stress or component sourcing. In recent years, Korg’s embraced the DIY community more than any ‘mainstream’ music firm, offering up kits of classic synths like the MS-20, as well as the low-cost Volcas and Monotron-type devices that are quite hackable, recreating the ARP 2600 and supporting the unusual Japanese Reon drift box synths. Street price: £99 – find offers on Amazon UK
Little bits synth software#
Parents may find these engaging electronic and software tools perfect for STEM learning at home, as well as potentially introducing a love of creating music.Įither way, they’re affordable, accessible and fun! Korg NTS-1 Nu:Tekt – high-quality synth + programming Some are no longer in production, but I’ve left them here in case you find old stock or used examples.Īs a musician, you may find an inspirational lo-fi sound, an unusually powerful synth, something that just clicks for a new pattern or just a distraction from endless presets and libraries. This is a quick list (I’ve yet to review all them – but watch this space) of the projects you’ll find today. You can still get a feeling of accomplishment by building your own synth from less complex kits, though – and you often get something that sounds bigger than the cost, too. These days, though there’s absolutely nothing stopping you doing that, it’s a lot harder to find the time or avoid the distractions for a big project. In the early days of synthesizers, hobbyists and enthusiasts would grab a copy of Electronics Today, pore over some schematics and get soldering to get the latest developments or save money on high-end (or fun) instruments.
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