README.md

June 20, 2026 · View on GitHub

WEB VERSION / SUBMIT DESIGN / DISCUSSION

This is a list of synthesizers and related hardware you can build on your own. All designs are open-source including firmware. Submit designs which is not in list and discuss your building experience.

DIY-synths-title

  1. ATtiny Punk Console — ATtiny85 implementation of Atari Punk Console
  2. Acid Drip — Acid bassline synth and drum machine
  3. Aciduino — Roland TB-303 step sequencer clone aimed for live interaction
  4. Ambika — Multi-voice, hybrid synthesizer. Descendant of Shruthi.
  5. Anushri — Analog monosynth with a lo-fi digital drums
  6. ArduTouch — Arduino-compatible music synthesizer
  7. Arpie — Compact, highly-functional, MIDI arpeggiator
  8. Beam Catcher — Analog light-based synthesizer
  9. Bread Modular — Affordable, compact modular synth platform
  10. Coron DS7 (DS8) — Percussion & drum synth
  11. Drone & Drama — Simple Teensy-based drone synth
  12. DrumKid — Lo-fi aleatoric Arduino drum machine
  13. Echo Rockit — Compact synth/effect processor
  14. Faderbank 16n — 16 faders MIDI-controller compatible with modular world
  15. Fasma Festival — Yet another Teensy drum machine with clock sync
  16. Flounder — Teensy based USB midi keyboard + controls + stereo audio
  17. Grandbot — Generative, pattern-based MIDI arpeggiator
  18. Hidden Sound Explorer — Electromagnetic fields analog transducer
  19. Hog — Double-voice analog monophonic synthesizer with two oscillators
  20. Hypjolin — Cross-modulating ultra-chaos generator
  21. Kastle 2 — Patchable, pocketable and open platforrm
  22. Kastle — Lo-fi, pocketable modular synth
  23. Keep — Self-modulating analog synth based on the ancient XR 2206 IC
  24. Kelpie — Portable polyphonic digital synthesizer
  25. LMN-3 — OP-1 inspired DAW-in-a-box
  26. Le Strum — Compact and simple yet funny MIDI strummer
  27. Lil' mono — Simple east-coast style analog synthesizer
  28. Lunchbeat — 1-bit percussion sounds and a sequencer
  29. MIDIbox — MIDI hardware platform
  30. MIDIvampire II — 4 voice drum machine that is powered from the MIDI data line
  31. Matrix sequencer — Standalone MIDI sequencer
  32. Meeblip Micro — Hackable monophonic synth
  33. Meeblip SE — Hackable monophonic synth
  34. Meeblip Triode — Hackable monophonic synth based on ATmega32
  35. Mega MIDI — MIDI-compatible Sega Genesis/Megadrive synthesizer with real sound chips
  36. Mini Dexed — FM synthesizer closely modeled on the famous DX7
  37. MiniMO — ATtiny85 mini modular system
  38. Minichord — Suzuki's Omnichord-like pocket instrument based on Teensy
  39. Mixtape Alpha — Credit-card sized ATmega328 4 voice synth
  40. Moduleur — Double-voice analog modular design with a touch of digital magic
  41. Mozard — Arduino, Mozzi -based, 6 engines synth
  42. Multi — Generative sequencer with swappable synth engines
  43. Mushsynth-8 — 8-voice polyphonic drone synth with a touch keyboard
  44. N32B — Hi-res macro MIDI controller
  45. NESizer2 — NES 2A03 chip controlled by ATmega328 with battery backed patch memory
  46. NSynth Super — An experimental physical interface for the NSynth AI algorithm
  47. NTH synth — 8-bit hackable mono synth
  48. Nano minipops — Korg Minipops drum machine made around Arduino
  49. Nava — Clone of Roland TR-909 drum machine
  50. Noise Toaster — Simple, full analog noise synth
  51. NoiseLab — Analog noise synthesizer
  52. Norns shield — Dynamic instrument, creation platform and musical computer
  53. Nyblcore — Tiny ATtiny85-based sample player device
  54. OP-Synth — Modular micro analog synth
  55. OTTO — Digital groovebox with synths, looper, samplers, effects and a sequencer
  56. OpenDeck — Platform for ultimate MIDI control deck building
  57. Ottopot — Hi-res USB-MIDI controller
  58. Overcycler — Polyphonic hybrid single cycle / analog synthesizer
  59. POLY555 — Polyphonic, analog, square wave synth based on the 555 timer
  60. Paper Bits — Small, modular synthesizer system. Voltage controlled, stripboard compatible.
  61. PicoStepSeq — 8-step MIDI sequencer
  62. PicoTracker — Low cost music tracker platform
  63. Pikocore — Hackable, lo-fi music mangler based on the Raspberry Pi Pico
  64. Plinky — 8-voice polyphonic touch synthesizer that specializes in fragile, melancholic sounds
  65. Polaron — Digital drum machine based on Teensy 3
  66. Polykit X1 — Full analog, semi modular synthesizer
  67. Portable synth — OP-1 style portable groovebox based on Teensy 4
  68. PreenFM 2 — Beloved old FM synthesis in small, modern DIY box
  69. Protean — CMOS-based motion texture source
  70. Quantum DJ — Electromagnetic noise to 1-bit sound converter
  71. Real SID shield — Digital interface to SID chip of Commodore 64
  72. Roundabout — Compact, CMOS-based, patchable synth
  73. S54 Liv's Synth — Hybrid mono synth with full analogue signal path
  74. SC1000 — Portable digital scratch instrument
  75. Shruthi — Hybrid synth with digital generators and swappable analog filter boards
  76. Sigma-6 — Low-cost digital mono-synth
  77. Sound Lab Mini-Synth MkII — Full analog descendant of Sound Lab Mini-Synth
  78. Sound Lab Mini-Synth — Full analog legendary MFOS design
  79. Spires — Laser arpeggiator
  80. Teensy Audio FX — Playable effects modeled on the Teenage Engineering PO series
  81. Teensy Beats Shield — Handheld audio sequencer in PO style
  82. Totoro — Cheap and easy to solder 2 oscillators synth on single IC
  83. WTPA2 (Where is the party at 2) — 8-bit audio sampler kit
  84. Wee Noise Maker — Pocket size sampler/sequencer with DAC, headphone amplifier and audio input
  85. Wirehead Freaq FM — Dual-voice, 2 operator, 8-bit FM synth in Volca form-factor
  86. Wirehead Mutant — 8-bit, 2-oscillator subtractive Arduino synth for generative techno in Volca form-factor
  87. YM2149 Synth — Little chip that was used in various retro arcade machines and consoles now ready to serve
  88. Yocto — Clone of Roland TR-808 drum machine
  89. Yowler — Compact and versatile noise/drone synth
  90. ZeKit — 4 voice paraphonic synth
  91. Zeptocore — Player and synthesizer, featuring stereo playback
  92. Zynthian — Open platform for sound synthesis & processing
  93. x0xb0x — Full reproduction of the original Roland TB-303 synthesizer, with fully functional sequencer

upd: 2026-06-20