I’ve been designing and publishing open source hardware since 2012, mostly synthesiser modules under the brand Music Thing Modular. (Here’s the latest catalogue.)

Everything you need to build a Music Thing module is open — the circuit, the panel, the PCB design.

If you want to buy one, you can get a kit from Thonk, a ‘hardware record label’ in Brighton. They pay me royalties, do great documentation and provide fantastic customer service.

Or you can put together the parts yourself, using companies like OSHPark (for the PCBs) and Bitsbox (for the electronic components).

Or you can pay someone to build you one if you can’t solder yourself.

The project has been — to my mind — a big success, for two reasons.

Firstly, many people build, use and enjoy my designs, which is amazing and gratifying.

Secondly, a lot of people have gone one step further, and are actively contributing to the project.

That’s what this post is about; the people who have used the Open Source license to do amazing things.

The panel designers

Endless Play is an art project in Cologne, involving endlessly playing modular synth patch as a soundtrack for a radio play based on David Foster Wallace’ “Infinite Jest”.

The modular in question has gold-plated panels, including an expanded Turing Machine and several Radio Music modules.

The first alternative Turing Machine panel appeared five days after the project was launched in June 2012. It was designed by Shiro Fujioka from LA. There have been many since. Wes from Grayscale has had huge success selling standardised plain panels for a wide range of modules.

Magpie Modular is Kris Northern, who makes intricate silkscreened and sand-blasted panels. Experimenting with different finishes and formats, he’s added a fresh, hand-crafted look to Music Thing and Mutable Instruments modules.

“Since beginning I’ve learned how to through-hole solder, SMT solder, trouble shoot circuits, polish aluminum, create panels, powder coat, screen print, flash ARM microprocessors, print circuit boards and on and on,” writes Kris in a post about open source. “This would not have happened if the work was closed source and sold strictly as a retail product.”

He’s gradually sharing panel layouts — sharing layouts and sandblast resist patterns for his steel Radio Music panel here — so his work makes it easier for anyone with silkscreen gear and skills to get started making custom panels, because the steel templates are available.