Discontinued

SQNCR DRUM POLY MONO FM XOR MOZZI DK MIDI BASTL

Trinity is a universal musical instrument and original sounding modular groovebox. It can function as any type of digital synthesizer, sequencer, controller, arpeggiator or almost anything that can be programmed into a micro-controller.

OPEN-SOURCE, DIY, HANDMADE, HACKABLE, REPAIRABLE

Trinity is designed to be connected and combined with other Trinities of different functions in a chain, so that you can create your own music making environment. It is ready to communicate with the outer world via MIDI and different sync and CV methods using MIDI Bastl. We are musicians passionate about exploring new fields of sonic experience – we already developed 4 different instruments for Trinity which work great together. They are sequencer, drum synthesizer, polyphonic synthesizer and monophonic FM synthesizer.…and there is many more to come!

Features

simple interface which makes it an intuitive musical instrument

available assembled or as a soldering kit

MIDI native (note,CC) , MIDI jack and almost endless sync possibilities using MIDI Bastl

software reprogrammable with Arduino (breakout for standard FTDi USB)

hardware expandable and hackable – including breakouts for sensors or more buttons

chain connectors for sharing power, audio and communication with more Trinity/Bastl instruments

user memmory for storing presets and patterns (exportable, transferable)

stylish lasercut replacable enclosure with instrument labels

adjustable volume

mono, 16385 hz, 14 bit – double PWM sound generation

TRS Jack 3.5mm audio output able to drive headphones

powered from 9V battery or 9V positive polarity power supply (2.1 mm) or from the Trinity chain (use switch to select)

running Mozzi library and Bastl library for Arduino

Chaining

The true power of Trinity reveals when more instruments are connected in chain which shares communication (MIDI), Audio line and power.

COMMUNICATION: SQNCR is able to sequence 3 different Trinity instruments via MIDI protocol, which is ideal for live sequencing. All instruments have MIDI input which reads note and CC values. (We plan to make a CC automation sequencer and sensor boards sending CC.)

AUDIO: The chain connectors also share audio line which simply works as a passive mixer, so all instruments can be mixed directly on Trinities themselves using the volume knobs, and audio can be taken out by the rightmost jack. You can also take the audio from each device separately.

POWER: The chain also shares power, so you need only one power adaptor to power the whole system. The Instruments can be powered from batteries in the chain as well.

Technical details

Trinity is as much a finished musical instrument as an empty canvas. It is open for any sort of hacks both hardware and software. You can hack the existing softwares or write your own synth software from scratch using the Mozzi library for sound output. Because Trinity is based on Arduino, you can use the whole world of it to interface literally anything with it. Hardware hackability means that you can connect sensors or motors to it or sync it to any device. The software and examples are written in structured form so you can read and change them easily.

Beyond Trinity

The field of our sonic fantasies lies beyond the algorithmically synthesized digital stuff. We are working on the development of digitally controlled analog circuitry, on mechanical output through motors and high voltage switchers, but also in implementing different sensoric and weird ways of performing. This all compatible with the Trinity chain.

List of software ideas for Trinity

xor synth 6 voice polyphonic synth playable by MIDI (almost ready)

mystery drone synth

magic table oscillator synth

algorithm+random synth

MIDI arpeggiator

sequencer for single Trinity instrument

automation sequencer / LFO

…and many more…

Hacks

sync sequencer with GameBoy Nanoloop (by led and by MIDI bastl) – done

sync with Korg Volca by MIDI Bastl – done

trigger analog drum sounds from SQNCR or Drum – done

randomizer – done

photo resistor (LDR) controlling parameters of synth – done

exchange sounds between the same instruments – done for POLY

cv and gate to MIDI CC and note by MIDI bastl – planned

very nice assembly video by Daniel Baum + another of his videos with Trinity

Credits

casing and graphic layout was designed by Anymade Studio

PCB designed in Fritzing

using Arduino IDE to develop and upload the software

using Mozzi library for Arduino

using MIDI library for Arduino

PCB and software by Václav Peloušek

developed by Bastl Instruments

Legal statement

software is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License view

hardware licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License view

CE a RoHS compliant

Video