I've always been interested in electronics and music.  I played in a band in the '60's using a Farfisa organ and a Vox Essex Bass amp  (each is in one of the last two photos below).  My introduction to electronic synthesizers was first on an ARP 2600 at college and later on an ARP Odyssey that belonged to a friend.  My first synthesizer was an Ensoniq EPS-16+ but I still longed for analog.  I starting with a PAiA Fatman and then progressed to a Matrix-1000, Sequential Circuits Six-Trak, Arp Odyssey, and finally to building a modular.  I've documented my modular and many of my projects with information and photos.

My designs are indicated with a superscript¹
Designs with substantial modifications are indicated with a superscript²

Modular Synthesizer

I have been building my modular synthesizer since 2001.  It now consists of 77 modules including 21 custom designs.

Modular CV Keyboard

I rebuilt an ARP-3604 keyboard with a wood cabinet and updated electronics.

Modular Cabinets and Power Supplies

I built a 19" rack cabinet (20 modules and 2U standard rack) and a three section wood cabinet (72 modules).

MIDI Bass Pedals

I built a set of MIDI bass pedals using Hammond organ pedals and an AtomPro24 controller.  Features include:
       Normal, Mono, and 'Sticky" modes (sticky=note held until next note played)
       Normal, One-Shot, and 'Sticky" arpeggiator modes
       5 built-in arpeggiator sequences and a user-recordable 100 note sequence
       Normal, +1 and +2 octave select
       MIDI in merge
       Internal or MIDI clock
       External LCD note display

88 Key MIDI Keyboard

I built an 88 key MIDI keyboard from a salvaged Kurzweil Ensemble Grand Mark III digital piano.  I used the original keyboard controller and built a new wood cabinet.

ComputerVoltageSource Module

I designed a ComputerVoltageSource module using an AtomPro28.  Features include:
     8 analog inputs (0 to 10 volt with 0 to -5 volt offset at 10 bit resolution)
     8 analog outputs (o to 10 volt at 12 bit resolution)
     3 digital inputs
     MIDI in / out
     I2C expansion (for additional inputs and outputs)
     2x16 LCD display.

Display Module

I built an external display using a 2x20 LCD module with MIDI or serial input and three display modes (scrolling, overwrite,  and hex).

I built two dedicated displays for my programmable PSIM (2x8 LCD) and ComputerVoltageSource (2x16 LCD) modules.

I built a scrolling dashboard display (2x16 VFD) for my car.

MIDI Processor

I built a MIDI processor which is self-powered and provides multiple transformations.  Features include:
     Key transpose
     Channel transpose
     Keyboard split
     Keyboard reverse
     Specific continuous controller transforms

A440 Reference Oscillator

I designed a 440 Hz sine wave reference oscillator using only two 8 pin DIP components.

Ribbon Controller

I built a ribbon controller for a Kurzweil PC2 using the ComputerVoltageSource PCB. It provides control voltage, trigger, and gate outputs and can be easily modified for other functions.

I2C to Serial Data Bridge

I designed an I2C to serial data bridge to interface my AtomPro24 to a TTS256 and SpeakJet.  The I2C protocol simplified communication when using other interrupts.

Hammond Vibrato Scanner

I built an external electro-mechanical vibrato and chorus using a Hammond Organ scanner and delay line.  A small DC motor and speed controller varies the vibrato frequency.

AVR Synth

I built the AVR Synth PCB to have a small format synthesizer but my interests have since waned.  This is available so contact me if interested.

Laser Light Control

I modified my Ramsey Electronics laser light (LLS1) for external control of the motors.  I built an AVR plug-in that replaces the 555 timers to interface to synthesizer control voltages.

PAiA Fatman

My son now has my PAiA Fatman and we enhance it's capabilities with a number of modifications.  I designed some of the modifications and others were found on the internet.  I included all the modifications into a single document.

Vintage Electronics

This is an electronics related non-synthesizer page.   I restored a vintage Dynaco stereo and wanted to document some of the information.

Hammond Organs

I always wanted a Hammond organ and started with a free E-312 that needed repairs.  I later found a great B-3, an M-2, and three Leslie speakers.  My son also bought a M-100 so I am now familiar and experienced with repair of these vintage organs.

Here is some of my other music equipment.  This stack consists of a Sequential Circuits Six-Trak, Ensoniq EPS-16+ with CD and hard drive, Peavey DPM-C8 88 key controller, Furman PL-Plus power conditioner, Kawai MX-8SR mixer, Alesis Quadraverb, Peavey DPM Spectrum Bass, Oberheim Matrix-1000, Carver PM-600 power amplifier, and a pair of JBL L100S speakers.

This stack consists of a Roland Juno-106, Ensoniq EPS-16+ with CD drive, 88 note MIDI keyboard¹, and MIDI bass pedals¹.

This rack consists of an ARP 2800 Odyssey, Ensoniq Sampled Piano, and an Oberheim Matrix-6R.

Rounding out the studio is a Fender Rhodes 73 Suitcase, Ensoniq Mirage, Teac A-3340S, Arp Avatar and Sequencer, and a Crumar OMB2.  The OMB2 is a One Man Band pedal system that generates drums, chords, and bass tracks for eight preset rhythms built out of 4000 series CMOS!)

This closet consists of a my Fender amps - Dual Showman w/ JBL D130s, Twin Reverb w/ JBL D120s (covered), Bandmaster, Bassman, Champ, and a BXR 100.  The rest of the gear consists of a Shure Vocalmaster with a pair of the tall speaker columns, Klemt Echolette S-100 (German) with a blond Bandmaster cabinet, Vox Essex Bass, Magnatone MP3 (behind the two Jordon Boss Amp posters), several Bogen PAs and speakers, bass guitars, and a Strat wired for my ARP Avatar.

My studio has spilled over to the adjoining room for my vintage organs consisting of a 1959 Hammond B-3 with a Leslie 142 and PR-20 Tone Cabinet, 1953 Hammond M-2 with a Leslie 45, and a 1966 Farfisa Combo Compact with a 76 key Yamaha PSR-GX76.  To the left of my Farfisa is my vintage stereo.