A custom-built Raspberry Pi-based live performance instrument combining a looper, synthesizer, and drum machine with physical controls.
Raspberry-Pi-Looper-synth-drum-thing is a DIY hardware music instrument that runs a custom Pure Data audio patch on a Raspberry Pi. It combines a looper, synthesizer, and drum machine into a single portable unit, enabling musicians to create and manipulate layered sounds in real time during live performances. The project integrates physical controls like buttons, pots, sliders, and a drumpad for hands-on interaction.
Musicians, electronic music producers, and DIY enthusiasts interested in building custom hardware instruments for live performance or studio use. It's particularly suited for those comfortable with basic electronics, Raspberry Pi, and audio programming.
It offers a fully integrated, performance-tested hardware solution for live looping and synthesis that is customizable and open-source, unlike commercial all-in-one grooveboxes. The use of Pure Data allows for deep sound design flexibility, while the physical build provides immediate tactile control.
My first venture into raspberry pi stuff. Running a custom pure data patch I've been working on for a couple years on a Raspberry Pi 3. This project took a couple months and I'm still tweaking stuff here and there but it's pretty much complete, it even survived it's first live show!
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Features 8 loop buttons, a drumpad matrix, and multiple pots/sliders for effects like delay and reverb, providing hands-on manipulation for live performance, as detailed in the hardware list.
Successfully survived its first live show, demonstrating robustness and reliability in real-world use, as mentioned in the README.
Based on a multi-year developed Pure Data patch, allowing deep customization of looping, synthesis, and drum sampling, with support for user-provided .wav files.
Includes detailed pinouts for Teensy and mux, and a 3D-printed enclosure model on Thingiverse, facilitating replication and modification.
Omits drum samples and has hardcoded directory paths, forcing users to source samples and manually adjust the Pure Data patch, as noted in the README.
Relies on retired components like the Nintendo DS screen, making it challenging to replicate without finding substitutes or adapting the design.
Requires installing comport and shell externals in Pure Data, assembling precise hardware wiring per the pinout table, and tweaking file paths, adding to the learning curve.