MIDI IN

 Since I was given some Rakit kits one year for my birthday, I've been wanting to join two baby8 s to make a 16-step sequencer. I've returned to this project a number of times but never really got out of the starting gate. (Yes there are one or two published projects but part of the enjoyment of this for me is to work out how to do it myself from scratch.) Initially I attempted to use logic to direct 8 clock signals into one and then 8 into the other. But then hit on the idea of running them in parallel - offsetting them by inverting the original clock signal.  (This has the added advantage that it would be possible to 'swing' the rhythm by adjusting the duty cycle of the original clock signal). This is the furthest I've got with it so far. It makes an eye-catching and ear-splitting demo but there are still too many problems to solve. Some that I had predicted and some that I discovered along the way.  None of the challenges are unsurmountable but it requires more ...

I'd like to announce the new and improved e-ther 2. This information is available in video form here . If you're not familiar with e-ther, then it's a small theremin-like instrument with MIDI and audio out . At first glance the differences aren't obvious and indeed the big changes to the hardware are internal.  However, I hope you'll find the list of new features as exciting as I do.  Hardware-wise, I've put the microcontroller and DAC onto the main board.  Although this increases costs (for me, not for you), there are some big advantages. Besides looking more professional, the audio module is no longer a 'buy separately' optional extra. It's incorporated and the audio jack is just there if you want it.  The audio module used to fit below the board but with the audio capability now built-in, the profile is more compact. Most of the new features are down to firmware which means that a large proportion of what I'm calling 'e-ther 2' will be...