MeeBlip - these look like fun

Ciderfeks · November 29, 2010, 11:57:27 PM

These things look like they could be good fun; with the Korg Monotron we wondered if they had been designed with the hardware hacker in mind, but these guys are making no secret of their intentions for the end user modding both the hardware and software. And they sound nice.

untune · November 30, 2010, 03:20:03 PM

This does look interesting. Would be cool if it was analogue, but the MIDI is certainly a good addition. I suppose there are plenty of schematics out there for filters and stuff that you could add to the chain. Just a shame that the 'prebuilt' kit is a bit costly, if you compare it to a monotron or the like. I'd like to see a preassembled board that doesn't come with the enclosure etc - that way people could have fun putting it into allsorts a la the WSG.

In fact I've already got ideas about where it could go.... hmmmm.... Hehe

Circuitbenders · November 30, 2010, 05:04:52 PM

seems to be mostly hackable in the programming/firmware sense though unfortunately

For anyone thats interested you can find it here http://meeblip.noisepages.com/what-is-meeblip/maker-and-history/

To be honest, of the demos i've heard they all sound horribly digital, and not in a good way. Everything seems to have an odd digital rustling going on in the top end.

Does anyone have any links to this thing actually sounding good?

Gordonjcp · November 30, 2010, 05:14:14 PM

The oscillators must alias like crazy! There's absolutely nothing done to bandlimit them, so I'd expect it to sound okay in the lower registers but start to sound really really harsh once you get to about an octave above middle C.

I'm porting some code that uses a Tomisawa sine-feedback oscillator to AVR so maybe it will be usable in a later version of the Meeblip firmware - it involves quite a few multiplications and an 8-bit sine lookup table, so it might not be very fast.

Adding an analogue filter would be easy-ish if there's a PWM output you can use - feed the PWM with the VCF envelope value and use that to control a "real" VCF cutoff (like the Steiner filter, or the SX-150 filter).

Gordonjcp · December 01, 2010, 10:39:18 PM

A comparison of bandlimited and non-bandlimited waveforms:
http://www.gjcp.net/~gordonjcp/square.jpg

and the spectra they produce:
http://www.gjcp.net/~gordonjcp/sqrspect1.jpg

You'll notice that the odd harmonics are the only ones present (although the non-bandlimited spectrum seems to have some even-harmonic noise, no idea why). In the bandlimited version, the upper partials decay to zero while there are still significant partials in the non-bandlimited version:
http://www.gjcp.net/~gordonjcp/sqrspect2.jpg

Where you can see the even-harmonic noise and the dip at 500 (the middle of the spectrum, that's zoomed in). That bandlimited squarewave would still alias a bit, but nowhere near as noticeably as the "true" squarewave.

It also looks rather like the "unfiltered" squarewave from a Juno, with the high-pass filter set to 0 - which really gives a bit of bass boost ;-)

Ciderfeks · December 02, 2010, 02:14:37 AM

Hey guys, sorry I forgot to add a link to my original post

thanks for providing that Paul!

@ Untune - they do sell several variations of the kit including options for people who want to house their own. Here's a link: http://meeblip.noisepages.com/get-one/

Paul they are making quite a thing about the open source hardware side too, on their site they write "Open source hardware is hardware whose design is made publicly available so that anyone can study, modify, distribute, make and sell the design or hardware based on that design. Modify anything, buy some kits and sell your own builds, or make new projects. We want to see what you create, and share progress" which is a refreshing approach.

I like the sound of it, but I guess thats a taste thing. There's some random noodlings on their Soundcloud page here which are all raw sounds: http://soundcloud.com/cdm/rezfilter

untune · December 02, 2010, 10:17:19 AM

Cheers Gordon, yeah I saw that page, but it works out at about 50 quid (+ shipping?) for the unsoldered kit version when the Monotron is about that, assembled, and the SX-150 even less. Depends what you want I guess!

Gordonjcp · December 02, 2010, 10:38:23 AM

It's vastly more powerful than the monotron or SX150, and you can mess about with the software.

untune · December 02, 2010, 04:38:08 PM

Yeah there is that

I'd like to see an assembled standalone board, minus the enclosure. I'm pondering whether or not to get one of these. I've been playing with the idea of using my empty memoplay case as an enclosure for this. If my tape-o-tron idea doesn't come off

But if I could somehow get a basic 25 key midi controller with the same size keys to fit in the case, have that wired up to this inside, then knock up a few analogue filter circuits and whatnot. I'd have a pretty cool, retro looking and moddable synth

01012k7 · May 04, 2012, 11:35:12 PM

i got mine yesterday was built in about 90 mins but took my time i got a meeBlip Micro which is just a small board was 30 pounds including shipping which was cool but it don't come with any switches or potentiometer but it can be controlled by the music software you use i am adding switches or potentiometer to a custom case when it done i upload some pictures ..

01012k7 · July 31, 2012, 05:56:53 AM

Quote from: Circuitbenders on November 30, 2010, 05:04:52 PM
seems to be mostly hackable in the programming/firmware sense though unfortunately

For anyone thats interested you can find it here http://meeblip.noisepages.com/what-is-meeblip/maker-and-history/

To be honest, of the demos i've heard they all sound horribly digital, and not in a good way. Everything seems to have an odd digital rustling going on in the top end.

Does anyone have any links to this thing actually sounding good?

MEEBLIP DIY SYNTH - control voltage input modifications and explinations/demo

01012k7 · August 05, 2012, 01:00:35 PM

here some pictures of the one i am building its a duel board

still need to do some wires and leds but i am waiting on some parts ..form rapid ..

01012k7 · August 06, 2012, 06:58:01 AM

Just a update the site forum for MeeBlip is http://createdigitalnoise.com/categories/meeblip

ScissorFeind · November 05, 2013, 09:50:16 PM

My Build:

ScissorFeind · November 05, 2013, 10:09:47 PM

Quote from: Gordonjcp on November 30, 2010, 05:14:14 PM
The oscillators must alias like crazy! There's absolutely nothing done to bandlimit them, so I'd expect it to sound okay in the lower registers but start to sound really really harsh once you get to about an octave above middle C.

I'm porting some code that uses a Tomisawa sine-feedback oscillator to AVR so maybe it will be usable in a later version of the Meeblip firmware - it involves quite a few multiplications and an 8-bit sine lookup table, so it might not be very fast.

Adding an analogue filter would be easy-ish if there's a PWM output you can use - feed the PWM with the VCF envelope value and use that to control a "real" VCF cutoff (like the Steiner filter, or the SX-150 filter).

This does sound super bassy, with lots of digital grit. Its like the perfect thing for Electro style basses. There is an anti-alias control on my version but, I dont really hear any difference with it activated. If anyone wants more info or a guinea pig, let me know.

Also I am selling it for $200 but I would give it away to someone in this forum for only $150.

Check the vid, note its done on a cellphone so dont expect studio quality sound:
Millenium Falcon Synth Demo