Batwing Synth I Noise / Glitch Synthesizer Full DIY Kit - Standalone
The Batwing Synth is a hacky noise box in the most traditional sense, using only common off-the-shelf components to generate the strangest and wildest sounds possible. While it can be a little overwhelming when first powered on after the build, there is a method to the madness. Understanding the functions of your Batwing Synth is a great first step to getting the coolest sounds out of it, though of course just messing around can be fun too.
The Batwing Synth’s functionality relies on a part called a Multiplexer to produce weird, glitchy waveforms of a crudely digital nature. A Multiplexer is essentially a switch with 8 inputs and one output, where the Multiplexer’s output can only be connected to one of the inputs at a time while the other 7 are ignored. Different inputs are selected based on a combination of three binary logic Control inputs on the Multiplexer, where a combination of 0, 0, and 0 (for example) will select the first input, a combination of 0, 0, and 1 will select the second, and so forth.
What makes the Batwing’s functionality unique is how the Multiplexer is set up. The higher Audio-rate oscillators are the ones telling the Multiplexer which input to connect to the output, while the LFO’s and Mode Select switch provide the 1’s and 0’s that ultimately yield our audio output. This is “backwards” from how a Multiplexer is typically set up to scan through signals, which is what makes this an interesting circuit which already sounded cool before we added a user interface intended to maximize its glitching and expression possibilities.
The Batwing Synth I is available only as a DIY project, designed to be suitable even for complete beginners looking for a first soldering project, but also a fun and quick build for more experienced heads.
You will need your own solder and soldering iron to build the kit. For beginners, we recommend the Weller WLC100 low-cost soldering iron and lead free, no clean SAC305 type solder.
Batwing Kit I Features:
- 9V battery powered (not included with kit)
- All surface mount components pre-assembled
- Includes 3D printed bottom shell case
- 6 knob controls (3x LFO frequency, 3x audio osc frequency)
- Gate inputs for LFO interrupt
- Touchpads for audio oscillator control
- AC coupled output; safe to use with modular synths and mixers
Resources:
Build Guide / User Manual
Electro-Music Lunettas forum
The Batwing Synth is a hacky noise box in the most traditional sense, using only common off-the-shelf components to generate the strangest and wildest sounds possible. While it can be a little overwhelming when first powered on after the build, there is a method to the madness. Understanding the functions of your Batwing Synth is a great first step to getting the coolest sounds out of it, though of course just messing around can be fun too.
The Batwing Synth’s functionality relies on a part called a Multiplexer to produce weird, glitchy waveforms of a crudely digital nature. A Multiplexer is essentially a switch with 8 inputs and one output, where the Multiplexer’s output can only be connected to one of the inputs at a time while the other 7 are ignored. Different inputs are selected based on a combination of three binary logic Control inputs on the Multiplexer, where a combination of 0, 0, and 0 (for example) will select the first input, a combination of 0, 0, and 1 will select the second, and so forth.
What makes the Batwing’s functionality unique is how the Multiplexer is set up. The higher Audio-rate oscillators are the ones telling the Multiplexer which input to connect to the output, while the LFO’s and Mode Select switch provide the 1’s and 0’s that ultimately yield our audio output. This is “backwards” from how a Multiplexer is typically set up to scan through signals, which is what makes this an interesting circuit which already sounded cool before we added a user interface intended to maximize its glitching and expression possibilities.
The Batwing Synth I is available only as a DIY project, designed to be suitable even for complete beginners looking for a first soldering project, but also a fun and quick build for more experienced heads.
You will need your own solder and soldering iron to build the kit. For beginners, we recommend the Weller WLC100 low-cost soldering iron and lead free, no clean SAC305 type solder.
Batwing Kit I Features:
- 9V battery powered (not included with kit)
- All surface mount components pre-assembled
- Includes 3D printed bottom shell case
- 6 knob controls (3x LFO frequency, 3x audio osc frequency)
- Gate inputs for LFO interrupt
- Touchpads for audio oscillator control
- AC coupled output; safe to use with modular synths and mixers
Resources:
Build Guide / User Manual
Electro-Music Lunettas forum
The Batwing Synth is a hacky noise box in the most traditional sense, using only common off-the-shelf components to generate the strangest and wildest sounds possible. While it can be a little overwhelming when first powered on after the build, there is a method to the madness. Understanding the functions of your Batwing Synth is a great first step to getting the coolest sounds out of it, though of course just messing around can be fun too.
The Batwing Synth’s functionality relies on a part called a Multiplexer to produce weird, glitchy waveforms of a crudely digital nature. A Multiplexer is essentially a switch with 8 inputs and one output, where the Multiplexer’s output can only be connected to one of the inputs at a time while the other 7 are ignored. Different inputs are selected based on a combination of three binary logic Control inputs on the Multiplexer, where a combination of 0, 0, and 0 (for example) will select the first input, a combination of 0, 0, and 1 will select the second, and so forth.
What makes the Batwing’s functionality unique is how the Multiplexer is set up. The higher Audio-rate oscillators are the ones telling the Multiplexer which input to connect to the output, while the LFO’s and Mode Select switch provide the 1’s and 0’s that ultimately yield our audio output. This is “backwards” from how a Multiplexer is typically set up to scan through signals, which is what makes this an interesting circuit which already sounded cool before we added a user interface intended to maximize its glitching and expression possibilities.
The Batwing Synth I is available only as a DIY project, designed to be suitable even for complete beginners looking for a first soldering project, but also a fun and quick build for more experienced heads.
You will need your own solder and soldering iron to build the kit. For beginners, we recommend the Weller WLC100 low-cost soldering iron and lead free, no clean SAC305 type solder.
Batwing Kit I Features:
- 9V battery powered (not included with kit)
- All surface mount components pre-assembled
- Includes 3D printed bottom shell case
- 6 knob controls (3x LFO frequency, 3x audio osc frequency)
- Gate inputs for LFO interrupt
- Touchpads for audio oscillator control
- AC coupled output; safe to use with modular synths and mixers
Resources:
Build Guide / User Manual
Electro-Music Lunettas forum