Punk, inexpensive analog, anyone? The KORG monotron is an easy choice for modding for your synthesis needs – and now this video makes the process easier.
There’s still nothing quite as cheap in analog synthesis than the instrument that (arguably) started the trend – the KORG
But while the monotrons are fun to play with, they’re a bit limited as far as integration with other gear. You get an aux input, a headphone jack output, and – nothing else. And those tiny controls and ribbon will challenge your dexterity.
A mod, then, is the perfect answer, because then you can jack in some analog control from other gear. That now not only includes Eurorack modular, but gear from Moog, Behringer, Arturia, semi-modulars, sequencers, you name it. CV is starting to be as ubiquitous as MIDI, and allows for direct, simple control with voltage.
People have been modding this for a while, but Extralife is here with a video that makes it much simpler.
He writes:
I’ve just finished up a video on modding the Korg Monotron for analog CV input. I have found some other descriptions of similar mods online, but so far as I know I’m the first to document the build on video or provide PCB layouts, so while
monotron hacks may be old hat, I think this brings something new to the table.
Also visible in the video is the latest prototype of my ongoing
Eurorack sequencer project, the Super Sixteen! It is in the final
phases of development (it is open-hardware, open-source) — and I will
be sure to contact you again soon when it nears a major release.
Oh, please do, sir! That looks seriously cool.
Grab all the specs and so on for this project on his GitHub:
https://github.com/matthewcieplak/monotron-cv-adapter
And here’s the original project that inspired the idea, from the heady, innocent days of 2010:
http://www.dinsync.info/2010/06/how-to-modify-korg-monotron.html
Let us know how this works out for you, and what you do with it – or if y’all have other interesting hacks and projects you’re working on.