Open source and DIY the Beatmaker’s Sketchbook is a portable music-making device with sampling and sequencing coming in October. ADVERTISEMENT Sucofunk Marc from Sucofunk is taking guerilla marketing tactics to Superbooth this year to hand out cards and stickers to raise awareness of the Beatmaker’s Sketchbook project. The name doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue and it seems to be called different things in different places but the project looks fun and could be a good and affordable way into sample-based beat making. Beatmaker’s Sketchbook Also known (I think) as “SucofunKey” but regardless it’s built around the Teensy 4.1 microcontroller. The firmware is good to go out of the box but it’s also open-source and available for being recoded. Currently, the firmware features a sampler and a sequencer but there are plans for a software synthesizer. The hardware has a microphone built-in for instant sampling or a line-level input for connecting other things. It has a pair of speakers and a headphone socket so you can jam around the machine loudly or quietly and take it to the park powered by the USB rechargeable battery. There are 4 encoders, 12 buttons, a nice big crossfader, a display and 24 keys for 2-octaves of musical interaction with MIDI In and Out. The soldering is designed to be simple and achievable with just a cheap soldering iron and little experience. Any SMT components apparently just plug right in. Sucofunk DIY kit The emphasis is definitely on building your own machine so I’m not sure if the 3D printed case will be included but the one they’ve got going on looks pretty funky. |
