Did you design this dev board?

[jtragtenberg]

Dear Dean,

Are you developing this DSP board to be part of the Feather family? Is it already available somewhere? I am researching for the best device for developing synthesizers as part of a project from a innovation institute from the brazillian industry confederation. How can I get one of these to test it out?

Thank you

[deanm1278]

Hey thanks for the interest! I did design this dev board to be compatible with the feather family, but currently there are no plans for production. It is a personal project.

[jtragtenberg]

Is it an open project?
I would love to contribute with it.

[jtragtenberg]

I am looking for a Blackfin dev board for designing synthesizers but have no experience with embedded DSP board development. Would you recomend me to buy Analog Devices Blackfin 706 Evaluation Board (http://www.analog.com/en/design-center/evaluation-hardware-and-software/evaluation-boards-kits/eval-bf706-mini.html#eb-overview) ? Do I need their expensive software to easily get started making synths?
I really look forward to this arduino core you are developing, I am really interested in activating a comunity of synth makers to make cool libraries for making robust synth development easier...
Can you reply me to my e-mail? [email protected]

[deanm1278]

Hey so this project is definitely open to contributions but it's still in it's early stages. It does work with that eval board you linked. I'm also going to make up an Arduino UNO-sized board that will be better and could probably send you one to test out.
What types of synths are you interested in making? So far I've mostly used this core for FM synthesis (https://github.com/deanm1278/bfin-fm) and audio effects
If you really want to use blackfin chips, then yes the alternative to this core is their expensive software but it also doesn't have synthesis libraries and is not beginner-friendly.

Still though, if you don't want the hassle of dealing with software that is still in the early development stages I would recommend the teensy audio library (https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/td_libs_Audio.html) and a teensy 3.6 dev board.

[jtragtenberg]

That's lovely to hear, Dean.
I am really interested in using the Blackfin chip because of its potential to make professional musical instruments' synthesizers. It seems to me that solutions like the Teensy audio library has an impressive low floor for beginners and is definitely the best low cost solution for diy'ers. I have one of their boards and have done some things with it I, but had an impression, though, that it has a low ceiling for more robust synthesis algorithms.
I am still starting my studies in audio development, and my interests lie around sample based synthesis, additive synthesis (like Haken Continuum Algorithm) and also in audio processing effects.
I am using at the moment the Bela cape for Beagle Bone, that is quite robust and easy to start, but I already hit its processing ceiling with 80 sinewaves, or with a delay effect with 100% feedback and varying delay time.
Do you think that I can go further with Blackfin (even though it may take longer to start)? I am willing to try this out, so as soon as I can I will buy this dev board and it would be amazing to test one of your Arduino compatible boards. I noticed the cool tiny jumpers in the project picture, impressive craftsmanship XD.
I believe Blackfin is a way because I saw OP-1 from teenage engineering uses it and its synthesis capabilities seems endless...

Really cool your fm synth and the fx processor, I'd love to test them some day too.
Thank you for your impressive work!

Can we continue our chat through email? reply me on [email protected].

[jtragtenberg]

The project I am most eager to develop is a sample based synthesizer with some effects and intelligent multi-sample triggers for a smart interface. Do you think the Blackfin is the way to go? What other chips would I need for that? Would it work in this dev board you are developping?
I would also love to try out the possibilities of your FM synthesizer and FX processor you developped.

Thanks!