GorF
So, GorF what is it?
Well, I got fed up with not being able to test my projects quickly and easily and having to setup keyboards midi leads, etc. So I thought I could build a very simple sequencer for testing.
It’s not as clever as the Sequentix P3 nor as expensive to make as many others. It uses a hand full of parts (Atmel AVR micro doing most of the work) and should cost almost next to nothing. Indeed for me it cost me nothing as I had all the parts in my box of bits.
I’ve speant about 20 hours coding it, and there’s still a bug or two (like the little ‘hiccup’ every so often), but I’ll fix that soon enough (I already have a good idea what it is, I just haven’t had the time to sit down and work on it for a few days).
Anyway, here’s a video I popped onto YouTube, I forgot to show the step on/off functionality in the video, but it does work. Once I’ve fixed the bug and added a couple of other ideas I have I’ll do another video.
Will it make it as a commercial product? I doubt it, though I may consider making a PCB and selling kits/pcbs. Let me know what you think.
December 2nd, 2008 at 4:39 am
Hi Paul, if you make it vertical instead of horizontal it would probably go nicely in the Dotcom / MOTM / Oakley format, like the old Roland 100M sequencer.
December 2nd, 2008 at 7:14 am
Graham,
Good idea, I’ll bare in mind the vertical thing when I do a PCB design. Certainly dotcom ad MOTM format will be possible, not sure about Doepfer. It ought to be possible to allow for both horizontal and vertical mounting options.
Thanks for the input.
Paul
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:31 am
I like the stuff you’re building and appreciate naming everything after early 80’s videogames. But, in my opinion, Gorf was a lousy game and silly name (frog backwards). I think Galaxian, Zaxxon, or Berzerk would better choices for names for your sequencer.
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:51 pm
looks good, a pcb+kit would be gr8.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Mike,
Ahh yes, I agree, but they have more than four letters and I only have a four digit display
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Eric,
Thanks for the input, I’ll hopefully get the final features in this wekend and then work on a PCB design over xmas.
Paul
December 4th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Oh, just 4 characters. In that case, I would suggest:
QIX - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qix
or
TARG - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Targ_(video_game)
December 4th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
email me when the kit is ready
December 4th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
i’d go for a kit. fo sho
December 4th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Mike,
ahhh, you’ve not seen my QiX project yet then?
http://www.QiX.synth.net
I’ve never heard of Targ, perhaps for the next one
Paul
December 5th, 2008 at 4:41 am
Beatutiful and sweet little simple accessory for any setup!
I would like a kit and I will build this in a eurorack format.
Regards,
/M.Q.
December 5th, 2008 at 7:23 am
MQ, thanks for the comments, I shall keep in mind what you say about eurorack formats and see can be done when designing the PCB.
December 5th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Paul,
I didn’t know about your Qix project. Great minds think alike!
Targ is pretty obscure. I just fired it up in MAME. It doesn’t hold up that well. On second thought, it may not be worthy of a synth homage.
Do you know about MAME? http://mamedev.org/
Mike
December 5th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Mike,
yes, I tinkered with mame a few years back, but now I’d rather be building synths than playing games.
Paul
January 22nd, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Hi there, this thing is great, I’d love to get a PCB or complete kit.
I’d also love to know where you get those LED buttons, they’d be perfect for my midibox.
January 22nd, 2009 at 8:59 pm
They’re available from most most places.
Look for the MEC range of switches, they are the 3FTL6, which come with a variety of coloured LEDs and switch caps.