Customizable Hardware-based Open-source Real-time Digital Synthesizer (C.H.O.R.D.S.)

Students: Madison McIntyre, Bjorn Lavik, Julius Faller

Faculty Mentor: Farid Farahmand

Engineering

College of Science, Technology, and Business

The Cost-effective Hardware Oriented Real-time Digital Synthesizer (CHORDS) project aims to address the lack of affordable modular synthesizers with true polyphonic capabilities. Traditional modular synthesizers are constrained to monophonic or paraphonic sound production, often requiring costly and complex workarounds to simulate polyphony. This project introduces an innovative system based on microcontrollers to deliver real-time, 8-channel polyphony using a newly developed Digital Modular Synth Protocol (DMSP). With a focus on cost-effectiveness, portability, and modularity, the synthesizer integrates MIDI input and features like oscillators, filters, and envelopes. Each module is powered by a dedicated microcontroller and synchronized through a global clock, ensuring low-latency performance. This design offers musicians enhanced creative freedom while maintaining the tactile experience of hardware synthesizers, bridging the gap between high-cost analog solutions and purely virtual instruments.