design, build, test learn. rinse & repeat

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Designing a complete stand-alone synthesizer is no joke. It can take years to research, experiment, design and build your grand vision. But can you start smaller? Build just the oscillator, or the filter, test them out with musicians and performers, and slowly acquire all the knowledge and experience you need to realize your master plan [insert Pinky and the Brain gif animation here].

Emmanuel Galvan from Bocuma Synths came to the synth industry from a sound engineering background. He quickly started building open-source instruments as a way to learn and fund his research into electronics and interaction. His goal is to create his own semi-modular synth, and he realizes it incrementally. Instead of investing years in research and building, not knowing if the instrument is of any interest, he releases sections of his grand vision as modules and small synths.

Bocuma Synths are played by his friends in test parties where he can learn from musicians and producers what works, and what doesn't, so he could improve his work.

Below are snapshots from his notebook and instruments.