P J Skyman's 555 synthesizer

JemRaid · Joined: Dec 12, 2015 Posts: 13 Location: UK

I've made a WSG and a Benjolin, I use them to make audio tracks for my videos.

And then as you do I came across this from P J Skyman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLewGdYa1ts it's a 3 Oscillator with PWM 555 Synth, there is also a 6 oscillator version. There's a link here to the schematics http://www.pjskyman.com/ne555.zip I've searched this forum and can't find a mention of it.

I'm going to make the 6 oscillator version of it with a simple VCF: http://electro-music.com/forum/topic-45231.html and an Echo Base Delay: http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/forums.html?topic=60662.0 I've bought a PCB for this from http://www.musicpcb.com/pcbs/echo-base-delay for $15.00

I wondered if anyone else had made PJ's 555?

Cheers - Jem

L´Andratté · Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:50 pm Post subject:

Hi, JemRaid, thanks for posting, I think the demos sound really good for such a simple drone synth. I will probably build one, if you do please report (and so will I do)! Wink

JemRaid · Joined: Dec 12, 2015 Posts: 13 Location: UK

Hello L´Andratté,

Thanks for the message and for the suggestion I will post my updates. I'm making a box for it at the moment, I got one oscillator working on a breadboard just using 2 caps and last night got it working with the bits soldered onto some Veroboard.

I'll take some pics and post those.

Cheers - Jem

JemRaid · Joined: Dec 12, 2015 Posts: 13 Location: UK

Hello L´Andratté and Hello all,

This is as far as I've got with the electronicals:

Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.

Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.

I used a 9V 1A SMPS supply and just two caps on a switch 1.0 uf and 100n. As you can see I'm not very good at stripboard design but I do my best.

Cheers - Jem

L´Andratté · Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2016 11:08 pm Post subject:

Hi JemRaid, just found some 555s in my parts stock, will build this thing soon --- I´m a bit of a working drone atm, so that means next weeks Sad

---.
Coming from 4093 NAND school, I´m somewhat ignorant of the 555, what do the pots R1/R2 do??? One for Freq, but the other? Fine tune?

I´m mostly interested in this because of the almost chordal sounding harmonics interlocking, do you also get it with your build?

Have fun! Very Happy

JemRaid · Joined: Dec 12, 2015 Posts: 13 Location: UK

Hello L´Andratté,

I'd got some 9" x 3" alluminium panels and am using those to make it. I've got two oscillators working now and numbers 3 and 4 ready to wire up.

Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.

I'm making it for the same reason you are those chordal sounding harmonics I thought the 3 oscillator one sounded good in the YT video and hopefully the 6 oscillator one will sound even better. I have noticed that the PWM control alters the sound quite a lot almost like a filter.

Cheers - Jem