Aleph, from monome: Programmable Sound Computer

[Cupe]

monome, the iconic grid controller that launched them all, has always been a device tethered to a computer. Without a USB connection to your machine, it is an attractive but functionless box.

The latest monome project, the result of a collaboration between Brian Crabtree and musician Ezra Buchla (yes, there’s a relation) is different.

It is a computer, with all the functions that entails, but in a box designed for sound.

It has:

A brain: Two of them, in fact – a DSP chip (BF533 blackfin, 533 mHz with 64 MB SDRAM) and an AVR32 for control.

Audio connections: 4 in, 4 out balanced 192k/24-bit. The first two inputs can be switched to instrument gain.

A grayscale display: OLED, “beautifully low-res” (and thus sidestepping the problems that can come from supporting GUIs on Linux).

Analog control voltage: 4 in, 4 out CV on 3.55mm 0-10V connections, compatible with eurorack.

USB, expansion: Connect to a computer via USB, or host other USB devices – like the monome, natch, or any other class-compliant device (for HID or MIDI). There’s also an SD memory card slot and 1/4″ foot jacks. Curiously, there isn’t MIDI DIN, which seems unfortunate, though you can host one via the USB port. There’s also custom support planned for the Madrona Labs soundplane.

Controls: “Very high resolution” optical encoders.

And with this, you can do whatever you like. You can assign the encoders. You can assign and program the CV controls. You can run software to turn the box into a synth, or a sequencer, or an effects box, or a generative sound machine.

Source: createdigitalmusic.com