Eminent / ARP Solina String Ensemble

Overview

The Solina String Ensemble version of organDonor offers the following features:

  • Fully polyphonic midi input for all 49 Notes
  • Optional independent control of the 20 “Bass notes”
  • Optional learn button to set midi channel.

Installation

The installation is relatively simple, but does require basic soldering skills. You will need to drill a hole for the midi socket.
Installation instructions can be found in this PDF.

User guide

Setting midi channel and keyboard offset

If the optional learn button is installed, it can be used to quickly change the midi receive channel of organDonor.

Connect midi out of a computer or keyboard to midi in of organDonor. Make sure not to send any notes.
Press the learn button and while it is pressed send a midi note on any midi channel. organDonor will set this note as the lowest note of the synthesizer and use its midi channel. These settings are saved.

By default the “normal” notes are playing on midi channel 1 and the “bass” notes on midi channel 2. Setting the “normal” midi channel to channel 2 as well (using the learn button), will result in the original behaviour – as if playing on the keyboard.
Instead of using the learn button, the midi channels can also be configured via the configurator (see below).

Playing notes

Send midi notes on the configured midi channel (see above)

More configuration

Alternatively you may configure a lot of parameters using our organDonor configurator.
We recommend using the Solina String Ensemble config file as starting point
1.) Save the file on your hard drive via right click -> save as
2.) in the configurator press “Load configuration” and select the file

Midi for Yamaha SK-10

Overview

The Yamaha SK version of organDonor offers the following features:

  • Fully polyphonic midi input for all 49 notes
  • Optional learn button to set midi channel.

Installation

The installation is relatively simple, but does require basic soldering skills. You will need to drill a hole for the midi socket.
Installation instructions can be found in this PDF.

User guide

Setting midi channel

If the optional learn button is installed, it can be used to quickly change the midi receive channel of organDonor.

Connect midi out of a computer or keyboard to midi in of organDonor. Make sure not to send any notes.
Press the learn button and while it is pressed send a midi note on any midi channel. organDonor will set this note as the lowest note of the synthesizer and use its midi channel. These settings are saved.

Playing notes

Send midi notes on the configured midi channel (see above)

More configuration

Alternatively you may configure a lot of parameters using our organDonor configurator.
We recommend using the SK-10 config file as starting point
1.) Save the file on your hard drive via right click -> save as
2.) in the configurator press “Load configuration” and select the file

6m0d6 production – Update December

Last month there was a lot of progress, you can read about it here:
6m0d6 – Production progress November 21

Since then we

– Received the panels
– And have a date for the SMD assembly. End of this week and the coming week our boards will be assembled by a company here in Berlin.
However we are still waiting for the potentiometers, so they can not do the THT assembly yet.
– We are still busy though: Working on a printed manual, finishing the firmware, taking care of packaging and distribution.

6m0d6 – Production progress November 21

Here is an update of the 6m0d6 module production progress.
Since we showed the module at Superbooth and started taking preorders we have:

  • Received all switches for production
  • Received processors for production
  • Received several small parts such as screws and nuts (we use very fancy nuts for the pots)
  • Finalized the front panel, had a sample produced and ordered panels for the first batch
  • Finalized the PCB. We implemented a few improvements to reduce noise and allow even better dynamic playing (video coming soon). We also had to change to another opamp footprint (part shortage, see below)
  • Confirmed the final design by building yet another prototype (rev 5) and ordered all PCBs
  • Improved the software and now have velocity control via midi
  • Designed and build production tooling (like soldering jigs), created assembly instructions.
  • Talked to our assembly house here in Berlin so they can start production.

Bad news: We are still waiting for the potentiometers and do not have a confirmed ETA just yet.

Good news: We will start with SMD production nevertheless, so we can perform the final soldering step as soon as the pots arrive. We are very happy that despite the current shortage of electronic parts we were able to source all components and can start assembly. Some parts were incredibly hard to get (for example processors, opamps) and cost us many hours of research, nerves and board redesigns.

Update: 18.11.21:

We received the PCBs and all parts are now being sent to our assembly  house.

How to open unsigned app on OSX

This is how to open our Firmware updater utility on OSX. This should work with any other unsigned app as well. This has been tested with OSX Big Sur but probably works with older OSX versions as well.

Step 1:

Download the app. Safari will place it in the Dowload folder. Navigate to the Download folder in Finder.

Right click on the file and select “new Terminal at Folder”

Step 2:

A terminal window opens. Type the following command: (you can copy and paste it here)

sudo chmod -R 755 ./

You will be promted for your password. Enter your password – it will not be visible. After entering your password press enter.

Step 3:

Open the folder with the little arrow on the left, right click on the “Tubbutec Firmware Updater” application and select “Open”

You will see a message that the file can not be opened. Click Cancel.

Step 4:

Repeat step 3! The second time you click open, the following window will appear.

Click Open and the app will start 🙂