Storbju Noise Monger – A DIY Synth Device Project

Presentation (Circuits 2020) Circuits Festival 2020

24/10/2020 13:00

Streamed Online, Spazju Kreattiv Theatre

The Storbju Noise Monger is the first synthesizer device commissioned by Electronic Music Malta.
Designed by Mike Desira and Frank Cachia, this device is based around the Texas Instruments CD40106 chip which consists of 6 Schmitt-trigger circuits.

This device uses this chip to implement a 6 oscillator noise device with 3 high speed and 3 low speed oscillators. All these oscillators can be connected in a modular fashion using small jump leads in a series of small connectors, thus one is also introduced to the most inexpensive modular synthesiser device ever!

Mike and Frank take us through how this idea was born and the various stages they went through from the first prototype on veroboard to the first PCB-based version. Through various stages, Mike and Frank evolved the device into a layout which makes it ideal to assemble for beginners in DIY electronics.

Mike Desira showcases an example of a simple oscillator circuit made the day before this presentation using the 555 timer chip.

Electronic Music Malta is Supported by the Arts Council Malta. This event is part of the Spazju Kreattiv programme and is also further supported by the German Maltese Circle and the Goethe Institute.

Streamed and Filmed by Mark Dingli.
Produced by Edwin Balzan.
Directed by Mark Dingli and Edwin Balzan.

Mike Desira

A retired AirMalta employee, Mike started his first modular synthesizer project way back in 2015 and completed the first version of his modular synthesizer in the autumn of 2017. In…

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Frank Cachia

Frank Cachia is a pioneer in electronic music production and performance in Malta having been active as a keyboardist since the mid-eighties. He started playing music since the age of…

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