This is something we've been working on for a while and was first released for Fort Process festival 2018, about time I posted about it here! Really proud of how it turned out, we are now on a 2nd revision of the PCB and have a complete kit for sale via Thonk or intrepid builders can get the PCB from us directly.
FORT PROCESSOR by Isn'tses
(https://isntses.weebly.com/uploads/9/1/8/0/9180000/dsc-0027_1_orig.jpg)
(https://isntses.weebly.com/uploads/9/1/8/0/9180000/dsc-0004_1_orig.jpg)
(https://isntses.weebly.com/uploads/9/1/8/0/9180000/fortprocessorphoto1_1_orig.jpg)
The Fort Processor is an experimental noise synthesiser and audio effect circuit designed by UK harsh fun noise duo ISN'TSES (Tim Drage & Lisa McKendrick) for Fort Process sound art festival 2018. This event takes place in the tunnels and bunkers of Newhaven Fort on the Sussex coast, and the electronics and artwork of the synth are based on the layout of the site, with inspiration from the surrounding landscape and ocean.
Demo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkvFA43upWE
The synth is controlled by light, touch pads, 3 knobs, and a trimmer. Audio is created and manipulated by four sections which have been combined using a circuit-bent approach:
1. The audio input, (3.5mm) used to connect devices such as a radio, walkman, phone, tablet, mp3, instrument etc. This signal is distorted using high gain then run through a frequency divider to add two noisy sub-octaves. When no input jack is connected, the circuit feeds back and self-oscillates.
2. Squarewave oscillators pitch-controlled by a Light Dependent Resistor located at the top right of the PCB. This LDR can be played by moving lights near it or by blocking the light. The resulting sound can be further modulated by the touch pads which are the metallic drawings across the middle of the circuit board. Touch two or more of these at once to alter the sound. This can be understood as a live circuit-bending effect.
3. A variable-speed chopper, controlled by the 2nd knob. This rapidly slices between the distorted input/feedback signal and the light-controlled squarewaves. Turning the knob changes the speed, creating various ring-modulation, tremolo and cut-up effects.
4. A bass oscillator/filter/beat/drone generator, mutated from the classic 'Twin-T' analog kick drum circuit. This is triggered and influenced by the audio input and is controlled by the 1st and 3rd knob in conjunction with the trimmer pot. Knob 1 controls the decay envelope; turned anticlockwise this produces more percussive sounds, while turning it clockwise makes bass drones. When turned fully-clockwise it gets quiet to allow the other noises to cut through. The 3rd knob and the trimmer pot interact with each other to control the pitch of this section. The trimmer can be gently turned with a small screwdriver and can be viewed as a tuner to achieve either a resonant drum-like sound, or a more continuous bass tone. The trimmer should be tweaked before playing according to each users personal preferences. Expect random and unpredictable results from this section according to how the rest of the sections are influencing it.
The Fort Processor is powered from a 9v DC, centre-negative power supply, ie a BOSS-style guitar pedal PSU. Other polarities or voltages will almost certainly damage/destroy the circuit, requiring at least the ICs to be replaced, so be careful! It is possible to wire up a 9v battery too, contact us for info on this.
(https://i.imgur.com/5VSGzw3.png)
The fort processor is available as a full DIY kit, as a bare PCB which you can build using your own components or display as an art object, and occasionally as a complete built synth:
Option 1
Fort Processor full kit
Order from Thonk (https://www.thonk.co.uk/shop/fort-processor/)
The black version is now available as a kit from synth DIY shop Thonk - order now at https://www.thonk.co.uk/shop/fort-processor/
Option 2
Fort Processor PCB
£35 + £1.50 UK postage (contact us for international)
There are now two versions of the PCB, the original green one and a slightly revised black one. Build instructions and list of components included below++. The building of the synth requires intermediate/advanced ability in soldering and knowledge of electronics, and this is the PCB only - you will need to source your own components. Please be aware that if you are building your own that we are not responsible for any errors made during the build process. The black version is slightly easier to build, the green version is slightly more open for experimentation/modification. See the build instruction documents on this page for details and BOM: https://isntses.weebly.com/blog/order-the-fort-processor
Option 3 (SOLD OUT)
Fort Processor fully built
Completed version of the circuit. Not currently available, we may make more in future.
Ordering the PCB-only option:
Please include a message with your payment detailing which option you are ordering, your name and address. You will receive an email from us which confirms receipt of payment. If you wish to order more than 1 PCB we can combine postage, let us know first. Please send payment to: https://www.paypal.me/sinlyss - Alternatively you may purchase via our merch section on Bandcamp: https://isntses.bandcamp.com/merch/fort-processor-pcb
We will also consider possible trades of a PCB for other interesting diy synth/eurorack/noise stuff, let me know any offers.
There's more info about the process of designing this circuit: http://isntses.co.uk/blog
Let me know any questions :) More demos etc soon
ordered full kit
thanks! Hope you enjoy
Quote from: Cementimental on February 11, 2019, 01:12:41 AM
thanks! Hope you enjoy
looks sleek. keep me updated on other project, I occasionally do lessons on these sort of "artesan" machines for students where my gf's teaches and this looks exactly as the kind of gear they would love. The were crazy for the bugbrand weevil and all the black death related material
Oh cool! Yeah will do, definitely more in the works :)
We will be demonstrating the Fort Processor at the CV Freqs modular synth meetup in London this sat near Waterloo: https://www.facebook.com/events/303074507223965/
Also we are running a workshop at Thonk HQ in Brighton next month. About the same price as buying the kit but with the bonus of help building it, bargain if you are in the area: https://www.thonk.co.uk/shop/isntses-fort-processor-workshop-sat-march-23rd-2019/
London workshop coming up on the 1st June, at IKLECTIC right behind Waterloo station. The workshop runs from 11am for about 3 hours, and is suitable for complete beginners to soldering as well as more experienced synth builders/circuitbenders.
Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/483388358864527/
Tickets £65 from https://www.tickettailor.com/events/iklectik/250914 (same price as buying the kit on it's own plus you get our help to build it!)
and read more about the Fort Processor here - https://isntses.weebly.com/blog
Promo video for the workshop:
https://youtu.be/QKTqz5BIs_8
All tools and materials will be provided but if you feel like bringing your own and/or any bits for modifications then feel free, and/or bring something to play thru the circuit (eg walkman, radio, other small synths). There will be a short jam afterward where everyone can try out their Fort Processor :)
I'm really keen to do this, if my planned visit to Bristol falls through for whatever reason I will be there
Hope to be that silver lining if so :)
Workshop is this Sat! limited places so book now if you want to attend: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/iklectik/250914
ah -- finally had a bit of money to order the kit!!
cool, enjoy :)
If anyone else wants one the kit is restocked at Thonk - https://www.thonk.co.uk/shop/fort-processor/ - and we are still selling bare PCBs on our site for more intrepid builders
For those not into soldering we are selling a very few pre-built Fort Processors. Listed 3 of them on ebay for now, may do more in future if there is interest: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123931965449
Tim, are you planning on making Eurorack version of your Fort Processor?
basically such will require you making PCB revision... people can make own faceplates...
Give it some Thoth.
We are thinking about it, definitely designed with the possibility in mind..... first thing is to try powering it from 12v, gonna prototype some eurorack-compatible version soon i think :)
Selling the PCBs and a handful of built versions on Etsy too now: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/isntses
is it 9v now? will function in frack rack
can you pretty please throw me schematic... here there or whatever
will look around and see if have the chips for breadboarding
then take some notes for coming up with mods for making this 12v module
when have some mythical extra time...
may as well do some R&D upgrading the design
you can have whatever notes/schematics come up with for making this circuit eurorack module pcb
obviously this has potential for becoming way more
(https://i.imgur.com/5VSGzw3.png)
hmmm can most likely reverse engineer it from pcb images
will need ordering some of those chips
doubting have have 4040 or 4093 right now
no super stress
Quote from: WhiteWarlock on November 08, 2019, 12:20:53 AM
is it 9v now? will function in frack rack
can you pretty please throw me schematic... here there or whatever
will look around and see if have the chips for breadboarding
then take some notes for coming up with mods for making this 12v module
when have some mythical extra time...
may as well do some R&D upgrading the design
you can have whatever notes/schematics come up with for making this circuit eurorack module pcb
obviously this has potential for becoming way more
(https://i.imgur.com/5VSGzw3.png)
hmmm can most likely reverse engineer it from pcb images
will need ordering some of those chips
doubting have have 4040 or 4093 right now
no super stress
Thanks for the interest, In theory it should work with no modification on 12v since all the components are rated for above that, and i put eurorack power header pins on there for experimentation purposes :) should try it today actually. I guess maybe the pitch of the oscs might be totally different?
Sorry we are not giving out the schematic at this point, might be able to in future... , it's nothing too complex tho: basically classic 4040 divider, 4049 amp/distortion, a 4066 switch to toggle/strobe (using one inverter of the 4049 to make opposite high/low switching of 2 signals) between the input distorted signal and the 4093 oscillators, +classic 'twin T' bass drum mangled into more of a drone and triggered by a very low subdivision of the input signal :) all connected together in a probably completely non-optimal way haha
The two build guides contain a lot more info and I'll PM you the mod ideas text i'm writing up and really should finish soon!!
https://isntses.weebly.com/uploads/9/1/8/0/9180000/fort_processor_v1_green_build_docs_and_bom_1feb19.pdf
https://isntses.weebly.com/uploads/9/1/8/0/9180000/isntses_fort_processor_build_guide_v2.pdf
if you are interested could maybe trade a PCB for something?
Thanks the info on Fort Processor & BOM...
sort of just attempting figuring out what exactly the circuit does...
plus getting in some posting time here...
no big stress
Thonk are having a site-wide sale today, you can get the Fort Processor kit 10% off:
https://www.thonk.co.uk/shop/fort-processor/
Selling a small number of fully built Fort Processors on etsy, will be adding some one-off circuitbent/homemade electronics in future too https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/isntses
Fort Processor kits are back in stock at Thonk after being unavailable for a while due to covid logistics!!! Buy one - https://www.thonk.co.uk/shop/fort-processor/
Also we have bare PBCs - including a new deluxe gold plated version - and fully built circuits for sale on our Isn'tses Etsy and bandcamp pages:
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/isntses
https://isntses.bandcamp.com/merch
Following on to my reply to whitewarlock above, we have now tested it on 12v and it does indeed seem to work fine and sound the same as on 9v.
We made a podcast/radio show kind of thing featuring noise + music from various Fort-Processor-using artists: https://www.mixcloud.com/lisa-mckendrick-hexa/isntses-podcast-01-fort-processor/
Found a load of leftover PCBs of the original green prototype version, so we are selling a few ready-made green Fort Processors at a discount. They work/sound the same as the black versions but look a bit messier (there are a few extra wires across the board here and there). Actually they should be MORE expensive if anything as they are more limited and more of a pain to build :D so grab a bargain! - https://isntses.bandcamp.com/merch