SID is a compact synthesizer created during the 2020 lockdown as a fully self-built project, developed from the ground up in a home setting. Over the course of several months, every element (code, interface design, 3D-printed enclosure, circuitry, illustrations, and interaction logic) was produced in one continuous, self-contained process. The intention behind the device is to make electronic sound exploration accessible to anyone, regardless of musical background.
Traditional pathways into electronic music often force newcomers to choose between dense software environments or expensive hardware ecosystems. SID proposes an alternative: a tactile, visually intuitive instrument that communicates its behaviour through colour, movement and simple physical controls. The interface uses a custom visual language where waveforms display their real-time shape, colours map to notes and tuning, brightness reflects loudness, and shifts in saturation or motion reveal modulation, filters, envelopes, and other sonic processes. Sound becomes something that can be seen, understood and played with immediately.
At its core, the instrument is powered by a Teensy 4.1 microcontroller and the Teensy Audio Library. Its architecture is openly accessible and naturally hackable, allowing users to modify functions, connect additional sensors, or expand the sonic possibilities. While SID performs as a standalone synthesizer, it also integrates smoothly with other instruments through MIDI, encouraging hybrid setups and improvised experimentation.
The development relied entirely on tools available at home at the time; ranging from breadboards and hand-assembled electronics to a Prusa i3 MK3S for continuous prototyping. A custom oscilloscope library was written specifically for this project and later shared publicly on the PJRC forum. Graphic diagrams were produced early in the process to define the system’s logic and maintain coherence between hardware, interface and sound behaviour.
SID ultimately demonstrates how a complete musical instrument can emerge from constrained conditions, yet still offer a rich and approachable way to understand synthesis. It invites users of all skill levels to explore, experiment, and discover sound through a direct dialogue between interaction, colour and motion.
