Here is my first sketch of what i want to make of A Casio SA20

Proposed features: 2 555 LFOs (patchable)
Delay section. 
MOD section (just the circuit bends)
Small patch bay
and a built in 5” oscilloscope (from a bent portable TV I’ve had laying around for too long)

Sorry about the crappy pic, need to get me a scanner!

VELLEMAN KIT - MK107

Just ordered one of these Velleman kits. It’s a running LED module based off of a 4015 dual 4 stage shift register and a 555 timer. This circuit can be easilly modified to work as an 8 step analogue sequencer. It’s what I’ll be using to sequence CASIO SA-20. 

There’s actually a really helpful here explaining how to do this project.

Messy, messy messy.

Been a long day of brainstorming. As you can see the SA-20 is surrounded in cardboard. Just working out the enclosure design. also working on an old broken 49 key MIDI keyboard im going to be using in the C64 Workstation.

Look who finally decided to show up

That casio SA-20! made some design revisions on what i want it to look like. I’ll post them up later and see what you guys think!

College 

This day is sort of dragging, just trawling around the internet trying to keep myself occupied. Oh and this is the setup we use in college.  If your thinking of getting one of these Prodipe controllers. Just don’t. The keys feel crappy, the pitch and mod wheels feel really plasticky and the rotary encoders are really high resolution . In other words it take about 15 turns to get through the full 127 steps and occasionally jumps back a bunch. 

Anyway, lets hope some parts arrive for the NES MPS arrive today. 

So far im waiting on:

-9 Pin D-Sub Connectors (For the power connector)

-White Fender Amp Knobs

-Another GBA Advance SP for some parts

-LED Srips

I just want to get this thing finished!

If the CASIO SA-20 arrives today i’ll have a poke around on the circuit and determin where the best bends are. I’ll be creating a guide on bending the SA-20 so people are less likely to fry the circuit bending it (If i dont fry it myself)

My Casio SA-20 should arrive tomorrow. If so i can start modding it and posting the build process. For now I’ll leave you with a quick sketch of another idea I’ve had floating around for quite some time.

Its a commodore 64 keyboard workstation with a 49 key keyboard. It also has an integrated TR505. I’m thinking having a MIDI patch bay behind a door on the back would add versatility. So the midi jacks of the TR505, C64 and 49key keyboard are patchable.

I want to run MSIAH on the unit and display it on a little 7” fold down screen. This is just about big enough to use MSIAH comfortably (if you have good eyes) Of course i will add a composite and S-video output to hook up to TVs

I’m going to run dual SIDs on the C64 and modify the TR505. I want to have direct outs of every drum and all 4 mono SID outputs on the back but also have an integrated mixer to run to a stereo output.

As for the enclosure i want to construct it all out of real wood, then stain and varnish it. I just ordered a Circular saw as I’m sick of working with a jigsaw. Should provide some clean cuts! I’m currently constructing a 3D scale model in sketchup but I wont be starting this project until the NES MPC and CASIO SA-20 are done.

I’m gonna be pretty busy for the next few months.

First sketch [Casio SA-20]

So here is my first rough sketch/initial idea. I’ll refine the design further but i just wanted to get my idea onto paper.

Overview of planned mods:

-Extended enclosure

-Pitch/Mod wheels

-4x4 Patch bay [8 patch slots for LFO patching + 8 For glitch patching]

-2 Additional Potentiometer driven glitch mods

-555 LFO Circuit

-8 Step Sequencer [With CV/Sync out to control EXT synths]

-Lo Fi Delay

I’m going to house the SA-20 in a typical vintage analogue synth sort of enclosure (like the MS-20). I’m going to add pitch/mod wheels and a small patch bay on the body of the SA-20 and mount all further modifications in the control panel.

I’m going to add an 8 step sequencer to the circuit and mount all the pots on the control panel but have the step indicating LEDs adjacent to the pots mounted in the SA-20

I’ll be adding a 555 timer LFO circuit witch will be patchable to different points of the circuit in the patch bay. This might not work out, but we will see.

I’ve decided it would be worth installing Lo Fi delay unit to add a little versatility and I’m hoping to install a MIDI interface so the unit can be controlled via MIDI.

The SA20 should arrive next week and then i’ll begin thinking about colour schemes and tearing the thing apart!