The "Monolith", a Teensy-Powered Interactive Synthesizer!

We invite Paul Stroffregen and Darcy Neal to our studio to assemble the Monolith, an interactive musical sculpture they and their friends created for this year's Maker Faire. Paul is the inventor of the Teensy, the small and power microcroller that powers the Monolith, generating all of its sounds in real-time! And it sounds AWESOME.
Learn more about Teensy at: www.pjrc.com/teensy/
Find Dacy Neal's works at www.ladybrainstudios.com/
Find Ben Davis' work at: malekkoheavyindustry.com/
Find Ross Fish's work at: www.moffenzeefmodular.com/
Shot by Gunther Kirsch and edited by Norman Chan
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Adam Savage / donttrythis
Norman Chan / nchan
Simone Giertz / simonegiertz
Joey Fameli / joeyfameli
Kishore Hari / sciencequiche
Frank Ippolito / frankippolito
Sean Charlesworth / cworthdynamics
Jeremy Williams / jerware
Gunther Kirsch
Ryan Kiser
Thanks for watching!

[@ElgrimTheElder]

I love when awkward shy people are creative. They truly are incredible.

[@devonpenner7177]

It's always how they find their own way to connect with the world💜

[@brynmrsh]

By awkward and shy people, you mean engineers.

[@DJlegionuk]

Teensy are great dev boards, Thanks Paul for making a fantastic product.

[@toddomg]

I'd love more synthesizer stuff on Tested. Truly amazing stuff!

[@pointlessgimmickyusername9196]

Todd OMG same- DIY electronic instruments in general; synths, home-made thermins, I saw some cool stuff from one Maker Fair where these people made instruments from hacked kids' electronic toys, etc.

[@ZacharyMathematica]

This is a rather interesting item for a interactive exhibit at a museum. It touches on electronics, programming, music theory, musical instrument construction, music production - and of course making. I feel like the comments saying "congrats, you made synth" are missing the point entirely. I really like how people could really work together to operate this.

[@NewbombedTurk]

Darcy's gotta calm down, all that energy is hard to contain in just one video!!

[@leathan]

So awesome! I wish these were available to buy as a kit.

[@bhagiti]

I love this so much! Darcy and Paul are so inspiring and creative! Beautiful concept and design!

[@Guitarsoulmadness]

You guys are on fire! I really like a lot all this new videos. It have the scent of what the channel was in the past. Keep the hard work!

[@justnzee]

You can already tell how savage these comments are gonna be

[@kwa_nguyen]

the moment the video started and i saw his hair . I just knew the comments were gonna go for him lol

[@n_n_n_n_n_n]

I don't know about that, I've never seen Adam reply here.

[@matthewglory4380]

really, thought he was a chick lmao

[@runforitman]

I thought it was leafy

[@zHSVClubby]

I think Pual becomes Pualina during the night

[@avantbard7044]

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat! Rad to see Paul and Darcy in a Tested video!

[@TheRomaMusic]

dude! this is so fricken cool!! im feel like it would feel like trying work the Tardis, playing around with aomething like this.

[@srvfan42]

7:10 for the finished synth

[@BrokenOpus]

srvfan42 thanks

[@jurjenstellingwerff5296]

That is some lovely cable management there. At first glance those cables looked a pain to get right but a moment later it was all neatly stowed away. Impressive!

[@californiakayaker]

Wow, I love this. We had a maker faire here in Anderson CA and I've always wanted to know how to get one set up. It was an amazing experience even though I wasn't able to offer any electronics wizardry or ham radio stuff. VERY IMPRESSiVE PROJECT GUY , CONGRATS !

[@MrChief101]

It needs little rubber feet. I love Jeremy's face when he sees/hears something cool. Big kid.

[@paolotranchina3006]

i don't know why but sometimes it's cool to see people with different personality. And hey, that synth! it's so cool...i just wanna make one too

[@boredgrass]

Building something, so faszinating, that it encourages people to make music! That's one of the ways, to make the world a better place! Loveley!

[@DEADSTEP12]

This community seems amazing! Could someone point me in the right direction for more audio/frequency responsive stuff?

[@BazookaJRambo]

Darcy and Paul, and their Monolith, are awesome!

[@xlikwidx]

This is awesome! Would be cool to see a version with more "piano keys" on the side.

[@Battusai1984]

Love it, would be interesting to see on orchestral scale ^^.

[@andreasr.1778]

Love it. A bit like a DIY version of the Machine MKII I'm running.

[@MarcosCodas]

Absolutely amazing. I'm building a small FM Synth using PocketCHIP and an old M-Audio Keyboard. Now I want to build it with touch stuff, haha. Darcy, you're a hero.

[@gargamelgamingotherstuff6727]

Mind Blown! The 2 persones in the sides, both looks like a male AND a female in the same time.

[@techthamizh2112]

why it took 4 years to show up in my feed!! this is a fantastic project!!

[@Hanuman120]

Great interviewing, Jeremy! Enjoyed the video.

[@XSpImmaLion]

Nothing better than arcade buttons and sound to attract some crowds... xD Congrats guys, awesome project!

[@gorillaau]

You can also beat on them without breakage.

[@gordogordito87]

These are some creative and talented individuals.

[@savage1764]

Epic time lapse. Very cool.

[@Dach101]

I love the use of Perspex - great idea!

[@thecarbonprop]

Dach101 but try getting it through airport security. 😂

[@kasnitch]

love the staff behind them

[@teymthebeast]

This is super cool!

[@SciPunk215]

Jeremy grabs the bull by the horns and gets this project MADE !!! Great work !!

[@user-dw8qz1qg3x]

That is so cool

[@RedSlashAce]

Darcy!!!!! I know her ☺️ Congratulations on making it on tested!

[@jimwilliams1536]

that is truly lovely. i'd quite like to build that with my kids.

[@Gabbro506]

That T-shirt Darcy is wearing looks rad. Does anyone know where you can get one?

[@modestrocker1]

wish i could buy a version of this

[@MichaelCouture87]

Half of the comments: [some ignorant comment about the haircut] Other half: [some comment giving the haircut a standing ovation] Me:...okay, they dress/cut their hair as they choose. Nothing terrible or heroic about that. Enjoyed the content of the video!

[@Tyrone-Ward]

You're wrong

[@smurf___]

LMAO at 9:55 girl is rockin out and doesn't give a fuck for explanation.

[@GrizzlyThatHawk]

I support Paul. Love you, Paul. YOU DO YOU BUDDY!

[@boface187]

so sick!

[@DoItAfterSmoking]

They all did very well. What an awesome creation.. Is it going to be a kit? Its like Synth wave for dummies.. Im in... lol

[@NertardXD]

great timelaps

[@memorandom7484]

My God, it's full of stars. Oh wait, wrong monolith.

[@Bunjamin27]

Time lapse + pan = disorientation .. Time lapse - pan = Great shot

[@lo-firobotboy7112]

This would be great as a hi-tech "busy box" for someplace like a preschool or community centre. There a lot of similarities to projects I've worked on in my day job as a toy designer.

[@willdebause5418]

I want to make this so badly

[@RobertShaverOfAustin]

So I'm guessing that the cardboard thing is a miniature model of the case for the instrument, not a prototype.

[@hazard7732]

that's really cool!!

[@sapbucry]

Which I/O Expander is used here?. Thanks

[@Geert890]

Paul Stoffregen is a legend

[@moncef0147]

that thing is really cool.

[@AshleyShafty]

Can I buy this?? Because I need this.

[@twitte0king]

would be cool if you use music created from the syth as the background music during the assembly

[@bencarr7334]

reggie watt needs to put this thing to the test, please make that happen!

[@SouthpawShorts]

The teensy is super great! I use them all the time. Like arduino, but better in virtually every way.

[@michaeljuan98]

you know our fsae race car team uses two teensys one for controlling the motors and one for the telemetry. They are great

[@theMikeChastain]

Yay Paul!

[@martynkentfrancis]

Hello! Game changer, thank you very much 👍

[@ParanoidCarrot]

what is this music in the build phase ?

[@SammeLagom]

That is a very cool invention :-D

[@FiveElementNinja]

More synth stuff!

[@lpbaybee4942]

"Hi, I'd like an undercut with bangs please"

[@SleepyPitou]

I want this.... no. I need this!

[@xarvous]

That bench drop at 6:35 That's a nice feature.

[@BrokenOpus]

Awesome! looks like something from out of a TARDIS.

[@HocketSmith]

I feel like Paul and Darcy swapped haircuts

[@SonicBelchFire]

Hocket Smith I was gonna say the exact thing XD

[@memorandom7484]

I haven't seen a haircut like that since Ocean City, MD in the mid nineties. . .

[@kwa_nguyen]

LMAO

[@billypilgrim1]

Or names

[@reanimationxp]

Paul's probably had his haircut far longer than she has.. he's an awesome dude.

[@BartManNL]

I want one! Take my money!

[@HumanCreativity]

I guess only jeremy and norm were exited to build this, it kinda feels like it

[@pointlessgimmickyusername9196]

So (hair aside) it's arduino (which I know zero about), so it's a virtual synth? Or there are actual oscillators and stuff on board?

[@_BangDroid_]

All digital, no analogue so yeah virtual

[@tanzbarofficial]

what is the difference between a synthesizer and a interactive synthesizer? And is the a non-interactive synthesizer?

[@valevimoe1831]

so in some sense, I'm more connected with the earth than a mountainclimber. 10:10 /music plays

[@valevimoe1831]

no but then you're *isolated* . A quite different thing from being grounded. I still see your point though, just invalid to compare wearing rubber shoes to being grounded :)

[@TheMrJackzilla]

darcy can explain everithing!!!

[@datsquazz]

11:55 got me to look out the window for a UPS truck

[@Tyrone-Ward]

You're dumb

[@RoboticNerd]

So is the teensy multithreading?

[@philippthiele4478]

You should invite Martin Molin from Wintergatan with his Modulin. A modular synthesizer played like a violin ;)

[@EchoOfGecko]

I suddenly have the urge to fire up some Mitch Murder and Kavinsky playlists.

[@gregistopal]

4:47 what is that song!

[@Nullzero98]

Pretty cool. I would say two cool improvements would be: 1) cable/wire management. Its a rats nest in there, which is a shame, cuz they've got a beautiful clear case that makes beautiful music! 2) The buttons are kinda loud! They are like fight-stick controller buttons. Some nice rubber based buttons would cut down on the noise. (maybe the mic just picked them up too loudly,I dunno).

[@vw_4_vag_live133]

Omg this is Awsome like techno or daft punk

[@opthomas09]

I'm mad they used "Kicker" brand speakers but other than that this is very interesting!

[@SeanPorio]

Hey gang! You have Paul Stoffregen's name misspelled in the description.

[@_lithp]

I love the way she says: "Mhmm."

[@CosmicGalaxyMC]

the music was giving me major Portal vibes

[@benl5481]

Hey Jeremy Fletcher! I like your style ( I have the same shirt!).

[@benl5481]

Pusheen for the win!

[@Skelldr]

Hold on, let me grab my popcorn!!

[@gnarlyandy1]

really kinda cool

[@gnarlyandy1]

16:00

[@Furiends]

Actually the description of the capacitive sensing is wrong. If it worked how he described then this thing would be extremely dangerous. Capacitive sensing works by interfering with an electrostatic field and does not require any earthing. After all your cell phone does it and its not earthed.

[@timtoner3031]

penguins forall thanks for that was searching this comment...

[@Furiends]

Searching?

[@zerog2000]

Yeah I thought that was a bit off for Paul, who is quite knowledgeable on these things. For the uninitiated, rather than sitting through a semester of Physics E&M, this is pretty good info: www.allaboutcircuits.com/technical-articles/introduction-to-capacitive-touch-sensing/ www.allaboutcircuits.com/technical-articles/circuits-and-techniques-for-implementing-capacitive-touch-sensing/

[@Furiends]

+Jens Jensen Call me picky but I'm not 100% satisfied with how your link describes it either. Admittedly its typical to call negative difference (voltage) just ground in DC isolated circuits it makes it confusing perhaps in the same way the guy did in the video. The touch sensor is just a type of capacitive coupling. Because two conductors at different voltages relative to reference or "ground" or the conducting path have by definition a voltage between them. So there is capacitance if the two conductors are insulated from each other. Then measuring a difference in capacitance tells you the electrostatic field has changed due to Coulomb's law which in itself means something is interacting with that field like some other conductive body or a dialectic.

[@mybackhurts7020]

This thing would be great in elementary schools

[@Cutlerylover4life1]

this is like and episode of portlandia

[@jesse_cole]

C.T. Wellington *an

[@horsebones727]

Very cool! Nicely done! As a native PDXer I can say these two truly PERSONIFY Portland :)

[@cantevendecide]

Both of these people are from Portland? I'm just shocked.

[@falconshu]

Fuck yeah. Darcy in a New Fumes shirt. Cool fucking people :D

[@Re-vant]

This would be a fun kit. It just needs a yamaha 2612.

[@martynkentfrancis]

Tap tempo?

[@adamb404]

Yes good

[@LeeLad06]

Skrillex on Tested. Neat.

[@xenotone3284]

The world according to KZbin commenters would be a dull place

[@redfreckle2044]

Xeno Tone You got that right, a very sad and dull place.

[@pointlessgimmickyusername9196]

Xeno Tone I'd pay good money to have my world be a dull place.

[@jcbyveman]

soon-to-be abandoned username Buy some meth, the rest comes naturally

[@jacksonvoorhies4643]

soon-to-be abandoned username underrated comment

[@MrCardman12345]

Damn.