Would you pick digital or analog adsr and lfos?

[skitchy]

All well and good but thats not what he has

Gotta love the internet. I post a single question about where to find low level programming information on a single chip and suddenly its definitely the chip I'm using to make an analog synthesiser In fact, I was hacking a badly designed thermostat I'd just bought, but I found a different way around the problem in the end. I did learn a bit about the MSP430 in the process (which I bought on a whim as they only cost $4.30), so it was a good experience.

This is a personal project, and is still in the 'thinking about it' stage. I have breadboarded several osc and filter circuits, and so far I've controlled them using the PWM out from an Arduino (filtered of course).

Thankfully, there is no shortage of good microcontrollers around, so its a matter of finding one that has the right features AND that is well documented.

Thanks again for the helpful advice - I'm going to look into the z8e you recommended aciddose

[aciddose]

just don't limit yourself to thru-hole or the 8-dip version. you just don't have enough gpio in combination with the other features.

if you want to implement a 2-cv with 8 digital pins and a gate (so, multiplex 1-4 2x) like i did it's a great idea because you don't need an external osc.

if you do need extra stuff, don't limit yourself too early. choosing your pcb layout and chips should be one of the last things you do after you have working code.

a test circuit and programmer for the z8e costs $50, it comes with a free c compiler.

you can build an in-circuit programming interface easily, even in dead-bug with a socket. i program the chips for my controllers while they're in the synthesizer. makes things way easier.

you could even wire the interface using the midi cable's extra pins. i never bothered to do that.