This video captures a sneak preview of Piana software synth, currently in development, running on a Raspberry Pi computer with a Teeny Tiny TV display.
Is this the world’s smallest hardware synth? According to the developer, the entire system will be approx 3-4 cubic inches:
I wonder – is this thing really the smallest ‘real’ synth, or specifically rich functionality polysynth, in the whole wide world? There aren’t many computer platforms that can kick hard with a smaller form-factor than this, and certainly the performance per square cm of desktop area of this thing is such that it’s a leading contender for smallest synthesizer-capable computer platform. I’d like to get these tiny TVs – to be honest, stupid impulse purchases just to see if they made any sense at all – integrated in a better way. It should be possible to get a good, usable UI in place on the tiny panel, as long as if it’s context-sensitive and doesn’t try to keep everything on screen at once.
So that’s my next goal – or my next-but-one – turn the combination of Pi plus Teeny Tiny TV into something that really makes sense as a platform,
‘Raspberry Pi’ is an ARM GNU/Linux computer designed to be a complete, minimal computer system and to be extremely inexpensive (around $25).
Well it’s not the biggest.
not just with this but with other types of computers, we are getting to the same point people are with cameras. you can get a good DSLR for not much money but a good lens is going to cost you twice what you paid for the camera body. If not more in some cases.
I think its the same with software now. you can go get a cheap laptop than will run most if not all of today’s software but any serious software is going to cost you more than the hardware.
i love the idea of the pi but its the same idea taken to the extreme.
….you can’t torrent a lens 😉
True, for the moment. Scientists at CERN are working on this.
It’s certainly not best sounding polysynth in the world.
it’s not the smallest simply because you need a monitor to run it.
ipod touch is pretty small
You can hear it hoovering up in the background, though!
“Piana software synth” … “Is this the world’s smallest hardware synth?” Er no, it’s not a hardware synth at all! You had it right in the first sentence 😉
Where/when can I get it as a download..