Instrument o’ the Week: The b16 Mini Patch Synthesizer

This b16 mini patch synthesizer is made only by Benjamin Fisher of Chimera Synthesis. It allows you to interconnect 15 different potentiometers to create infinitely unique sounds and loops in an easy manner. It also allows you to send MIDI signals out into other musical instruments, or even your microwave.

The bC16 miniature patch synthesizer packs a fully featured VCO, LFO, envelope generator, analog VCA, VCF, noise sources & ring modulator all in a CD sized case CNC machined from 10mm high-grade acrylic plastic.

Fifteen color coded potentiometers control key functions, connections between synthesizer sections are done using twenty-five 2mm mini-banana sockets.

Powered by either six AAA batteries or by an external (not supplied) 9 to 12v source, the bC16 can be used free standing (internal headphone amplifier), linked to an external keyboard/sequencer or MIDI-CV converters, combined with other bC16’s, etc…

Internal MIDI interface allows control (monophonic) of the VCO frequency, pitchbend, modulation, portamento and portamento rate.