We say...
We're delighted to have a few of these wonderful little systems available, fully assembled and ready to use. The Workshop System is the latest creation from Tom Whitwell - the brains behind the classic Turing Machine and Radio Music DIY modules - and is a fantastic way to explore modular synthesis.
Manufacturer's description
The Music Thing Modular Workshop System is a complete modular synth. It is slightly smaller than a hardback book. It comes in a foam-lined hard case.
What is the Workshop System?
The Workshop System is an analogue modular synth and a powerful audio computer – designed to be useful and open:
- A genre-neutral toolkit, a little box of ways to make and manipulate music and sound.
- A patchable, hackable, code-able modular synth that can be used in many different ways.
- A system that works with things you already have. Plug in your phone, a drum machine, a laptop, guitar pedals or a microphone.
- A computer that uses tiny proprietary program cards that are completely hackable. Anyone who writes code can make, share, sell their creations — sequencers, effects, interfaces.
What's included?
- Assembled and tested Workshop System inside plastic case
- Accessories bag with:
- 2 x 1/4" to Minijack right angled pedal audio cables
- DC power cable for powering a 9v (centre negative) guitar pedal from the Workshop System
- 4 Computer Program Cards - Turing Machine, Reverb, Midi to CV and a blank card for the customer to program.
- A badge and a sticker
- PSU is not provided. You can use a 15-25v DC supply or a USB-C PSU that supports 15V (all details here)
The Workshop System has 14 modules:
- 2 x SineSquare Oscillators - simple vintage-style oscillators made of 1970s tech.
- 2 x Humpback Filters - similarly vintage-style filters, designed by Philip Goulding of God’s Box.
- 2 x Slopes which work as attack/decay envelopes, LFOs and portamento generators.
- Computer is a multi-function module with knobs, a switch and audio, CV and pulse ins and outs. Initially, the system comes with a USB MIDI card, a Turing Machine sequencer and a Reverb card. A community of programmers are creating more cards.
- Stereo In takes a 3.5mm stereo input and boosts it to modular level.
- Ring Mod is a great-sounding ring modulator, connected to the two sines. It also works as a simple VCA.
- Stompbox is an interface for guitar pedals, with blend and feedback controls to make boring pedals more interesting. There’s a 9v power outlet for pedals below this module.
- Amplifier contains two simple circuits. One is connected to a piezo contact mic behind the panel, the other is the transistor-based input circuit from a MiniMoog. In other words, a Mikrophonie and a Mini Drive.
- 4 Voltages is a minimum viable keyboard: four voltage outputs, one knob, four pushbuttons. More fun to play with than to explain.
- Mix a simple output mixer, with two stereo channels, two mono channels and a powerful headphone amp / line out.
- PSU behind the panel is a power supply that runs on USB-C PD power or professional 15-25v barrel connectors. It works from battery powerbanks and laptop adaptors, most likely something you’ve already got at home.
Workshop System FAQ
- Does it come with the case? Yes.
- Can I take it out of the case? Yes.
- Does it need patch cables to work? Yes, it makes no sound at all before being patched.
- Is it Eurorack compatible? Yes, you can remove the back panel PSU and put it in a Euro case – 42hp, around 250mA current draw.
- How do the program cards work? The microcontroller in Computer is an RP2040, the same as a Raspberry Pi Pico. The program cards are the entire flash memory for the Computer, so there is no firmware on the device itself. They can be programmed in C/C++ (Pico SDK), Arduino Pico, Circuit Python or anything else that works on RP2040. Program cards can be re-programmed or updated over USB with a simple drag-and-drop process. You’re welcome to sell or give away any code you create, and can make your own custom cards if you want. Blank card sets can be found here (2MB) and here (16MB).
- Is there any normalisation? There is minimal normalisation built in – the two oscillators cross-modulate, and are patched to the Ring Mod, and the top filter High/Band Pass flows into the bottom filter input. So you need a lot of patch cables. However, all the normalisation points are clearly marked on the back of the PCBs, so it’s easy to add your own (removable) normalisation connections with wire and solder.
- Weight: 1.18kg
- Box dimensions: 28 x 20.5 x 10.5cm
- Current draw if installed as a Eurorack module: 250 mA +12V 0mA -12V, 0mA +5V
How much is my shipping?
Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll be offered shipping options and their prices. In the UK, 'next working day' shipping is free if the order value is over £150, and £5 otherwise. We can also ship on a 'next working day before 12pm' service, which costs £6 for orders over £150 and £7.50 for orders under £150.
Shipping to mainland EU typically costs between £7 and £20, depending on the shipping method and the size and weight of the order.
Do you ship to my country?
Almost certainly - the site will give you an estimate of shipping costs if you add an item to the cart and then enter your country and postcode. If you have specific requirements (such as if you prefer UPS over FedEx, for example) then let us know in advance and we'll try to work something out for you.
Shipping methods
We use a combination of DPD, Royal Mail and Parcelforce for the UK, and for international orders it's either DHL, FedEx, UPS, Royal Mail or Parcelforce depending on where you are in the world. If you have a particular preference then try to let us know BEFORE you order so we can look into it for you. Please note that there may occasionally be additional shipping charges if you live in a remote area, depending on what surcharges are applied by the shipper. We'll get in touch to discuss this with you in such cases.
Dispatch times
For UK orders, we aim to dispatch the same working day if we get the order before 16:00. If you have a really urgent situation then of course drop us an email before ordering and we'll always do our absolute best to accommodate you.
For international orders, we normally dispatch the same day if we get the order before 13:00 but again, occasionally it might be the next day before we can send it out, and sometimes the couriers may come to collect a little earlier than scheduled which would also push an order into the next day.
Saturday/Sunday shipping
If you're in the UK and you order before 16:00 on a Friday then we can send something for a Saturday or Sunday delivery with DPD. This is FREE for order values over £350, £5 for order values between £75 and £250, and £7 for order values under £75. (NB: this applies to UK mainland addresses only). Please note that any orders placed after 16:00 on a Friday will ship on the Monday.
International shipping times
Since April 2020, the couriers we use have suspended guarantees for shipping times, so even though we're paying them for priority services - 24-48 hours for most of the world - in practice it's often an extra day on top and sometimes it can be longer. There is absolutely nothing we can do about this, unfortunately. If you are outside the UK and it's a life-or-death situation where you absolutely MUST have that passive mult for the next day then... it may be better to find a local supplier.
Pre-orders
If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.
If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch if you have questions.
Product Overview
We say...
We're delighted to have a few of these wonderful little systems available, fully assembled and ready to use. The Workshop System is the latest creation from Tom Whitwell - the brains behind the classic Turing Machine and Radio Music DIY modules - and is a fantastic way to explore modular synthesis.
Manufacturer's description
The Music Thing Modular Workshop System is a complete modular synth. It is slightly smaller than a hardback book. It comes in a foam-lined hard case.
What is the Workshop System?
The Workshop System is an analogue modular synth and a powerful audio computer – designed to be useful and open:
- A genre-neutral toolkit, a little box of ways to make and manipulate music and sound.
- A patchable, hackable, code-able modular synth that can be used in many different ways.
- A system that works with things you already have. Plug in your phone, a drum machine, a laptop, guitar pedals or a microphone.
- A computer that uses tiny proprietary program cards that are completely hackable. Anyone who writes code can make, share, sell their creations — sequencers, effects, interfaces.
What's included?
- Assembled and tested Workshop System inside plastic case
- Accessories bag with:
- 2 x 1/4" to Minijack right angled pedal audio cables
- DC power cable for powering a 9v (centre negative) guitar pedal from the Workshop System
- 4 Computer Program Cards - Turing Machine, Reverb, Midi to CV and a blank card for the customer to program.
- A badge and a sticker
- PSU is not provided. You can use a 15-25v DC supply or a USB-C PSU that supports 15V (all details here)
The Workshop System has 14 modules:
- 2 x SineSquare Oscillators - simple vintage-style oscillators made of 1970s tech.
- 2 x Humpback Filters - similarly vintage-style filters, designed by Philip Goulding of God’s Box.
- 2 x Slopes which work as attack/decay envelopes, LFOs and portamento generators.
- Computer is a multi-function module with knobs, a switch and audio, CV and pulse ins and outs. Initially, the system comes with a USB MIDI card, a Turing Machine sequencer and a Reverb card. A community of programmers are creating more cards.
- Stereo In takes a 3.5mm stereo input and boosts it to modular level.
- Ring Mod is a great-sounding ring modulator, connected to the two sines. It also works as a simple VCA.
- Stompbox is an interface for guitar pedals, with blend and feedback controls to make boring pedals more interesting. There’s a 9v power outlet for pedals below this module.
- Amplifier contains two simple circuits. One is connected to a piezo contact mic behind the panel, the other is the transistor-based input circuit from a MiniMoog. In other words, a Mikrophonie and a Mini Drive.
- 4 Voltages is a minimum viable keyboard: four voltage outputs, one knob, four pushbuttons. More fun to play with than to explain.
- Mix a simple output mixer, with two stereo channels, two mono channels and a powerful headphone amp / line out.
- PSU behind the panel is a power supply that runs on USB-C PD power or professional 15-25v barrel connectors. It works from battery powerbanks and laptop adaptors, most likely something you’ve already got at home.
Workshop System FAQ
- Does it come with the case? Yes.
- Can I take it out of the case? Yes.
- Does it need patch cables to work? Yes, it makes no sound at all before being patched.
- Is it Eurorack compatible? Yes, you can remove the back panel PSU and put it in a Euro case – 42hp, around 250mA current draw.
- How do the program cards work? The microcontroller in Computer is an RP2040, the same as a Raspberry Pi Pico. The program cards are the entire flash memory for the Computer, so there is no firmware on the device itself. They can be programmed in C/C++ (Pico SDK), Arduino Pico, Circuit Python or anything else that works on RP2040. Program cards can be re-programmed or updated over USB with a simple drag-and-drop process. You’re welcome to sell or give away any code you create, and can make your own custom cards if you want. Blank card sets can be found here (2MB) and here (16MB).
- Is there any normalisation? There is minimal normalisation built in – the two oscillators cross-modulate, and are patched to the Ring Mod, and the top filter High/Band Pass flows into the bottom filter input. So you need a lot of patch cables. However, all the normalisation points are clearly marked on the back of the PCBs, so it’s easy to add your own (removable) normalisation connections with wire and solder.
Technical Specs
Shipping Details
How much is my shipping?
Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll be offered shipping options and their prices. In the UK, 'next working day' shipping is free if the order value is over £150, and £5 otherwise. We can also ship on a 'next working day before 12pm' service, which costs £6 for orders over £150 and £7.50 for orders under £150.
Shipping to mainland EU typically costs between £7 and £20, depending on the shipping method and the size and weight of the order.
Do you ship to my country?
Almost certainly - the site will give you an estimate of shipping costs if you add an item to the cart and then enter your country and postcode. If you have specific requirements (such as if you prefer UPS over FedEx, for example) then let us know in advance and we'll try to work something out for you.
Shipping methods
We use a combination of DPD, Royal Mail and Parcelforce for the UK, and for international orders it's either DHL, FedEx, UPS, Royal Mail or Parcelforce depending on where you are in the world. If you have a particular preference then try to let us know BEFORE you order so we can look into it for you. Please note that there may occasionally be additional shipping charges if you live in a remote area, depending on what surcharges are applied by the shipper. We'll get in touch to discuss this with you in such cases.
Dispatch times
For UK orders, we aim to dispatch the same working day if we get the order before 16:00. If you have a really urgent situation then of course drop us an email before ordering and we'll always do our absolute best to accommodate you.
For international orders, we normally dispatch the same day if we get the order before 13:00 but again, occasionally it might be the next day before we can send it out, and sometimes the couriers may come to collect a little earlier than scheduled which would also push an order into the next day.
Saturday/Sunday shipping
If you're in the UK and you order before 16:00 on a Friday then we can send something for a Saturday or Sunday delivery with DPD. This is FREE for order values over £350, £5 for order values between £75 and £250, and £7 for order values under £75. (NB: this applies to UK mainland addresses only). Please note that any orders placed after 16:00 on a Friday will ship on the Monday.
International shipping times
Since April 2020, the couriers we use have suspended guarantees for shipping times, so even though we're paying them for priority services - 24-48 hours for most of the world - in practice it's often an extra day on top and sometimes it can be longer. There is absolutely nothing we can do about this, unfortunately. If you are outside the UK and it's a life-or-death situation where you absolutely MUST have that passive mult for the next day then... it may be better to find a local supplier.
Pre-orders
If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.
If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch if you have questions.
