Speak & Glitch GND-1T
Circuit Bent Speech Chip Synthesizer
Embrace the mayhem...
explore circuit bending and controllable chaos like never before
The GND-1T (Glitch&Drum 1 Touch) is based on a faithful emulation of the TMS speech synthesis chip found in the classic vintage Speak and Spell game. It was inspired by many years of circuit bending hardware Speak and Spells to produce musical sounds, but takes it far beyond anything that’s possible in hardware. It offers a whole new approach to chip sound synthesis, looping and rhythm generation.
The GND-1T contains all the amazing features of the original GND-1 speech synth plus a whole load of new ones. The 1T is a complete stand-alone chaos monster, producing things you never thought possible from a circuit bent speech-chip synth. You can use it in total stand-alone mode using its built-in drum kits or driving external MIDI drum devices, or hook it into your system as a synth module, MIDI drum generator / sequencer, effects processor, or a whole range of other uses. It adds to the GND-1 a resonant post filter, overdrive and echo effects, unique internal drum kits, USB digital audio I/O capabilities, analog AUX input, host USB port for external controllers, touch screen control and parameter editing, headphone output, assignable encoders for live parameter control, and many amazing new modes and parameters (the revised DRIFT and MORPH functions are a sound-sculptor’s dream tools).
Click on any of the icons above (or the main image) to hear some audio demos straight from the GND-1T. These are single patches without any morphing or drifting activated. Check out Hideaki Shirato’s intro video stepping through the factory sounds while messing with some of the parameters. Or click here to see a whole bunch of videos by Joe Manton (who contributed to the development of the GND-1T with me), showing some of the many ways in which it can be used.
The first few installments in my series of short GND-1T video tutorials are now also available here
Feel free to download the USER MANUAL below to see why you won’t find another synth on the planet like it!
Buy Now
The GND-1T is now available to order using the links below. Prices are in Australian Dollars and are inclusive of world wide shipping. The optional hard case (AUD $39) is a heavy duty hard plastic case (Pelican Style).
GND-1T + world wide shipping AUD $869 (~ US $568 as of August 1, 2024)
GND-1T + hard case + world wide shipping AUD $908
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Highlights
- • Faithful emulation of the classic vintage Speak and Spell speech chip
• Digitally circuit bent and capable of so much more than in hardware
• Synthesis: formant / vowel / glottal / speech / rhythm / groove / circuit bent / glitch / complex oscillator
• Expansive / feature rich / sophisticated / deep architecture allows you to get inside the speech synthesis chip
and explore this highly unique synthesiser (This ain’t your dad’s spelling machine)• Around 150 real time parameters, with full stand-alone control and editing using the touch screen and encoders,
or via MIDI over USB and 5-pin DIN (with user defined thru connectivity)
• MIDI USB HOST port for external controllers / keyboards
• Five GROUPS of (3+3) assignable encoders for instant ‘live’ parameter control via 30 virtual encoders
• Syncs to MIDI Clock with individually configurable PPQN scalers for Tempo, Drum and LFO rates, and loop length• Automation capabilities that enable parameters to randomly DRIFT and MORPH between patches
• Full bidirectional MANUAL MORPH control between any patches with save option at any morph setting
• Powerful Expression Matrix allows every parameter to respond independently to modwheel, velocity, breath-control,
after-touch, and a dedicated expression LFO (XPlfo) modulation block
• Unique modulation blocks that mix twin waveforms selected from over 30 different wave shapes and signal sources each
• Audio rate modulation of amplitude, pitch and speech filter using the “MFO”
• Touch Sensor, main rotary encoder, and MIDI note number assignable to expression matrix controllers
• Extensive randomisation possibilities with undo• Ultra dynamic MIDI Rhythm Generator algorithm improvises drum grooves on-the-fly as it interacts with the synthesis engine
• Over a dozen Drum parameters, with the same extensive control as synth parameters and saved with each patch
• Drum note triggers can be sent to 40 unique built-in drum kits and external MIDI devices, and act as modulation sources• Built in stereo overdrive, (fat) resonant Post-Filter, and classic echo / looper functions
• Full stereo 44kHz analog and digital USB Audio I/O
• Store up to 1000 presets with seamless preset switching and morphing
NOTE THAT SENDING THIS SYSEX FILE TO YOUR GND-1T WILL OVERWRITE ANY PATCHES YOU HAVE SAVED IN LOCATIONS 500-599, SO BE SURE TO RELOCATE THOSE FIRST IF YOU WANT TO PRESERVE THEM.
New Keyboard Patches (Sept 9, 2024)
The standard preloaded factory sounds #0-99 in the GND-1T are primarily loop and drum examples, with just a few of the patches at the end of the block set up for more traditional keyboard playing.
An additional block of “keyboard” patches is now available as a download. These are usually based on short loops acting as complex oscillators, and make more extensive use of the expression matrix. Most are intended to be controlled by the 1T touch sensor in addition to a keyboard. I hope they will be useful as templates when you first start creating your own keyboard patches.
Click the “Keyboard Patches (SysEx)” button to the left to download a SysEx file containing the keyboard patches, and send this file to your GND-1T over MIDI to install the added patches into locations #500-599.