Timbre

Timbre is a polyphonic analog synthesizer where each voice is a discrete reconfigurable analog engine. Built around the Cypress CY8C29466 PSoC 1, the instrument uses switched-capacitor analog fabric as both oscillator and filter — the same circuit that generates the tone also shapes it. Topology, character, and routing are reconfigurable per-voice, per-note, or per-MIDI-CC in real time.

An ESP32 handles MIDI and MPE parsing, voice allocation, envelope generation, and modulation routing, communicating with each voice chip over I2C. Voice count scales linearly by adding chips to the bus.

Per-voice analog engine

Each CY8C29466 is a complete voice — 12 analog blocks that can be wired into any filter topology, VCA, mixer, or waveshaper configuration.

Oscillator is the filter

Self-oscillating switched-capacitor fabric generates tone and shapes it simultaneously. No external VCO — the analog block is the sound source.

MPE native

Per-note expression maps naturally because each voice is a physical chip. Slide morphs the oscillation mode. Pressure controls the filter. Every note is independent.

Scales by adding chips

4 voices, 16 voices, 32 — add CY8C29466 units to the I2C bus and register them with the allocator. No architectural changes.

Status

Timbre is in the concept and pre-development phase. The core architecture is defined, 100+ CY8C29466 chips are in inventory, and the first milestone is validating self-oscillation in the switched-capacitor fabric.

Relationship to Funmaker 555

Timbre is architecturally compatible with the Funmaker 555 MIDI conversion project — shared ESP32 ecosystem, compatible I2C bus, and the option to receive the organ’s TOS divider signals as an input source. The 555 is the sleeper (stock appearance, modern guts); Timbre is its companion synthesizer voice. Both live under the Tonifex umbrella — a workshop spanning every instrument family.