? ? PLAY MY C64 SYNTHESIZER — FREE, IN YOUR BROWSER: https://doctormix.com/doctormix64 ? ? This is the one. My Commodore 64 synthesizer is FINALLY finished — and it came out better than I imagined. ?
? Learn synthesis properly — Synthesizer Guru, my complete video course: https://doctormix.com/courses/synthesizer-guru
? Watch the full Doctor Mix C-64 series from Episode 1: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3zIryVDCWcWHVa2oTr5Iyo3UsxXD0m4u
☕️ HERE's my favourite mug"
https://doctor-mix-shop.fourthwall.com/en-gbp/products/synthesizer-guru-mug-black
Sam from Look Mum No Computer built me the control panel, but I'd been keeping it in an ugly functional box that was destroying the look of the C64. So in this episode I build it a proper detachable enclosure from scratch — measuring, cutting, gluing, a LOT of sparks, and one or two moments where I call myself an idiot on camera. ?
Then the good part. SID chip number one was completely dead — so I repaired it. Which means there are now TWO vintage SID chips running at the same time, one hard left, one hard right. That's not a stereo effect. That's two synthesizers playing together. ?️
And somewhere along the way I fell down the electronics rabbit hole — learning the oscilloscope, building my own MIDI tester out of a £12 screen and a microcontroller, and using AI to modify the firmware so the C64 screen now says DOCTOR MIX instead of Cynthcart. Being able to dominate your own electronics is MASSIVE.
Oh — and I built a virtual version of the whole thing that you can play in your browser for free. It's very beta, almost alpha, but it's real and it's yours. Link at the top ⬆️
? In this video:
? Building a proper detachable enclosure for Sam's control panel
? Measuring, cutting and clamping — safely (please don't try the table saw at home)
? Mounting the panel and cutting for power and MIDI
? Osmo oil finish and a custom base for the C64
? Repairing a completely dead SID chip
?️ TWO vintage SID chips in true stereo — one left, one right
? Learning the oscilloscope and building my own MIDI tester
? Using AI to modify the firmware — it says DOCTOR MIX now
? The FREE virtual C64 synth you can play in your browser
? First look at the NEW Commodore 64 — full test next episode
⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 Seven years, one unfinished synth
1:34 Giving Sam's panel a proper enclosure
3:16 Cutting, gluing and clamping
8:45 Mounting the control panel — sparks fly
11:28 Oil finish, a base for the C64, and one big mistake
14:00 Finished. The beauty shot
15:14 SID chip one was completely dead — so I repaired it
16:11 TRUE stereo: two vintage SID chips, left and right
17:16 Down the electronics rabbit hole — scope, MIDI tester, AI
19:04 The firmware now says DOCTOR MIX
22:44 Play my C64 synth FREE in your browser
26:38 First look: the NEW Commodore 64 Ultra
? THANK YOU — THE PEOPLE BEHIND THIS SYNTH
This machine exists because these people built things, sent things, and taught me. Please go and give them some love.
? Paul Slocum — Cynthcart, the synth engine
https://qotile.net/cynthcart.html
https://github.com/PaulSlocum/cynthcart
?️ Sam Battle / Look Mum No Computer — the control panel and case mods
https://lookmumnocomputer.com
https://www.youtube.com/@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER
? Henrik / Project SIDFX — the adapter that hot-swaps the 6581 and 8580
https://sidfx.dk
? 8-Bit Ventures — SID2SID dual-SID kit and the MSSIAH cartridge
https://mssiah.com
? Phil / Retroleum — dual-SID parts and install guidance
https://www.retroleum.co.uk
? Tim Harris / Shareware Plus — the Cynthcart cartridge and the Mini X-Pander+
https://sharewareplus.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html
? Mike Smith / Synths and Wood — the wooden enclosure
https://www.synthsandwood.co.uk
? David Murray / The 8-Bit Guy — C64 hardware guidance
https://www.youtube.com/@The8BitGuy
? Dirk Hoffmann — VirtualC64 / vc64web, the emulator that runs it in a browser
https://dirkwhoffmann.github.io/virtualc64
https://vc64web.github.io
? The whole seven-year build, in order:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3zIryVDCWcWHVa2oTr5Iyo3UsxXD0m4u
? Cynthcart by Paul Slocum, used under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0
? Emulation by VirtualC64 / vc64web (Dirk Hoffmann), used under MPL-2.0
❤️ Want to see what I build next? Join me on Patreon
? https://www.patreon.com/DoctorMix
? Courses & training ? https://doctormix.com/courses
? Mixing & mastering services ? https://doctormix.com/services
? Sound packs & multitracks ? https://doctormix.com/sound-packs
?️ Merch ? https://doctor-mix.creator-spring.com/
? Stay connected
YouTube ? https://youtube.com/@Doctormix
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Facebook ? https://facebook.com/DoctorMixOnline
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#DoctorMix #Commodore64 #SIDChip #SynthDIY #MusicProduction