mki x es.EDU Drum Sequencer (kit)

Most drum sequencers are complex machines – packed with buttons and LEDs, all driven by a microcontroller. For the mki x es.edu DIY Drum Sequencer kit, we decided to take the opposite approach: a hands-on rhythm engine with a minimalist interface, built from just a handful of logic chips. Each of the sequencer’s four channels is programmed in real time using a single button. Patterns loop automatically, can be shortened on the fly, and support half-time playback for slower, evolving grooves. Accents are handled using synced LFOs, while a simple resistor-DAC turns patterns into stepped control voltages – perfect for modulating pitch, decay, or other parameters. Whether you’re looking to learn about sequencer design, sharpen your soldering skills, or just want a drum sequencer that plays like an instrument, this DIY kit packs surprising depth into a refreshingly simple interface.

Features

• 4 independent channels with one-button step input/removal
• 16 steps per channel, individually reducible to 12 or 7
• Optional half-time mode per channel
• Two syncable analog LFOs for dynamic accents
• Resistor-DAC output for pitch or decay modulation
• Internal clock with 16th, 8th, and quarter note outputs, syncable to external gear
• Module width: 34HP
• 27mA @+12V; 20mA @-12V

EDU DIY Drum Sequencer on MODULARGRID

EDu DIY Drum Sequencer MODWIGGLER Thread

Manual V2 — Oct. 9, 2025

Erica Synths and Moritz Klein – have developed a series of educational DIY kits under the brand name mki x es.EDU with one specific goal in mind: to teach people with little-to-no prior experience how to design analog synthesizer circuits from scratch. What you’ll find in the box is not simply meant to be soldered together and then disappear in your rack. Instead, you are wanted to be taken through the circuit design process step by step, explaining every choice they’ve made and how it impacts the finished module.

In total, they have developed 9 kits to build a fully-featured modular monosynth: a sequencer, a VCO, a wavefolder, a noise/S&H module, a mixer, a VCF, an Envelope generator, a dual VCA, and an output stereo mixer with a headphone amplifier. Additionally, an affordable eurorack case with a DIY PSU will also be available. While these kits are easy to build, they did not compromise on design and functionality. They will launch one kit every 4-6 weeks. Each kit comes with an extensive user manual (40+ pages PDF-Download) that will dive deep into not only the electronics behind each circuit but also the fundamental principles of sound synthesis. They hope that the mki x es.EDU project will inspire future engineers and will contribute to the ever-growing diversity of electronic music technology.