A RASPBERRY PI KIT BECOMES A SYNTH WORKSTATION WITH HUNDREDS OF INSTRUMENTS
A Raspberry Pi kit that becomes a hardware synth with hundreds of instruments, four knobs, and real MIDI jacks.
AudioOpen-hardware
- difficulty
- ●●●○○
- time
- a weekend
- license
- GPL-3.0
- repo
- repo ACTIVE213 stars
●●●○○ · a weekend · GPL-3.0 · 213 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- 3D printer + filament — printable parts — files are in the repo
- Electronic parts — full list with part numbers in the repo BOM
- Dev board / microcontroller — runs the project firmware
Partner
COMPAREE VERDICT
Zynthian turns a Raspberry Pi into a standalone hardware synthesiser with a proper interface: four rotary encoders, a touchscreen, MIDI in/out/thru, and balanced audio jacks. It runs hundreds of software instruments — open-source synths, samplers, drum machines, guitar amp sims — and switches between them without a computer. The project has been actively developed since 2015 and the forums are full of people gigging with these boxes. The official kit costs about 410 EUR and arrives with everything matched and tested; self-sourcing saves roughly 150 EUR but you will spend a weekend hunting down a compatible audio HAT (HiFiBerry DAC+ ADC Pro or AudioInjector are confirmed working) and printing or cutting a case. The software image is straightforward — flash an SD card, boot, done — but if you want low-latency performance for live use, expect an afternoon tweaking buffer sizes and disabling WiFi. The single biggest trap: some of the best-sounding engines (Pianoteq, commercial LinuxSampler libraries) are not free, and the project does not make this obvious until you are in the menus. If you want a hardware synth you can open up and actually understand, this is the one. If you just want to plug in a MIDI keyboard this weekend and play, buy the kit.
IN THE REPO
NOT IN THE REPO
- —GPL-3.0 licence permits commercial use.
- —Multiple repositories: zynthian-ui (UI, 213 stars), zynthian-sys (system, 96 stars), plus zynthian-data and zynthian-webconf. All actively maintained, last push 2026-08-01.
- —Official kit from shop.zynthian.org around 410 EUR includes case, display, encoders, audio board. Self-sourcing possible for 250-300 EUR but requires finding compatible HiFiBerry or AudioInjector board.
- —Software image is pre-built; you flash an SD card. Building the OS from scratch is documented but not required.
- —CAD files for 3D-printed cases and laser-cut panels available in zynthian-case repo.
- —Hundreds of synth engines supported (ZynAddSubFX, FluidSynth, LinuxSampler, Pianoteq, others) but some are commercial plugins requiring separate purchase.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Partner · KickstarterHeyGears G1: 10M+ colors and transparent parts in one print, plus UV printing on flat objects. Figures, parts and labels — no painting.
Videos
Video URL from payload; details not provided.
Gallery
Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the official kit page or wiki hardware requirements (Decide official kit or self-sourced; wiki lists confirmed-working audio boards if you go DIY.)
- 2.Download the latest SD card image (Flash to 16GB+ SD card. First boot takes 5-10 minutes to expand filesystem.)
- 3.Assemble hardware and connect MIDI keyboard(Official kit has illustrated assembly guide. Self-sourced: check wiki for GPIO pinout and audio HAT jumpers.)
- 4.Boot, configure audio latency and MIDI routing in webconf(Accessed at zynthian.local from a browser. If you want live performance, disable WiFi and set 128-sample buffer.)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
- Reddit discussion on Pi audio latency reddit.com
- Build video youtube.com
- Build video youtube.com
- Build video youtube.com
- Build video youtube.com
- Project site zynthian.org
Partner · KickstarterBluHub reads and burns Blu-ray/DVD/CD, adds USB-C, USB-A, SD/TF and 10 Gbps data — plug and play, grand-piano finish.
KNOWN ISSUES
- Buying the wrong audio HAT: not every Raspberry Pi sound card works. HiFiBerry DAC+ ADC Pro and AudioInjector Stereo/Octo are documented; cheaper clones often lack Linux drivers or have unusable latency.
- Assuming all instruments are free: the open-source engines (ZynAddSubFX, FluidSynth, others) are included, but commercial ones (Pianoteq, some LinuxSampler libraries) require separate purchase. The menus list them anyway.
- Skipping the latency tuning step: default settings prioritise stability over performance. For live use, you need to reduce buffer size and disable WiFi in the webconf interface, or you will hear 50-100ms lag.
- Using a Raspberry Pi 3: technically supported but CPU-limited. Complex patches (multiple synth layers, reverb) will crackle. Pi 4 2GB is the practical minimum; Pi 5 is better.
- Not checking case compatibility if self-sourcing: the official case is sized for specific boards. If you 3D-print from the repo, verify your audio HAT matches the template or you will need to remix it.
Can I use this live, or is latency a problem?
People gig with Zynthians. Out of the box, latency is 20-30ms (noticeable but playable). Disable WiFi, set a 128-sample buffer, and use a Pi 4 or 5; you can get under 10ms, which is imperceptible. The forums have a sticky post on low-latency configuration.
Do I need to buy the official kit, or can I source parts cheaper?
Self-sourcing saves roughly 150 EUR but adds a weekend of work. The biggest variable is the audio board: you need one with Linux drivers and confirmed JACK support. HiFiBerry DAC+ ADC Pro is the safest choice; cheaper clones are a gamble. If you already have a Pi 4 or 5, self-sourcing makes sense. If you are starting from zero, the kit is faster.
What instruments are actually included?
Open-source engines ship with the image: ZynAddSubFX (subtractive synth), FluidSynth (SoundFont player), setBfree (Hammond organ clone), Dexed (DX7 emulator), LinuxSampler (free with open samples). Commercial engines like Pianoteq are supported but not included; you buy a licence separately and install it via webconf.
Can I add my own samples or SoundFonts?
Yes. Upload via the webconf file manager or SCP to /zynthian/zynthian-my-data. FluidSynth loads any SF2/SF3 file; LinuxSampler takes GIG and SFZ. The forums have a thread with free orchestra libraries that work well.
Does it work with a DAW, or is it standalone only?
Both. Standalone is the main use case, but you can route MIDI and audio over USB to a computer (class-compliant, no drivers needed) or sync via MIDI clock. Some people use it as a hardware front-end for software running on the Pi itself.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
The project lists over 30 synth engines in the menus, but half are commercial and require separate licences. Which open-source engine would you actually use first — the ZynAddSubFX modular synth, or a SoundFont player loaded with your own samples?
Zynthian Team
Zynthian started in 2015 as a one-person project to put open-source synth engines into a hardware box. It grew into a small team maintaining the software and selling kits to fund development. The project is GPL-3.0; hardware schematics and case files are open.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM21d ago
Practical notes from our verification: the official shop is at shop.zynthian.org (not linked in the main repo README; you find it via the wiki). The video walkthroughs in the payload are community-made, not official. The single biggest decision is audio board compatibility: HiFiBerry DAC+ ADC Pro is the documented safe choice, but forum posts confirm AudioInjector Stereo and Octo also work. If you self-source, budget an extra afternoon for case tweaking — the 3D-printed designs in zynthian-case are sized for specific board dimensions, and remixing for a different HAT is common. One surprise: the webconf interface (accessed at zynthian.local) is more capable than expected; you can upload samples, install plugins, and configure MIDI routing without ever SSHing into the Pi.