I have owned my monotron for a while, but have dismissed it mostly as a cool toy, not useful for any actual music production. It's too much work to actually make anything that great, and the ribbon controller is a massive pain
 
But after seeing this video 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX-IOYVBwUg
i find out there are a whole bunch of people that have spent a lot of time modding and hacking their monotrons to add a bunch of cool features! This means I must also do it
 
I'll be documenting my journey here with pictures and all the little things I do.
 
My first step: http://www.korg-datastorage.jp/Manual/monotron_sch.pdf
 

This should be cool.

ok so i added 1/4inch jack sockets on to replace the 3.5mm ones because tiny ones are annoying. I still need to sort out the switching part of it but that is a tiny thing. (the bit that cuts off the internal speaker when you plug something into the audio out)
 
I'll eventually make a case for those plugs to go in, too.
 
My dad had a look at the schematics to see how difficult making a new keyboard for it would be and the conclusion was Not Too Bad. I'm probably gonna get a load of cool buttons for the keyboard like maybe these ones: 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/15-x-Red-Push-to-Make-Square-Switch-Momentary-Normally-Open-Solder-terminals-/281112668484?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Supplies_ET&hash=item41739ee944
 
Having a "proper" keyboard would be kinda pointless for this thing, so a novelty one like that would be Rad As Hell

this video has inspired me to get back on the monohack
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-IGSgNIz9A
 
That light sensor seems like a genius idea and probably not tooooo difficult to add.

wheres the monotron dude

I make my own computer synths because I'm poor

The input/output jacks are working fine, but I'm waiting to find a lil keyboard to rip apart and take the keyboard part off to attach to the monotron.

do you want a keyboard  my midi controller just borked

psst let me know im throwing it out on friday

how will you possibly get it to me lol

a SIGNED natty tan keyboard amazing

gazelle duh

nevermind im taking it apart !