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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault

@AceArsenault@fosstodon.org

mastodon 4.6.6

Open Thoughts, Electrical Engineering, Computer Programming, Music & Oldskool Technology.

I design audio gear, compose music and build experimental musical instruments.
Software Engineer by day, Electrical Engineer by night, Musician on weekends.

Everything I post is original content unless otherwise noted.

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24 Posts

Joined December 18, 2022

Posts

Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · May 31, 2026

Replying to @JadedBlueEyes@tech.lgbt

@JadedBlueEyes@tech.lgbt *lol* I plan on being Non-Buy-Nary for a long time. Car salesmen stay away!

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · May 08, 2026

Replying to @JohnAltringham@mastodon.online

@JohnAltringham@mastodon.online Beautiful! : ]

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Apr 30, 2026

Replying to @solarpsychedelic@mastodon.online

@solarpsychedelic@mastodon.online Thanks! : } It's a blast to play on, I'm still perfecting the internal sounds.

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Mar 28, 2026

Replying to @kayleigh_beard_music@mastodon.social

@kayleigh_beard_music@mastodon.social Thank you Kayleigh. It's been a lot of fun to build and play around on. : }

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Mar 25, 2026

Replying to @michaelshotter@mastodon.social

@michaelshotter@mastodon.social Thanks Michael! : }

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Mar 16, 2026

@Anthony_Philippeau@mastodon.social I'd watch this movie. : }

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Mar 15, 2026

Replying to @Rob@musicians.today

@Rob@musicians.today Yeah. I'm thinking of doing a smaller batch of theses. At least to test the waters and see if people are interested.

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Mar 15, 2026

Replying to @irunatbullets@mas.to

@irunatbullets@mas.to Thanks Murray, Guess I'll be turning and carving some wooden ebony keys soon. ; ]

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Mar 15, 2026

Replying to @alter_kaker@hachyderm.io

@alter_kaker@hachyderm.io Nice, I need a friend who has one. So I can give it a try! : }

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Mar 15, 2026

Replying to @nickzoic@aus.social

@nickzoic@aus.social @doctroid@vmst.io That sounds like a really cool idea! : }

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Mar 15, 2026

Replying to @irunatbullets@mas.to

@irunatbullets@mas.to I'm not gonna' lie, that idea did cross my mind in the middle of building this. But I also want to make wooden piano black keytops, and I'm conflicted. Because that's what I'd like most. ; }

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Mar 15, 2026

Replying to @Rob@musicians.today

@Rob@musicians.today I mean, plan wise. I mostly just build stuff to meet the needs of my studio and performing work. : } But at some point I think I might start producing batches of instruments and effects to sell them. Likely to a small audience that has an interest in hand crafted instruments, effects and synths. This is a high candidate for a production run of some sort.

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Mar 15, 2026

Replying to @kbob@chaos.social

@kbob@chaos.social I actually didn't know about the Linnstrument until after I started prototyping this. Ultimately I'm happy because I wanted something more Piano Keyboard in nature and less LED buttons. : } I'm thinking of making raised wood key tops for the black keys.

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Mar 15, 2026

Replying to @Rob@musicians.today

@Rob@musicians.today Thanks Rob. : } It makes sense if you play bass guitar. It works great for chordioid harmony! Makes it really easy to play complex chord extensions with little additional thought.

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Mar 15, 2026

Replying to @doctroid@vmst.io

@doctroid@vmst.io @nickzoic@aus.social That's awesome! I've seen the Janko layout before. Seems like a cool idea. Once you get into microtonals, you pretty much have to ditch the old standard 12tone keyboard layout all together. I wish I had a layout that could play a Septimal harmonic 7th. I play it on brass and flutes all the time, but have no way of playing it on keyboard.

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Mar 15, 2026

Replying to @nickzoic@aus.social

@nickzoic@aus.social I've never played an button accordion, But they do look neat. : } I play bass, so making a theoretical "12 string bass" layout was the most logical step for my brain.

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Mar 15, 2026

Replying to @Qxkw@ieji.de

@Qxkw@ieji.de Yeah. it's a bit like the Harpejji. Just half steps are side to side instead of up and down. This is like a bass guitar with many strings. : }

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Mar 15, 2026

Replying to @alter_kaker@hachyderm.io

@alter_kaker@hachyderm.io I've actually never played a button accordion before, They look like fun. : }

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Mar 15, 2026

Replying to @matthewconroy@mathstodon.xyz

@matthewconroy@mathstodon.xyz It is portable. : } Packs a lot of notes in a small space. Also the key widths are 1" so it's standard piano sized keys. Just in two dimensions.

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Mar 15, 2026

I've been working on a prototype for an instrument that fits an entire keyboard in a compact space.

This is tuned in 4ths like a bass guitar, if only it had 12 strings and a really wide neck.

#music #instruments #electronics #wip

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Oct 16, 2025

Recently I've been working with analog magnetic sensors for reading keyboard position, velocity and aftertouch.

Wrote a quick FM-synthesis engine for some sweet 1980s synth bells. Then took the prototype keyboard for a test drive on one of them free jam-tracks. : }

#music #instruments #electronics #diy #firmware

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Mar 02, 2025

Flute Demonstration - Low D

Here is a flute I built.
Please enjoy! : ]

#art #music #workshop #instruments

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Dec 18, 2024

Here is an instrument I built a while back. It's a 6 string fretless lute.

You play it with a feather (old appalachian dulcimer trick).
Tuned A,C,D,G,D,A

Enjoy the jam!

#art #music #lute #workshop #instruments

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault @AceArsenault@fosstodon.org · Feb 10, 2023

Here is a little something I've been experimenting with. It's a single string fretless bass.

It's a blast to play and a good exercise in minimalism.
Might end up making a few in different keys. (D, E, G) etc

#music #bass #art #bassguitar #1string

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