The Fort Processor is a touch and light controlled synthesiser and audio effect circuit designed by Isn’tses for Fort Process festival 2018. The event is held at Newhaven Fort on the Sussex coast, and Isn’tses have based the design and artwork of the instrument on the layout of the site, with inspiration from the surrounding landscape and ocean. The circuit consists of: 

 • A section which distorts and octave-divides incoming audio (eg from a radio, walkman, mp3, synth etc) 

• Squarewave oscillators controlled by touching the metallic drawings across the centre of the circuitboard with fingers, and also by a light sensor (best played using flashing/colour-changing lights or moving shadows)

• A chopper/ring-modulator which rhythmically slices between the distorted input signal and the oscillators,

• A ‘Twin-T’ section; a classic kick drum circuit mutated into a mysterious bass oscillator/drum/drone/filter which is influenced by the audio input. 

 If no audio input is connected, the circuit instead uses feedback and acts as a self-contained synth