Wildwood Soundworks is a small independent producer of electronic music devices. Our current products include Lightning and Express. Both products offer a digital sampler, sequencer and synthesizer with color LCD display, capacitive touch sensors and many other features.

Lightning and Express are currently available for sale at Etsy.

New Features

Wildwood Soundworks provides regular firmware updates as new features become available. New devices ship with the latest firmware and existing Lightning and Express users can get the latest features using WIFI-based over-the-air update. For a description of the latest features, click here.

Wildwood Lightning

Lightning features a unique note wheel interface (patent pending) that makes it possible to play across multiple octaves with just seven capacitive touch sensors. It shares its firmware with Express and includes the same features, as well as a larger touch screen, all in a smaller and lower cost form factor. For more information, click here.

January 28th, 2025: Wildwood Soundworks is pleased to announce Lightning v2.2, an update to the Lightning product that integrates components onto the main PCB to produce a thinner and cleaner design.

Wildwood Express

Express version 3 was released on December 21st, 2023. It has a capacitive touch sensor based interface featuring a one octave keyboard (eight octave range) plus chord and strum sensors. For more information on Express click here.

Features

Lightning and Express are compact audio systems that provide everything you need to record, play and edit your own music as well as standard MIDI music files:

• Sampler - record your own samples or use standard WAVE files.
• Sequencer - compose on up to 16 channels with channel mute and solo.
• Synthesizer - produce polyphonic audio with a sample based synthesizer.
• Touch Pads - play notes, select chord and drum patterns and strum with touch sensitive pads.
• Function Keys* - select octave, channel, view, menu and playback with tactile push buttons.
• Rotary Encoder* - navigate through songs and menus using a velocity sensitive knob with button.
• Display - view notes and channels or navigate menus to select from numerous features.
• Multiple Views - create and update your songs using piano roll, song or step views.
• Multiple Menus - discover features and create or edit your song with 14 menus.
• Touch Display+ - softkeys organize functions into categories and actions.
• Note Wheel+ - strum chords across octaves by moving finger around touch sensors.
• MIDI Network - Create multiple connectionless networks to play and record across collections of devices.
• MIDI Files - read and write to internal flash, or external USB flash drives and Micro SD cards.
• USB MIDI In - connect a MIDI keyboard to the device to use it as a sequencer and synthesizer.
• USB MIDI Out - connect the device to a computer to use it as a touch input device or sequencer.
• USB Audio - Record and play USB UAC 1.0 audio streams (e.g. USB audio headset).
• Playlists - create lists of songs or parts of songs to shuffle or play in sequence.
• Profiles - organize settings into profiles in flash memory for easy setup of new songs.
• Firmware Updates - install firmware updates over the internet for new features and bug fixes.
• Browser Interface - view a large version of the device screen on your favorite browser.
• Pattern Generator - play drum grooves and fills as well as chord arpeggios and strums.
• Reverb Filter - simulate acoustic characteristics of different types of spaces.
• Demo Songs - get started with over 65 Creative Commons CC0 licensed (Public Domain) MIDI files.
• Metronome - configure the sound, volume and rate of the builtin metronome.
• Articulation Menu - control the amplitude, pitch and timbre to produce more expressive sounds.
• Sample Management - Set loop points, clip samples, assign to touch sensors.
• Key Signature - Set the key of the song and forget about sharps and flats.
• Tablature View - Displays chords and lyrics to make it easier to play your favorite songs.

Asterisk (*) denotes a feature available in Express. Plus (+) denotes a feature available in Lightning.

Lightning and Express include metal touch pads, a hand-stained hardwood base and protective rubber feet.

The synthesizer works with both custom samples created using the sampler feature as well as a builtin general MIDI sample set of 128 instrument and 56 drum/percussion sounds.

Please note that only one USB feature can be used at a time.

Documentation

For information on how to use Lightning or Express, click here.

For information on setting up and configuring Express, see our Express Quick Start Guide. For more information on using Express, see our Express Quick Reference Guide.

For information on setting up and configuring Lightning v2.2, see our Lightning Quick Start Guide. For more information on using Lightning v2.2, see our Lightning Quick Reference Guide.

For information on the previous version of Lightning, visit Older Documentation.

Cases and Enclosures

The Wildwood Soundworks aesthetic features exposed electronics on a hardwood base. If you would like an enclosure for your device you can make one using our 2D and 3D Models.

Videos

For videos that show some of the key features of Wildwood Express, click here.

Updated videos are coming soon!

Important

Lightning and Express are powered by a standard 5V USB adapter and produce sound through a 3.5 mm AUX audio output jack or USB UAC1.0 audio device.

The 3.5 mm AUX audio output jack is a standard line-level two-channel (stereo) three conductor Tip-Ring-Shield (TRS) connector intended for use with a mixer or amplified speakers.

We do not recommend plugging headphones directly into the AUX jack, especially Tip-Ring-Ring-Shield (TRRS) audio headsets (e.g. with microphone) where the extra ring conductor can cause a short-circuit.

Unless noted otherwise in sales material, you will need to provide the power source and mixer or amplifier as well as cables.

About Us

For more information on Wildwood Soundworks, click here.

Contact Us

To provide feedback or contact Wildwood Soundworks, click here.