Choose as many octaves or mod wheels as you like, printed in any size.

3D printing has yet to fully come of age, but the technology is still capable of creating useful items that aren’t handgun parts and cheap-looking art objects.

One such example is a keyboard designed by Tim Trzepacz of SoftEgg, creators of Nintendo DSi music app Rhythm Core Alpha. The design is modular, meaning you can print out as many octaves as you want or even add multiple modulation wheels.

The design also takes into account any difficulties that might be faced when trying to add knobs and sliders – the front panel has a grid embossed on the back for easy drilling. There are also mounting holes for screwing down circuit boards, while the keyboard parts are designed to fastened together with threaded rods.

If you’re up to the challenge of constructing your own keyboard, the design files are also Creative Commons licensed, so you can use them for free and modify them however you like. The parts have been designed at a small scale to allow pieces to be printed at any size, meaning you could, in theory, print out a keyboard to fit the profile of your own Eurorack housing.

Unfortunately you’ll have to find the necessary circuit boards, wiring and connectors to make the whole thing actually work, but if you have a modular synth without a keyboard, this could be a great alternative to an off-the-shelf keyboard. Download the files here. [via Synthtopia]