The Pantom Quartet Pre-Prototype (plus SMD to DIP conversions)

The Phantom Quartet is an idea I've had for quite some time. I put together a schematic which incorporates Pete Edwards' step sequencer. My original post with the schematic can be found here; and Pete was kind enough to post it here and here.[click for larger]I noticed that I already had a few 4017s so I wanted to finally have a go at making a sequencer. The only downside was that I accidentally ordered SMD 4017s (a mistake I used to make often) instead of DIP. So to get around it, I crafted the little monster pictured above.
Once that was done, I used the counter to sequence 9v charges into pots which lead to my orcasynth. It actually worked! Here is a clip of the voltage sequencer in action:
I am expecting the parts for the actual step switches and everything in the next few days. So stay tuned for prototype A!

StudioFactory

StudioFactory is a (free!) virtual analog modular synthesizer (and much more). I recommend it highly and absolutely love the sounds I can get out of it. I used it along with a guitar to make the following little glitchy song. The clips are just random pieces of video from my everyday life.

Enjoy, and Happy Glitching.

PS: Here is a screencap of what part of that song looks like in StudioFactory:
[click for larger]

The Orcasynth

Hello, and apologies for the tardiness of this update.
This is the Orcasynth; a digital synth (based around a 40106 hex inverter) with optional clock or photoresistor duty-cycle control.


[click for larger]The synth circuit is a modified version of Hackaday's design, and the clock is just a simple 555 clock. The side with the LED and 2 knobs (speed, and high time) is the clock. The side with the photoresistor and 4 knobs (frequency, duty cycle, lfo speed and lfo pitch) is the synth.


[click for larger]The switch on the clock side is power. The switch on the synth side changes between either clock to duty cycle modulation, or photoresistor to duty cycle modulation. There are also two humorously-placed jacks; clock-out and synth-out. Since the two circuits are only connected by a makeshift vactrol, the clock-out is clean and isolated.


[click for larger]The only downside is that the signal needs to be amplified. I am thinking of putting a simple amp onboard though (there's still a little room in there). In case you were curious, the audio amplification in the video is through this monstrosity:
[click for larger]But that is for another day.

Happy Glitching.

Danelectro BLT Echo mods (Sample Length and Drone Machine)

This little monster combines uses two mods; one discovered by soulsonic of freestompboxes.org, and one that I found while poking around.


[click for larger]Soulsonic's mod turns this crappy, single-speed echo into a surprisingly decent variable-speed delay pedal! Simply locate pin 6 of the PT2399S, remove the attached resistor labelled "682" and replace with a pot and resistor. Soulsonic reccomends a 50k pot and 180 ohm resistor, but I used a 100k pot and 220 ohm resistor.


[click for larger]The second mod is a feedback loop connecting the bottom two wires pictured above with two different capacitor selections to create a wave effect in the drone. With this mod, I also added a 100k "feedback strength" pot, and a switch so you can throw it into standalone mode without anything plugged in (top two wires in the picture above).


[click for larger]When these two mods are combined, the BLT is so much fun to play with! There are 5 controls, mix, repeat, sample length, feedback strength and feedback mode (A/off/B). As a standalone drone device, it packs a powerful punch. The sample-length mod creates some great pitch swoops and I once managed to make it sound EXACTLY like a turntable scratch! Unfortunately I wasn't able to reproduce that in this video.

Happy Glitching.

Fantastic Interference.

Here are some odd sounds I found while adding better controls to an Epiphone Headjammer (a little headphone amplifier for your guitar). I added higher pots and better switches, and now it just makes an assortment of fantastic noises and feedback squelches when there is no signal running through it. You can control the sounds with the pots and switches, but mainly by moving your hands around in the air above the Headjammer. I had to record this, just in case it doesn't happen again when I case the thing back up.
Enjoy.

PS: This weekend I will post about turning my crappy Danelectro BLT Echo into a multi-speed delay pedal, as well as a standalone drone-machine. Stay Tuned!