I remember hearing about the
ribbon controllers based on the use of VHS tape on the Benders List a while back, however completely forgot about until I ran into the
Synthstick project.
The VHS tape acts much like a variable slide resistor and the further up you go the more resistance you will have because the current has to pass through all the iron in the tape. Anyways I know one thing I'll be doing tonite is making on of those things. The sound samples completely rocked my socks off.
Sample 1 With Filter effect
Clean Sample 2
[Via
FolkUrban]
BTW, We'll see how long it takes for this post to get on Make:
I remember hearing about the ribbon controllers based on the use of VHS tape on the Benders List a while back, however completely forgot about until I ran into the Synthstick project.
The VHS tape acts much like a variable slide resistor and the further up you go the more resistance you will have because the current has to pass through all the iron in the tape. Anyways I know one thing I'll be doing tonite is making on of those things. The sound samples completely rocked my socks off.
Sample 1 With Filter effect
Clean Sample 2
[Via FolkUrban]
BTW, We'll see how long it takes for this post to get on Make:
8 Comments:
At 10/27/2005 01:02:39 PM, Anonymous said…
Oh man, I'm not able to hear the samples...
At 10/27/2005 01:03:54 PM, Master said…
They work fine for me.
At 10/27/2005 01:08:07 PM, Master said…
In the nutshell the first sample is a totally raunchy Bassline sounding phrase.
At 10/27/2005 10:28:14 PM, Keith.Seaman said…
Paia makes a ribbon controller, or atleast has some info about it on their site. It's not Exactly the same but it's similar and CV too!
http://paia.com/LabNotes/index.htm
the kit is 52 dollars, who know's might be worth it!
Keith.
At 10/31/2005 05:52:03 PM, eucarya said…
any actual pictures of this?
At 11/03/2005 06:35:02 PM, Tim Escobedo said…
Wow! I just found this blog and was surprised to see the Synthstick here.
Some updates: resistive VHS tape is extinct, so you'll have to dig in the old tape piles to find some. PAIA's guitar string is a excellent solution that's so simple and intuitive I wish I'd thought of it... much easier to find than reflective mylar sheet.
Since the resistive VHS tape/guitar string/mylar sheet is essentially a home-made pot, it can be a CV source just as easy as a Synthstick.
I have a few more circuits that'll be added soon in the "simple DIY noisemaker/synth" vein. In the meantime, you can peruse my effects circuits:
http://tinyurl.com/d4odr
Most are useful for electric guitar and relatively tame, but a few are unusual signal processors/noisemakers in their own right.
Remember: the Schmitt Trigger is your friend!
At 7/04/2006 01:58:03 AM, patrick said…
about the use of old VHS tape in the synthstick: i discovered that MiniDV tape works just as well, with the added advantage of being readily available all over the place and super cheap.
At 7/04/2006 12:36:50 PM, Master said…
MiniDV tape! Damn thats awesome! Please share the findings after your experiment.
Post a Comment
<< Home