Brilliant Arduino Sequencer

Spotted this fantastic Arduino based synthesizer / sequencer on the make blog this morning. The official website for this project can be found here. The links include video of the device in action is well as code and schematics in case you wanted to build your own APC (Arduino Punk Console) not to be confused with the 555 Timer based Atari Punk Console (APC) which is an entirely different but totally fun weekend noisemaker project. Be sure to check out the rest of their website Beavis Audio as they have lots of other cool audio devices and effects.

I have spent hours playing around with the Arduino board since I purchased one almost a year ago today. Our first instrument an optical theremin we called Fotosis No. 001 used one to control various effects. The possibilities this simple USB cross platform micro-controller presents are almost limitless (Well not really limitless) and I love to see what lots of people around the world is doing with this great tool. I also like the fact that this device is getting the attention it deserves from websites like Make so more people can be turned on to its potential.

-J

Cigar Box Electric: Sort of

This is a simple cigar box style electric guitar I made last year using the wooden box that comes with the Electro Harmonix Micro Synthesizer as the body. The neck and bridge were just lying around my workshop in Ireland and I had nothing to do that day so after several hours of work I ended up with this weird instrument.

The scale length is shorter than the fret spacing on the neck would like but it still sounds great when played with a slide or prepared or modified with a third bridge. The hollow body gives the guitar a rather unique resonating quality that produces really interesting tones. Below is a sample of some noises I created using this guitar and our latest electronic synth / effect unit, Fotosis No. 004 there is a picture of the equipment setup at the end of the post.

The pickups are good quality single coils that were replacements I bought for my first guitar. It was not being used anymore due to the fact that it had become so modified and broken normal music was impossible to play on it, but it looked and sounded totally cool. I removed the pickups from the old guitar and cut slots into the EH Micro Synth box through which I pushed the pickups and then secured them in place wit four screws.

This instrument was a gift for Connie as was the little Danelectro Honeytone pocket amplifier that we use all the time now as a preamp.

Handmade Electric Guitar

Just finished building and setting up this electric guitar. The body is a solid block of Indian Teak which was once part of a DIY boat project that was abandoned in the 60's, the wood had been sitting in a shed in Ireland until my dad rescued it and I then took it to my workshop in France. We found the sheet of aluminum that is the rear cover outside our flat late one night on the way home from the brasserie. The neck was an Ebay find, all the other little bit and pieces were scavenged from here and there.

The really interesting thing about this project is that I made the pickups from scratch. The bobbins were hand carved from the same wood as the body and wound with the same type of wire originally used by Fender. Each of the two scatter wound single coil pickups have six high quality AlNiCo magnets in them and the wire was wound to 5.5k on the bridge pickup and 6.7k on the neck pickup resulting in a very warm and powerful vintage sound that distorts extremely cleanly.

I really enjoyed making this instrument and will be very sad to see it go.



You can see a slide show of the instrument at various stages of construction if you follow this link.

This instrument is going up for sale tomorrow evening (my time France) on Ebay, if anyone is interested in buying it before then, contact me.

-J

Making Your Own Cardboard Synthesizer / Using Recycled Materials

We've had quite alot of interest in our simple saw theremin! That makes me very happy because it is so simple and anyone can do it.

We often think of things to create for fun and it makes use of things lying around the flat which is another philosophy (for lack of a better word) we live by.

Another similar project is the ‘Your First Synth’ shown here via Music From Outer Space that John found for me in March. This is the perfect weekend project and not very expensive to make. Below is what I've written about previously on my other blogs.

"A wonderful little project that John and I did while both sick. It took us only a few evenings, a couple bottles of wine and lots of eye squinting soldering.

The total price is only (approx.) 30 Euros to make. We used recycled cardboard for the case, a makeup compact mirror, paint, glue and leftover foam to mount the proto board securely. The case is secured by Velcro strips in case I want anything changed or want to re-use any parts."

We then had to test for sound. For such a simple build, it sounded pretty good.


"The sound is fantastic and very solid, versatile. Once we hooked up some of John’s other pedals and micro synthesizer, we could make really intense and varied beats and rhythms."

We fortified the panel with a spray vinyl normally used for acrylic and oil paints, this seems to work fine with wood surfaces too. This finish is semi-glossy , whereas you have matte, glossy and grainy textures you can add. This all can be found in any art store.

"Added a final paint job under the mirror with some collage and scratches to finish the synth. John added an LED light for the power on/off for me and fixed the left side switches because they were placed in reverse." I also found a very tasteful nude which I embedded on the front panel, using the compact mirror to obscure the naked bits. ;-)

I think cardboard is a wonderful material to work with and still want to make another more complicated version in cardboard casing. It's cheap, versatile and easy to store or transport. We're big fans of cardboard furniture or anything using recycled materials. Here are some additional photos of design projects using recycled materials, that I took at a design biennale, so you can see for yourself.

Related Links:
'Your First Synth' via Music From Outer Space
More Photos of Our Cardboard Synth
Our Simple Saw Theremin
Building With Cardboard via BuzzFeed

-C

Video: DIY Instruments Japanese Style

We have no idea if this is for real...but it's totally cool. The longer you watch, the better it gets.

- J&C



UPDATE: Looks like Audio Lemon has the scoop on these two, great! - C

Making Of: The Joys of DIY Instrument Building

These are from a series of 'making of' photos I have taken over the last months. I've accumulated hundreds of photos over the years primarily because this is the magical element of what making things brings to a person, the creation of something from nothing. Secondly, it's just great to see what is inside an electronic object.

The most difficult part (for me) with DIY building has been the wait for parts/materials which, thanks to various local/international outlets online and offline, is still relatively painless. Ironically, we are now waiting for parts.

Our preferred resources for components/parts include:

Bendables Store EBay
Farnell
Arduino
Banzai Effects

Don't forget your local mom & pop shops, they usually have great personal service and are a lifesaver for last minute needs. Enjoy the pics!

-C