Electronic Sound Synthesis All sounds are electronic - after all, the human ear converts sound waves into electrical impulses that get sent to the brain. Mickey Delp will explain how a synthesizer turns electrical impulses into sound waves. He will discuss the basics of electronic sound synthesis which covers electronics, physics, biology, and history. Then, he will dive into the inner workings of a synthesizer, demonstrating and explaining fundamental parts of a modular synth. Mickey will also make lots of weird noises for your enjoyment!
The most commonly asked questions about the Bender Sequencer are: “I have/want to get a Bender Sequencer, so how do I hook it up to my ___?” and “What is the easiest device to hook up to the Bender Sequencer?” Well, here are the answers.
In this article, I will show how I use the Bender Sequencer to control the Gakken SX-150 and Korg Monotron mini synthesizers. I chose to discuss both the SX-150 and Monotron in the same article because they are popular, inexpensive, and very similar. As has been oft noted, the SX-150 is packaged with a magazine that includes a photo of Gakken showing the SX-150 to Korg engineers in 2008, two years before the Monotron was released. Coincidence? Not likely, but let's put aside conspiracy theories and get to work.
The main similarity between them is that they both use a ribbon controller to control the pitch. The SX-150 uses a stylus touched to a ribbon and the Monotron uses a pressure sensitive ribbon. Slightly different hardware, but exactly the same concept. In both cases the ribbon is simply a variable resistor. You could disconnect the ribbon and hook up a simple potentiometer (pot), and the synth would work exactly the same. That is a key point. After all, the Bender Sequencer is designed to connect to a device at the pitch resistor (variable or not). So, these two devices are perfect candidates for sequencing.
I have been conducting a series of music electronics workshops in conjunction with Switched On, the awesome Austin synthesizer shop. In the November 2011 workshop we build a new mini synthesizer that I designed.
It is a simple CMOS synth, but it has a lot of features:
Two audio oscillators
Two LFOs – one per oscillator
Pseudo ring modulator effect – the classic CD4011 XNOR circuit
Attack/decay volume envelope – the even more classic single transistor VCA
Master volume control and separate volume controls for each oscillator and the ring mod
Five passive low pass filters for wave shaping of the LFOs, oscillators and ring mod
Three modes: constant sound, gated (using the pushbutton) or repeated
Repeat circuit with separate controls for on time and off time
Built in amplifier and speaker as well as 1/4" output jack
The cardboard box enclosure is a bit of fun. One of the best parts of DIY synth is building the enclosure. I have seen, and built, all sorts of enclosures, but I think this might be the first synth built into the box that the parts come in.
I actually had eight kits leftover from the workshop, but they're all gone now. If you want to build one yourself, just follow the diagrams below. Given that the preceding sentence constitutes the complete build instructions, I would consider this at least an intermediate level project. Of course, if you do want to build one and have any questions, feel free to contact me. I am always happy to help. The below diagrams are also available in this PDF file, which also includes the bill of materials. Oh, and you can use any enclosure - it doesn't have to be cardboard!
I took another run at bending a bird song calendar. I wanted to do something more complex with it than I did the first time . I had planned to enter it in the Second Annual Moog Circuit Bending Challenge, but alas, I did not finish it in time. Oh, well, there’s always next year, and in the meantime, I have this cool bird piano – the Birdianoforte!
The stock functionality of the bird calendar is quite simple – just press a button to hear a bird sound. The Birdianoforte is quite a bit more complex, and far more playable as a musical instrument.
In addition to the standard kit, effect box and Eurorack module versions of the Ring Modulator, sometimes I am asked to create a customized version for a customer.
If you are interested in a customized version of a MickeyDelp.com/Delptronics product, or even a completely custom built device, just contact me and we'll discuss it.
MickeyDelp.com has some cool products for sale! Click on a product name for all of the details, such as pictures, videos, instructions, schematics, etc.
The Bender Sequencer can turn any device that makes sounds into a rhythm or melody machine by playing a sequence of notes. The Bender Sequencer was created specifically for controlling devices that were never even designed to be controlled! Those devices can be electronic musical instruments, circuit bent toys, electronic kits or your own circuits. The Bender Sequencer has a variable resistor output that can be connected to a circuit the same way you would connect a potentiometer, and a trigger output that can be connected anywhere you would connect a switch or pushbutton.
Classic passive ring modulator effect! Separate input, carrier and output jacks. Built-in carrier oscillator with frequency and amplitude control. Plug in any source – guitar, keyboard, synthesizer, voice, etc.
Play guitar like a master with no experience necessary! The Guitar Meister is a little electronic device that makes a big guitar sound. Simply plug in any PlayStation 2 guitar controller and play real guitar sounds just by pressing the buttons. Four voices included: acoustic guitar chords, electric guitar chords, electric guitar notes and bass guitar.
