Music

Take your creations beyond the workshop and onto the stage with diy music instruments! Let us show you how these creations range from simple, basic setups that produce beautiful sounds to more complex projects that require a greater level of engineering knowledge. With these tutorials and examples, we’ll guide you on this journey to make your own musical instrument for experimental, artistic or everyday use – so whether you’re starting out new or a seasoned sound creator, come explore the wonderful world of making your own music.

The shape of sound

The shape of sound is a few different experiments in circuit bending and creating simple laser pointer light shows. There are some interesting sounds generated from the hacked toy sword. Also, I like the effect of bouncing the laser beam off of tin foil as opposed to a mirror. More about The shape of sound

alt.CES: Electro-Harmonix Voice Box

I’ve often considered Electro-Harmonix the coolest mainstream manufacturer of effects pedals and this new product is further proof. The Voice Box is both a vocoder and harmonizer unit with mic and instrument inputs. Along with built in reverb, tone control, and phantom power this unit provides “gender” changing options. From the product page – The […]

Zinc-based audio oscillator

Zinc-based audio oscillator

Nyle posted this multitrack recording featuring sounds from a homemade Zinc oscillator circuit – An electronic sound composition is made entirely of sounds produced using zinc negetive resistance audio oscillator circuits. No vacuum tubes or transistors were used to generate the sounds. Several tracks of the zinc oscillator sounds were recorded one at a time. […]

Atari Punk Console Kit

Atari Punk Console Kit

GetLoFi introduces their own kit version of the popular stepped tone generator circuit originally published by the venerable Forrest M Mims III. The PCB uses a ‘no-hole’ design where all parts of the simple noisemaker are mounted and soldered on a single side. The kit also adds a capacitor bank and momentary switch for triggering […]

Handheld jam

Kyle points out this one that’s been making the rounds – prolific videoblogger jetdaisuke demonstrates what happens when mobile music devices join forces. In attendance at this event, we find the following devices(and their relevant applications) – Nintendo DS Lite(Electroplankton), Nintendo DSi(KORG DS-10), iPod touch(Mokugyo 木魚), iPhone(Bloom) and a Korg Kaossilator.

Yamaha keyboard redux

(Be sure to keep your volume at a low level as there’s a fairly piercing tone around 2m10s!) Mike Walters modified a Yamaha PSS 140 and rehoused al the parts and functionality in a new custom speakandspell-esque case (looks like that circuit-bent aesthetic may be catching on). Thus bringing us the Mike-o-Wave. Check out more […]