MIDI scooter
I merged my MIDI-playing code with my scooter-driving code and put them both on the new, rad-hardened 3ph v3.1 controller. [Thx, ChArLeS]
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.
Fuzz.Bender distortion box project
Doug Kovach sent me a link to this awesome project he recently completed. It’s a cross between two iconic effects pedals, the FuzzFace Fuzz pedal and the Colorsound MKII ToneBender. In the video, he presents a little history of the pedals, his research into the circuits, his experiments (and failures) in creating this new dual […]
In the Maker Shed: Loud Objects Noise Toy kit
Bzzzzrrrreeeeepehkhkhkhhhhhhhk! Build your own Noise Toy with this kit from the Maker Shed. Plug in your headphones and glitch out, or jack into an amp and play it as an instrument. These kits come with a custom-printed circuit board, a noise generating microchip from their live performances, two buttons for modulating the sound, headphone jack, […]
Tuna can guitar
CRAFT and MAKE pals Jessica Wilson and J. Stevens have worked up this cute “canjo” made from a tuna can: The Tune-a-Fish Special 25 inches (63.5 cm) long with a 4 inch (10 cm) diameter can. This simple, two-string, fretless Canjo is handmade from recycled materials and includes a glass slide and a plastic pick. […]
Solenoid xylophone
Spotted in the MAKE Flickr pool from user Leadtowill, this MIDI-speaking 8-note electromechanical xylophone. Here it is playing “Ode to Joy.”
The real-world origins of some of your favorite Star Wars sounds
I remember seeing the old footage of Star Wars sound designer and foley artist Ben Burtt, banging on a steel radio tower guy wire with a crescent wrench to record blaster-sounds, from a TV documentary when I was like five years old. Which is one of the reasons I thoroughly enjoyed this video interview with him, in spite of the fact that it’s part of a puff video for Lucasfilm’s new book about Star Wars sound effects. Click the embedded player to be taken straight to Ben’s interview at 1:05. [via Gizmodo]
OpenKinect-powered virtual floor piano
Or desk piano, for that matter. No actual keyboard required. Gotta say, choosing Thelonious Monk or whomever that is riffing away on the soundtrack is a bit disingenuous, as the virtual keyboards shown in the infrared footage don’t even have semitone keys. According to YouTuber petermmoz’s first comment, however, the software does actually include the “black” keys; they’ve just turned them off to make it easier for beginners to play. [via Boing Boing]