CollinMelCunningham: Audio Archives

I've been working on a guitar effects pedal based around the rare and coveted Ampeg Scrambler. I used almost all the original components specified in the schematic and integrated a simple polarity protection for the DC jack. The biggest enhancement I've added is a sort of vibrato effect as an optional modifier to the texture control. I find the effect quite interesting, but I have a hunch there's a simpler way to achieve it. Currently, I have a timer circuit driving a makeshift vactrol (LED taped to photoresitor). The main circuit's texture control is then fed through the vactrol's variable resistance. I'm concerned that driving the vactrol's LED and 555 timer in addition to the rest of the pedal will create an impractical strain on battery life. Hmm, I should probably measure the circuit's current consumption to learn more. More to come.

Chaos Schematics

By Collin on October 15, 2007 6:42 PM | 0 Comments

Double Well

These synthesizer module schematics by Ian Fritz are quite awesome. Intended for use as sources of randomization, they utilize concepts in mathematics which are a bit over my head - but they definitely inspire one to learn more. Check out the whole Electronic Sound-House site, good stuff.
Hopefully my EZ Chaos Circuit will be up and unpredictable soon.

Brain -> Computer Music Interface

By Collin on October 3, 2007 1:08 PM | 0 Comments

I ran across this video posted a while back on Hacked Gadgets regarding a research project being conducted at the University of Plymouth.

I am currently conducting research along the same lines but my concept for utilizing the EEG signal differs signifigantly. In this usage the computer is basically "playing along" with a live reading of the subjects mental state. This approach is intruiging (and seems quite enjoyable for the test subject) but I see the interpretation or judgement made by the programming as a major leap in assumption. The researcher seems to acknowledge this. Perhaps it was the only way to make the dynamic legible and fun. Amplifying the EEG readings and retaining a version to-scale of their raw form is what attracts me to the topic. The ability to flatly reference a commonly invisible/inaudible organic characteristic - and apply that characteristic to active expression. That seems useful.

A Heart-Warming Night of Noise

By Collin on September 30, 2007 4:09 AM | 0 Comments

PCB Heart

I had a great time at the Create Digital Music / Make / Etsy Handmade Music Night. Many awesome projects were featured, check them out @ CDM and Make (and their respective Flickr pools).
What made this event extra fun for me was the fact that it was the first time I was able to demonstrate some instruments I've been working on to a very supportive and interested community. I have to say, the positive feedback I received (regarding the atari tube in particular) warmed my heart. I have spent so much time learning the language of electronics over the past few months - toiling over wire and solder - that I almost forgot how good it feels to see someone else enjoy something that I've made. What I see as a noisemaker with a couple of knobs on it becomes an instrument once someone else picks it up and begins to play. That is a very good thing.
A big thanks to everyone who came out to the event - Hope to see you again soon.

ArduinoSynth alpha

By Collin on August 7, 2007 5:12 AM | 4 Comments

boards

The ArduinoSynth is my first attempt at microcontroller programming( and pretty much any coding at all beyond a little html). It took me a bit to get started but it's turning out to be a fun way to learn the language.
So far it's a 12-note monophonic synth with transposition selection via one 10K pot. I'm using a gutted toy keyboard for the switches and a simple low pass filter to smooth the output a bit. Here's the schematic:

Simple LPF

Features I'd like to add:
- Another octave (maybe add a transpose switch on each of the next octave, then they can share pins with the first)
- Last note hit priority
- Portamento (note-slide)
- Real sine wave out (no external filter, please)
- Polyphony (I had it working badly, need better math)
- any real keyboard feature in existence(or not) attack, decay, waveform, vibrato, etc.

Source can be found here.
Audio sample here
Sample with no LPF here

The Old Requests Project

By Collin on August 3, 2007 10:15 AM | 0 Comments

Some years back I was in the habit of taking requests. You made the title, I made the tune. I'd almost forgotten about that era til someone sent me a very kind email asking if those songs were still available for download. Well now, yes, they are . . . once again:

airlock.mp3
amotion.mp3
ancientholiday.mp3
applesmoothcrescent.mp3
asongaboutfredgraver.mp3
bannerbabes.mp3
bedisagraveyard.mp3
bigwork.mp3
boxturtlesdemo.mp3
cantbreathe.mp3
Chemroom.mp3
chokingsound.mp3
circuspicnics.mp3
cityhall.mp3
damned.mp3
donna.mp3
dontconvert.mp3
drinkingfountain.mp3
faggyassbottoms.mp3
feetdown.mp3
Forensics.mp3
fortgreenery.mp3
frothywhores.mp3
glasseye.mp3
globalterror.mp3
golfpunk.mp3
Hardplace.mp3
herecomesbrilliance.mp3
icouldntfindherheart.mp3
infiniteterror.mp3
itissodifficult.mp3
karmicumbrella.mp3
kidssayyeah.mp3
largearthur.mp3
larry.mp3
Lone.mp3
lovetheme.mp3
lovetheme_remix.mp3
maggyexists.mp3
Moles.mp3
moononfire.mp3
Mother.mp3
muscleup2bars.mp3
myskin.mp3
nationwideclyde.mp3
nightlife.mp3
onlyflashlights.mp3
optimusprime.mp3
partsandall.mp3
redman'sfine.mp3
riverrhymes.mp3
schoolgirlblues.mp3
Shotgun.mp3
smacktheface.mp3
specials2.mp3
specialsdemo.mp3
takecareofyou.mp3
takeherhome.mp3
theatre.mp3
tormentedchild.mp3
tremblinglock.mp3
TruthandReact.mp3
vacuumcleanersatellite.mp3
weexplode.mp3
yourwhitethum.mp3

thanks
for
listening.

Aaah . . . Arduino

By Collin on August 2, 2007 3:05 AM | 0 Comments

Arduino Synth Development, beeeeeep, booooooop

I recently attended an Arduino class at Lemur here in Brooklyn. It was fun and moved at a brisk pace. The Arduino programming environment is pretty damn friendly and intuitive.
I'm a bit staggered by all the possibilities microcontrollers open up but keep wondering - how do I turn this thing into a synth? Well I seem to be making pretty good headway via hacking bits of others' sketches. Will report back soon.

A Smoother Square

By Collin on July 16, 2007 3:24 PM | 0 Comments

Goodbye craggy square waves!

Here is the "Smooth Cube" - Two squarewave oscillators pass through a timer to gate rhythms, then a low-pass filter takes the edge before greeting your ears. It also has an input jack to utilize the timer/filter chain for other instruments.
Listen:
Smooth Cube v1.0 (dry) - mp3 2mb
guitar through gate/filter mp3 1mb

The heart of the smoothcube is a circuit I found on Worth Ekik's site:
www.geocities.com/worthekik//segen.html

followed by:
www.geocities.com/worthekik//hysteresis.html

and then capped off with an filter from:
www.oldtemecula.com/theremin/sixthvoice/index.htm

My First Synth

By Collin on July 6, 2007 1:09 AM | 0 Comments

WEIRD SOUND GENERATOR!

My version of Ray Wilson's Weird Sound Generator is complete! This thing was a joy to build and I learned a lot in the process. I debated adding labels to each knob but in the end I decided I'd accentuate the mystery by leaving them blank. Does that make it an MSG instead of a WSG?
Sample to come . . .

UPDATE:
Here be the Samples, no effects, 1-2mb, mp3:
Interdimensional Jalopy
Auditions for the Tardis Alarm
A Home for Lost Drones

Atari Tube 0.1b

By Collin on June 26, 2007 1:45 PM | 0 Comments

Here we see the simple yet powerful Atari Punk Console in convenient tube form. Yes, my friends, designed for convenience and style - the Atari Tube is a welcome addition to any electro-noise performance. It features a borderline blinding white LED at its center and control knobs at each end for enhanced "twiddlability".
(Ear plugs not included . . . but recommended for square-wave haters)

UPDATE:
Listen to a sample - Atari Tube V.0.2 (w/reverb) mp3 2.4mb

Father’s Day Amp

By Collin on June 19, 2007 3:20 AM | 0 Comments

Aww, take a gander at the "Lil' Captain". Although I was unable to put in most of the finishing touches I intended (check out the hovering gain knob), Dad still loved it. Hey he's the one who taught me how to solder in the first place. He was an electronics engineer in the US Navy. I told him how frustrating I found resistor color codes and he agreed. Due to slight color blindness he almost wasn't admitted into the service. He explained,
"They had to give me a special test to get in. A guy held up a yellow pencil and a blue pencil and asked - 'Which one's yellow?' I pointed to the bright yellow pencil, and he said 'Fine, you're in.' "
Ah the rigorous scrutiny of military enrollment. Happy Father's Day, Captain Mel!

A Soldering Iron and Time

By Collin on June 7, 2007 3:40 PM | 0 Comments

Make magazine has me on a Soldering spree.

This is a VGA coupler I decided to make after having such a hard time finding a well priced premade one. It needs a case but already works quite well. NOTE: Remember to reverse the wires from one end to the other when making such a thing!

Mitch Altman, inventor of the TV-B-Gone designed this "brain machine", a sound and light brain wave entrainer. It's constructed using Adafruit's MiniPOV3 kit, a pair of safety glasses, and a spair set of headphones(not pictured). It still needs to be glued down/finished but hey - what doesn't?

Finally, a small guitar amplifier work in progress, the Little Gem. I originally tried this one a month or two ago but all it did was play Radio Disney incessantly. So I went back and rebuilt it with much sucess, now it must be mounted (like everything else, zing.).

More to Come - C