Six voice photosynth

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By Collin Cunningham
Posted 2009/05/26 @ 8:11 am
Category Electronics, Music

Chris pushed the ‘optical theremin’ idea to the next level using 6 photocells, each controlling their own oscillator -

Don’t worry, It’s meant it go dark in the middle! Here’s something fairly obvious to try with a hex schmitt trigger inverter chip. Wire up all six sections as optical theremins with 3 in each channel for some weird stereo atonal action.

[via Matrixsynth]

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7 Responses to Six voice photosynth

Frenzy on May 26th, 2009 at 8:40 am said:

I just played that video on my surround sound speakers and it sounded awesome!

I would love a page of projects with the hex trigger

————————-
groovypancakes.com

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KentD on May 26th, 2009 at 7:02 pm said:

Isn’t that this circuit?
http://blog.jimmieprodgers.com/2008/10/creepy-cave-crabs-light-detecting-light.html

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- Collin Cunningham on May 26th, 2009 at 10:19 pm said:
  
  very similiar yah – excpet this one seperates into 2 channels, has no LEDs, etc
  
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Papgun on May 27th, 2009 at 10:49 am said:

Thanks for the link to the “How to Build” site. Oh… there isn’t one. Surprise… this is becoming more and more common with Make” projects. No clear description on “how” to actually do something.

It may come a surprise that there are those to whom this is definitely NOT “something fairly obvious to try with a hex schmitt trigger inverter chip.”

If it is that obvious to some, and you don’t describe anything about actually making this for those to whom it is not “obvious”, exactly who is this post for?

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- Collin Cunningham on May 27th, 2009 at 11:06 am said:
  
  Papgun – if you’re seeking more info, you can simply ask politely.
  
  If you check out KentD’s comment and my reply, you might find that link to Jimmie Rodgers’ similar project has more info. In fact, Jimmie posted a schematic on that page which you could use to recreate his circuit.
  
  also – this is not a “Make project” as you infer. It’s ChrisLody’s project and it’s cool!
  
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ChrisLody on May 27th, 2009 at 11:48 am said:

Hey, its nice to see people are interested in what I get up to in my spare time.

For anyone interested in creating this sort of thing you’ll find Handmade Electronic Music by Nicolas Collins an excellent resource. There is very easy to understand info in that book on how to make an optical theremin with a Hex Schmitt Trigger. The chip contain 6 identical sections so its possible to make 6 theremins with 1 chip, that’s why I thought it was obvious.

It is indeed similar to the link above, but I’d never seen that before, hence the differences. I’m not suprised someone got there before me…..damn!

Cheers.

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joep on June 21st, 2012 at 1:09 pm said:

anyone has the schematic for the 6 voice optical theremin?

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