Sound Tools

Predictably Loud

The following instruments were designed for Fast Food Collective’s bi-monthly Improvised Electronics Round Robin, an event that features short sets from and collaboration between 10-12 performers. These designs focus on simple concepts with expressive controls. Overarching aesthetics of noise, loudness, glitch, and feedback complement the spirit of the event.

Materials & Software
Aluminum Enclosures
Pocket Operators
Nintendo System

External Links
Video Documentation

Computronium De Ley Line

These pedals contain a circuit-bent Dan Electro Fab Echo circuit. Modifications include enhancing the wet/dry mix ratio, increasing the amount of available repeats, and the addition a delay time adjustment potentiometer. The single arcade button works as a footswitch normall would to engage the effect signal.

Arcade MIDI Controllers

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Modded Gameboys

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Hacked Pocket Operators

MIDI communication. This project was an attempt to resolve that problem by connecting each button on the synthesizers to the output of a Teensy microcontroller. After the modification, digital signals could be used to automate the instruments.

Photolin

Photolin is a light sensitive electronic musical instrument based on the form of a violin. The most distinctive feature of the instrument is its programmable LED bow. The body of the Photolin contains two photoresistors which detect the light emanating from the bow and translate this information to determine the output volume. On the fretboard, a ribbon sensor detects the player's finger position to determine the pitch of the note produced.

Ribbon Controller Bass Guitar

Ribbon Guitar is an experiment in digitally appropriating the natural gestures of guitar playing for sonic manipulation. The bass acts as a four channel ribbon controller. The frets were removed to accommodate four graphite strips. Wire connected to an analog input on a USB microcontroller was soldered directly to each string. When a string was pressed to a graphite strip, an analog voltage, representing the position of contact could be digitally interpreted. 

Noise Units 01 and 02

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Doomtendo

Doomtendo is an automated circuit-bent Nintendo Entertainment System. Relays control connections between bend points located on the system's printed circuit board. A simple step-sequencer made in Max triggers each relay.

Rainbow Drone Cube

The Rainbow Drone Cube is an translucent cube containing eight RGB LEDs. The three colors in each LED are linked to the frequency of a triangle wave oscillator. The rate at which these oscillators operate is controlled by a 3 x 8 matrix of potentiometers. 

Hexagonal Keyboard

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Feedback Pedal

This simple feedback controller was a precursor to the Xiwi Matrix Mixer. Its single potentiometer controls the amount of signal that is routed back into the sound source. A momentary stomp switch was used so that swells of feedback could be turned on and off with ease.