So I've been building a 100% analog polyphonic synthesizer with an unique twist. To use only vacuum tube era technology from the 1930s.
Over 300 neon gas diodes create the sound you hear. Pretty awesome for technology from 100 years ago.
Still a work-in-progress, but I wanted to post a video of it with the innards spread out across the workbench. : }
I call it the "Neon String Machine"
100% Home-made
100% Analog
100% Vacuum Tubes
: }
Thank you. I spent a lot of time optimizing and fine tuning the sound. : ]
It was a process of optimization, how to get the biggest thick sound out of the least amount of electronic components.
@AceArsenault i am on mars in the coolest of Prada leather space suits
Yeah, very dreamy and scifi in a super cool way. Like Beyond the Black Rainbow/Sinoia Caves sound.
Ah yes! : }
Leather space suit and an deep iron red Mars scape. I love it! <3
@subwoofer Thank you. : ]
It was a labor of love designing and building this thing.
A lot of engineering challenges too!
@fat_old_anarchist Thank you for the kind words. : ]
I'm a big fan of vintage electronic analog sounds.
Doesn't get much more analog then vacuum tubes!
@fat_old_anarchist I agree!
I'm a tube fan myself.
When I play guitar it's always thru a nice tube amp. When I have to Direct In, I try to use a tube preamp, Like a 12AX7 to get that drive and saturation. : ]
@fat_old_anarchist *lol*!!!
I'm lucky my neighbours are far away. ; ]
@irwindev Thanks. : ]
Many hours of soldering and experimentation went into this one!
It's a labor of love, that's for sure!
So many days of working on this in the afternoon and seeing the sun come up 16 hours later!
@aparrish Thanks Allison. : ]
It took a really long time to build and design. So I'm happy you like it! : D
@mikemccaffrey It's true. If you showed this to anyone in 1930. It would have rocked their world!
There is always a lag of ideas behind the technology.
The technology can be available, but the cultural mindset hasn't caught up yet.
It makes me wonder if there are things like that today.
@AceArsenault Oh, there are.
In fact, writing as someone who tends to enjoy that "no man's land" of the bleeding edge, it can feel REALLY WEIRD when something that used to be extremely fringe becomes more mainstream.
So much so that I have more than once, found myself abandoning something(s) I used to really enjoy because: I enjoy the thing(s), not throngs of people.
Yes, They are light sensitive ambient light can shift them up and down a good +/- 30 cents.
The way I got around that is not much different then what Telex was doing.
"Light biasing"
Each stabilized neon oscillator has a light bias (another neon bulb mounted next to it)
The stray ambient photons is what actually triggers off the avalanching ion charge between the cathode and anode. : ]
In complete darkness, gas diodes go into Geiger operation. (xray avalanche)
@AccordionBruce @BobTheBuilder
Yeah, it's a good title. #XRayAvalanche
A-side could be called Geiger Counter.
@AceArsenault @BobTheBuilder
I love those modern echoes of old tech. Somebody here mentioned #CharlesWheatstone, so I commented. Then yesterday I saw another mention of him
He was such a polymath!
So much technology was being developed in the 1830s it feels like he and those like him had their fingerprints on all of it
The #makers of their day
https://mastodon.social/@AccordionBruce/109732260166482091
@AccordionBruce @BobTheBuilder
Charles Wheatstone was a man ahead of his time. : ]
@AceArsenault @BobTheBuilder
Makes me think, maybe he Defined his time. The 2nd Industrial Revolution (where they invented all the stuff with the steal and steam power) would not have been what it was without people like him
And history without people like Nightingale and such. They are the exceptions because they were actually successful. They weren’t forgotten (like some) until years later
I think Wheatstone did pretty well, certainly better than ne’er-do-wells like Tesla
@AccordionBruce @BobTheBuilder
Yeah, Tesla is pretty much remembered for how bad his luck was and how poorly he did financially.
You know given how intelligent he was he could never seem to get a break.
@AccordionBruce @BobTheBuilder That's how it goes.
Some people are amazing builders and engineers, but crappy sales people and they tend to get forgotten in history.
You book looks awesome. : ]
@Runsinthewind Glad you liked it! : D
It does have a beautiful sound.
@nickapos Thanks Nick. : ]
I'm very proud of this musical invention.
So yeah, the neon gas diodes do have a lifespan to them.
It's proportional to their current draw.
So I designed everything to run ultra low currents to prolong their life.
It should outlive me. : ]
Part of the reason for going with neon diodes is they have no filament, So they don't burn out like a lightbulb does. which is the biggest failure point with traditional heated cathode vacuum tubes.
@etherdiver I never used Reddit before honestly.
Actually in all honestly, I've built a lot of musical instruments and effects over the past years. It has only been recently that I even started posting things online. : ]
But it is really nice to see people sharing the same excitement! : D
Attached: 1 video So I've been building a 100% analog polyphonic synthesizer with an unique twist. To use only vacuum tube era technology from the 1930s. Over 300 neon gas diodes create the sound you hear. Pretty awesome for technology from 100 years ago. Still a work-in-progress, but I wanted to post a video of it with the innards spread out across the workbench. : } I call it the "Neon String Machine" #synthesizers #music #electronics #audio #synthwave
@django
Try the first post:
https://fosstodon.org/@AceArsenault/109730556359548668
That should load up the video. : ]
Attached: 1 video So I've been building a 100% analog polyphonic synthesizer with an unique twist. To use only vacuum tube era technology from the 1930s. Over 300 neon gas diodes create the sound you hear. Pretty awesome for technology from 100 years ago. Still a work-in-progress, but I wanted to post a video of it with the innards spread out across the workbench. : } I call it the "Neon String Machine" #synthesizers #music #electronics #audio #synthwave
@240185 You got a good Ear.
Yes. There is a central uniform pitch control and individual temperament controls for each 12 tones.
It was about -115 cents flat when I recorded the video. Didn't think anyone would pick up on it though. Since I wasn't playing with other instruments. : P
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