Create Digital Music » Noise

Handmade Effects, Grungy Goodness of the Gallolizer, and DIY Hardware FX

Peter Kirn — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:05:56 +0000

The Gallolizer is a handmade multi-effects sound mangler, an array of dirty, delicious sound-destroying effects in a single handcrafted box. It’s the work of a Spanish engineering and art collective called MP19, an Arduino-loving, free software-using, open source group of artists who turn those platforms into the kind of grungy sounds that make them happy. (And that, of course, is what it’s really all about.)

But before we talk specifics, check out the video. We long ago departed the world of high-fidelity sound; this is digging your toes straight into the mud. I’ll wait.

Got it?

Good – now onto technical details. Part of what allows the various dimensions of sound in the Gallolizer’s repertoire is the sharing of schematics. Long before open source was even a term or fully-formed idea, hardware makers routinely borrowed ideas from schematics – it was hard not to – and apart from cases of gross abuse, the process was more or less a fact of life. Open source hardware and Internet sharing has since formalized that process, and made it a whole lot easier for beginners to try out making projects, thanks to ample and friendly documentation.

As a result, the Gallolizer is a window into a whole world of electronic sound ideas a tinkerer can try out. Here’s how designer Gonzalo Garcia describes the ingredients:

An Arduino Bitcrusher based on Kyle McDonald’s design (http://www.instructables.com/id/Lo-fi-Arduino-Guitar-Pedal/). We had improved the output for line level on all modes and a bit of warm in overall sound with some transistors in the output.

Ampeg Scrambler clone, based on 2n5306 darlington transistors for adding some darkness to bass and bass drums. You can transform hi-hats and snares in a more crispy sound.

Germanium fuzz is basically a NPN germanium transistors fuzzface for process sounds and add some germanium hiss.
LP Filter is based on Diego el de León’s design (http://esquemasnoise.blogspot.com/2008/12/wilson-low-pass-filter.html) for a low pass filter and based himself on a Ray Wilson’s design. Incredible resonance and a bit of analog distortion.
LoFi Delay, based on Rebote Delay from tonepad (http://www.tonepad.com/project.asp?id=51), with the infinite feedback mod and improved output for a bit of warm. We are planning to add a modulation mod to this nice delay.
Arduino Reverb based on lab3′s design (http://interface.khm.de/index.php/lab/experiments/arduino-realtime-audio-processing/), with an improved output for less noise and more warmth, based on transistors . We also add a mix control for controlling the amount of effect.

Kyle McDonald’s Arduino-based lo-fi guitar pedal.

You can’t buy a Gallolizer – it’s a one-off design, unless you want to try to make them an offer. But the effects unit component will be released as a PCB and as open source hardware. It’s funny, as I had also just been looking at Kyle’s design (Kyle is such a Renaissance visual and sonic inventor, it kind of makes my head hurt), so this could be ripe for exploration. And there’s no saying this is only for those who want to become avant-garde noise artists – everyone can use a little grunge sometimes, regardless of musical idiom.

Not open source hardware, but as it happens our friend Tom Whitwell (of the sorely-missed Music Thing blog) is doing beautiful DIY work of his own based on a project from musicpcb.com. He’s also exploring techniques for housing and is making some lovely, tasteful decals, too, as you can see in the picture. I’m hoping Tom will share some of his work.

Photo (CC-BY-ND) Tom Whitwell. Click through for some Flickr chatter, and Tom trying to make me buy a Eurorack or something. (I’m broke. Seriously.)

Echo Base PT2399 delay pedal on Hohner Pianet T by MusicThing

Got DIY effects projects of your own, or requests? I’ll also see if we can’t find a good beginner project for everybody. I wouldn’t mind an effects box to go with my MeeBlips.

Other wonderful projects:
http://mp19.wordpress.com/

The Art of Noise: Sonic Insanity with Hans and the Blippoo Box

Peter Kirn — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:43:07 +0000

Now, why would anyone imagine this wouldn’t have widespread commercial appeal?

If you enjoy real analog insanity – crazy noises that challenge the ears – you’ll like these videos sent to us by Hans Tammen, the composer, “endangered guitar” artist, and director of NYC’s Harvestworks. He writes:

you like analog stuff, as I know. Here are two excerpts of a concert with one of Rob Hordijk’s Blippoo Boxes. Just that tiny analog beast plus volume pedal…

Of course, part of what I like about analog — and digital — sound sources is their range. Want to make something that sounds noisy and chaotic? Want to make something that sounds more organic? Delicate? We really do have infinite timbral choices.

So I’d say, even if you hate these kinds of results, they’re a reminder that no sound is off-limits. You can make whatever noise you like.

See also: the slow section. (“Adagio” wouldn’t quite fit, somehow.)

Elsewhere: I see these have already been on Matrixsynth.
Matrixsynth: Blippoo Box Solo Concert (1) – Slow Movements Excerpt
Matrixsynth: [Noodle]Blippoo Box fun

I really, really love the knobs on this one. Lovely. From mono-poly’s blog, via Matrixsynth.

Metasonix All-Tube “Wretch Machine” Synth

Peter Kirn — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 05:00:00 +0000

MIDI Optional, Glowing Green Bars Standard

I know what you were thinking during the silent news week as I was on vacation: “if only . . .”

If only someone would release a synth based entirely on vacuum and gas-filled tubes. No pretty sine waves, mind you: only saw, square, and square with suboctave. And a filter sweep controlled by a photoresistor. And a joystick that tunes, triggers, and modulates. And glowing green bars that show voltage levels.

And the name should involve vomiting, somehow.

If that hasn’t made you afraid (yet strangely intrigued), all this madness comes from Metasonix, who gave us the TX-2 Butt Probe effect, built with what they called “s*****y tubes.”

Ladies and germs, I give you the Wretch Machine from Metasonix. Currently in prototype form, but expected next year for US$2500. A MIDI-CV interface will be an optional add-on for $300. Now you can use your precious, new-fangled MIDI. Full specs after the break; more on this story as it hurls in. (Thanks, Michael!)

Here’s how Metasonix describe their new creation:

The Professional Solution.
The Ultimate Tube Synthesizer.

Pitch sources: two independent VCOs.
Made entirely of vacuum and gas-filled tubes.

Range >2 octaves using CV, octave switching allows range from
33 Hz (low C) to more than 2 kHz.
Three waveforms: thyratron sawtooth, square, and square with
suboctave.
VCO 2 may free-run or be soft-synced to VCO 1.
Numerous patch points allow enormous flexibility.

Waveshaper: unique circuit, with soft clipper and pulse adder
(shapes waveforms from VCOs by adding small pulses to top of
waveform at discontinuity).
Made entirely of vacuum tubes.
Settings: disable, soft-clip only, and soft-clip with pulses added to
signal. Latter circuit allows simulation of noise source.

Filter: unique multimode circuit, allows its use as a lowpass,
treble/midrange bandpass or bass bandpass filter.
Continuously variable control allows mixing of filter forms in any
proportion.
Made entirely of vacuum tubes.
Range of treble resonance switchable, 400-1700 Hz.
Bass resonance tunes from ~100-350 Hz.
VCA: unique circuit using a pentode tube.
Made entirely of a vacuum tube.
May be modulated with the AR generator only, or with the control
voltage generated on modulation bus 2.

Modulation: two envelope generators, A(S)R and AD.
Both triggered with input gate signal. Both may be combined on
either modulation bus to create ADSR.
Two independent LFOs, triangle waveform, range <0.3 Hz to more
than 5 Hz.
Two modulation buses allow combining the A(S)R, AD, and two
LFOs as needed to effect any CV input in the audio circuit (VCO
pitch, VCO squarer waveshape, waveshaper pulser, filter tuning).

Main CV input controls pitch of both VCOs (Hz/V response).
Gate input triggers envelope generators, accepts 0-5v or 0-10v
gate voltage.
6AL7 “eye” tube displays status of LFOs and A(S)R control voltages
on three separate glowing green bar graphs.

Miniature joystick performs multiple jobs: vertical motion affects
pitch of both VCOs, horizontal motion affects tuning of filter.
Press joystick in to trigger envelopes.

Size: 6U high standard EIA rack mount, 3″ depth below rack panel.
11 vacuum/gas tubes. Weight about 20 pounds with AC adapter.
Draws 12 volts AC ONLY at 3 amps.

Expected availability mid-2006, expected retail price $2500.
Optional internal MIDI-CV interface, add $300.

Metasonix TX-2 Butt Probe Effects Box

Peter Kirn — Fri, 01 Jul 2005 05:00:00 +0000

Here’s your typical PR hype: “because guitarists deserve, and WANT, some anus-stretching.” (We know computer musicians, remix artists, drummers, keyboardists, etc. do, too.) The Metasonix Butt Probe — sorry, the “TX-2″ — is a $549, hand-made, hand-painted tube-based distortion effect, complete with fist, ream, and scre parameters.

Tube-based so that it has a lovely, warm, rich, high-quality sound, right? Wrong. Tube based so it can suck as hard as tech can. According to Eric from Metasonix, the unit uses “three type 4BN6 beam modulator devices. They were intended for
use in crummy TV sets as FM detectors, and were NOT meant
for audio processing applications. They SUCK. Really, really, badly.” (See photos, and yes, normally tubes rock.)

There’s so much more to say about the Butt Probe. I could point out that, due to limited quantities of those s****y tubes, there will only be 100 of these audio-f***ing units. I could muse about why artist Sarah Combs, the creator of the lewd but somehow alien butt probe exterior, is otherwise fixated on adorable (if well-endowed) cat people. But I certainly can’t make this the butt of any jokes. Eric beat me to all the lewd humor. Thus, I’ll break normal CDM policy and run the press release. Press people, take note: your PR could read like this, instead of the breathless drivel you normally send us. (Or, you could experiment more with Butt Probes — I mean, TX-2s.) Read more for the release and closeup of the tubes on the Butt Probe . . .

Eric writes us:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2005

ANNOUNCING THE METASONIX TX-2 “BUTT PROBE”.

It is UP YOUR BUTT. Yee-haw.

Metasonix introduces an all-new effect pedal which is aimed at the
“Butt Guitarist” crowd.

Because guitarists deserve, and WANT, some anus-stretching.

The Metasonix TX-2 is entirely made of vacuum tubes. To be specific,
three type 4BN6 beam modulator devices. They were intended for
use in crummy TV sets as FM detectors, and were NOT meant
for audio processing applications. They SUCK. Really, really, badly.

Only METASONIX knows how to apply these strange devices to audio
processing. We know how to ream those guitar-sucking buttboys out,
real good.

The TX-2 can accept guitar, mic or line-level signals, though
it works best with line level. By utilizing the inherent
non-linearity of the 4BN6 tubes, the TX-2 offers a broad
range of distortion effects. Carefully adjusting the FIST
and REAM controls allows the user to vary the screen-grid
voltages of the first two tubes–FIST controls the first
(input) tube, REAM the second tube in the string.

This changes each tube’s gain and distortion behaviour in
a very drastic fashion. It can be adjusted from a mild
tube-ish warmth, to horrid screaming broken-amp ultra-distortion
from HELL.

Instability is inherent in a circuit having this much gain,
and the third tube provides an extra way of modulating the
distortion. Basically, it is wired as a very bad bandpass
filter. Filter center frequency is controlled with a “Vactrol”
type optical resistor, and swept continuously with a low-frequency
oscillator built into the TX-2. The sweep may be disabled by
turning down the SCREW knob or by plugging an unassigned 1/4″
plug into the CV IN jack. If the latter is done, the SCREW
knob will tune the filter manually, giving a vast range of
NAUSEATING tonal effects not obtainable with any of the existing
effect pedals on the market.

Wait, we take back the butt-guitarist comment. The TX-2
works best on complete music tracks or drum machines as a
remix tool. Screw those damn guitarists.

SPECIAL NOTE: Each TX-2 Butt Probe is HAND-MADE and HAND-PAINTED
in Northern California. Because they’re HAND-PAINTED, THEY ARE
ALL DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER. (Each one, a different variety of
disgusting.) We have taken to smearing asscreme brown paint and
scribbling epithets on them.

As an extra special “feature”, the Butt Probe’s front panel has
offensive cartoons by comic artist Sarah Combs, and its owner
manual contains EXTREMELY offensive cartoons by “Retarded Animal
Babies” creator Dave Lovelace. Dave’s cartoons are so disgusting,
we will NOT make them available anywhere else. (He outdid himself.)

SPECIFICATIONS: Power consumption: 12 volts AC ONLY at 1.0 amps.
Frequency response: plenty. Distortion: damn skippy.
Size: 8×4.5×2.5 inches, weight approx 4 pounds.
Inputs: one mono audio, one control voltage (sweeps filter),
both 1/4″ TS. Output: STEREO audio, 1/4″ TRS.
Output is usually >20 dB hotter than input. Not recommended
for use with guitar amp input, suggest line level input.

Anal lubricant is not included.

We feel that the TX-2 BUTTPROBE is far more extreme than the
famed Sherman Filterbank, and far more tube-freaky than your
mother’s enema kit. Face it, butt-probing is a worldwide
everyday amusement. It works for you, we can tell. And clearly,
Americans LOVE to have their butts probed. Look at the freaks
they vote into political power. Proper use of the TX-2 BUTTPROBE
can be infinitely more satisfying than watching Tucker Carlson
mopping his ass-crack with your girlfriend’s hair.
Your girlfriend might like it too.

Only 100 pieces of the TX-2 will be made. It’s a limited issue.
Retail price in USA is $549.

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Hunting the Drum Buddy and Miss Pussycat

Peter Kirn — Mon, 27 Jun 2005 05:00:00 +0000

We’re going to need a “Where are they now?” edition for bizarre instrument design projects. Case in point: the Drum Buddy. Reader “fer” writes, succinctly, “wassup with this?”

The answer, fer, is wassup indeed. This strange light-powered instrument had its fifteen seconds of fame on the Music Thing blog last summer, but its whereabouts now are more mysterious.

According to its creators, the Drum Buddy “represents the future of electronic instruments.” If so, we have a future of pulsing, noisy oscillators-gone-awry played by the likes of Miss Pussycat “and her puppets.” For its part, the Drum Buddy itself uses light sensors and analog components, packed into a 40-lb. Russian Birch cabinet and outputing in glorious mono. The limited run of 44 units at US$999 is now over. If you’re bummed you missed that run, they do tease us with the possibility of mass production. (Who do you think — M-Audio or Edirol?) If you don’t believe they sold any, they do provide an owner list. If you’re in New Orleans, do ask Chef Menteur how it’s working out. (And stay away from Autopsy Assistant Dirk in Germany.)

Of course, what we really need to do is track down Quintron and Miss Pussycat, the musicians apparently behind the mayhem. You can see them in Drum Buddy, the movie, but amazingly the group is touring Boston at the same time I am. May be the same night as the CDM party I’m planning, but my suggestion is we either get drunk before seeing Quintron, or afterwards (not sure which we’ll need, but probably one of them).

Anyone with information related to Quintron, the Drum Buddy, or whoever those puppets are, please do write. And the rest of you . . . stay tuned.

Plug-in “Unsafe at Any Speed”?: NDC’s Spherical “Harmonical”

Peter Kirn — Wed, 11 May 2005 05:00:00 +0000

Spherical harmonic modulation of a globe with vertices that produces unusual additive synthesis? I’m already sold — and then I read the kicker: the experimental plug-in Harmonical can also blow your speakers. Now this is a must-have.

Okay, before you get too excited: yes, you can blow your speakers with any loud signal. And while Harmonical’s unpredictible results earned it a passionate post on KVR declaring “beware!”, really you should have a limiter on your master out for safety all the time — especially when test-piloting dodgy plug-ins.

But back to my original point — when reader Adrian Anders sends me “spherical synthesis” plug-ins with the potential to destroy things, and the KVR thread warning of that potential danger includes references to BOTH Dukes of Hazzard and I Love Genie, it’s a good day. It’s a very good day.

Circuit Bending in NYC

Peter Kirn — Thu, 28 Apr 2005 05:00:00 +0000

If you’re in NYC, you definitely won’t want to miss the Bent festival of circuit-bending music at The Tank on 42nd Street. Each day of the festival this week features workshops on how to warp common electronics from Walkmans to Game Boys into new musical instruments, and concerts of many of the leading musical practitioners of this art form.

By the way, signs I’m getting bogged down by writing work and a book that’s months overdue? How about when the UK-based MusicThing is on top of the Bent Circuit Bending festival before the (cough, cough!) NYC-based CDM that’s had this sitting in my inbox for a week. When MusicThing has a photo of my friend Patrick McCarthy (guitarist) right on the homepage, I know I’m behind!

That said, I will engineer a jailbreak soon to get out there and check some of this out, especially since is The Tank’s swansong before the space gets hit with a wrecking ball. (Ah, NYC progress.) What are deadlines, anyway?

For more information on circuit bending if you’re in the rest of the world that’s not New York, check out Reed Ghazala’s excellent Anti-Theory site.

Wooden Log, Lathes as Musical Instruments

Peter Kirn — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 05:00:00 +0000

Straight from the files of "Looks-like-an-April-Fool's-but-it's-real":

From owlProject: The Log1k and iLog are instruments built from logs. (via near near future) The Log1k
is a log with a gearbox motor that spins wooden disks to produce
rhythmic noises, complete with "touch-sensitive switches" — wait, as
opposed to non touch-sensitive switches? Don't forget the flat panel
display. (It's a blank opaque flat panel that lights up, in other
words. But it is flat.) The iLog
is a new portable version with the same wooden toggle switches. The
iLog records samples, but much of the sounds have to do with "the bare
sound of electricity." And how does it sound? Completely terrible. But you know, in a good way, if you're into woodland noise art. (Is that a baby crying in the second video? Nothing like log instruments for terrorizing children.)

And, as if that weren't strange enough, the same team of Simon Blackmore and Antony Hall has created an instrument out of a lathe (scroll down to see it), with sensors to pick up the sounds of woodworking. Quoth Hall and Blackmore: "From a practical point of view, the lathe can easily produce truly round objects." Something that cannot be said of the latest USB keyboards from Edirol.

Hatebeak: Parrot Sings Death Metal

Peter Kirn — Fri, 18 Mar 2005 05:00:00 +0000

Tired of the lead vocalist in your hardcore thrash death metal band? Why not replace him or her with a parrot?

Yes, it's Hatebeak,
the band with a parrot (literally) singing — make that "savaging you
with feathers of razored steel." (I've heard a few folk
singer-songwriters who also fit that description, but I digress.) Where
else could you find tunes like "Bird Bites, Dog Cries," "Beak of
Putrefaction," or "Bird Seeds of Vengeance." The sound is best
described as, um, just go listen to the MP3.

Reptilian Records is also lucky enough to have signed Caninus, which
features two pitbulls — Budgie and Basil — so if you're a dog lover,
you can get that on 7" vinyl, too. Thanks, Kamala, for the tip!

Sonic Devastator: Megaphone of Pain

Peter Kirn — Mon, 14 Mar 2005 05:00:00 +0000

Gizmodo scoops CDM today for latest riot-control technology with the Sonic Devastator (though, um, some spelling issues with the product?) This ain't just for your German punk band, kids: it's a real DIY weapon.

Create an ultrasonic blast capable of "inducing intense pain and
discomfort in humans and animals." Oh, and it even has adjustable
filter sweeps. Buy it assembled for US$300 or, better yet, get digital
plans for US$20.