Experimental Machine No: 1

Published on Sep 10, 2018 Rarebeasts

Experimental instrument from www.grandtippler.wixsite.com/Rarebeasts/about - Brian McNamara

The Automaphone by Rarebeasts

Published on Aug 17, 2014 Rare Beasts

"More info here: http://grandtippler.wix.com/rarebeast...
The Automaphone is a robotic synth that scans a4 pictures and turns them into songs."

"Have you ever wondered what a picture or drawing sounds like? The Automatphone scans for light and dark areas on the paper and uses the information to set song variables such as tempo, scale, beat, note frequency and length...

The Automaphone uses an old printer mechanism and a basic LDR light sensor to read the information. Lines are scanned to make the 8bit numbers that become the different variables. Three small PicAxe microcontrollers are used in the Automaphone, one to control the old printer mechanism, scan in data and make the beat sounds, the other two are used to make the lead and bass synth sounds."

The Stylo-looper

Published on Nov 26, 2013 grandtippler·167 videos

"Loop synth"

Update: flickr pics here.

"The Stylo-looper is a small stylus synth that allows you to design loops and then play them on a keyboard shifting the sound as you go."

"The Stylo-looper is a small stylus synth that allows you to design loops and then play them on a keyboard shifting the sound as you go.

Sounds are made by playing notes on the keyboard, but if you want you can record a noise loop that will be played and repeated as you hit each key. Just place the stylus on the first key to enter loop mode.

It's so simple to play, the minimalist design means it super easy to make awesome sounds, no need to rush for a 200 page instruction manual to play this instrument.

Before I go into the details here is a short YouTube video showing the Stylo_looper in action: [video above]

This synth is made from NHMI certified hard wood poplar and finished using natural non toxic food grade wood oils.

The Stylo-looper has 4 main controls;

* The keyboard: press the stylus on any part of the keyboard to play a note, it's not fixed to any key and just represents a range of sounds.

* The speed control: this knob adjusts the speed at which the loop is repeated. It gets faster a you increase frequency making some very weird noises at the top.

* The frequency control: Normally the speed control but becomes the frequency control when the lowest note is played with the stylus, entering loop mode.

* The third control is the write button, when pressed in loop mode it writes a sound to memory which is then replayed next time the loop is run.


The output is via a 3.5mm stereo socket which can be plugged into earphones, a computer sound card, mixer or amplifier.

* The Stylo-looper - is powered by a Common 9v Battery which is not included due to shipping restrictions.

Happy noise making,
Rarebeasts"

Available on etsy.

RizeTronic - synth

Published on Nov 14, 2012 by grandtippler

"More info: https://www.etsy.com/listing/115089923/
The RizeTrionic is a dual oscillator lofi synth with a chopper circuit and twin filters."

via Brian McNamara on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge

Beat Destructor 2000

YouTube Published on Jun 12, 2012 by grandtippler

"https://www.etsy.com/listing/102025245
The Beat Destructor 2000 is a small hand held beat maker that synthesizes industrial beats with various sounds and tempos."

SurfBox Sound prototype

YouTube Uploaded by grandtippler on Feb 26, 2012

Rotoseq, rotary sequencer

YouTube Uploaded by grandtippler on Feb 12, 2012

"http://www.rarebeasts.com
This is a hand generator cranked rotary sequencer. It has 8 slots and 4 sounds and uses 4 LDRs into a picaxe to make sounds.
Sorry about the sound of the dynamo it was sitting next to the mic."

flickr By rarebeasts

"This is a hand generator cranked rotary sequencer. It has 8 slots and 4 sounds and uses 4 LDR into a picaxe to make sounds."

StyloBuzz prototype

YouTube Uploaded by grandtippler on Nov 17, 2011

"Hardware is sorted, just messing about with the software to get some nice sounds. This will come on kit form."