Weekend Projects - Optical Tremolo Box

YouTube Published on Aug 23, 2012 by makemagazine

"Complete instructions for this episode of Weekend Projects can be found at
http://makeprojects.com/Project/Optical-Tremolo-Box/2276/1

Inspired by Charles Platt's "Stomp Box Basics" article (MAKE Volume 15, page 82), follow along as we build this Optical Tremolo Box, which reads a patterned disk with a light sensor to create a warbling audio effect (tremolo).

For this project, MAKE Technical Editor Sean Ragan used a cadmium sulfide photoresistor to provide us with our light sensor - a component we have used in previous Weekend Projects. Not only does it look cool and sound great, but once you've made the project, you can customize it by making your own effects disks!"

RIP Hans R. Camenzind - Creator of the 555 Timer IC

via Designing Analog chips

"Hans Camenzind was born and raised in Switzerland and moved to the U.S. after college. He received an MSEE from Northeastern University and an MBA from the University of Santa Clara. After several years doing research in the Boston area, he moved to the West Coast to join Signetics (now Philips) and later started his own company, Interdesign. After heading it for seven years he sold Interdesign to Plessey. Since then he has been an independent design consultant in analog IC design, operating under the name Array Design in San Francisco. During his career at four different companies he designed the first integrated class D amplifier, introduced the phase-locked loop concept to ICs, invented the semicustom IC and created the 555 timer. He has designed 151 standard and custom ICs so far."

via Wikipedia: "Hans R. Camenzind (1934-2012[1]) is an electronics engineer best known for inventing the 555 timer IC in 1970.[2] He has also acquired 20 US patents,[3][4] written numerous books and technical articles,[5][6][7][8] and lectured at the University of Santa Clara.

He received an MSEE from Northeastern University and an MBA from the University of Santa Clara. After several years doing research in the Boston area, he moved to the West Coast to join Signetics[9] (acquired by Philips Semiconductors, now NXP Semiconductors) and later started his own company, Interdesign. After heading it for seven years he sold Interdesign to Ferranti. Since then he has been an independent design consultant in analog IC design.

During his career he has written three textbooks, designed the first integrated class D amplifier, introduced the phase-locked loop concept to ICs, invented the semicustom IC and created the 555 timer. He has designed 140 standard and custom ICs as of 2006.

Camenzind's latest book, Much Ado About Almost Nothing, a general audience book on the history of electronics, was published in February 2007.[10] Other books in publication include Designing Analog Chips."

The Atari Punk Console by Forrest M. Mims III consisted of two 555s. Via wikipedia: "The Atari Punk Console (commonly shortened to APC) is a popular circuit that utilizes two 555 timer ICs or a single 556 dual timer IC. The original circuit, called a "Stepped Tone Generator", was published in a Radio Shack booklet: "Engineer's Notebook: Integrated Circuit Applications" in 1980 and then in "Engineer's Mini-Notebook - 555 Circuits" by its designer, Forrest M. Mims III (Siliconcepts, 1984). It was named "Atari Punk Console" (APC) by Kaustic Machines crew because its "low-fi" sounds resemble classic Atari console games from the 1980s, with a square wave output similar to the Atari 2600. Kaustic Machines added a -4db line level output to the circuit which was originally designed to drive a small 8 ohm speaker."

via this auction
YouTube Uploaded by makemagazine on Sep 13, 2011

http://bit.ly/prZRJ1 "A true classic for DIY synth makers & circuit benders, the Atari Punk Console can kick out some ear-catching square waves. It's easy to build and a lot of fun to play around with. It may be challenging to make traditional music with an APC, but hey - there's enough of that around already, right?" via Create Digital Music where you'll find a good write-up by Peter Kirn.

Vote for x0xb0x Creator Limor Fried as Entrepreneur of 2012

In glorious hot pink hair, the maker who brought us the orginal x0xb0x, Limor Fried, aka ladyada of Adafruit Industries.

Vote for her for Entrepeneur of 2012 here. Go ladyada! Worth noting is she directly employs 25 people according to the contest, but she also indirectly contributes to all the x0xb0x makers out there.

via Boing Boing

Maker Camp Week Five video below featuring ladyada. Below that you'll find a great interview from 2009 previously posted here.

You can see the x0xb0x featured in her portfolio for 2005 here (dated 2004-2005). And of course see the x0xb0x label here for 490 x0xb0x posts to date!


YouTube Published on Aug 10, 2012 by makemagazine

"Join Maker Camp on Google+ http://g.co/makercamp"

Maker Profile - Music Machines on Make: television

YouTube Uploaded by makemagazine on Feb 6, 2009

"Enter the plugged-in world of Tim Kaiser, a maker who creates experimental musical instruments from scavenged objects. Tim seeks out unique sounds everywhere he goes plucking chimes out of grandfather clocks and jingle mechanisms from childrens toys. And he doesnt stop there his electronic instruments have to look cool, too. So, Tim houses them in wildly inventive containers. Then meet the musical maverick who inspired him, Harry Partch.

Learn more about Tim Kaiser at http://www.timkaiser.org/."

Magnetotron on Make: Live ep22

YouTube Uploaded by makemagazine on Dec 14, 2011

"Michael Colombo demonstrates his Magnetotron, a musical instrument made from hacked cassette tape players. This is an archived clip from Make: Live. To see more and find out about upcoming shows, visit http://makezine.com/live"

Collin's Lab: Schematics

YouTube Uploaded by makemagazine on Nov 14, 2011

"http://bit.ly/uBjkMR
Schematics are the functional diagram of electronic circuits. With so many designs available on the web, understanding how to read schematics can unlock a world of possibilities for the electronics maker. In fact, if you can read a schematic, you can build a circuit before even understanding how it works!"

Circuit Skills: Infrared Light

YouTube Uploaded by makemagazine on Nov 1, 2011

"http://wp.me/p1CIX9-udv

Infrared light may be invisible to the human eye - but it's usefulness in the world of electronics is easy to see. IR emitters & detectors can be used in a variety of different ways - most of us use them for wireless communication everyday."

Collin's Lab: Electronics Tools

YouTube Uploaded by makemagazine on Oct 4, 2011

"Get geared up for circuit-making- check out Collin's list of tools no electronaut should be without!"

Collin's Lab: Atari Punk Console

YouTube Uploaded by makemagazine on Sep 13, 2011

"A true classic for DIY synth makers & circuit benders, the Atari Punk Console can kick out some ear-catching square waves. It's easy to build and a lot of fun to play around with. It may be challenging to make traditional music with an APC, but hey - there's enough of that around already, right?"

The Obama Board: Build Your Own Obama Speech

YouTube Uploaded by makemagazine on Jul 31, 2011

"Created by Ashley Lewis, The Obama Board is a new twist on a traditional musical keyboard. Instead of a musical note, each key, when pressed emits the sound of a word from Barack Obama's inauguration speech. Press the keys in the sequence of your choice to create you own speech!"

Collin's Lab: Switches

YouTube Uploaded by makemagazine on Jun 27, 2011

"Easily overlooked, but elemental to electronics hardware, the manually operated switch is the simplest of electromechanical devices -- and likely the most familiar. While the most basic switch is ... well, quite basic -- there's a crazy-huge variety of switch types & sizes available to the electronics maker nowadays. Those new to the soldering & schematics scene will surely benefit from an introduction to some of the terms and formats relevant to various switch species."

Circuit Skills: PWM (Pulse Width Modulation)

YouTube Uploaded by makemagazine on Jun 1, 2011

"http://blog.makezine.com/?p=98982
Another clever trick from the world of electronics - Pulse Width Modulation is a simple method for controlling analog devices via a digital signal. It's also an efficient way to drive motors, lamps, LEDs & more."

Collin's Lab: The REAL Breadboard

YouTube Uploaded by makemagazine on Apr 6, 2011

"http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2011/04/collins-lab-th...eal-breadboard.html

Ever wonder why they call it an electronics "breadboard"? Way back in the day, folks had to be pretty resourceful to pursue an electronics hobby. So power down the soldering iron and go grab a hammer - it's time to try building on a *real* breadboard."

CV Delay Demo

CV Delay Demo from Nick Ciontea on Vimeo.

"hacked a Maxon ad-999 delay pedal for CV and modular use.

check the links for more info

youtube.com/​watch?v=_X0bL6WS-VY&NR=1&feature=fvwp [below]
blog.makezine.com/​archive/​2009/​08/​collins-lab-guitar-pedal-modding-wi.html
arduino.cc/​en/​Tutorial/​SPIDigitalPot"

Collin's Lab: Guitar pedal hacking with Arduino

YouTube Uploaded by makemagazine on Aug 19, 2009

"Instead of chaining multiple guitar effects in search of a new sound, I decided to mod just one. Using an Arduino microcontroller board + digi-pot chip, I was able to add a variable gating effect to a fuzz pedal.

source code + more infos here:
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/08/collins_lab_guitar_pedal_modding_wi....

video, audio, & riffs by Collin Cunningham"

MAKE presents: The Oscilloscope

YouTube Uploaded by makemagazine on Mar 24, 2011

"http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2011/03/make-presents-the-oscilloscope.html

Oscilloscopes are surprisingly easy to use once you've located a few basic controls. They can provide newcomers with a whole new way to view the world of electronics & electricty - plus they look impressively cool/awesome while in use!"

Collin's Lab: Homebrew Piezo

YouTube Uploaded by makemagazine on Mar 11, 2011

"Piezoelectric materials are about as close to magic as you can get. They turn physical pressure into electricity and can even turn electricity into physical pressure - an amazing sort of bidirectional converter for mechanical and electrical energies. Perhaps even more amazing is the fact that you can easily 'grow' your own piezoelectric crystals overnight using just a couple of common ingredients - awesome."

Circuit Bending on Make: Live ep04

YouTube via Uploaded by makemagazine on Mar 9, 2011

"Pete Edwards gives a tour of his den of modded synths, toys, and talks circuit bending with Collin Cunningham. This is an archived clip from the episode broadcast 3/9/11. Go to http://makezine.com/live/ for details, chat transcripts, and details on the next show."

Circuit Skills: LED Matrix

YouTube via makemagazine | Mar 2, 2011 |

"Learn the basics of controlling a grid of LEDs - use one as a miniature game machine and more, as Collin Cunningham takes a look inside the LED Matrix."

Collin's Lab: Monotron Hacking

YouTube via makemagazine | Mar 1, 2011 |

"The Monotron mini analog synthesizer was made to be hacked - learn how to add your own control-voltage inputs and check out some sample synthing played via strobe light."

Coliin's Lab: Digital to Analog Converter

YouTube via makemagazine | February 15, 2011 |

"The Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) turns bits into waves using a surprisingly simple circuit built from little more than a few resistors. Learn how to build your own R-2R DAC and use it to generate waveforms with a microcontroller"