[sdiy] Telharmonium motors, perhaps?

[Glen]

At 08:09 PM 11/22/04 , Michael Baxter wrote:

>This then leads to a motor speed controller and phase-locked loop, and 
>then eventually 12 motorized speed controllers for an equal-tempered 
>octave, with 12-16 VCAs per voice ... 

I wonder if you would really have to use 12 motors? Perhaps you could get
more than one of the 12 notes of the scale on the same disk? If the disk is
larger, it would be easier to fit more notes on it. If you use opaque
printing with reflective sensors, you can also use printing on both sides
of the disc. If you could manage to cram all 12 notes of the scale onto one
disc, you would automatically guarantee that the unit would always be in
tune with itself, without the need of servos or PLLs. I wonder if a special
disc could be printed and adapted for a common vinyl record turntable?  :)

It would certainly be a cheap way to experiment with the concept, and it
might be of some research value, even if you eventually decide to do
something far more elaborate.


take care,
Glen