[sdiy] Telharmonium motors, perhaps?

[harrybissell]

la... backwards

Drive the motors with a series of gears etc and use the encoder outputs to
generate the
waveforms a'la Hammond

Usually the 'sine encoders' are really a sine / cosine encoder... yuo might
synthrsize a lot
of different waves with that, yes ???

H^) harry (NOT buying motors / starting new projects :^)

Gene Stopp wrote:

> Yup that's the idea, a tape recording of some waveform or another, speeding
> up and slowing down. Mellotrons run at a constant 7.5 ips with the pitch pot
> at center position. And they're not looped (usually).
>
> This idea sounds a little goofy. Many of the ideas that pop up on this list
> sound a little goofy. Like using a CV to select MIDI ports, or huge matrices
> for modular patch signal routing, tape head wands, tube synthesizers, etc.
> But they are NOT goofy! Here's why:
>
> a) This is a hobby, dammit
> b) This is art, dammit
> c) Our creations are manifestations of creativity, with a technological
> twist
> d) The sounds are cool too
>
> Seems to me the tape VCO would only be good over a couple of octaves. The
> portamento rate might be different depending on whether it was spinning fast
> or slow in the first place. And I bet it would go through tape pretty fast,
> if it's running all the time like a "normal" VCO. Be a bummer to have it
> sitting there during a gig, and the last key you hit was the highest note,
> the tape inside eating itself alive...
>
> Maybe the optical disk would be better. Or just the tonewheel. That would
> sure be a heck of a lot easier to build too. You could mix the tone with the
> real VCO that it's phase-locked to. You could also have two or three
> motor-tones behind the real VCO. They would all probably have different
> mechanical characteristics for interesting tracking effects. Also with the
> spinning disk idea you don't actually need a separate tach output, just use
> the tone itself for the PLL compare.
>
> Allright this is getting out of hand. Cut it out... must... not... start...
> new... projects...
>
> - Gene
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Glen [mailto:mclilith at charter.net]
> Sent: Monday, November 22, 2004 4:02 PM
> To: Gene Stopp; synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
> Subject: RE: [sdiy] Telharmonium motors, perhaps?
>
> At 05:49 PM 11/22/04 , Gene Stopp wrote:
>
> >I think it was in an old Crowhurst book that I read about a VCO that was
> >actually a tape playback with the motor speed (and therefore the pitch)
> >under voltage control.
>
> That sounds interesting! I bet a lot of analog lovers would be drooling at
> the thought of the built-in tape characteristics imparted onto the sound. I
> wonder if the speed could be changed quickly enough to build a monosynth
> out of such an oscillator? I bet it would have its own special
> "portamento-like" effect on each and every note, unless the motors could
> change speeds *very* quickly. The possibility of unique pitch slurring
> might even add to the unit's analog charm.  :)
>
> If such a monosynth were actually built, I would think any flanging,
> chorusing, and distortion effects should also make use of a tape transport
> system. I know that Mellotrons used tape, in a sampler style, but I don't
> think this would be the same concept at all. You're talking about using a
> tape transport in the core of an oscillator, and not as a "sample player",
> isn't that correct?
>
> take care,
> Glen