[sdiy] Lego synth anyone?

[Magnus Danielson]

From: "Peter Forrest" <pforrest at vemia.co.uk>
Subject: Re: [sdiy] Lego synth anyone?
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2005 10:24:45 -0000
Message-ID: <034801c4feda$54d55810$0100000a at PetesVaio>

> Thinking of relays...... did anyone ever wire up a pinball machine to output MIDI (or CV/gate)?  Sort of random sequences but with some human intervention and frequent repetition of little sections.

Not random but anyway. Should be natural to any studio (using the Rock
definition of a studio: Studio, a recording facitility with pinball machine).

> Probably a stupid idea, but how easily could it be done?

Easy. A few contact elements here and there, maybe some accelerometers to take
the pushing and jerking and you should have a joy of quirky signals comming
down the MIDI cable. Brings a new life to after-touch and pitch-bending!

I'd guess that a small PIC and necessary interface electronics should be able
to pull it all off.

> I'm thinking of old 60s / 70s machines, not more recent ones which have already far too much audio happening.
> Peter
> PS If not enough was happening, then maybe the counters could also output MIDI notes or triggers each time they moved on one place - useful percussion.  Plus the flippers could do the same, so there would be direct human playing as well.

You can toss it on different MIDI channels.

I assume the MIDI configuration is being done by tossing the flippers through
the menues!

Cheers,
Magnus