MOTM

There are several on this list that are interested in alternate controllers, 
and there has been much about ribbon controllers in the past here 
specifically. In the mid eighties Serge Tcherepnin gave me rather specific 
instructions on how to build one (he apparently had designed one for the 
Synclavier). Like all other ribbon designs I've heard about, the problem 
arises with the resistive element. Serge suggested using conductive paint and 
mixing it proportionally with nonconductive paint. But as he had mentioned, 
the paint would be hard to find in the small quantities that I would need. 

Gene (ASM1) Stopp has a circuit description which uses a strip of a black 
plastic trash bag (which has a good amount of resistance across a couple of 
feet -- like maybe a couple K). Also, Dave Bradley described in detail the 
his non-working Moog ribbon with, what sounds like a large exposed wire wound 
resistor as the resistive element. I know I've seen large wire wound 
resistors (like 18" or so) closer to Hendry's area than Paul's area of 
electronics, and if they come say 30" these might be the perfect thing -- 
there has to be something more durable than a strip of trash bag, and cheaper 
than several gallons of conductive paint.

JB

In a message dated 12/1/99 11:31:58 PM, williamneumann@... writes:

>Just wondering about the Tannerin and the
>ribbon control device - What exactly is
>the construction ? I have seen things as
>simple as a pecil streak on a strip of 
>whatever with a probe all the way up to
>a fancier Moog type where the conductor and
>connection are all inside the ribbon  unit.
>I think there may even be a special oil
>type that when You press on it the oil seperates
>(viscosity break point) and makes a floating
>connection along a couple of conductive strips of
>metal. The moog one since it went into mass
>production is I suppose a good one but I need to
>know what it was made out of. Any ideas ?
>Thank You ahead of time- Bill.