The Black Box music project

[bogwalrus]

Hello Everyone,

I'm making a musical instrument called "the Black Box V710" and i need some help getting some Images of breadboard diagrams of different effects circuits together.

This box was crowdfunded and i am making 150. I want to give them away with at least 5 different easy steps effects diagrams with picture so its easy to follow etc.

Basically each box will come with a Kalimba style sound creating mechanism, amplified by a contact mic that will go through an effects circuit (breadboard) and to an output.

So each wooden box is fitted with a breadboard in which the owner can make whatever effect they want using the breadboard thus personalising their sound. They can also personalise their kalimba by adding different length/gauge strings using the wing nut clamps etc.

So in essence its a completely personalised music box of sorts.

Here is a few pics of the prototype













As you can see the breadboard is nice and small. I will be providing all the parts to make a nice echo delay. For some i will make it pre made with all connected up. I want to provide each funder with an A4 size sheet with maybe 4 or 5 other effects they can easily make. I think a good diagram or pic of parts layout on breadboard would be best.

So what i am looking for is a pic of breadboard with name of effect and parts needed etc.

If you guys can help out it would be great.

I hope this project introduces a lot of people into the world of diy effects etc

Boggy

[~arph]

I'd say that breadboard is too small for a delay... perhaps a fuzz or simple overdrive is possible..
How do you play it though? is there an opening in it where you can actually play the kalimba?

[bogwalrus]

you play it with ease. and actually because of the contact mic the whole box and top of kalimba becomes a percussion instrument as you can tap like you would a tabla while pluck strings. You can even close the lid of the box and just hit the beat the sides with the kalimba creating a nice resonance etc.

There is honestly loads of ways to play the thing.

here is a video of early prototype. Since then i have moved the wingnuts to create a better clamp for strings, You will see a few moving while playing. This is now fixed.

What do you think? Any developmental advice would be great.

http://youtu.be/O7rSSqgzXuM

[bogwalrus]

Also the breadboard is fine for a few effects. The get lofi echo delay is going in the first few as it seems to be the easiest/best sounding one.

Also there will be only two pots attached the the physical box, also the switch. Only the transistors, capacitors will be on the breadboard itself. Also using the pt299 chip.

I think its an ok size for most effects tbh. A bit tight but good.

[Colonel Angus]

Sounds far out, I would love to hear that with some effects!

[bogwalrus]

I think it will sound great with a nice echo delay.  Ill post another link for second prototype soon with echo delay.


At the moment i Just need to get some breadboard images of simple effect circuits together that use just two pots, 9v, input/output, Switch and also using the ic pt2399 chip.

I think The Anchovie will work great. Thanks Anchovie=)

[petey twofinger]

anchovie ?

what about a tremolo ?

lm567 ringmod ?

http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/Choklitloves-album/album16/noise567.png.html

http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/000/neg2_001.gif.html

[bogwalrus]

Tremolo would sound great also=)


Thanks for links petey.

[LucifersTrip]

this should cover a wide range of distortion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oxmi-MZUG8

very few parts
http://www.luciferstrip.com/fuzz/greatdestroyer.jpg

[garcho]

Are you looking for something like these?

   






Pretty much anything metal and vibrating can be picked up with guitar pickups. A friend of mine makes thumb pianos with humbuckers, they sound great, and the output works well with guitar effects and guitar amps. Maybe something to try for Black Box v2.0?

[bogwalrus]

this should cover a wide range of distortion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oxmi-MZUG8

very few parts
http://www.luciferstrip.com/fuzz/greatdestroyer.jpg

Thanks Luciferstrip, That sounds Awesome. Sounds like bag pipes at some points in the vid clip. Mad!!!!

Are you looking for something like these?

Pretty much anything metal and vibrating can be picked up with guitar pickups. A friend of mine makes thumb pianos with humbuckers, they sound great, and the output works well with guitar effects and guitar amps. Maybe something to try for Black Box v2.0?

Thats spot on. What i'm going to do is use one of those only breadboard things and create the circuits online then take an image. It seems there is very few good quality pics or diagrams of effects circuits on breadboards out there. Not so Bad

Your friend is a genius. That pitch bending is really nice.

The current black box incl breadboard, box, clamp mechanism and parts for making circuit only costs me around $25 or €20. This was the budget for each one and as i said i am making 150 to give away to the people that funded the project. That's why I had to use contact mics and other non expensive means to assemble this. I'd love to make that one above though for my own personal use.


The one key feature with the black box is personalisation. People can change the gauge & length of the strings making low sounds etc. They can also create whatever effect they want with the breadboard. I am hoping the 150 i give away will get shared and developed further so people post vids of further developments and enhancements. Maybe people will substitue the strings in the clamp for something else to make a different sound? who knows 

[bogwalrus]

I just wanted to thank people for helping out with this project. We managed to finish the main prototype a few weeks ago and have started to build the 150 black boxes. We will be posting some images, videos on a blog soon and hope people will join in the fun. Thanks to anyone who pm'd me design ideas and circuit diagrams. I am extremely grateful. I'll post links soon

[the dead rat]

i realize how decomposed and rotten the carcass of this thread is but i was curious as to what, if anything else, ever came from this?

again, sorry for the necromancy.