Photocells???

NumBass · January 19, 2009, 06:30:14 PM

how exactly would you use photocells in a DIY stompbox?

sevenisthenumber · January 19, 2009, 07:11:43 PM

good question.

Univibes use them inside to read the pulse of the light bulb.

Ive used them in place of resistors and mounted them on the outside of a box so that light could cause an audible effect on a circuit.

Im sure there are lots of others!!!

NumBass · January 19, 2009, 08:30:46 PM

oh...thats cool. Do they gain resistance with more light, or how exactly do they work (if u kno)?? and do u think i could surround one with different LEDs that blink with different tones (not sure if that is possible) and create a CrAzY sOuNd??? <haha ha

sevenisthenumber · January 19, 2009, 09:07:17 PM

check this out!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photoresistor

Your idea is very possible.

earthtonesaudio · January 19, 2009, 10:03:21 PM

More light=less resistance, different types are more sensitive to different wavelengths of light.

NumBass · January 19, 2009, 10:22:04 PM

thanks much seven, that was helpful.

sevenisthenumber · January 20, 2009, 12:26:13 AM

no problem! let us know if you do somethin cool with one!

oldrocker · January 20, 2009, 02:08:59 PM

Tim E.'s Ugly Face
J.H. Easy Vibe [Univibe Phaser]
J.H. Flatine [Compressor]
DOD 280 Compressor
A few that I can think of at the moment. Yes there are a sh@t load of others. I used one in a Colorsound Wah pedal that I installed in my wifes old sewing machine pedal.

bumblebee · January 20, 2009, 05:13:02 PM

I put one in a feedback loop so you could use your foot over it like a wah, controlling the amount of insaneness.

shadowmaster · January 21, 2009, 08:40:37 AM

Used in phasers like this...

~arph · January 21, 2009, 09:38:22 AM

Hey that's cool, first time I've seen flat LED's used like that in a phaser.. nice. What phaser is it? polyphase?

shadowmaster · January 21, 2009, 09:54:08 AM

Quote from: ~arph on January 21, 2009, 09:38:22 AM
Hey that's cool, first time I've seen flat LED's used like that in a phaser.. nice. What phaser is it? polyphase?

It's Dann Green's Phaseur Fleur. A fantastic phaser by the way.

petemoore · January 21, 2009, 09:59:27 AM

Pretty dern slick !
I've seen 'em dwelling under a 'hanging blanket' [Morley], when you push your foot down, pull the foot treadle back and the blanket begins to increasingly reveal: the Photoemitter to the Photosensative element.
Mental experiments with discs with various shaped holes doing what morley does but spinning the disc [sandwiched between the LED's/LDR'sreveals more/all/less/none of the Photo devices to their 'opposite counterparts' [LED sees the emitted Photons or not].
One tougher trick for them to do is get really low resistance value. Another is how fast does the LDR change resistance...sometimes slow is what is needed [in the case of using an incandescent lamp with slow rate of photon release rate change, or...and...LED for fast rate of change [see Blackfinger Comp.].
How dark was never really a problem for me, as it's the low resistance/brightness side that is harder to get to a low R value, just leave 'em pretty dark in the enclosure can work, or enclose the LED/LDR in a light-sealed container [typing paper did that with glue for me, electrical tape to shield from outside photons.
Choose the light, and the LDR...according to how well their properties suit your needs.

~arph · January 21, 2009, 10:00:48 AM

Quote from: shadowmaster on January 21, 2009, 09:54:08 AM
It's Dann Green's Phaseur Fleur. A fantastic phaser by the way.

Ah I know that one:

http://www.commonsound.com/kits/doku.php?id=commonsound:phaseur

arma61 · January 21, 2009, 12:40:22 PM

Quote from: bumblebee on January 20, 2009, 05:13:02 PM
I put one in a feedback loop so you could use your foot over it like a wah, controlling the amount of insaneness.

Cool! I like it, just one question for experimenting, with which FX do you get better "response" ?

I can experiment with a Barber Silver LT, a Guv'nor and a DS1 (all DIY), are they any good, is it easy to find with res. is in the feedback loop (is it the one that bring back the signal to the -in of the op-amp ?)

Thx
Armando

bumblebee · January 21, 2009, 03:10:15 PM

No No, a Feedbackloop as in true bypass and feedback looper, a passive pedal consisting of only four jacks, a 3PDT, a SPST, a pot and an LDR.

The best pedals to put in the loop are modulation like phasers, chorus, flangers but also put at least one dirt pedal in there to increase the gain of the loop too.

arma61 · January 21, 2009, 03:58:22 PM

Quote from: bumblebee on January 21, 2009, 03:10:15 PM
No No, a Feedbackloop as in true bypass and feedback looper, a passive pedal consisting of only four jacks, a 3PDT, a SPST, a pot and an LDR.

The best pedals to put in the loop are modulation like phasers, chorus, flangers but also put at least one dirt pedal in there to increase the gain of the loop too.

Oh poor me! I completely misunderstood it

I got it now!

notchboy · January 21, 2009, 04:49:30 PM

Then there's the "photocells gathered around the LED campfire" approach used in the CAE Infinitephase...

http://modezero.com/infinitephase.htm

NumBass · January 21, 2009, 10:10:13 PM

Quote from: notchboy on January 21, 2009, 04:49:30 PM
Then there's the "photocells gathered around the LED campfire" approach used in the CAE Infinitephase...

http://modezero.com/infinitephase.htm

wow...thats REALLY cool.,....but i would think it would get almost the same sound because they are the same kind of LED and they are really close. Once i get better at this stuff im going to make one that has separated ones with 2 or 3 LEDS by them, have a few flash with adjustable rates (hopefully making a pulsing phaser, and different colors light up with different notes i play. I believe that would sound awesome, depending on how much you can actually detect the change in sound. How recognizable is it?

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Photocells???