Here’s a short video of the keyboards kinda acting out a little song. I kinda lose control there at the end but for my first attempt i think this is kinda fun. I’ll have some better pics of the building process and final layout soon…

Here’s a photo of my latest circuit bending project. I wanted to build a MOTM Modular synth after hearing a friend’s System 700 but decided that doing a more circuit bent version could offer me more of the sounds i wanted. This is the first part in a series of units that will all integrate together. This unit consists of a Casio SK-1, SK-5, and a Yamaha VSS-30. All bending points are banana plug with 1/4″ ins and outs. Its about 90% done at this point and will hopefully be finished for beepcon.

I’ll post a lot more pics when it is finished…

other inspirations:
http://www.anti-theory.com
http://highlyliquid.com
http://frederic.letaconnoux.free.fr/cpg135/thumbnails.php?album=27
http://electro-music.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=76364#76364
http://www.jz-server.de/forum2/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?233

i came across an old casio sk-1 keyboard in a waco pawn shop and bought it thinking that an old sampling keyboard would be a helpful tool for getting weird sounds and for programming beats. the keyboard can actually sample about three seconds of audio and play it back at 8 bits.

it didn’t come with a manual, so in order to learn the sampling procedure i went on-line. while searching i started to come across sites talking about the use of an sk-1 keyboard as an experimental instrument. they spoke of how they would pull apart the keyboards and install “shorts” in the circuitry. these short circuits would be wired through custom mounted toggle switches and potentiometers on the frame. being some what electronically minded, i had to try it. i couldn’t believe how cool the finished project sounded (think of a 70’s space movie soundtrack mixed with an 80’s video game). since then i have circuit bent a few other various items and have one other very large project in the works.

circuit bending links:

www.anti-theory.com - this is the home of reed ghazala, the “father” of circuit bending.

www.cementimental.com - this is probably the most comprehensive list of circuit bending links.

this is my most recent project. i think the speak and spell is probably one of the better devices to bend because it sounds so amazing when completed. while the sk-1 has more potential for musical usefulness the speak and spell just sounds cool.

i installed two pitch knobs and two touch sensitive pitch controllers. it also has a glitch switch and two touch sensitive glitch controllers which make it really go nuts. i gave it a power reset button and a quarter inch jack as well.

this is the next circuit bending project i was in anyway successful with. i managed to fry three perfectly good toy keyboards before completing this project. a very simple and small device with very annoying capabilities. i added a volume and pitch knob, a sustain switch and power cutoff (originally you couldn’t turn it off) I had my friend paint it as well and again she named it…

“C’mon Baby, Light My Fire”
(like The Doors’ song) in acrylic and oil.
(All Widsor-Newton brands of both.)

this is the first instrument i circuit bent. it took quite a while to finish and has definately the most bends. i recently had to replace the broken potentiometer with another touch sensitive pitch controller. i also gave it to an art major friend of mine for a new paint job. i asked her if she wanted to give it a name and this was her reply…

“Let Them Eat Cake” (Like the infamous
Marie Antoinette quote) and it’s all acrylics.
(Widsor-Newton and Basic Acrylic brands.)