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| argos_7.99_toy_keyboard 2008/04/18 20:09 | argos_7.99_toy_keyboard 2008/04/25 16:26 current | ||
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| + | ====== Argos £7.99 toy keyboard ======= | ||
| + | Worth every goddamn penny :P | ||
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| + | Some great noises on this, really catchy startup jingle too :P. Two-note polyphonic with sustain, 8 different instrument noises (some pretty full-sounding and good ones too). A bunch of different rhythms/loops, doubled-up on the loop button too. Nothing too inspiring but pretty interesting nonetheless.. | ||
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| + | Also has a 'record/play' feature which records your key presses allowing you to play them back using the different instruments. I tried to work out how many notes it can record but failed, it is over 16 tho. If you accidentally press two keys at the same time then it won't record anything - presumably it can't handle simultaneous notes. If you record a pattern, play it back and then play any other keys, it'll record those keys as your pattern. Still pretty cool though. | ||
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| + | It'll also record the four drum/animal buttons that complete the stock feature list.. | ||
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| + | ==== Mods ==== | ||
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| + | The clock line was easy to find, marked 'CV' on the CPU board. A quick switch&pot give a nice ultraslow-through-to-crash dial. Upon crashing, the device most often repeats the last few ms of the clip of sound it was playing - sometimes harmonies and weird glitches. Sometimes it will crash over something more complicated, giving you an eerie grinding drumhit loop. Less often, it'll go off on one by itself with random tones and noise. | ||
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| + | Found a sort of weird filter effect so added switch&pot for that; on/off/on toggle switch chooses between a straight-through connection or a connection through some diodes for a different curve. | ||
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| + | Found a nasty distorted feedback bend, which can be filtered using the 'weird filter effect', getting low nasty rasps, even without the machine playing anything. Add noise from the machine and it'll be warped and distorted by the feedback. Play with the feedback level and the filter and there are spots where the rasping feedback will be triggered in rhythm by noise from the device or just add rasping distortion - sounds very dirty and nice. Switch wired up the same as the filter effect, for switching goodness. | ||
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| + | ==== Video ==== | ||
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| + | http://www.doctea.co.uk/misc/mp3/Circuit%20bending/%AC%20argos.wmv | ||
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| + | ==== Pictures ==== | ||
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| + | {{http://www.doctea.co.uk/misc/mp3/Circuit%20bending/PIC344.jpg?640x480}} {{http://www.doctea.co.uk/misc/mp3/Circuit%20bending/PIC345.jpg?640x480}} {{http://www.doctea.co.uk/misc/mp3/Circuit%20bending/PIC346.jpg?640x480}} {{http://www.doctea.co.uk/misc/mp3/Circuit%20bending/PIC347.jpg?640x480}} | ||
| + | {{http://www.doctea.co.uk/misc/mp3/Circuit%20bending/PIC352.jpg?640x480}} {{http://www.doctea.co.uk/misc/mp3/Circuit%20bending/PIC353.jpg?640x480}} | ||
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| + | Please note the circuit diagram type picture is out of date and inaccurate so don't base any of your own mods on it! | ||
| + | {{http://www.doctea.co.uk/misc/mp3/Circuit%20bending/argos%20keyboard%20design%202.png?640x480}} | ||