We’ve added a new circuit bending page to the site, where we’ll be gradually adding demos, photos, and schematics of the various circuit bent instruments we’ve built. For those unfamiliar, circuit bending is the creative short circuiting of electronic devices to get them to do things they were never originally intended to do. We create new and unique sounds this way, primarily working with toy keyboards and other cheap electronic sound devices.
Below is the first demo: Tim’s circuit bent Casio VL-Tone. He’s modified it to become essentially a white noise drone machine. A 500K potentiometer has been added to adjust the filter cutoff frequency, while the volume slider is now used to set the ceiling of the filter. There is also a switch for a different tonal quality, plus two body contacts that further alter the sound by changing the resistance of the pot. Check out the demo to hear it being played, and go to the new circuit bending page for photos and a schematic of the circuit.
