Comments on: The Parker Steam Synthesizer is finished (and works!) http://www.deviantsynth.com/2008/07/16/the-parker-steam-synthesizer-is-finished-and-works/ Analogue Heaven is poison. We are the antidote. XD Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:36:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Steam Boilers http://www.deviantsynth.com/2008/07/16/the-parker-steam-synthesizer-is-finished-and-works/comment-page-1/#comment-638 Steam Boilers Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:51:49 +0000 http://www.deviantsynth.com/?p=223#comment-638 I had been arguing about steam boilers with my wife since last Wednesday but since I found: , I do find your point of view quite interesting and, in this case specifically, quite useful. I had been arguing about steam boilers with my wife since last Wednesday but since I found: , I do find your point of view quite interesting and, in this case specifically, quite useful.

]]> By: Matt http://www.deviantsynth.com/2008/07/16/the-parker-steam-synthesizer-is-finished-and-works/comment-page-1/#comment-377 Matt Sat, 19 Jul 2008 22:32:39 +0000 http://www.deviantsynth.com/?p=223#comment-377 Also, Lorin, I would very much like to see the schematics for the EW Theremin if you have them available - it looks like it doesn't use too many coils? I've seen some designs for tube theremins, but the ones I have seen kick my helixophobia into high gear. It's too bad there aren't events like the Maker Faire in New England - I guess people have wanted one in Boston for a while - but despite our liberal leanings this area is in many ways pretty uptight. See the Mooninite fiasco last year and also the apparent inability of the police department to not kill anyone during a sports celebration. I'm sure just about everything at a Maker Faire would send the local authorities into a fit. Also, Lorin, I would very much like to see the schematics for the EW Theremin if you have them available – it looks like it doesn’t use too many coils? I’ve seen some designs for tube theremins, but the ones I have seen kick my helixophobia into high gear.

It’s too bad there aren’t events like the Maker Faire in New England – I guess people have wanted one in Boston for a while – but despite our liberal leanings this area is in many ways pretty uptight. See the Mooninite fiasco last year and also the apparent inability of the police department to not kill anyone during a sports celebration. I’m sure just about everything at a Maker Faire would send the local authorities into a fit.

]]> By: Matt http://www.deviantsynth.com/2008/07/16/the-parker-steam-synthesizer-is-finished-and-works/comment-page-1/#comment-376 Matt Sat, 19 Jul 2008 22:10:26 +0000 http://www.deviantsynth.com/?p=223#comment-376 Perhaps instead of building another boiler and engine for each note, it would be possible to get other tones by using one "master oscillator" and then powering other tonewheels using a set of reduction gears? Perhaps instead of building another boiler and engine for each note, it would be possible to get other tones by using one “master oscillator” and then powering other tonewheels using a set of reduction gears?

]]> By: Lorin Parker http://www.deviantsynth.com/2008/07/16/the-parker-steam-synthesizer-is-finished-and-works/comment-page-1/#comment-370 Lorin Parker Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:22:17 +0000 http://www.deviantsynth.com/?p=223#comment-370 That would be so damn cool! Consider it in the works. I've been wanting to build another one for a while -- a little larger, more pressure, etc. Next one - pneumatic steam keyboard! I have the valves. However, making boilers and engines is intense and very expensive. So don't hold me to a timeline... That would be so damn cool! Consider it in the works. I’ve been wanting to build another one for a while — a little larger, more pressure, etc.

Next one – pneumatic steam keyboard! I have the valves.

However, making boilers and engines is intense and very expensive. So don’t hold me to a timeline…

]]> By: admin http://www.deviantsynth.com/2008/07/16/the-parker-steam-synthesizer-is-finished-and-works/comment-page-1/#comment-369 admin Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:47:50 +0000 http://www.deviantsynth.com/?p=223#comment-369 Lorin, you ought to get a bunch of valves and rig them up to be activated by a row of keys. Then you can play tunes on it. That would be so damn kool. Lorin, you ought to get a bunch of valves and rig them up to be activated by a row of keys. Then you can play tunes on it. That would be so damn kool.

]]> By: Lorin Parker http://www.deviantsynth.com/2008/07/16/the-parker-steam-synthesizer-is-finished-and-works/comment-page-1/#comment-366 Lorin Parker Thu, 17 Jul 2008 02:16:39 +0000 http://www.deviantsynth.com/?p=223#comment-366 I'll take harsh. Indeed, when experimenting with vacuum tubes it's clear that gritty, harsh, screechy, etc are all sounds vacuum tubes make. I think we get a little mis-led by the vacuum tube guitar amplifier into thinking that "smooth" and mellow is a characteristic of all tube audio. Just check out Metasonix if you don't believe me... Regardless, at maker faire the differential pair of triodes kept folding over because the filter in the volume circuit was too resonant and the Q was too tight... I've adjusted it, and now it doesn't overdrive the output. I've tweaked that now, and am trying a new pentode based detector for the volume circuit. -Lorin I’ll take harsh. Indeed, when experimenting with vacuum tubes it’s clear that gritty, harsh, screechy, etc are all sounds vacuum tubes make.

I think we get a little mis-led by the vacuum tube guitar amplifier into thinking that “smooth” and mellow is a characteristic of all tube audio.

Just check out Metasonix if you don’t believe me…

Regardless, at maker faire the differential pair of triodes kept folding over because the filter in the volume circuit was too resonant and the Q was too tight… I’ve adjusted it, and now it doesn’t overdrive the output. I’ve tweaked that now, and am trying a new pentode based detector for the volume circuit.

-Lorin

]]> By: Doctor Popular http://www.deviantsynth.com/2008/07/16/the-parker-steam-synthesizer-is-finished-and-works/comment-page-1/#comment-365 Doctor Popular Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:27:31 +0000 http://www.deviantsynth.com/?p=223#comment-365 Yeah, I saw this at the Maker Faire in SF. The Maker also had a vacuum tube theremin, which wasn't quite as cool sounding as I thought it would be. As a matter of fact, the Theremin was surprisingly harsh. Yeah, I saw this at the Maker Faire in SF. The Maker also had a vacuum tube theremin, which wasn’t quite as cool sounding as I thought it would be. As a matter of fact, the Theremin was surprisingly harsh.

]]>