Test of the THERMATRON flame controlled synthesizer by Lorin Edwin Parker from www.electricwestern.com:
The THERMATRON
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58lX3Uu9OOs
Ionized gas, chemicals, heat and applied high voltage conduct through a flame, modulating the impedance across the grid and or plate of vacuum tubes. This applies a control voltage to a Phantastron synthesizer.
by Not Breathing……ugliest old radio I ever saw.
Video here, synched with an Akai MPC.
Also of some note: the work by Snyderphonics. Their Manta USB controller looks like a winner. So buy one.
They build some damn impressive gadgets…..that do something.
And how often do you get to read about Paul Ketoff and his notorious Syn-Ket?
Not to mention its predecessor, the Fonosynth. Yet another great unsung pioneer of music synthesis.