Ohmegalpha

Ohmegalpha - A Talk N' Learn Alphabet, with some simple pitch modifications. In "happy-face" mode it says the alphabet in a female voice, and in "note" mode it plays nursery melodies. Custom melodies can be played by tapping the buttons. This is a `black blob' toy, so modifications are limited unless you have the patience to add extra circuitry.

Modifications:
- Pitch-down knob (1 meg ohm). The toy's pitch resistor was removed, then wired back in so that when this knob is at zero value the pitch is standard. Turn it down and the female voice samples start sounding quite butch!
- Pitch drop switch (+ 1 meg ohm resistor). This drops the pitch another meg's-worth of resistance, in-effect giving the pitch knob twice the range.
- Body-contact matrix. The two pitch contacts to the left, when bridged, shift the pitch upwards. You can give the sound vibrato by tapping the centre one in rapid succesion. The third body-contact isn't active until the pitch-release switch is tripped.
- Pitch-release switch. This breaks the circuit between the two points on the circuit-board where the pitch resistor used to be; muting ohmegalpha. To ressurrect the sound, simply touch your finger between either gap in the body-contact matrix. Left gives you pitch range close to standard and up, while the right gives you extreme low frequencies depending on the amount of contact. In release-mode, some very cool faux-vinyl-scratching and stutter effects can be imparted to the sound by rapid "mauling" of the contacts.
- 1/8" output.

Sound clips:

Pitch down Demoing the range of the pitch knob.
Pitch drop Extra lowering of the pitch via the drop switch.
Pitch drop + body contacts Same as above but with some vibrato noodlings via the body contacts.
Release With the pitch release engaged, cranking out some low frequency letters.
Release 2 Showing off the range of the body-contacts a little.
Melody pitch & vibrato In melody mode, using the pitch knob and body contacts.
Melody buttons & pitch "Playing" a melody on the buttons and messing with the pitch knob.
Melody release scratch Scratching the pitch with the body-contacts in release mode.
Melody release scratch 2 Using the body-contacts to play notes.
Double you dub A bit of fun with the letter W.

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