Modified Playskool Kid Keys

Modified Playskool Kid Keys - I'd seen these circuit-bent by other people, and it looked like it had a lot of potential. It didn't disappoint - I found a lot of bends, and some quite good ones at that.

Not counting mapping bends, and sorting out all the notes and scribbles, the build time was one day (although I spread it out over a two-day period). Schematics will be forthcoming, as soon as I've drawn them up.







Modifications:
- Glitch matrix w/selector. Six momentary switches connected up into a 6x2 matrix with a toggle switch, effectively giving 12 different glitch variations. Some are a little mundane, while others will trigger rhythm glitches, loop sound, and even assign drum sounds to the keyboard.
- Vibrato/distortion matrix. Three switches with five settings in total, which impart distorted vibrato to the sound, with pitch variations on each setting.
- Pitch knob. A 1k potentiometer for tuning the pitch lower.
- Cancel selector. Cancels either the rhythm or melody of the demo tunes.
- High pass/overdrive selector. One setting is a fixed high-pass filter, while the other overdrives the signal.
- Distortion/filter knob. 1k potentiometer. Imparts a reedy-sounding distortion, which sounds more like a resonant high-pass filter the further you turn it.
- Distortion knob 2. A 100k potentiometer which is a little unpredictable and reacts differently depending on what other bends are activated. Sometimes it gives things a bassy stutter like a low-frequency ring modulator. In conjunction with the Overdrive switch, it produces a loud, tunable feedback tone.

Sound clips:

Flute Vibrato The flute sound raw, then with vibrato turned on.
Flute Overdrive Flute with ovedrive switched on.
Glitch Filter Pressing the glitch button, then activating and turning up the distortion/filter.
Glitch Pitch Another glitch, with pitch shift.
Glitches Distort 2 Glitch switches engaged, and low-frequency wobbliness from distortion knob 2.
Glitches Pitch Distort 2 More of the chunky distortion with some pitch shifting.
Overdrive Distort 2 This is the wacky tone you get if you switch on overdrive and distortion knob 2 at the same time and mess with the pitch.
Vibrato Glitches An example of the craziness that ensues when glitches are triggered in succsession with vibrato turned on.
Vibrato High Pass Pitch Some sweeps made with vibrato, the high-pass filter, and the pitch knob.


Before modification


Making sense of my notes...


Bends installed! Did someone say spaghetti?

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