WD80

by Gieskes

A solar powered synth where the solar power is integrated into the interface.

For assembling instructions click here or scroll to the bottom of the page.

The WD80 refers to WD40, my French neighbour made the joke that it sounds like it needs WD-40, so i decided a good name for it is WD40 (i changed it to WD80 because of personal reasons and because WD40 is copyrighted).

The idea behind this synth is that you power it from the sun, but that the power is not just providing power, but it also acts as part of the interface. When there is less light the voltage goes down and then the frequency is also going down. When you use the synth you can walk around and for instance a tree above you will make a shade with allot of branches, this will give nice modulations in the sound especially when the wind blows a little bit.

It is using resistive touch contacts, so you can turn on the sound on the left side with one finger and the sound of the right side with another finger. There are two switches to turn on the left and right side on permanently, but it will be less loud then when you touch it. it will also be a little low pass filtered it seems when the switches are closed. So then when you touch it the osund will be louder and teh lowpass with be gone while you touch it.

The potmeter starves the power of the IC (HEF40106). The socket is a DIP socket so you can also try other versions of the 40106 series, for instance the CD40106, it might sound different.

The circle is connected to a oscillator that runs by itself, it is not directly connected to the output, but it somehow effects it allot.

The 4 lines are connected to 2 schmitt trigger circuits of the 40106, the center two lines are connected to the outputs of the schmitt triggers.

The output can drive headphones, there is no volume control so if it is to loud for you or the volume is to low you can use other headphones. I am using Sennheiser HD480ii.

For use in concerts you can use a halogen light to power the synth, and because it uses you bodies resistance to transfer the sound you can get hum (50hz or 60hz). To reduce this hum you can use a hum reducer that i am also selling.