MSSIAH Mods

Mssiah has to be one of the coolest bits of software/hardware ever.

Rather than dive straight into modding my beloved C64 directly, I decided to make break out boxes for Analog Pots, Audio In/Out, Video Out and Feedback, to help fine tune designs.

Analog Pot box in progress

Finished Analog Pot Box

Analog Pot Box and Feedback, Audio In/out, Video Out box

For the feedback mod I used AlphA's amazing website

and for the external pot box I used InactiveX's schematics here...

New Neal Beard Music

Two new Neal Beard tracks have just gone up on Soundcloud...

Failed BMSR with FM by Neal Beard & his Machines

The Devils Noise by Neal Beard & his Machines

Blast Fed Disaster

Another new machine joins the merry band - a Blast Fed Disaster built from schematics by the excellent Squarewave Parade.

It's a very squirrely but fun synth. If you build one yourself I'd recommend putting the body contacts in as they are the most expressive way to play it. My enclosure is an old Sennheiser microphone box. The body contact plate was salvaged from a crappy electronic steel drum toy.

This new track called The Devils Noise uses it...

Here's what The Squarewave Parade says about it,

"here is an elaboration on Forrest M. Mims III's stepped tone generator, which has also been refered to as an "Atari Punk Console". my version has a little more potential for sound creation, from quantized synth notes to harsh variable digital static. a total of 7 knobs, a hand full of switches and two control voltage ( marked CV ) inputs."

Fridge Squidge (parts 1+2)

More new music from Neal Beard and his Machines.

Two new tracks Fridge Squidge (parts 1+2) have just gone up on Soundcloud.

Fridge Squidge (part one version 5) by Neal Beard & his Machines

Fridge Squidge (after one week version 5) by Neal Beard & his Machines

Made using various oscillators, some circuit bent stuff, a korg Er1, a c64 running Mssiah and a guitar. Vocals by Victoria.

New Music Created

Neal Beard and his Machines made some weird noises in a basement last night...

Fridge Squidge (after one week version 5) by Neal Beard & his Machines

Made using various oscillators, a Korg Er1 and a C64 running MSSIAH.

Matrix Mixer 3x3

Another device joins the merry throng - a homemade 3x3 matrix mixer built using schematics from Nicholas Collins excellent book Handmade Electronic Instruments.

Tracks 2,4,5,6 use a circuit bent Casio Sa5, WSG, and an EHX memory man feeding back.

Track 3 uses an EHX Small Stone and an EHX Memory Man feeding back with no inputs.

Track 2

Track 3

Track 4

Track 5

Track 6

Repetitive Textures

Last night Neal Beard and his Machines experimented with repetitive textures and machines running at different tempos...

Texture 1

Texture 2

Texture 3

Texture 4

Texture 5

Instruments used

Circuit Bent Casio SA5

Circuit Bent Belcat 503

Various Filters

Homemade Oscillator

Modded Cry Baby

Homemade Sequencer

LFO controlling Atari Punk Console

Circuit Bent/Modded SK 322b

555 Vactrol Box