Eye'm Watching You

Neal Beard and his Machines track TIMESNEWRIPOFFDANTHI has been included on a new compilation of experimental electronica released by Audio Sodomy Records. The compilation is called Eye'm Watching You and is available for free download here. Their site is chock full of lots more circuit bent, chip tune and experimental electronic audio - check it out!

Casio VL1 gets MIDI added

I've finally finished adding MIDI to my VL 1 using a retrofit from Highly Liquid.

There's not much room in the VL 1 so the kit has to be housed in a break out box. I decided to use a DB25 to connect the two, that way I can unplug the MIDI box and still fit the VL1 into it's leatherette case.

I also have the future option of adding 1/4 inch jack out to the midi box, and perhaps a pitch bend pot and body contact.

The MIDI box has Led's for pwr and activity and I added an on/off switch.

NB EP 4

EP 4  is finished and is available for free download here

(The best yet!)

Neal Beard and his Machines EP 4 

01 Fun Ramp Version 2 1:55

02 sampleloop v9 1:42

03 TIMESNEWRIPOFFDANDTHI 1:56

04 sample box version 2 0:34

05 MT 540 ERICA v2 3:24

06 It ends with a noize v3 3:40

Recorded May 2009.

ABOUT THIS EP

All the music was made on home made and circuit bent instruments and recorded by a human called Neal Beard with help from a human called Erica Lavender. Neal Beard and his machines hope you enjoy listening to their musical creations.

http://www.nealbeard.saftandboneless.co.uk/

http://www.nealbeardahm.blogspot.com/

http://www.myspace.com/nealbeard

INSTRUMENTS USED TO MAKE THIS EP

Circuit Bent Casio SA 5

Circuit Bent Casio SK-1

Circuit Bent Yamaha DD-10

Circuit bent vTech Apple Toy

Circuit bent Casio MT540

Casio VL1 with added Highly Liquid MIDI and Pitch Bend

Circuit Bent Roland TR505

Paia Ring Mod Kit

Home Made 6 x Oscillator 

Circuit Bent Voice Changer Megaphone

Home Made 2 x Gated Oscillator 

Circuit Bent Speak and Maths

Homemade distortion box

Another Homemade Oscillator

A Weird Sound Generator (MUSIC FROM OUTER SPACE)

MIXING AND SOUND

Electro Harmonix Small Stone, Memory Man and Holy Grail guitar pedals

Frostwave Resonator

Various homemade switching devices

Soundlab Micromixer

Marshall Amp

INSPIRATIONS

'Circuit-Bending: Build Your Own Alien Instruments' by Reed Ghazala 

'Handmade Electronic Music: The Art of Hardware Hacking' by Nicolas Collins (both the oscillators were based on schematics from this excellent book)

http://www.musicfromouterspace.com/

http://www.circuitbenders.co.uk/ 

http://www.casperelectronics.com/ 

http://www.paia.com

NB EP 3

Another Neal Beard  EP has just been finished for free download here

Neal Beard and his Machines EP 3

01 Erica song v1 1:28

02 GIVE IT ALL UP 3:57

03 Output 1-2 Distortion +sk1 (live improv) 5:14

Recorded January 2009.

ABOUT THIS EP

All the music was improvised on home made and circuit bent instruments and recorded by a human called Neal Beard with help from a human called Erica Lavender. Neal Beard and his machines hope you enjoy listening to their musical creations.

http://www.nealbeard.saftandboneless.co.uk/

http://www.nealbeardahm.blogspot.com/

http://www.myspace.com/nealbeard

INSTRUMENTS USED TO MAKE THIS EP

Circuit Bent Casio SA 5

Circuit Bent Casio SK-1

Circuit Bent Yamaha DD-10

Home Made 6 x Oscillator 

Circuit Bent Voice Changer Megaphone

Home Made 2 x Gated Oscillator 

Circuit Bent Speak and Maths

Homemade distortion box

Another Homemade Oscillator

A Weird Sound Generator (MUSIC FROM OUTER SPACE)

MIXING AND SOUND

Electro Harmonix Small Stone, Memory Man and Holy Grail guitar pedals

Frostwave Resonator

Various homemade switching devices

Soundlab Micromixer

Marshall Amp

INSPIRATIONS

'Circuit-Bending: Build Your Own Alien Instruments' by Reed Ghazala 

'Handmade Electronic Music: The Art of Hardware Hacking' by Nicolas Collins (both the oscillators were based on schematics from this excellent book)

http://www.musicfromouterspace.com/

http://www.circuitbenders.co.uk/ 

http://www.casperelectronics.com/ 

http://www.paia.com

More Machines

A circuit bent voice changer megaphone and a new and improved sample box based around a lo-fi-lo-res voice recording kit.

Distortion Box Finished

Neal Beards Home Made Distortion Box is finished...

It uses a cd 4049 and a cd4093 and is based upon schematics from Nicholas Collins' book Handmade Electronic Instruments. See photo for more details.

A basic experiment with a SA5 plugged through it here.

And a couple of tracks using it, a Casio Sa5, Casio Sk1, DD10, TR505 and home made oscs here and here.

Work in Progress - New band members joining soon

A distortion box breadboarded, switches mounted just need to get soldering.

A voice changing mega phone  - line out added, pitch and feedback to add.

And a PAIA Fatman that is going to take AGES to build but should be well worth it...