Lunetta Synthesis

Intro

A page dedicated to Lunetta Synthesis, the art of repurposing and perverting digital logic semiconductor chips into sound-producing devices. The techniques of Lunetta Synthesis were pioneered by sculptor and percussionist Stanley Lunetta in the 1970's.

In 2014, Noisebridge was honored to host a talk and demonstration by Stanley Lunetta himself.

File:Stanley3.jpgFile:Stanley2.jpg

https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/NoiseHack

This page is a work-in-progress. Feel free to add more info and links, but please try to keep it organized.

General Tips

• For visual fun, use LED's wherever a schematic calls for diodes.
• For light-activated control, substitute photoresistors for resistors. Or, use a mercury switch like Stanley did in his gun-shaped device, in the photo above :)

Lunetta Oscillator

The Lunetta Oscillator is the heart of Lunetta Synthesis. It's an oscillator based on a Schmitt Inverter.

File:Schmitt-osc1.gif

File:Schmitt.gif

Parts

CD40106 Hex Schmitt.

• 6 oscillators on a single chip!
• Wide voltage supply (3V-15V), so you can drive with various batteries.
• http://live.partlist.org/331/image/item/open/root/format=big

Variations and Tips

Intermodulation

Drive one Schmitt oscillator with another, through a diode, and using a switch as a trigger:

https://hackadaycom.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/40106_sync_osc.png?w=800&h=326

Gentle Sounds

Most Lunetta syntesizers out there are raucous and chaotic. But sweet, gentle sounds are also possible.

• Tap the inverter output to obtain a loud, buzzy, digital square wave.
• Tap the inverter input to obtain a gentle, soft, analog triangular-ish wave. That's the voltage presented by the capacitor as it charges/discharges.

File:7414-oscillator-waveform-diagram.png

Starvation

Starve or overdrive the power supply to the chip for unexpected results.

Amplification

Use a cheap 3W PAM8403 amplifier module to drive a speaker.

• Make use of the PAM's stereo channels.
• Overdrive the power supply of the PAM with a 9V battery for extra volume (but check the PAM chip for heat).
• https://www.ebay.com/itm/162965060047

General Lunetta Synthesis Links

• https://strangenessandcharm.wordpress.com/2013/10/29/diy-weird-sound-synthesis-with-cmos/
• http://electro-music.com/forum/forum-160.html
• https://hackaday.com/2015/02/04/logic-noise-sweet-sweet-oscillator-sounds/

Page created by: Johnyradio (talk) 12:49, 19 May 2018 (UTC)