mounted optical effect

[einstein]

Hello, I have a few guitars and I was wanting to add a optical effect hopefully using few parts as possible and maybe a photocell, photodiode, or light sensor and either ambient light or a direct light source like an led.

The effect that im looking for is either a sound kill equal to the amount of light given, or maybe a pitch shift.

Also is there an easy way to get pitch shift without a pedal. Any other sweet mods are more than welcome, either post a link or explain please. I am willing to do almost anything to a few of my guitars.

Current mods/builds are, 3 electric cigar box guitars, one broom stick bass guitar soon to be electric, BucketHead like kill button, silencing strats and others, multiple pickup swaps/positions/additions/wirings. Etc.

thanks in advance

[sumgai]

Albert,

If you're looking for an easy solution to bending the pitch electronically (instead of mechanically), then the answer is easy: you're out of luck. I suppose you could gut a Whammy pedal, and mount those innards into your axe, then make the former pedal's pot available for use by your hand (presumbly on the pickguard), but that's sort of cheating. You have to take the pedal you didn't want, but it's no longer a pedal.

When it comes to a kill switch, well.......

Somehow I always thought of a kill switch as being a digital kind of thing - all on or all off, no in-between. But you said

".... sound kill equal to the mount of light given"

That's an oxymoron, and a bit hard to resolve without further input from you. Did you mean, the volume raises/lowers according to how much light falls on the device (like your regular volume control, that's analog - infinitely variable), or do you mean that it kills all sound when the hand is somewhere in the vicinity, blocking just enough light to do the job?

Punt! The ball's in your court.


sumgai

[einstein]

Well I suppose that does need clearing up. The one I was searching for is one that would allow sound through when there is at least a little light, then the closer to complete darkness the photocell saw the closer to complete cut out of sound.

Of course any other cheap or easy optical effects mod of any kind would be welcomed. ;D

Thanks

[wolf]

einstein
What purpose would that light sensor/volume controller serve? The effect it would produce could easily be achieved with a volume control, volume pedal, etc. I don't think too many people would notice and say "wow his guitar volume is controlled by the intensity of the light falling on it". I don't mean to sound derisive of your idea. I'm just curious as to why you'd want an effect like this.

sumgai
I'm just guessing but maybe there is a way to produce a "pitch bend" without a pedal. If you think about the song "What I Am" by Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians, the "wah effect" is produced without using a pedal and that song was done almost 20 years ago. So, I'm just guessing, but with today's technology perhaps it is possible.

[ashcatlt]

I think the point was that you can't get a pitch bend out of passive components. There's no reason you couldn't replace the functionality of the pedal itself with just about any other modulation source you'd like. Envelope follower, LDR, LFO... But you still need the active digital circuitry.

Edit - you'll never know why...

[wolf]

ashcatlt
In his first posting, einstein asked "is there an easy way to get pitch shift without a pedal" which I assumed meant active circuitry could be involved, and since sumgai's answer referenced a wah pedal, again, it implied active circuitry.

Well, we might as well wait for einstein to clear this up.

[einstein]

well put in the right place a light sensing volume swell or cut could be very interesting, almost like a buttonless buckethead button. Or like flicking a les pauls toggle while one is set off.

As for the pickups I have both active and passive, I was sort of hoping to add a small board with few components into the cavity controlled by a hole drilled just where my thumb lands during playing.

Like I said before Im really interested in any effects that could be easily shoved into a guitar.

Thanks.

[michaelcbell]

einstein,

I agree that the optically controlled effect seems like a very interesting idea, yet it seems to me that an analog effect such as a swell would be difficult to reproduce given the varying lighting levels of different venues, or even at different points within a venue (looking the audience versus looking directly at the lights or at your drummer). If you're looking for a flutter effect, that might be a bit more forgiving, but mounting a tactile or other low-profile push switch in the same location might prove a bit more controllable. I'm not up on switch technology, but it seems there's also some pressure sensitive button-type switches which might be very cool for your swell effect and be equally low-profile. Not a sermon, just a thought.

-m

[pollyshero]

Not EXACTLY what you're asking, but cool anyway. If someone could think this up, I'm sure someone else could figure out how to clone it (uh, no. that wouldn't be me...)

www.xpresense.com/about.htm

[sumgai]

pollyshero said:

Not EXACTLY what you're asking, but cool anyway. If someone could think this up, I'm sure someone else could figure out how to clone it (uh, no. that wouldn't be me...)

www.xpresense.com/about.htm

Cool unit, I've seen it before. But in my humble experience, if an outfit doesn't have the matzah to publish some kind of price, be it MSRP or whatever, then they're in the realm of "if you gotta ask, you can't afford it". This thing was introduced at Summer NAMM last year, and still no pricing? Come on........


sumgai

[hugh]

I'd be interested to see what happens when a stage spotlight or something swings past your guitar every couple seconds.

[CheshireCat]

sumgai said:

pollyshero said:

Not EXACTLY what you're asking, but cool anyway. If someone could think this up, I'm sure someone else could figure out how to clone it (uh, no. that wouldn't be me...)

www.xpresense.com/about.htm

Cool unit, I've seen it before. But in my humble experience, if an outfit doesn't have the matzah to publish some kind of price, be it MSRP or whatever, then they're in the realm of "if you gotta ask, you can't afford it". This thing was introduced at Summer NAMM last year, and still no pricing? Come on........


sumgai

I'd pony up if I could get a custom ring . . . same basic size, but stylized to fit me. ;D

[einstein]

hehe the ole wag, yeah ive seen it in action its quite interesting but like anything else takes getting used to. I like the squeeze effect that can control the wah. Anyways

to those who are worried about the light output of stage lighting and such. I had considered using an led for a more direct light source, and path of interference between me and the light/sensor, or just using a strobe light.

Anybody know of a fun cheap effect? maybe one using a switch...

[michaelcbell]

A strobe light and an optically controlled guitar effect? Epileptics unite!

[michaelcbell]

easy one switch guitar effect: phase.

[einstein]

ah thanks but Ive never really seen the need for or enjoyed the out of phase thing, Maybe someone could enlighten me how it can be used that would be great. As to the optical effect thing Ive actually seen one before, supposedly made for under $5. No info on how. Oh well, looks like im not opening up anything til my coil tap pots get here. Thanks for the suggestions guys.

[michaelcbell]

As for phase, if you've heard it and don't like it, then search on. If you've never heard it, I strongly suggest you give it a try, just for the sake of being informed.

[sumgai]

This topic is being forked over into the Coffee Shop, under the title of "OoPsies". (Come on, I was breathing when I woke up this morning, so forgive me my droll sense of humor, OK? ;D)


sumgai

[einstein]

Yeah ive heard it, Im not sure if I liked it since I didnt know how to utilize it. Maybe ill have to try again with someone who can show me how to get the most out of it. Thanks again