This isn’t exactly a brilliant new development, but I built a feedback loop device into a wah pedal enclosure, which allows for an intuitive control over your feedback-noise performances, especially if you’re already using your hands for other things (say, playing guitar or keyboards, or even twiddling with other knobs). As you can see, it is useful for making a wide variety of high-pitched screaming sounds, and bringing out the unexpected from effects pedals and other devices.
It was a fairly simple project: I used a schematic from Beavis Audio Research, though I replaced the 500k pot with the 100k I found in the wah pedal.
I’m currently available for guitar work, so contact me at: ethan[ dot ]hartman[ at ]gmail[ you know the rest] if you’re interested in me building one for you.
I’ve updated the Sparklesound patch to work with delay lines instead of sound grains. This cleans up both the interaction (which is much more straightforward, presenting a set of pervasive on/off options instead of triggering semi-random events) and also the sound.
I’m pleased with the interaction, but I do need to implement a way to dynamically alter the delay lengths: currently they are set at 125ms for each step to the right; this will have to be done externally because I’m committed to a modeless interaction on the monome itself. Also to be implemented are quick toggles for each delay step, i.e. 1 connects all the filter banks to the current adc input, 2 to the 125 ms delay, etc.
This video makes use of a classic Max Fleischer cartoon with Betty Boop (lapsed into the public domain and available here at archive.org) and, once again, the Cab Calloway classic Minnie the Moocher.
Get your up-to-date copy of the sparklesound ChucK script here!