The Sound of Machines

Nov 14 2024 Cassettone Update

Hi all! It's been a tough week to feel motivated, but a lot of things are continuing to move forward in the production of the Cassettone Two.

This update is a bit more run-and-gun— I know if I wait until I create a more polished video, it'll be another week before I actually post anything.

How is everyone doing?? What questions do you have about the Cassettone?

There are some new downloads coming up for the Sample Librarian tier :) See you all soon!

Nov 2 Cassettone Progress Update

A lot of updates to cover in this one!

I’ve been making so many small steps that, before I knew it, I realized I’d gone way past the point when I should have already posted a video.

Here I share behind the scenes footage of case design updates, control panel upgrades, possible finishing touches with wood veneer, and I introduce my new team mate, Becky.

Enjoy, and as always leave questions for me in the comments.

Building the Cassette "Movement" Holder

Here's a bit of footage of me as I plan, design, and laser cut the first prototype for the parts that will hold the cassette movements in place. I love watching the laser do it's laser thing, so I included a bit of extra footage as it...does its..."laser thing".

Monotron Madness!

For such a little toy, the Korg Monotron packs a pretty big punch.

From spooky sine waves in space, to thumping noisy beats pounding through rocks underground, these 33 files capture the types of sounds that keep me coming back to this little noise box.

Chop, loop, compress, repitch and edit these sounds into your projects for a tasty textural treat. Enjoy!

Building a loop-playing prototyping board.

So I ordered these parts for the Cassettone Two, but they won't arrive for a few weeks. That is way too long to just wait around without working on the machine.

So in the meantime I built this prototyping board that lets me test different components as if I already had the needed parts.

It was a fun labor of love that I had just gotten up and running when something unexpected happened...

Crusty and Crunchy Cassete Drum Samples

One of these days I will be resurrecting a series I began on YouTube called "Let's Hear How This Sounds.

It will require me to make a track each episode based on a selection of randomly chosen samples from the available packs here on Patreon.

As part of my preparation, I knew I needed to have some drum sample options to use. This video is the process of recording a batch of samples for this purpose. Here I've resamples a handful of drum loops and one-shots onto cheap cassette tap...

The new Cassettone Two announcement is LIVE!

Hello all.

If you watched my previous "general update", you know that I got some feedback on the original Cassettone Two announcement video that I took to heart. Mostly feedback about my strategy of asking folks to pay for behind-the-scenes process videos and updates about availability.

So I changed that.

Other common feedback that I heard included "What does it f**king SOUND LIKE?" and "Why not just make ONE unit vs. TWO?".

I addressed both of these recurring comme...

About the Surface Feedback samples...

Howdy all!

As I prepare to record and upload the rest of the surface feedback series samples, I thought it would be worth taking a moment to explain exactly what is going on here. I hope this video makes sense—it really is a straight forward...thing...when you peek behind the curtain.

For those of you interested in downloading these strange samples to use in your own projects, they are available to all who join the "Sample Librarian" tier.

Some Fast Footage

I know most of my updates have been on the case build, but that's where my focus has been mostly. Today I am meeting with another hobbyist who is helping to walk through some of the electrical hurdles and there will be some good mutual sharing of intel.

For the sample download tier, I'll be posting more sample packs this week!

Ok this is cool…

Designing a much more stable solution for the keys on the new Cassettone! I made a few measurement mistakes to fix, but this definitely triggered an AHA moment!

Updates for Sept 22

So, big update today, first off being that I’m going to do a bit of rebranding here.

When I started this Patreon, my hope was that folks who were interested in the Cassettone Two would be cool with paying to be "let in" on the status and process of the build and release plans, etc.

Lately I’ve been hearing on social media that folks find this to be off-putting and “scammy”. I get it.

I hate that that’s the case, and a barrier for people to continue to follow the pr...

If your workspace is tidy…

Are you really working?

I have a video outlining my first crossfader tests coming up in a few days. See you soon!

That was easy!

I’ll have an update video for paid members that shows just how easy it is to build the case for these now. There are still modifications to be done (button spacing for instance), but it’s heading in the right direction!

The latest laser cut

I just liked the way this layout looked and wanted to share! I’m finally finding the best settings for cutting with the laser cutter and everything is coming out much cleaner.

Surface Feedback Samples - Tamborine

Hello!

This bunch of samples is part of the "Surface Feedback" series where I use a piezo element to "listen" to the audio signal from a transducer surface-mic.

The resulting feedback loop is pretty untamable, with results that vary widely based on the item being used.

I didn't know what to expect when I started messing with this tambourine and was pleasantly surprised by the results. I thiiiiiink this experiment is better experienced live, but the recording are still going ...

Surface Feedback Samples - Metal Pan

Hello!

This bunch of samples is part of the "Surface Feedback" series where I use a piezo element to "listen" to the audio signal from a transducer surface-mic.

The resulting feedback loop is pretty untamable, with results that vary widely based on the item being used.

I've had this pan in my bin of random percussion instruments for years. I'm happy it got a bit more use!

To be honest, I thought it would provide more varied results by dampening the amount of reverb it...

Surface Feedback Samples - Cigar Box

Hello!

This bunch of samples is part of the "Surface Feedback" series where I use a piezo element to "listen" to the audio signal from a transducer surface-mic.

The resulting feedback loop is pretty untamable, with results that vary widely based on the item being used.

This cigar box was the first item I tried this technique with and for all its simplicity it's actually been one of the most fun to explore due to the immediate crazy results.

Enjoy!

Updates for Sept 8

Hey all! A few updates today. Here are the main takeaways I want to share:

• I am focusing these next few weeks on building up the amount of sample downloads available on the channel.

• I made progress on the Cassettone Two case design, but there is still tweaking and modifications to be done.

• I think I found pre-made amp circuits that will be useful for the final design, TBD.

That is all for now. Keep an eye out for a bunch of sample-download posts these next...

Cassettone Two Update: Electrical Diagram Walkthrough

Hey everyone! Here I am doing my best to walk through the electrical diagram (not a schematic) for the base model of the Cassettone Two.

There will be a lot of lessons along the building journey, but this is a super helpful roadmap for me to use along the way. It will be tweaked and updated as I go, but now I have some clear directions at least.

Onward!!!

I think this is right?

Hi friends.

Today I spent most of the day working on the electrical pathway for the base model of the Cassettone Two. A huge step in the building process!

Next, I’m going to film myself explaining it in order to make sure I have it set in my brains and to give you a deeper look at the inside workings of these things.

That video will be posted on Tuesday.

Y’all rock.

This is not a tutorial for building a portable amp.

But it was going to be.

This was going to be a fun project for the top-tier members, but along the way I realized there were a number of issues that made it not quite meet the standards I want for my tutorials.

But I filmed so much video!

So instead, I used most of the footage to make this little " video essay" that highlights some of my expectations for the tutorials I make.

And we all still learn something along the way.

Like what a transducer is. And my dog...

Update #1 —Thanks everyone!

Hey everyone!

The TSOM Patreon has now been live for a week and it's already seeing momentum. I love it.

Here's a quick message that I recorded while in the maker space I use in Richmond, VA. I'll probably post a lot more from the space in the following months.

So here's a question for the 90+ free members who have subbed. If I'm not providing content for free, what benefits does a free membership provide? Is it just a way to save this page for later? Let me know!

Y...

15 Long Samples from Cassettone Loops

Occasionally in my social posts that feature the cassettone, I get asked for the sounds that I used to record to tape.

The bad news is that I didn't keep any of the original source files. So here's maybe the next best thing. I've gone through all the tape loops in my collection that I could find in my messy studio and resampled them in various pitches and lengths.

Now, while I don't recommend re-recording these sounds to tape, these samples will be great for all kinds of texture ...

Strange Sounds from Way Out | Sample Download

Have you ever tried tuning into shortwave radio transmissions? While you can hear radio stations from around the world, the sonic goodies I'm more interested in exist between those stations. Interference from machinery, solar storms, and other forms of light are transformed into spooky signals from deep space.

Attached here are 72 files of some of my favorites that I've captured, including some longer files from a project I was calling "Messages from the Ionosphere". That project is o...

MS-20 mini: Percussive Synth Samples

A few years ago I recorded an album called "The Narrow Passage". As part of that project I recorded a few dozen one-shots from my MS20 Mini, which I've zipped here for you to use in your own project. Any processing is minimal—I tend to process in the context of the song and leave the raw samples as they are.

This download includes 87 one-shots organized into 4 folders - cymbal, kick, snare, and hat. Enjoy!

Vintage Piano Sample Pack: Cassette Tape Sounds from 1964

This old piano has seen a lot of use, and while it’s been tuned a few times, it still carries that unique, slightly out-of-tune charm.

I’ve recorded every note on it, capturing both a clean version and one with a little extra character by running it through a cassette tape.

If you’re into adding a bit of old-school grit to your music, download all the one-shot samples below!

The "Jangle Box" Sample Downloads

They're a bit unwieldy and, well, jangly. Here for download are a collection of samples from one of my musical creations—the "Jangle Box".

Originally just a decorative box, I've repurposed it into an instrument that uses hobby motors to strum different strings. By controlling the motor speeds and string pitch, I can create a range of sounds, from subtle strums to intense, chaotic (jangly) noise.

Along with a full octave of notes, I also recorded some more unconventional sounds�...