Forest Edge Solar Stochastic

A video of two solar powered stochastic synthesizers I designed around the idea of using square-wave interference patterns as both sequencers and tone generators. The design takes a 40106 Shmitt trigger ic set to various random frequencies and breaks out their pins into banana jacks. Power to these circuits can be starved via vactrol accessible by banana. The smaller, cigar box synth, called the Honduras Rave has these at audio rates with three summed at output (the summing process emphasizes clipping so there is only an on and off signal and not simply a combination of signals that would result in different amplitudes). Honduras rave is also controlled by a small photocell which allows for ultrasonic frequencies. The bigger synth, named The Fucky Drummer, generates subsonic square-wave interference patterns that are then filtered into drums by a Twin-T filter controlled by the two knobs.

This recording was done in the field with a Sony PCM D-100.