The Synth Glove: Playing with the Gakken SX-150

{
// Good for beginner electronics-er.
// It'll give you some basic know-how for building interfaces.
// If we're being honest, most of this is already in other Ibles, but I liked the idea of bringing together
// these projects.
// The Gakken SX-150 Synth Kit is very rough. By that I mean that it isn't extremely well put together.
// The main thing is the stupid knobs won't stay on!
//But that doesn't matter because we'll be ditching the case immediately.

The rest of this project is really just Plusea's stickytape sensors
http://www.instructables.com/id/Stickytape-Sensors/.
// If you aren't on a low budget as I was, you should try the fancier sensors that she designed.
// So, uh, have fun...blahblah... knock yourself out!
}

Step 1: The Mighty Tools (and parts)

{
The first thing to get is your parts.
// Pictures below.

{
Get the following from LessEMF:
Velostat by 3M http://www.lessemf.com/plastic.html
Conductive Thread http://lessemf.com/fabric.html
Copper Flectron Fabric http://lessemf.com/fabric.html
// This is for your various stickytape sensors.
// Sorry about this, but you will have a ****load of leftover stuff from this.
}

{
Next you'll need the base of our operation:
Gakken SX-150 http://www.makershed.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MKGK8
// Isn't it pretty?
}

{
Now, we should get some tools:
// Look, these are just the tools I used. Scroll down and check out the following steps because I'm
// sure you have the majority if not all of these in or out of multi-tool form.
My Swiss Army Knife
My Trusty Leatherman Kick
Tools for soldering
// Again, you really just need screwdrivers, knife, scissors, and soldering tools. Correct me if I
forgot anything.
}

{
All that's left are some misc. parts:
One pushbutton
// Got mine from Radioshack: SPST Momentary Mini Pushbutton Switch, but others will work too.
One battery pack for 4x AA batteries with respective batteries.
// You can get this in the same trip as the above pushbutton at Radioshack.
Pack of at least four alligator clip wires.
// I can't remember the real word for these. They just make life easier. A lot easier. I got them in
// different colors. Also a Radioshack thing.
Case for button
// Mine was an old remote control for some toy or RC car. Anything you can open up and make
// room for the pushbutton is fine.
Duct Tape
// If you don't have this just around the house, I cry for you. I guess it could be regular stickytape...
// if you're boring.
One Glove
// Fine get a pair of gloves. You only need one, though. I got some nice workman's gloves.
}

// Give a holla if you find some cheaper or better alternatives.
}

Comments

[thepelton]

How about virtual modeling clay?

[aesopiankitty]

experiment my man. i would think it would be fine if you can figure out how to. it's all about variable resistance. the sensors have a changing level of resistance and that change chooses the pitch. if you can get modeling clay to produce variable resistance your in the clear. or at least i think so. good luck, TAK

[thepelton]

This thing keeps crashing when I try to download it. It asks me to customize it, then refuses to download when I don't omit something even though I don't want to omit anything. Please fix it!

[aesopiankitty]

hold up a second. what are you trying to download?

[thepelton]

I was trying to download a copy of the instructions to my flash drive. It seems to have been fixed now. I think it was a problem with the modifications to the saving routine.

[juicyjay]

Nice fart machine you got there buddy :)

[aesopiankitty]

hahaha. damn, i was hoping nobody would notice it sounds terrible..... maybe the video wasnt a great idea...

[aesopiankitty]

honestly the point is learning about interfaces not making something pretty... cause it is goddamned hideous sounding thanks anyways and keep the j's juicy

[Trebawa]

Hmm... I wonder if you could make a glove-based theremin with one glove for volume and one for pitch?

[aesopiankitty]

that could easily work by the same method.