Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
K
EMAIL: Fred@FunDes.co.uk
URL: www.Fundamental-Designs.com
URL for capacitive musical instruments: http://www.therasynth.com/home.html
Telephone: (Afternoon / Evening) +44(0)2380 643403 U.K. 02380 643403
Fundamental Designs Ltd has been engaged in research and development on capacitively controlled musical
instruments. Analogue sound generation and processing is employed in all these designs, digital processing being
reserved for a few non-audio and mathematically intensive functions.
Products under development include a high end Theremin based on Theremin’s original concepts, but with digital
processor doing auto-calibration and linearity correction. Another product (in advanced stages of development) is the
Flewt © which is a wind instrument where pitch is controlled by hand capacitance, and volume / harmonics by
breath.
The final development (and first to be released) is Epsilon © which is due to be launched in November 2008:
X and Y signals are linear (voltage is an absolute linear function of the sensed objects [hand] position).Voltage of the
Z signal (distance, or height of hand above the antennas in the lid) is not linearly proportional to distance, but is
reasonably close to a log function and therefore well suited to control of volume.
With movement of one hand, it is possible to play this instrument. Moving the hand on the X axis (left/right) will
control the pitch, Volume out will be controlled by vertical (Z) movement / position, and harmonic content of the
sound (filtering or other effects) by forward / backward (Y) movement.
All outputs are standard 10V, X output (Pitch) is 1 volt / Octave. S-Trig and 10V Trigger outputs are also provided.
Two versions are planned: Epsilon -EC1 is a controller only version, Epsilon -ES1 Contains a full dedicated
analogue synthesizer for about 20% additional cost.
Z / Volume / VCA: These set the sensitivity and active region for the Z axis (and VCA / Volume on ES-1 version).
VCF (Filter): This is a unique design employing Moog type ladder but specifically tailored to allow production of
Theremin-like waveforms. 24db / octave, precision pitch tracking and ability to go into (deliberate)
Oscillation allows this to be used as an oscillator – Frequency controlled by any combination of X, Y
and Z signals.