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Old 21st Apr 2015, 11:37 pm   #1
Oldcodger
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Default Stylophone

I can't remember if I've posted a help post for this or not.

Many, many, many moons ago (possibly in the early 70's), a magazine (possibly Practical Electronics) did an article on a UJT oscillator based Stylophone, with a wand, where the notes were generated on a resistor chain - short out part of chain and note changed.

I built one and it ended up with my late mother and eventually with some of my sister's grandkids (one especially with learning difficulties - who'd become attached, and when asked, I couldn't say no to giving it to her).

Now I have a grandson (bright musical kid) with learning problems and something similar might do some good.

The circuit - nice and simple - as said. UJT oscillator on a chain, wand position changing note, with a simple class A amplifier driving a speaker (I used a telephone receiver) . Keyboard was on PCB.

If anyone has a copy of article, I'd be obliged for a copy or for a more up to date circuit.

I'd imagine there's been a 555 version of this, but I've not found one.

Last edited by Mike Phelan; 23rd Apr 2015 at 9:07 am. Reason: Changed title.
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Old 21st Apr 2015, 11:48 pm   #2
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Default Re: Xylophone

I'll have a look tomorrow through my PE mags.

Keith
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Old 22nd Apr 2015, 12:35 am   #3
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Default Re: Xylophone

Thanks, Keith- though PE is most likely, it may have been any of the rest, as I used to read most of the others such as PW ETC, around 1974 -1976 area.
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Old 22nd Apr 2015, 7:39 am   #4
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Default Re: Xylophone

I remember it on a cover and I used to get PE for a while, never PW. So I'm fairly sure which magazine it was in.

David
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Old 22nd Apr 2015, 7:47 am   #5
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Default Re: Xylophone

If it was on the cover it should be easy to find. I have a vague recollection that there was one in PW. I'll hunt them down tonight and if there are only a couple I'll scan them both.

Keith
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Old 22nd Apr 2015, 8:02 am   #6
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Default Re: Xylophone

I must say I’m very fond of Stylophones, I think Velleman had a kit inc PCB. There is a link to two diagrams. https://andymurkin.wordpress.com/201...1/stylophones/

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Old 22nd Apr 2015, 8:54 am   #7
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Default Re: Xylophone

Hi PM me if you need a UJT or PUT when you find the article; they are a bit rare now but I have a few in my collection.
There was also a TI chip 8*** series I think which had everything on one chip including a low power amp.

Ed
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Old 22nd Apr 2015, 9:16 am   #8
Alistair D
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Default Re: Xylophone

From you description of the circuit it sounds very similar to an early stylophone.

The stylophone schematic can be found here.
https://andymurkin.wordpress.com/201...1/stylophones/

Al
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Old 22nd Apr 2015, 9:44 am   #9
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Default Re: Xylophone

There was certainly an article in PE for a Stylophone lookalike that had a PCB Keyboard and a stylus. I made one for my daughter about 30 years ago and she still has it for her Daughter. This one used two 555 Timers one for the Oscillator and another for Vibrato. If you get stuck on the article for the UJT version which I don't remember, I can probably scan the article on the one I built, If I can find it!.

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Old 22nd Apr 2015, 7:18 pm   #10
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Default Re: Xylophone

Was this the one?

There was another in an earlier PW but it doesn't use a unijunction.

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Old 22nd Apr 2015, 10:46 pm   #11
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Default Re: Xylophone

Keith, I've had a quick look and it rings bells, particularly the bit in the article where it mentions that the PCB is printed with the page overleaf blank so folks could cut out the master.

Only bit I don't remember is the tremolo unit. The rest looks very familiar.
I remember photocopying the PCB and using the key layout with carbon paper beneath to mark out the keyboard.
Paint over it with nail varnish (wife had a bottle she was finished with), pick out the gaps with a sharp point, and remake the rest of the PCB with a sharp point.

I don't remember VR1 in the circuit, but do remember that if the unit was left for some time, the PCB keys had to be cleaned to get the right notes.

Mine was housed in a plastic sandwich box cut to size, with the speaker from a tele 700 and the wand a plug 316.

These days I'll possibly use a low power IC amp in place of the germanium transistors.

Had a confab with Swimbo, and nearest we can place the article is 1977/78.

Many thanks.
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Old 23rd Apr 2015, 9:38 am   #12
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Default Re: Stylophone

Although not in the spirit of homebrew, Maplin now sell a Stylophone for just £9.99 which may well be easier and cheaper than making one.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/stylophone-n54ft

It is probably available from other suppliers at a similar price too.
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Old 23rd Apr 2015, 10:08 am   #13
cheerfulcharlie
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Default Re: Stylophone

Just a note about Stylophone's big brother the 350s.

This had twin keyboards and Theremin style aspirations in that it had a photodiode you could wave your hand across and change the note (I think)
It sounded different to a standard Stylophone.

A fascinating project if you could find one as many were junked because of failure of the power amp IC. Also with all the 'extras' they consumed a lot of power and required two PP9s.

Other even rarer Stylophones include a drum synth (using the familiar pc board keyboard and wand) and a quite revolutionary 'bar' which fitted over a piano keyboard to produce a synth sound when you played the piano and was featured on Tomorrow's World which I vaguely remember.
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Old 23rd Apr 2015, 4:54 pm   #14
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Default Re: Stylophone

Ah - Stylophone makes more sense!
The original title started me thinking about how envelope-shaping would be done on a simple stylus-driven instrument.
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Old 24th Apr 2015, 12:09 am   #15
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Default Re: Stylophone

Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Stenning View Post
Although not in the spirit of homebrew, Maplin now sell a Stylophone for just £9.99 which may well be easier and cheaper than making one.
Thanks, Paul - I'd be happier to see GS 2, using one I'd spent time on . And in later years, it's something for him to look back on and say "GRUMPS " MADE THAT FOR ME. And appreciate.
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