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Re: Spectrum Analyzer build
Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 1:57 am
by Clean Channel
neonblack wrote:Clean Channel wrote:I like flashing music lights!!!
I'm going to permanently attach this to my face at a mustache.
belt buckle! hat adornment! guitar strap decoration!
Oh man, all of those are better.
Ok, you can be the idea man, Ryan can be the designer, and I'll supervise. We'll split the profits 20/20/60.
Let's do this!
Re: Spectrum Analyzer build
Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 2:04 am
by Hyphen Nation
What about some kind of parallel sensor that the lights trigger? Doesn't Koma stuff have a light sensor on them?
Re: Spectrum Analyzer build
Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 4:08 am
by goroth
Yes!
Put this inside a larger enclosure, put an LDR in there and then use your frequency analysis to control various parameters. hahaha.
Also, this would be cool in an enclosure with flanges, and maybe even a battery (gah!!) - you could hook it up to your strap/belt/whatever and rock out.
Edit: this idea is super rad as it as. As usual I'm just getting carried away.
Re: Spectrum Analyzer build
Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 9:57 am
by Sparrow
neat!
Re: Spectrum Analyzer build
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 7:10 pm
by 01010111
Nice! I'm definitely excited to see where this goes!

Re: Spectrum Analyzer build
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 9:18 pm
by Ryan
Guys, buddies, pals.. this is a project that is finished, it's a spectrum analyzer. It's a box you put by your stereo or your computer desk or your band room or pedal board.. it reacts to the sound input and you enjoy the moving lights along with your music. It was really hard to make, tons to learn and do, and it's fulfilled, it's a completed and totally awesome spectrum analyzer.
Please stop throwing suggestions at it, it's done and it's happy. It's not going to be put inside another box to do something else and the circuit does not output audio, it outputs information at a very fast rate, faster than your eyes can see, it's purely a visual display. And it owns at that, it's an awesome spectrum analyzer and there isn't even anything like it available.
I get that you want some kind of multi-frequency band audio effect so in the hopes that you will leave my spectrum analyzer alone I'll pseudo-design you something and you can take it and run with it.
You could accomplish what you want with a handful of band pass filters, only need half a dual op amp per filter. Buffer in the signal and split it out to 7 or however many bandpass filters you want. Crunch the numbers to tune each one to a good guitar frequency, maybe like 100Hz, 250Hz, 500Hz, 1000Hz, 2000Hz, 3000Hz, 5000Hz, or use musical values that correlate to notes maybe that'd be better. So now you've got your bandpass outputs each at a frequency, take those outputs and do whatever you like with them.. send each output to a fuzz stage, a delay stage, a mute stage.. and then mix them back in at the output, add a buffered clean blend, you could have a whole line of pedals that worked off that premise. You could also drive an LED with each output, hook an LDR to the LED and now you have a varying resistance that can be a circuit element for you.
Maybe an even easier way to accomplish a multi-frequency dependent effect would be to use a state variable filter. Two dual opamps and you get 4 outputs, a low pass, band pass, notch, and high pass.. you could then take those outputs and feed them to different circuit blocks for fuzz or whatever, mix them back at the output and clean blend, boosh.
I agree, cool effects to be had there for sure! But they don't involve my spectrum analyzer! *runs to bedroom with spectrum analyzer and slams door*
Re: Spectrum Analyzer build
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 9:32 pm
by 01010111
(I still want a spectrum analizer) 
Re: Spectrum Analyzer build
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 9:38 pm
by Ryan
*peeks out bedroom*
*slides a sweet blue spectrum analyzer out for Willy*
Did I mention they come in other colours? Red! Green! Blue! Yellow! Green/Yellow/Red like my build pic! Or a mix-n-match rainbow!
Re: Spectrum Analyzer build
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 9:50 pm
by Ryan
Clean Channel wrote:neonblack wrote:Clean Channel wrote:I like flashing music lights!!!
I'm going to permanently attach this to my face at a mustache.
belt buckle! hat adornment! guitar strap decoration!
Oh man, all of those are better.
Ok, you can be the idea man, Ryan can be the designer, and I'll supervise. We'll split the profits 20/20/60.
Let's do this!
This idea I like though.. we could get one of these onto a face, I really think so! No more mouth, just a visual representation of what you're saying.. I love it. It's cutting edge, avante garde, everything you want your face to be!
Re: Spectrum Analyzer build
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 10:05 pm
by oldangelmidnight
Very cool.
I think it would be fun to install one inside of an amp cab.
Re: Spectrum Analyzer build
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 10:08 pm
by Ryan
oldangelmidnight wrote:Very cool.
I think it would be fun to install one inside of an amp cab.
You and I are on such a wavelength! Remember when we were chatting about tube amp kits awhile ago? The place I got that little 5W guitar amp kit from has started stocking a hi-fi stereo tube amp, 8W. And I'm so excited to build it! I'm gonna build it into a metal case and put the analyzer in the middle of the front panel.. gonna be such a fun project... have to wait til we move though. *looks down and kicks a rock*
Re: Spectrum Analyzer build
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 10:12 pm
by oldangelmidnight
That sounds like it could be awesomely retro-futuristic.
After a brief search, it looks like guitar frequencies only go up to about 1000 hz. So would the upper bands stay dark with just a guitar signal?
Re: Spectrum Analyzer build
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 10:28 pm
by Ryan
The MSG chip isn't really a high-precision device and its filters all have over lap so it's not hard to light up more bards with harmonics etc, especially with fuzz, you can light 'em all up.
Re: Spectrum Analyzer build
Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2014 1:25 am
by goroth
Ryan wrote:a mix-n-match rainbow!
DSC02298 (Large).JPG

Re: Spectrum Analyzer build
Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2014 4:37 pm
by mikeyx13
OK, So the big question??? How do we get one????