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 Forum index » DIY Hardware and Software » Circuit Bending
Circuit Bent, or synth?.. Yamaha PSS-130
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darklife



Joined: May 20, 2018
Posts: 3
Location: US

PostPosted: Sun May 20, 2018 11:29 pm    Post subject: Circuit Bent, or synth?.. Yamaha PSS-130
Subject description: Built this demon
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Been viewing this site for some time and interested in synth design and got started circuit bending. Well I wanted to prove everyone wrong that the PSS-130 wasn't bendable but basically ended up in the same position as everyone else with these unbendable Yamahas, it's the most stubborn keyboard around and it gave me a run for my sanity.

I started with the most basic idea, pitch bend. This sounds easy right? NO.
It's crystal locked so I had to take an oscillator circuit and figure out how to feed the yamaha chip.
Well after I figured out how to do that with a CD40106 I thought .. "cool", but then the spark got lit.
I wasn't done, and it wasn't a complete project until I got far enough where I ripped out bits of plastic from inside to free the battery compartment area for more circuitry! It has room inside for bending, but it didn't for a 8 step sequencer lol.

I will type more later but I am new here and this is my first build/bend, also had a few drinks and need to get up early, but here is what I accomplished with the IMPOSSIBLE PSS-130 (equally the same as the PSS-30)...

Video of me performing a demo, skip ahead to see the sequencer, first few minutes is showing keyboard playing as is before I switch on circuits I added one at a time..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6SYIzO3dLk

Pics of the build...
https://imgur.com/a/UXI61hZ

Sorry schematics are terrible in the imgur link, I will draw them better later, but as of right now this is my first project. I am quite acquainted with RF electronics and analog stuff, but this is my first head-first into music electronics.

I'm not sure if I posted in the right area because this really bends the lines between circuit bending and synth building given that I circuit bent this keyboard but added in a lot of synth circuitry to take care of the rest.

I want to thank this form and the people here because I lurked a while and learned a lot. I hope to contribute more soon when time permits.

Hope you like Smile


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blue hell
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Joined: Apr 03, 2004
Posts: 24079
Location: The Netherlands, Enschede
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PostPosted: Wed May 23, 2018 6:03 am    Post subject: Re: Circuit Bent, or synth?.. Yamaha PSS-130
Subject description: Built this demon
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darklife wrote:
Hope you like Smile


Cool pretty nice!

and welcome

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Jan
also .. could someone please turn down the thermostat a bit.
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PHOBoS



Joined: Jan 14, 2010
Posts: 5591
Location: Moon Base
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PostPosted: Wed May 23, 2018 11:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

That looks great! Very Happy I like how you integrated everything, it can be quite a puzzle to fit things in. Sounds good too.
Did you prepare the keys in any way before painting ? I had very mixed results with painting them myself.

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stolenfat



Joined: Apr 17, 2008
Posts: 476
Location: Sunny Oakland California
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PostPosted: Thu May 24, 2018 9:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Saw this on Reddit last week. Glad you joined the forum darklife! Looking forward to what you do next!
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darklife



Joined: May 20, 2018
Posts: 3
Location: US

PostPosted: Wed May 30, 2018 5:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

PHOBoS wrote:
Did you prepare the keys in any way before painting ? I had very mixed results with painting them myself.

I used 91% rubbing alcohol on the keys to rub off some lettering the previous owner marked to know which key was which note. I think that alone helped prep them. Around 4 coats of spray paint and a few gloss clear coat. Seems to be nice and solid.

My only regret is the color choice, thinking gray keys would have been neater but I used colors I had on hand and it grew on me, plus it matches an instrument amplifier I made. Body is a kind of bronze that has a neat texture under the light that the photo doesn't capture properly.

Thanks for the compliments folks! Very Happy
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darklife



Joined: May 20, 2018
Posts: 3
Location: US

PostPosted: Wed May 30, 2018 6:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Fun little tune I made earlier on it, only added some background guitar and a few reverb effects, otherwise it's all the Yamaha keyboard multitracked...
https://soundcloud.com/kagemichaels/defective-machine-yami
I was going for that psychedelic toying around sound and I think the keyboard nails it.
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smmpcomposer



Joined: Oct 17, 2018
Posts: 7
Location: Brighton

PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2018 1:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Yo!
Very nice stuff!You can tell tou're an expert... Would be nice to see more of the schematics though Razz
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PiercedFaceMan



Joined: Jun 11, 2020
Posts: 8
Location: Reading, United Kingdom.

PostPosted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 7:30 pm    Post subject: Pitch bend Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Does anybody have a schematic for this or is anyone able to draw a quick schematic of the pitch bend part.
Around the jfet and transistor I just can't figure out what's going on.

Thanks muchlee.
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