Circuit bending

Circuit bending is the creative, chance-based customization of the circuits within

electronic devices such as low-voltage, battery-powered guitar effects, children's
toys and digital synthesizers to create new musical or visual instruments and sound
generators.

Emphasizing spontaneity and randomness, the techniques of circuit bending have

been commonly associated with noise music, though many more conventional
contemporary musicians and musical groups have been known to experiment with
"bent" instruments. Circuit bending usually involves dismantling the machine and
adding components such as switches andpotentiometers that alter the circuit. Probing for "bends" using a jeweler's
screwdriver and alligator clips

Contents
Experimental process
Innovators
See also
References
External links

Experimental process
Circuit bending is often practiced by those with no formal training in circuit theory
or design, experimenting with second-hand electronics in a DIY fashion.
Inexpensive keyboards, drum machines, and electronic children's toys (not
necessarily designed for music production) are commonly used. Haphazard
modifications can result in short circuits, resulting in the risk of fire, burning, or
electrocution.

Aesthetic value, immediate usability and highly randomized results are often factors
in the process of successfully "bending" electronics. Although the history of A 1989 Kawasaki toy guitar used in a
electronic music is often associated with unconventional sonic results, innovators circuit bending project
like Robert Moog[1] and Léon Theremin[2] were electrical engineers, and were
typically more concerned with the consistency of their instruments. In contrast,
circuit bending is typified by inconsistencies in instruments built in an unscientific manner. While many pre-fitted circuit bent
machines are sold on auction sites such as eBay, this somewhat contravenes the intention of most practitioners. Machines bent to a
repeated configuration are more analogous to the well known practice of "mods", such as the Devilfish mod for the Roland TB-303,
the famous Speak & Spell toys or various Analogman or Pedaldoc guitar pedal circuit modifications.

Circuit bending an audio device typically involves removing the rear panel of the device and connecting any two circuit locations
with a "jumper" wire, sending current from one part of the circuit into another. Results are monitored through either the device's
internal speaker or by connecting an amplifier to the speaker output. If an interesting effect is achieved, this connection would be
marked for future reference or kept active by either soldering a new connection or bridging it with crocodile clips. Often other
components are inserted at these points such as pushbuttons or switches, to turn the effect on or off; or components such as resistors
or capacitors, to change the quality of the audio output. This is repeated on a trial and error basis. Other components added into the
circuit can give the performer more expressiveness, such aspotentiometers, photoresistors (for reaction to light) and pressure sensors.

The simplest input, and the one most identified with circuit bending, is the body
contact,[3] where the performer's touch causes the circuit to change the sound. Often
metal knobs, plates, screws or studs are wired to these circuit points to give easier
access to these points from the outside the case of the device.

Since creative experimentation[4] is a key element to the practice of circuit bending,

there is always a possibility that short circuiting may yield undesirable results,
including component failure. In particular, connecting the power supply or a
capacitor directly to a computer chip lead can destroy the chip and make the device
inoperable. Before beginning to do circuit bending, a person should learn the basic A Yamaha PSR-6 used in a circuit
risk factors about working with electrical and electronic products, including how to bending project.

identify capacitors (which can give a person a serious shock due to the electrical
charge that they store), and how to avoid risks with AC power. For safety reasons, a
circuit bender should have a few basic electronics tools, such as a multimeter (an electronic testing device which measures voltage,
resistance and other factors). It is advised that beginner circuit benders should
never "bend" any device that gets its power frommains
electricity (household AC power), as this would carry a serious risk of electrocution. Circuit bending can also be carried out in
interactive electronic audio games. People modify their electronic games to enhance the quality of recordings used for fan-made
projects or to change the speed of the game which results in a pitch change. This makes the gameplay easier, especially if the game
gets impossibly fast. Adding a knob or a switch to change the pitch of the game can lead to some disadvantages which include the
game can change its pitch slightly when its lights are turned on, and it can cause the batteries to drain out quickly on high speeds.

Innovators
Although similar methods were previously used by other musicians and engineers, this method of music creation is believed to have
been pioneered by Reed Ghazala in the 1960s. Ghazala's experience with circuit-bending began in 1966 when a toy transistor
amplifier, by chance, shorted-out against a metal object in his desk drawer, resulting in a stream of unusual sounds.[5] While Ghazala
says that he was not the first circuit bender, he coined the term Circuit Bending [6] and whole-heartedly promoted the proliferation of
the concept and practice through his writings and internet site, earning him the title "Father of Circuit Bending".

Serge Tcherepnin, designer of the Serge modular synthesizers, discussed[7] his early experiments in the 1950s with the transistor
radio, in which he found sensitive circuit points in those simple electronic devices and brought them out to "body contacts" on the
plastic chassis. Prior to Mark's and Reed's experiments other pioneers also explored the body-contact idea, one of the earliest being
Thaddeus Cahill (1897) whose telharmonium, it is reported, was also touch-sensitive.

Since 1984, Swiss duo Voice Crack created music by manipulating common electronic devices in a practice they termed "cracked
everyday electronics".[8]

See also
Atari Punk Console
Axesynth (Known as the "Atari", as used by the rock band MuteMath, and elva
V (Chicago)
Casper Electronics
Chiptunes
Electronic art music
Glitch (music)
Kraakdoos (CrackleBox)
MIDIbox
MOS Technology SID
 Music Tech Fest
NIME
No-Fi
Noise music
List of music software

References
Alexandre Marino Fernandez, Fernando Iazzetta,Circuit-Bending and DIY Culture
Kraakdoos.
1. "Robert Moog: Music Pioneer"(https://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor
y.php?storyId=4811694). NPR.org. 23 August 2005. Retrieved 3 June
2015.
2. "No. 1818: Leon Theremin"(http://uh.edu/engines/epi1818.htm). Retrieved 3 June 2015.
3. Reed Ghazala: http://www.anti-theory.com/soundart/circuitbend/cb14.html
4. "circuit-bending" (http://www.anti-theory.com/soundart/circuitbend/cb06.html). Retrieved 3 June 2015.
5. Reed Ghazala: Circuit-Bending, Build Your Own Alien Instruments, Extreme Tech, 2006
6. Reed Ghazala: "Circuit-Bending and Living Instruments," EMI V
olume VIII #1, 1992
7. Vail, Mark: Vintage Synthesizers: Pioneering Designers,Groundbreaking Instruments, Collecting Tips, Mutants of
Technology, Backbeat Books; 2.00 edition (March 15, 2000)
8. "YULE 2008" (http://www.paristransatlantic.com/magazine/monthly2008/12dec_text.html#3). Retrieved 3 June 2015.

External links
oddmusic.com's circuit bending section- Gallery of some of Reed Ghazala's work, facts, history
, tutorial, benders
guide, tools of the trade and more
Q.R. Ghazala's How-To Ghazala's official website tutorial
GetLoFi a circuit bending blog with a lot of circuit bending tips and resources
Interview on Circuit Bending with Igor Amokian Part I

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