He should move the notes up an octave or two. This thing is balls at any sort of low-end notes.

How about putting this in a horn to make it actually produce sound instead of this crickety noise? Come on, even two sheets of plywood can make a difference.

“this isn’t new”
“but does it play crysis”
“that’s what she said”

Guess what else is not new..

see, can’t even get that right:
attempt # final!
http://www.youtube.com/v/OdaBE5Ef5f0&rel=1&fs=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1

This guy looks like iron man!

and that guy looks like Tony Stark

yeah should have played it up an octave or so

you end up hearing this same frequency for the lower notes

@snowdruid: You do realise that HaD does not actually make these projects, right?

@lejupp sure i know they dont make the projects but they decide which project to feature on HaD.therefore its there job to sort out all the crap that gets send in. but i really dont see the relevance here.

MORE POWER IGOR, I NEED MORE POWER!! Anyway it looks like he’s using a synth as the keyboard so he should just use its output at a low audio level to agument the sound.

The dude looks more like Tesla:

http://davidszondy.com/future/tesla/tesla%2002.jpg

:D

@Garbz, @bilbao:
The switch seen in that video is not intended to be opened while under load. The actual switching is done with high voltage circuit breakers. There’s also an arc when the switch is opened, but it’s enclosed and there’s a system in place to actively extinguish the arc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circuit_breaker#High-voltage_circuit_breakers

What’s seen in the video is a HV disconnecter, they are normally used to open the circuit after it’s been opened with the circuit breaker to prepare for work on the circuit, because it allows the workers to see that it’s cut (you can’t see the “status” of the circuit breaker).

You’re right, though, the testing’s done with a heavy inductive load.

People whining that this is not new must shut the %$* up and go and make something new instead.

Here’s what I mean by my previous comment:

The simple piece of pipe by one side of the emitter makes it sound louder and with a lot more substance. Putting the arc in the focus of a horn (think grammophone) will make it sound great.

Looks cool. However, the electrode material doesn’t affect the color of the plasma. That’s determined by the gas that’s being ionized. Unless a bulb is placed around the plasma to contain a gas other than air, you’re stuck with the purplish color of ~70% nitrogen. Plus, the bulb probably wouldn’t do much to improve the sound quality.

Some responses to various people:

* We are definitely seeing different coloured plasma depending on the type of metal and amount of surface oxidation of the antenna. Not a huge change, but it’s there.

* Since this video, we’ve increased the duty cycle for higher tones to allow the caps more time to charge.

* Bass response – definitely going to be mic’ing it up and running it through harmonic reinforcers, adding layered synths etc. It responds to MIDI, so often we’ll be driving it from sequencing software.

* Performance – Although the sound it self is tinny, the visual spectacle is almost more important. We are building a “period” surround + mounting framework for that early 30′s “Arc-Deco” (hoho) crossed with Verne / Captain Nemo look. We will also be adding different voice allocation algorithms that can be changed during a performance to add high voltage Buzzby Berkley (hoho again) arc choreography.

“Buzzby Berkley (hoho again) arc choreography”

Several points for the puns, fifty points for style, but really, without the ability to persuade naive (but manipulative) show girls to come home with you, should you follow this metaphor? I can see the mad scientist of vienna thing you have going, which is great, but you’ll get more chicks with a thumping bass line.

Therefore, you need a giant spinning wheel [well, you know, bigger than 12 inches, anyway] or two to provide that beat. And… while I hate to be a safety N…nerd, you may want to consider wearing UV protective glasses if you have a career in performance art ahead.

Arc discharge creates a lot of UV, and it’s tough on retinas. You may not care now, but the damage is cumulative. At least find some late 19th century style tinted glasses to wear, or plastic lenses.

@walt
Polyphony has nothing to do with # of output channels. Polyphony is only a function of how we hear, and not how many output channels we use to create complex sounds with. Unless you mean the old definition of contrapoint in musical themes.

Ever listened to Bach on an old mono radio or TV? That’s still polyphony, by any definition, even if it is projected through a single output channel.