Fuzzonaut
Well-known member
The PCB (from circuitbenders.co.uk) is actually called Harmonic Engine and it is a clone of the Harmonic Generator, a projekt by Paul Williams, published in Electronics & Music Maker Magazine back in 1981.
This circuit uses the 4046 PLL chip (and a lot of others). The squarewave can be set to different octaves (from -3 to +3) with the OCTAVE rotary switch and it can produce 3rd and 5th harmonics via the toggle switch .... Well, that's the theory.
In practice it sometimes glitches and struggles, unless you play clean single notes, often resulting in beautiful chaos and bizarre sounds.
I really like it - as most PLL things.
Here's a sample on guitar.
The build went fine, a few decisions had to be made. As I wanted this to be a pedal, I opted for 9V power, didn't care for separate wet/dry outputs and used the trigger out to drive an indicator light (it could have been a trigger out jack). And of course, I added the on/off foot switch.
Graphics are from an Ufomammut LP.
This circuit uses the 4046 PLL chip (and a lot of others). The squarewave can be set to different octaves (from -3 to +3) with the OCTAVE rotary switch and it can produce 3rd and 5th harmonics via the toggle switch .... Well, that's the theory.
In practice it sometimes glitches and struggles, unless you play clean single notes, often resulting in beautiful chaos and bizarre sounds.
I really like it - as most PLL things.
Here's a sample on guitar.
The build went fine, a few decisions had to be made. As I wanted this to be a pedal, I opted for 9V power, didn't care for separate wet/dry outputs and used the trigger out to drive an indicator light (it could have been a trigger out jack). And of course, I added the on/off foot switch.
Graphics are from an Ufomammut LP.
