Music From Outer Space Creator Ray Wilson Needs Our Help

Posted on November 21, 2015 by John C.S. Keston

I built my Weird Sound Generator (WSG) by Ray Wilson of Music From Outer Space in March, 2010. This was a really fun project and gave me the confidence to move on to loads of other endeavors including a delicate Roland MKS-80 Super Jupiter repair job in 2011. MFOS kits are a great way to learn about synth building and electronics. Extensive instructions and documentation are provided to make the process clear and enjoyable.

After all the help Ray has provided synthesizer builders and enthusiasts over the years, now he could use a little help from us for medical expenses due to stage 4 cancer. Whether or not you have had the opportunity to enjoy his instruments, music, or hilarious website please consider donating. Read the moving funding campaign and donate at the link below.

Click here to help fund Ray’s medical expenses.

Cymatics Test: Mustard Seed and the WSG

Posted on February 11, 2011 by John C.S. Keston

I recorded this sound during a cymatics experiment that I conducted with Pramila Vasuvedan of Annichia Arts to see if patterns in mustard seed would emerge. To generate the tones I connected my WSG to a simple amplifier and then to a twelve inch speaker with a platform suspended above the speaker cone. Mustard seed was poured onto the platform as we tested different frequency and amplitude combinations. This experiment was not quite successful, probably becuase the WSG has multiple oscillators, but we learned a few things in the process and created some interesting sounds, as well as some unbearable ones that I’ll refrain from sharing. Listen for the hiss of the mustard seed vibrating on the one eighth inch thick panel of plywood that we used as a platform.

Cymatics Test: Mustard Seed and WSG

Weird Sound Generator Meets Memory Man

Posted on January 27, 2011 by John C.S. Keston

This evening I introduced the Weird Sound Generator (WSG) to the Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man delay. The two of them hit it off and the next thing I knew was that someones jack went into someones input and some completely unprotected signals went down. A little mood lighting later and… here’s the result of the union.

WSG Meets Memory Man

Four Oscillator Drone Produced with the WSG

Posted on March 20, 2010 by John C.S. Keston

What good is a Weird Sound Generator if you’re not using it to make weird sounds? Sometimes it is nice to just hold it on your lap and stroke it gently. That aside, it’s quiet useful once you plug it in and start twiddling the knobs. Here’s a piece I created by tuning the each of the four oscillators on the WSG and then fiddled with the filters. At the same time I made some adjustments to a phaser that I was running it through in Ableton Live and topped it off with ping pong delay.

Four Oscillator Drone

WSG Build Gallery

Posted on March 17, 2010 by John C.S. Keston

I’ve created a slideshow that illustrates the process of building my Weird Sound Generator, from the unopened box through completion of the project. The third photo in the series (shown below) shows the items that came out of the box including all of the components for the WSG and a CD by Ray Wilson titled Electroluminescence.
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