Circuit Bent Speak & Spell

[1787dude]

im about to bend a speak and read, wish me luck lol

[MegaLamka]

I'm a musician also and would you tell what resources I would need to learn and preform circuit bending? Thanks

[carpeteria]

@MegaLamka

It's a lot easier than it looks - you just need some noise making (battery powered) toys, a soldering iron (and knowledge of how to use it - not hard), and a handful of components you can get online at places like Jameco or All Electronics, or even from your local Radio Shack. There are a ton of resources online for how to bend - it's really just about making new connections on a circuit board, and when it does something weird, you make a connection - easy as that. Good luck!

[MegaLamka]

@carpeteria Could you reccomend a book to learn about audio electronics and circuits in general?

[carpeteria]

@MegaLamka

There's a great book on circuit bending by a guy named Reed Ghazala, who is basically the father of the art form, but unfortunately, it's out of print now, and it's gotten really expensive. You can look up his name on Amazon and find it. Another great book is from a guy named Nic Collins called Handmade Electronic Music. That's still in print, I believe. Make Magazine has a good book called Make: Electronics, Learning by Discovery. Those are all good ones to check out.

[Kyle4679]

gitar in a box

[curphymurphy]

sounds almost like mario! and really musical!

[RAVExMAN1]

R2D2 LOL

[dj1123]

GAY IT D @ 2:52 LOL!

[Lachlant1984]

Are you recording this in a large empty room with a hard floor, or are you using some kind of effect unit connected to the speak and spell? I'm hearing plenty of reverberation in the sound. I'm not a big fan of circuit bending, but each to their own.

[carpeteria]

@Lachlant1984

As the description states, I added some reverb in the mix.

[LittleEmoBoy001]

I am a musician, where can I get one?

[carpeteria]

If you want one right away, you can often find people selling circuit bent "Speak &" toys on ebay, usually around $150 or so. Circuit bending isn't really that difficult to do, though, so if you're game, it's a fun hobby to get into, and there are a ton of great resources out there to get started. Let me know if you'd like more information!

[LittleEmoBoy001]

@carpeteria

why do people charge so much for something that is so easy? I might actually start this myself.

[carpeteria]

The same reason that artists charge a lot for paintings - there is definitely a lot of craft and skill involved, not to mention time and cost of materials, which can definitely add up. I don't mean to say it's easy so far as you could do it easily the first time, I just mean you don't need an electronics degree or more than the knowledge of how to use a soldering iron to get some basic results out of any noisy toy. I do suggest trying it, though - lots of fun!

[LittleEmoBoy001]

@carpeteria

I don't agree with the analogy of paintings. I mean to a degree, yes but then it's a matter of what you do with said instrument, not just the fact that you altered some circuits. We are the medium the instruments are our voices.

Anyway I see alot of cheap circuit bent toys on ebay for 20-50$ I might invest.

[carpeteria]

I think a lot of people look at circuit bending as an artform (myself included) - it's not just a matter of following a circuit diagram and doing the same thing every time, as many toys do completely different things. Beyond that, there's the matter of rehousing the toys or repurposing them in ways far beyond what I did with this particular toy, for instance. I'd suggest looking up either Reed Ghazala or Casper Electronics online to see what they've done - you'll see what I mean about art.

[Pinwormx]

Did you eventually phone home?

[carpeteria]

Still working on it.

[snower5554]

ITS GONNA BLOW!!!!!

[ropermusic]

this video is fucking stupid...

[carpeteria]

But your comment is fucking awesome. 

[produKtNZ]

Cool phaser effects :)

[spike70x]

so that what it sounds like sound bad wow i feel bad for people who caot spell :(

[vodmire1]

sounds like r2d2 xD

[repzard99]

sounds like Bumblebee talking.

[LunaVorax]

WGNGX

[KaslarProductions]

I'm jealous of your buttons

[carpeteria]

You too can have those buttons.

[KaslarProductions]

@carpeteria Ya for like $60 on ebay... no thanks =D

[carpeteria]

Keep an eye out - I see them for around $20 sometimes. They're slightly more rare than the membrane models, but not to the degree that they're impossible to find.

[KaslarProductions]

@carpeteria Well I've found a couple. but like I said, too much for what they are worth..... The flat buttons have very low volume compared to the big buttons model.. Thnx for the wonder sounds you brought to life.....keep at it

[carpeteria]

Thanks very much! As I noted in the description, I really love the tactile nature of the raised buttons, too much easier to use. I wish all the "Speak &" toys were made with those buttons, but I understand why TI switched it up (cost!).

[poonhounds2]

At about 2:55 it says "GAY IT D"

[manka6]

@poonhounds2 *say it

[linuxguy2009]

Sounds a LOT like Bumble Bee's radio changing stations on the Transformers movies.

[drugdaddy]

likes this alot.

[carpeteria]

Thanks!

[drugdaddy]

No probs! Keep up the good work! =)

[edwardcullen115]

i dont have one what does it do

[carpeteria]

Without being circuit bent, it's a toy from the '70's and '80's that taught kids how to spell words.

[speghead14]

this is the definitely the best sounding speak n spell i seen.. good job on it. im going to try to bend one as a first project ,,, but where is a good place to get a bunch of knobs, switches, & push buttons etc?

[carpeteria]

Thanks! Radio Shack should have most of the things you'd need to make this work, but Jameco is an online electronics store that can also supply the goods. I also recommend picking up Reed Ghazala's circuit bending book if you're a beginner - great information and very easy to follow from. Good luck!

[speghead14]

okay cool.. actually Ghazala's book is what lead me to this page.. looking forward to his projects. thanks again

[carpeteria]

Oh, great - I think you'll find it's really user-friendly. I believe there's a section on resources and where to find parts, etc. in that book as well.

[nardclapper06]

i only looked this up cause dane cooks video.

[claw247]

@nardclapper06 me 2

[superstar19980]

2:44 it said bob!OMG!XD

[faintingfrontrowfan]

2:51

the display is saying "GAY IT" LOL :D

[MadelinAro]

xDDD It sounds like R2D2 is having a major meltdown!!!

[spike70x]

@MadelinAro it sound like all robots said

[softdev1]

I'm not into CB but this is fantastic. Best I've ever heard.

[carpeteria]

Many thanks!

[Hayzeuszilla]

R2D2!

[MasterCorruptor]

very lol at 2:57

''Gay it !''

[manka6]

@MasterCorruptor *say it

[RADIOACTIVEBUNY]

ಠ_ಠ *Head explodes.*

[carpeteria]

Oops, sorry about that. Hope you find the pieces.

[amoraloutrage]

Hey... I am trying to bend a speak n spell and I was wondering -- what is that knob on the upper left? I have a pitch control knob but only makes the pitch lower, and doesn't glitch. Do you remember what you did there? It sounds great.

[carpeteria]

The two knobs are both pitch control - the one on the right lowers the pitch, and the knob on the left raises it. I don't remember exactly what it's hooked up to, but I recall it wasn't too tricky to find - hunt around on the board and it should show up! Good luck, and thanks!

[ClassicTVMan81]

This S&S was produced from 1978-80 because the keys are in the form of buttons. Post-1980 models replaced the buttons with a membrane keypad.

[carpeteria]

You speak the truth. The pushbutton model is, in my opinion, far superior to the membrane models that followed. Tactile interaction is always a plus.

[willsy98]

crazy i hav a speak and spell

[wekwafe]

i never grew up with these, how do you get these sounds?

[carpeteria]

It's circuit bent, so the noises are all mostly randomized and glitched from the original toy's sounds.

[wekwafe]

ok. thank you!

[wekwafe]

hahahahahahaha fuck and watch hahahaha.

[1oo1oo1oo]

Cheers, I'll get busy, thanks for the confidence boost!

[carpeteria]

No worries - glad to help. If you want to really get into the basics, I highly recommend Reed Ghazala's Circuit Bending book - search for it on Amazon. It's a great guide to the basics as well as some easy starter projects (including most of the Speak & line). Have fun!

[1oo1oo1oo]

Thanks for that tip too. Nice one. I never quite realized how much the speak & spell gets used on Kraftwerk's Computer World - it's all over it. My son used to have a this talking phone - you dialled a number and it would ask you this seemingly random question in this impossibly jolly voice. Used to freak us both out.

[carpeteria]

Sounds like a perfect toy for bending. The TI Speak & series is unique because of the technology behind it - modern toys are more digital or rely on pre-recorded sounds or voices. The Speak & series is actually putting together words through phonemes, so the bending/glitch possibilities are much more expanded. That's a big reason why they're so popular for bending.

[1oo1oo1oo]

Great stuff, would you say you need to know lots about electronics to circuit bend things like this? I've got a VLTone and a stylophone - it'd be great to confidently modify them. I can use a soldering iron, that's about it. Cheers

[carpeteria]

Thanks! If you can solder, and you buy the cheap components, you can definitely circuit bend. It's actually quite easy, and the basic resources are readily available online, and elsewhere. Stylophones could likely be bent, though I don't know that I'd try it on one - start with some cheap baby toys or anything that makes noise and go from there. Good luck!

[Mcrusher]

sounds like Wall-E having a siezure

[carpeteria]

I'm sure someone can, but I don't know about me.

[jacobug324]

it should be called "speak like mr.Game and Watch" instead of "speak and spell"

[carpeteria]

Speak & Spells outdate the Game and Watch by a few years, but similar sounds, for sure.

[popplewaffles]

R2D2

[thedrunkenninja]

ya!

my thoughts exactly

[oakland2949]

the sound on this video reminds me of a foley from a really long scene in some sci-fi movie from the 70's. Favorite for sure.

Great Job.

[rovercrew]

this is the best speak and spell mod I've seen yet :D keep up the work dude

[BentElectronics]

I have a Speak & Math Coming!...Cant wait !...Id want to get ahold of a French Le Dictee Magique...for the whacky sounds...

[BentElectronics]

GREAT BENDS BY THE WAY!!

[carpeteria]

thanks! i agree with the French version. anything foreign is apt to be a bit crazier for bending, for sure. good luck with the Speak & Math!

[SquidMunky]

this reminds me of when Clonky from the Pee Wee Herman Show used to boot up. friggin sweet man

[carpeteria]

thanks! you're totally right, though i must respectfully correct you - his name is Conky the robot, or Conky 2000 if you want to be formal about it.

[Tyler11440]

omg where can i find a pushbutton model

[carpeteria]

check out ebay - that's where i found mine! good luck!

[JGevaryahu]

Is that a UK S&S or a US S&S? with the 'bend' functions set to a state where it runs normally, hit 'Z'. its a US one if it says 'zee' and a UK one of it says 'zed'

I'm interested in knowing which it is.

[carpeteria]

no need to dig it out - it's a US version for sure. the original and the best.

[JGevaryahu]

Reason I ask is because apparently a really rare uk with raised buttons speak and spell exists; I'm trying hard to find someone who has one, so i can borrow it to dump the internal speech roms from (This is harmless and doesn't even require opening the unit up, just plugging something into the module port)

[drmoonstien]

that is sum realy nice bending budy

[carpeteria]

Thanks!

[timcat107]

do you have it running through a pedal?

[carpeteria]

just a reverb setting on my computer. it's much more magical that way.

[factual1actual1]

magnificent

but can you make it say help me in a creepy manner

[carpeteria]

speak & spells are pretty close to impossible to program to speak the words you want, and never phrases. speak & reads have that ability but only with single words, and a pretty limited vocabulary. the speak & spell says whatever it wants to. but "help me" would be interesting....

[Intosia]

man i want one :( Im fucked i live Europe :@

[carpeteria]

Not at all! They're all over ebay, and not expensive. I highly recommend picking one up - they're one of the best bending sources.

[Intosia]

I searched ebay before always to expensive now i find some that are quite cheap indeed, in UK :) And only 1hour left :D

[carpeteria]

Right on! Have fun!

[Intosia]

AARAGGG STUPID BOTS! God overbid in last 2 seconds, how tipical... Good im pissed!

[carpeteria]

Oh, sorry. I know they're readily available, and often with Buyitnow options, so keep looking!

[Synthetrix]

XLNT sounds!

[carpeteria]

THX!

[diegoojedabaterista]

Es la que usaba E.T

[carpeteria]

si, es verdad. gracias!

[krewsk8er5]

what does that thing do???? i dont get the point of that thing

[carpeteria]

it makes noise. the point is to make noise and have fun. it's pretty simple, i suppose.

[krewsk8er5]

i see

[conceptualstratagem]

Thats butter man keep up the good work

[carpeteria]

much thanks!

[WildHorseTamer2]

omg urs aint the best it sounds like a peice of crap it sucks mine is way better then urs wat r u bout 13 ur not even supposed to have one omg a 13 year old doesnt no how to spell ur freaking gay and this shit is not the best mine is got that good bitch!!1

[carpeteria]

My sincere gratitude to you, friend. Your eloquent criticism is much appreciated. You are truly a cut above, if you'll allow my cliche. Thank you to you and yours.

[WildHorseTamer2]

english plz

[carpeteria]

Con permiso: muchas gracias por sus palabras buenas. Usted es verdad un ser humano ignorante y absurdo. ¡Mucho amor y gracias otra vez!

[henryht]

tamer2 got pwned

nice video

nice pwnage

[WildHorseTamer2]

btw bitch i speak spanish i just dont speak nerd spanish dipshitid nerd

[carpeteria]

Congrats! I applaud your fluency in multiple languages. Your parents must be incredibly proud of you and your worldliness. I know I am. You're a special little person. I wish you the best in your multilingual endeavors as you jet-set around the globe, using your impeccable grammar and spelling skills to impress everyone you meet. Thanks again!

[kadjrare]

if a movie was made with just the readout along with the glitch noises, i would watch it

d(-_-)b

[carpeteria]

hmm... that might not be the most interesting thing, as it basically says the same things over and over, usually..

[MasterCorruptor]

Love how the display suddenly says '' Gay It D''

@ 2:53

Great sound as well !!!

[carpeteria]

Thanks!

[heliumtrophy]

Reminds me of E.A.R's Data Rape album. But you'd have to completely knackered to listen to that album in one go. Sounds cool though.

[QueenEnvy]

it sound like its pickin up radio signals er sumtin....ALIENS(lol)

[wormselectro]

great

[carpeteria]

thanks!

[odakueffect]

Yeah this one is a glitch master. Sounds swell, I like. Maybe just a touch less reverb would make it bit clearer.

[quinoacat]

R2D2 ate too much peyote?

[ewoek2]

r2-d2 has a virus in his system O_o

[darahz]

how could u lissen to that xD rly cool :P did u place some buttons on there? xD

[ldjx1000]

ahhh so THATS how they got all those sounds on star wars and half-life 2 roflmao that kickass

[RoberBabro]

I think this is the best one actually Mattheman597.

[matttheman597]

alienmeatsack's is the best.

[carpeteria]

yeah, that's a good one, too. most of them do basically the same things - it's all up to the user to manipulate new sounds for the most part.

[xSoKux]

R2D2, is that you ?

[matttheman597]

Worst Bent Speak & Spell Ever.

[carpeteria]

thanks, kiddo.

[knucklehead66]

Do the batteries drain faster on bent speak and spells?

[carpeteria]

not unless it is wired incorrectly - it's possible that some bends can create permanent connections that will slowly drain the batteries, even if it appears that the unit is off. to avoid this, i always wire in a new on/off switch between one of the battery connection wires. if that connection is severed, there's no way it can drain the batteries.

[kick52]

Is the push button model different inside at all?

[carpeteria]

yes, it's not exactly the same circuit, so there are differences between this model and the membrane button unit.

[jinnyskeans]

Sounds like The Sound of Animals Fighting, haha

[its6the6reaper6]

haha awsome! gay it lol that was funny

[lsutigergirl5]

lol

[DarkRave24]

This sounds like R2D2 on crack.

[petrokemikal]

redickelous

[Intosia]

love how the screen is affected aswell :)

[carpeteria]

thanks!

[mUsr001]

i still didn't get the point for this video. is there something i missed?

[Intosia]

YEAH!

[carpeteria]

i guess it depends on what you were looking for... ?

[DarkRave24]

LOL at 2:56 the screen says "GAY IT D"

[MrRadaikon]

what IS it? That's not REALLY a speak&spell is it?

[carpeteria]

it REALLY is a Speak & Spell. it's circuit bent S&S, which means that I opened it up and wired in new connections to control and create all those new sounds. there are many like this one on YouTube, as well as other great circuit bent toys - look around!

[DarkRave24]

That's awesome, but that is some scary shit.

[minutemaid123]

actually the revised models sound better, because of revamped voice synthesizer and two-wired speakers. but cool bending.

[carpeteria]

Thanks. I've got both versions, and while the synthesizer is a bit better on the newer models, I like the tactile nature of the pushbuttons much more than the membrane buttons. I'm not too worried about it sounding "better" anyway, since the goal is to make it sound "worse" anyway.

[bjsparntz]

That's a good way to break it

[STUHP]

lol It looks like it says "Gay it D" at 2:52.

Pretty awesome, man. Sounds like perfect background noise for a lab.

[H4NDCRAFTED]

I've never seen the push button s&s, was this the original version, I take it the membrane buttons came later ?

[carpeteria]

Yep - this was the original, from 1978. If you'ver ever seen E.T., he uses the pushbutton one in the movie. They switched to the membranes in the 80's and used that style for the whole "Speak & __" series. I like how the pushbutton version is a lot more tactile. They're more expensive to find, but worth it, I think, and just as bendable as their later cousins.

[baronvonsauna]

yeah man right on with this thing, i just found one( pushbutton style) today and am bout to tear into it. what u done is rad.

[carpeteria]

Thanks - I love the pushbutton style. Be careful with the buttons, though - a lot of the plastic ribbing inside is designed to keep the board flush against the "springs" for the buttons. I cut out some ribs to place some switches without realizing that and had some buttons that basically fell in. I had to use some strategically placed screws to replace the ribs and hold it in place. Big pain in the ass. Good luck!

[carpeteria]

Hmmm... not sure why reverb is lying, especially if I state that it's with reverb in the description, but thanks all the same!

[Dagibit]

Nice, but you should have done it without the reverb- kinda like half-lying.