[sdiy] Laser Harp in action

[Oakley Sound]

Synth-DIY's very own Mark Smith and I, along with Martin Frankcom have
managed to build a successful laser harp of staggering proportions.
Modelled on the later harps as used by Jean Michel Jarre it uses back
scattering and not top sensors to indicate when a beam is broken. Its
built into a single 4U SKB case and the harp appears in a big fan rising
skywards from the top of the unit.

Making the harp was an interesting experience and a dangerous one too.
This harp's laser is hot enough to blind instantly and it even managed
to burn a small hole in my power supply by accident!

Mark and I did the electronics for it, and Martin built the optical
hardware and casing.

Its first public performance will be this weekend in Preston, NW England
at the Guild Hall. It will be played by the Martin Frankcom who as part
of the UK's Jean Michel Jarre tribute group, Jarrelook, will be putting
it through its paces on several songs.

Tickets for the show at the Charter Theatre in the Guild Hall complex
are available from www.ariettamusic.co.uk or by telephoning 01706 229457
after 3 PM any day except Sunday. They are also available from the
GuildHall box office on 01772 258858.

You can see a short video clip of the harp in action on the Jarrelook
website:

http://freespace.virgin.net/m.tj/LaserHarp/LaserHarp.html

Though be aware that for BW reasons the video is very low quality.
The harp appears much, much brighter to the naked eye. It is also
unfortunate that the camera makes the harp appear to strobe, something
again which is not visible to the human eye. We are actually scanning at
30Hz or so.

But... it should at least give you an idea of what it is all about. The
harp is fully polyphonic with 8 beams asssignable to any synth on any of
the 16 MIDI channels with any sound patch you wish to select from within
the first bank of 128 patches on the instrument you have directed it's
output to. On the video clip you can hear it playing the classic Elka
Synthex laser harp timbre, though again be aware that the sound quality
is far from sparkling!!!

Regards,

Tony Allgood                         www.oakleysound.co.uk

Oakley Modular Synthesisers      Penrith, Cumbria, England