80 Nicolas Collins
Listen to the output of the oscillator (“master output”) and tune it to a high
frequency audio pitch. Now listen to Output Q1 and note that it sounds an
octave lower. Output Q2 sounds an octave below that, Output Q3 an octave
below that, etc. Using switches as shown, you can mix these “subharmonics” in
any combination to build up a rich waveform (this is very nice with a tilt-switch
system, like that described in Chapter 16). Because the thick texture and low
frequencies of this circuit you may want to listen to it over a larger loudspeaker
than that of the tiny test-amplifier.
The switches show in the figure can be anything: momentary push-buttons,
toggle switches, our home-made tilt switch from Chapter 17, or just some wire
jumpers on the breadboard.
Slow the master oscillator down to the rate of a tempo, rather than a pitch, and
the various outputs become subdivisions of the beat -- good for setting up nested
rhythmic patterns.
Random Acts of Kindness
Disconnect the oscillator circuit from the clock input (pin 10) and connect a short
piece of solid wire. Sometimes your body carries enough of an electrical charge
that if you touch the end of the wire the noise of your flesh will trigger the
divider – listen to the different divisor outputs as you experiment with brushing