Solar powered, sun and wind played CMOS synth - in progress

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Hi everyone, been a while since I have been here. I am working on a synth to put outside anywhere to be played by the sun.

Here is the initial idea:



this has a 4051 (1 of 8 switch) which selects divisions from a 4017 to generate different notes from a high freq master oscillator. The binary inputs to the 4051 are supplied by three solar cells. When the cardboard swings around it casts shadows on the solar cells, blocking the light.

I've made an adjustable waveform generator from another 4017, which has four pots allowing you to make symmetrical waveforms. So the divided "notes" from the 4017 are sent to that for a uniform waveform.



This is where I am at now. I have added three additional modifications to the original note generation. You can see I am adding in solar cells to be lit, which brings in the different sounds. These sounds are from a 4093 synced oscillator, with an LDR to modify its pitch, and a 4040 which is providing both octave division and longer, rythmic divisions of the master note generating oscillator in two variations.

The idea in the end will be that these different sounds will change with the movement of the sun in the sky throughout the day. I am still considering if there will be more sonic elements included, or if I will stop here for now.

The main challenge I have at this point is building the physical part so that the sun and wind alter the sound in a progressive manner throughout the day. The setup I have here with the cardboard is really just for testing the idea.

The synth in these videos is powered by a separate small solar panel that I built with a regulated output. It is running on about 4.5 volts. The small cells I am using to trigger put out about 4 volts in full sun. They work great as light sensors because the CMOS chips need very little current to trigger.

I'm summarizing a lot because this has been a sort of improvised, add a chip as I go process. Feel free to ask any questions.

[blue hell]

Nice!

[PHOBoS]

Nice indeed and it is something I have been wanting to do for a while. Have a (solar powered) system that makes music controlled
by the envirement, or at least weather conditions. So on a sunny day you will have some happy uplifting music, it will be more slow
and droney during the night and more melancholic during cold rainy days.

For wind control I once built an anemometer kind of thing using plastic spoons and the motor from a small PC fan.
I didn't work at all though and I only realized later that a fan has some electronics in it so you can't simply use it as a
generator. Besides that it didn't rotate smooth enough so an optical system would probably work better.

But I like your idea with the solarpanels being obstructed by the cardboard panels. It creates a more chaotic pattern and seems
to work pretty well.

[yoho]

Is there something like euhm a diagram?

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Thanks for taking a look.

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Update: first attempt at interfacing with the actual elements (wind and sun) and getting it in an enclosure.

Here it is being played through a little amp. I have tried some experiments with powering an amp via the solar panel that powers the synth, but I think I need a more powerful panel. Ideally I want this to be a stand-alone device that you just put out in the sun and it does its thing.