Magnet method with thimble

[InactiveX]

Here's an idea I came up with for using a magnet with the Gecho.

I use one of those things that cashiers have in order to count money - it looks like a thimble and is made of rubber. I place a disc shaped magnet (I have some nice strong ones) into the end of the thimble, and use the thimble on my index fingertip.

By using a rubber thimble, it's all electrically non-conductive, and therefore kind to the Gecho. The magnet can be flipped easily to reverse the field.

Just waiting now for some channels to use the magnet sensor! The magnet calibration test shows a good range is possible with my thimble and magnet method.

[mario]

Neat idea, definitely much safer than using a possibly conductive plain magnet (or ring), mainly if you don't want to have the acrylic plate installed all the time.

How about two thimbles, with magnets fitted in reverse polarity, and maybe having them on index and middle fingers? Then you could easily select both "white" and "black" keys with one hand.

The channel 31 is only one that can be somewhat played with this so far (a quantized "theremin" effect). I'd like to get it closer to a real theremin sound some day

[InactiveX]

I'd thought of that - I've got another thimble on its way to me!

I think I'll be able to get a nice vibrato with the magnets on my fingertips.

I'll try channel 31 now.

[vandb]

Hi seems to be a great idea. Can you tell me the diameter of the thimble you use and the size of the magnets?

Thanks

[InactiveX]

Yeah. The thimbles are marked as "No1" and the inside of the base is 15mm. I got them from eBay.

The magnets are 10mm across and 1mm thick. I got a pack of twenty a while back from www.first4magnets.com

I've got two thimbles now and using two of them with magnets in opposite polarity seems to work really well, with the lights on channel 324 bobbing up and down in good correlation with the positioning of the magnets.

[vandb]

Hi just found an office supply shop today that stored thimbles. They only had size 0, but that works ok for me. I had one small disc shaped magnet lying around and it works like a charm in channel 31.

[InactiveX]

Good one vandb. Glad it works for you.

I found a couple of Finger Frights in a box at the weekend. I might try using those. It would make a great audience talking point during performances with the Gecho!

[mario]

These will require a completely new haunting sounds to be implemented!