Cassettone Mini: A lo-fi tape player instrument. (FULL BUILD. NO TALKING)

In this video I show my full build process of a small cassette player instrument that I made.
Please check out Rich Bernett's channel below as this doing the same thing as his Cassettone device but just not as big.
‪@TheSoundofMachines‬
This instrument works as follows. A continuous tone is recorded to tape. Then this player only plays when a button is held down. Each button has a knob connected so you can set tape speed. The tape speed directly relates to the pitch of the sound that is being played so as it goes faster the pitch goes up and as it goes slower the pitch goes down.
Etsy link to buy of your own:
etsy.me/3Gn7PKh

[@aktasluna]

with the microtonal flexibility of this instrument, I am immediately filled with inspiration. Thanks for sharing!

[@bjornlindstrom8180]

I Really Like Trance and stuff like that. I like very mucho GOA Trance.

[@nojusticeanywhere]

This build looks simple enough, thanks so much for making it!

[@panamuse]

Really great editing there Mike! Rad lo-fi sounds. It’s alive!!!

[@SISKworks]

Thank you! I was definitely trying some new techniques on this one. Funny how a few creative edits can totally change the feel of a video.

[@crippnipp7694]

The end hit really close to home lol!!!

[@Rockin23]

Haha yeah I've got a room full of kit, half ready to bend/modify, half modified/bent! And both piles are increasing...

[@cosmicsoundmachine1778]

Ahh.. now this is going to be my new favorite yt channel for a bit..

[@resetsurvivor]

Love the ending. I know that feeling! 😂 Great build.

[@nowaytolisten]

thank you for sharing this, brother, i ll build one definitely

[@volanoisystuff2879]

Nice! well done. I envy your shop so tidy and clean. :D

[@SISKworks]

Thank you…but that is just the nice half I show on camera. Usually these tables are stacked high with random crap. Haha.

[@volanoisystuff2879]

@@SISKworks Well you did s nice job on keeping up the appearances :D

[@AAWSAPRocky]

Been wanting to make one of these

[@richb6809]

Right on! I hope it finds more use beyond its life in the junk pile :D

[@SISKworks]

Well as they say…one man’s junk pile is another’s treasure chest. Haha. That ending was kinda a joke to myself because I somewhat lose interest in the thing (whatever it is) after I build it and then I just move on to building something else.

[@mgl5760]

damn, this is sick

[@tailbiterz]

Well good !

[@e76488]

hi, nice video! i have a question, are the potentiometers you use A or B?

[@SISKworks]

@@e76488 They are B5K.

[@e76488]

@SISKworks thanksssss

[@ethanprescott4086]

Hey! I just completed this build following your steps but for some reason my cassette plays even when no buttons are being pressed. I'm using the exact same cassette tape player. Any chance you could give me some guidance? Thank you!

[@ethanprescott4086]

Also, instead of the motor being slowed and the audio pitched down the motor is sped up and the audio is pitched up by default.

[@SISKworks]

@@ethanprescott4086 sounds like MAYBE you have the potentiometer wired backwards. But hard to say for sure. If I were you I would disconnect the pot and test it connected in reverse. Also, did you remove the smaller trimmer pot from player or did you leave it installed? I always remove but I’ve heard that other people have done it without removing.

[@cucaracha2197]

Nice build! how many ohms in pot did you used?

[@SISKworks]

Thank you! Pots are 5K.

[@cucaracha2197]

@@SISKworks Thanks!

[@SISKworks]

@@cucaracha2197 sure no problem. Good luck. I also sell these on Etsy in case you end up having issues or don’t want to build yourself.

[@zachramsden9549]

Haha really great build! Loved every minute of it. I've got a question though, what do all the potentiometers do? Are they to get the different pitches for each note?

[@SISKworks]

Yes exactly! Each potentiometer sets the motor speed of each button pressed. The tape only plays when a button is pressed and the tape only has a constant tone. So as the speed increases so does the pitch and when the speed slows down the pitch goes down. I’m actually selling these on my Esty shop now if you want one. www.etsy.com/shop/SISKworks

[@nun924]

would you mind sharing a parts list? i like this compact plastic build better than the wooden one but i’m green as it gets and don’t know where to find this stuff.

[@SISKworks]

I buy the boxes from a local electronic's store. They are from a company called Serpac

[@nun924]

@@SISKworks I found their enclosures online. which one do you use here? i love how it fits with the recorder.

[@SISKworks]

@@nun924 I have used both the “072” and “171” boxes for this. They are same width and depth but just different heights.

[@nun924]

@@SISKworksthanks friend :)

[@wheres_walmart9403]

this might be a stupid question but what happens when you push more than one button at a time?

[@SISKworks]

Not a stupid question at all. It just combines the values of the 2 knobs pressed and give a new speed/tone.

[@wheres_walmart9403]

@@SISKworks very cool thanks!

[@Tetrakan]

You. Have. My. Attention.

[@Oberheim2001]

hello my friend, I have followed all your tutorial but I can't get the engine to stop. Everything is going great, but the engine never stops. i dont know what to do. Can you help me??

[@SISKworks]

sure! It sounds like the connections to where you remove the trimmer is backward. The point that is closer to the motor and away from the battery compartment should go to the common leg of the buttons. The two other points go to the pots. Also you can test by disconnecting while running and then it should stop. If STILL running when disconnected then probably a short on the board side.

[@Oberheim2001]

@@SISKworks thanks for your words. I will try and tell you. Thanks 🙏🙏🙏

[@Oberheim2001]

@@SISKworks It works!!! thnks my friend!!!!

[@SISKworks]

@@Oberheim2001 good to hear.

[@screamerslice9471]

Hello ! Very clean work ( compared to mine =) ). I would like to find the same green "nut tightener" as you use. Could you share the name of those or the keyword i should use to find them. Thanks !

[@SISKworks]

They are called “Rocket Sockets” from Love My Switches. I highly recommend getting a set as they are extremely helpful. lovemyswitches.com/rocket-sockets-pedal-building-socket-set/

[@screamerslice9471]

@@SISKworks Thanks for your quick answer. Can't find here in France, but i will check pedal specialized shop. Thanks again !

[@SISKworks]

@@screamerslice9471 if you have access to a 3D printer you might be able to find files for them on thingiverse or some other site and just print your own. I just don’t know what to search for.

[@davelordy]

Looks great, but for most of the video the area you are working on is a tiny fraction of the screen, literally a 50 x 50 pixel area in a 1920 x 1080p video, so small you can't really see what's going on, can't really see what you are actually doing.

[@SISKworks]

This video wasn’t really meant to be a “how to” but more of a “how I did it.” Haha. I usually do more instructional type of videos that show and explain things better. Was just trying a more ASMR approach on this one just for fun. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@SISKworks]

BTW. I also saw your “pointless” comment. Nice that you edited.

[@davelordy]

@@SISKworks Yeah, even though I thought it was pointless as a how-to video, I thought that came across as a little too rude.

[@davelordy]

​@@SISKworks _"This video wasn’t really meant to be a “how to” but more of a “how I did it.”_ . . . if you'd just zoomed in it would have been a 'how to' _and_ a 'how I did it' . . . anyhow, cheers for the video regardless, by the way these Byron cassette players aren't available outside the US (or at least not easy to get), but for UK viewers I found one called a 'groov-e', which is basically the exact same model, same case, same internals, just with a boring silver case and terrible 'groov-e' name . . . but they are readily available (new) on eBay.

[@SISKworks]

Oh BTW…..if you are actually wanting to build one of these you might want to also watch this video. His video is much more of a tutorial and he actually explains things….while mine is just a build video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pWKqlYGhjZaYrbc

[@MagpiePirates]

CALP!

[@SISKworks]

THNAKS? :-)

[@bigbizz118]

Yea buddy so how can i get some stuff add to my hardware from you

[@SISKworks]

I sell my stuff through Etsy. www.etsy.com/shop/SISKworks

[@foxtonstreet]

Dude nice build but some subtitles would be good!

[@SISKworks]

Thank you. I was intentionally not talking in this one, just trying something different. But yeah subtitles are a good idea.