Making A Synthesiser Sequencer Out Of RELAYS Part 1

[@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER]

name a type of relay

[@truthbydesign5146]

Telegraph Relay, courtesy of Samuel Morse

[@angst_]

Toggle relays! Some have set/reset pins, while others just flip-flop when powered.

[@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER]

@@truthbydesign5146 funnily enough some people had dispute of making them before he did funnilty enough!±!!idid speak anbout it in the vid but ended editing it out it got a bit long and windy haha

[@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER]

@@angst_ indeed! thatys what im going to use to make the preset memory

[@sonosus]

The Re Lay relay idk :) Edit: in fact no, the blue ones in Sam's speak and spell

[@ironspike171]

I hope some schools will consider visiting your museum with their classes. Math, physics and yes, music. So MUCH to learn!

[@hollowneedles]

ABSOLUTELY, this would be a great way to get kids excited about science and math.

[@davidlovering6033]

As a kid into electronics when I discovered relays, they opened up another world. Sam you’re taking it above and beyond. Kudos.

[@sofascialistadankulamegado1781]

For me, relays simply open up my front gate. How did you get other worlds to open for you?

[@tonybloodloss]

@@sofascialistadankulamegado1781 just use more of them!

[@ncot_tech]

"left it running for about 10 hours". In other words you fell asleep with it running 😉

[@TradieTrev]

Relay chatter soothes the soul!

[@pheymee88]

lmao so true

[@pavel.pasha.liabazov]

He never sleeps

[@Heisenberg2097]

Two relays switching each other was fun back in the days.

[@Nevir202]

Kinda random, but I've been trying to make a really complicated function in a spreadsheet and haven't been able to find a tutorial on how to do it, as it is a really weird application. Seeing your demonstration of how memory bits work in your machine just gave me a eureka moment, and I think I've realized how to do it! Thanks a lot!

[@dykodesigns]

Cool project concept! Relays with latching circuits where very common in lift logic / elevator control circuits until the 1980’s. They where combined with very complicated electromechanical devices to register the lift’s position in the shaft. Also, the the more advanced lift controllers have a memory function where it can store multiple calls. There are some video’s on KZbin made by lift enthusiasts explaining the design of these circuits. Some old lifts may still have their original relay controller, you can typically hear them working when the lift is moving. It’s essentially an electromechanical computer.

[@pauljs75]

The reason that one setup sounded like a turn signal in a car is because that's what most older cars actually used for that. Also if looking for an interesting example of programmable stuff with relays, might want to try finding some info on one of those marquee signs that dates back to the 1920's or 1930's. From what I recall they programmed them with punch cards that would block the light going to a set of photoresistors, but once the text was in the "memory" it kept looping kind of like the setup in this video's example. Crazy that they figured out that stuff way back before vacuum tube or even solid state computers.

[@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER]

Well yeah haha that's why I said it! Unmistakable :D

[@System-1541]

"Just stare at it for a while until it starts making sense" - A nice philosophy for life.

[@MrAsBBB]

I am 54 year old who did electrical and electronics at college many years ago. You are brilliant at educating everyone. Bloody brilliant and a genius. You make it gorgeous and handsome to boot….

[@reggiep75]

14:37 - Heinbach sneaks up, records the relays, plays it back at 1/4 speed, showers it with delay and spring reverb and... slowly grins... to himself!

[@tomvesely4008]

Put a mic in there, amplify it and you've got percussion

[@BertGrink]

@@tomvesely4008 That would make it a sequencer AND a drum machine, all in one - I love that idea!

[@DrewskisBrews]

@@tomvesely4008 multiple contact mics

[@markusfuller]

The clicking on the relays is music in itself. I bought 600 mini latching relays a long time ago from an army surplus shop and made lots of burglar alarms for friends and local shops. that was in the 80s. I wish I had saved some as I would have sent them over to you. great interesting work Sam :-)

[@EdEditz]

That is brilliant. I love how they sound on their own. Quite musical sounding clicks actually. Great stuff!

[@Rouverius]

"The rattling of the relays of the Z4 [relay computer] was the only interesting thing to be experienced in Zurich's night life” - Konrad Zuse

[@macronencer]

I was in my early teens in the late 1970s and I used to love wiring up relays to make latches and buzzers. It helped that my uncle worked for British Telecom (formerly Post Office Telephones) and taught me a few things. I seem to remember I pulled the ringer solenoid out of an ancient rotary phone and tried to see what I could make it do. So much fun!

[@LorenzBaermann]

Yours is a special mind. I love your projects. Thanks for sharing.

[@wideyxyz2271]

My dad used to design and build High Voltage test equipment. His company was called HW Electronics (mainly spark testers for testing the the insulation when extruding cables of all sizes) and I remember a design for a counter latching relay circuit that he designed that would mark and count the number of faults along the length of cable (if any) when it was being extruded. He finally hung up his soldering Iron and retired at the age of 75 back in 1997. Relays and valves were his thing and while he thought transistors were fantastic he could never get excited about them lol. I guess he was just "old school". This brings back some of the times I used to help out in his factory/workshop as a kid. I'm 58 and retired now!

[@DrewskisBrews]

Brilliant, mate! My surname is SAYLER; that is an anagram of RELAYS. I really like relays, too.

[@SamThredder]

It's also an anagram of SLAYER \m/ hahaha

[@ithaca2076]

i cant allow myself to forget about this channel again

[@mortensmodules]

How can you just keep impressing me with your constructions? Great work Sam - and great video as always! 👌🏻

[@ronaldlundbohm815]

I enjoy your enthusiasm Brings me back to the early 70's tinkering with this stuff

[@fnordingers]

The breadboard section of this video reminds me of Ben Eater :)

[@markharrisllb]

I’m a newbie and every video I've watched about relays starts at a higher level than my very basic understanding...until now. He might talk at 500 words a minute but I managed to understand every word he said. Then as a bonus I learnt a little more about capacitors.

[@Sharpened_Spoon]

Man, the mini history lesson blew my mind as to the nomenclature of a relay. Always cool to know the why.

[@midimoog]

I love hearing the relays click. I especially like the self sustaining 1 bit circuit.

[@nickbenke3306]

*Industry secret* B&Q stores had relays in their music/announcement system! It added a delay to the outside garden centre so the Bing Bong was blocked out! This was to avoid annoying the neighbouring houses! Great vid fella! Bravo!

[@Inkreptile]

Very cool I rember myself when I was younger playing with relays because I liked how they clicked fast forward today I'm in my last year electromechanics

[@3DPDK]

"... a room full of relays ..." Find a time machine and set the target date for 1940s through 1970. Go back and visit the phone company's local "switching station" in Anytown U.S.A., Great Britain. or Europe. You will find not just a room full of relays, but an entire building full of them - top to bottom, wall to wall. These were rotary relays that advanced one detent with each clock pulse. Each relay had 1 Normally Closed contact (#0) and 9 Normally Open contacts (#1 - #9) Each contact was wired to a different but specific bank of relays. As you dialed a number, your phone would pulse (clock) the rotary relays working your way through a maze of relays to finally connect your phone to any other phone in that switching station network. By 1970s dialing (1+area code) had been implemented which triggered the initial entry relay to connect your phone to another switching station designated by the area code on a long distance phone line or "trunk line". These were essentially building sized mechanical relay computers who's biggest problem was the heat that was generated by the rotary servos on a Sunday afternoon when most people decided to call their Mums.

[@lenni213]

Don't forget the boys calling back the girl the met the Saturday night before ;-)... All that copper now condensed to a mere glass fiber

[@awogbob]

Fascinating old school infrastructure

[@eDoc2020]

Stepping relays like that haven't been used in the US phone system for a long time. The Western Electric crossbar switches (AFAIK) only used regular relays and counted in a digital method, producing a 2 of 5 code.

[@3DPDK]

@@eDoc2020 It probably depended on the area. I saw it in operation first hand in 1964. It was in a rural area, occupied a small re-purposed house, and was right across the street from where I went to school. It was a favorite "class trip" for the science class. The buzzing and clicking of all those relays was defining ... but extremely fascinating to a 5th grader.

[@eDoc2020]

@@3DPDK It seems independent telephone companies as well as rural Bell offices would tend to use older Strowger systems instead of the newer and more complicated Panel and Crossbar systems which only made sense for more urban areas. I guess that makes us both right.

[@CausticCatastrophe]

Im loving these videos! Learning this stuff is really fun in this style. It's cool to see how relays seem to be easy enough to latch and stuff!

[@petersage5157]

It's always fascinating to me to look up etymologies for words like this. Relay comes from "exchange tired animals for fresh," hence its meaning in a relay race or in a telegraph relay station. Speaking of which, consider the origin of "bug" in computing - it dates back to the days of relay computers. A literal bug in the relay contacts.

[@marrickvillian]

Fantastic. It makes a lovely sound all on its own.

[@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER]

ha thats the plkan!

[@slow_lifefast_asleep986]

Legitimately you’re so god damn awesome, seriously I have never commented on a youtube video but you are just a genius. Mad props Love everything you do.

[@UNSCPILOT]

LMNC is a mad genius in all the best ways, really a treat to watch

[@petercane6376]

Sam you are a bloody genius. You are just so clever. I understand how a basic relay works but putting that lot together and trying to understand how your schematic works lost me. You have a very active young brain. What will you be inventing when you are an old man with even more knowledge under your belt? BLIMEY... You are an inspiration . Thank you mate! Pete.

[@TeslabladePlaysMC]

I just started planning a design for a 32-bit relay calculator... Complete with an integer add, subtract, multiply, and divide ALU, decimal display and keypad, ... I'm planning this thing to have in the ball park of 1,000-10,000 relays running at about 5-10hz. Needless to say, I love relays.

[@hollowneedles]

Hey, it's Mothers Day. Call ur mum. Show her this so she knows you're still not using a computer. She'll be proud.

[@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER]

is it mothers day?

[@hollowneedles]

@@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER You damn well better have called her! Unless she's dead. Then I apologize for my insensitive comments.

[@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER]

@@hollowneedles apparently mothers day is this weekend coming. different countried different dates i guess

[@meerkatzThe23]

@@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER in austria it was yesterday

[@hollowneedles]

@@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER Yep, appears to be. Cuz Christian reasons. Based on what I could glean from a quick Google search, our mother's are holier than yours. I think. So they get early access to half-hearted gifts and a 5 minute phone call.

[@Manawyrm]

This is neat! If you're getting into trouble with electromagnetic interference or noise on your signals, I'd suggest adding 100nF ceramic capacitors across each relay coil. With inductive loads like relays or motors, it's often a good idea to a snubber capacitor.

[@jamhough22]

Relays are awesome! soo satisfying to hear them click. very robust electro mechanical engineering with a huge pedigree.

[@Superspemo]

from 10:00 to 13:00 is basicly the circuit I used for the decade counters in my relay clock! It works very much the same, except with a transistor instead of the third relay. I like it!

[@CashMattock]

One of my favorite quotes of the year thus far...“Just stare at it for quite a while and it will start to make sense”

[@SaccoBelmonte]

Fascinating. For an art installation, I imagine putting a glass cube in a public square with a vertical panel in the middle (a more robust breadboard type thing) where people from both sides of the panel could grab modules, plug them and play around with music and blinky leds. Make the platform and the people rotate and you have a hit. The reason for the cube is to keep the sound inside to comply with sound regulations.

[@kaitlyn__L]

I love how you made a totally normal SR latch, including the Q and not-Q outputs (with the normally-open being the Q I guess?), it's just relays instead of semiconductors. And an SR latch is the basis of SRAM chips AIUI, so you've made electro-mechanical SRAM! Since it keeps its state as long as it's kept powered and doesn't need refreshed. Pretty cool. That buzzing noise you demonstrated is the basis of most electromechanical doorbells and buzzers too. Sometimes they attach a hammer to the relay coil so it can hit a bell, but sometimes it just buzzes inside a little box which kind of resonates with the buzz. And some older commercial buzzers made very different noises if you switch between AC and DC. As a kid I thought traditional doorbells and door buzzers were totally different, but really they just close a switch to a similar coil. It just depends whether they want a big box with a bell attached, or a little box which just buzzes. Of course a lot nowadays they're not electromechanical at all... but my doorbell still is! (You can even hear the coil buzzing after the bell goes, if you continue to hold the button.)

[@demagmusic]

I have a huge box of relays. very excited about this project!

[@Noplan]

The sound of a relay is already music to me.

[@tonybloodloss]

It is an electromechanical drum machine when it's not controlling anything

[@matiasbaldo6077]

You can use a zener diode and a diode in series as recirculating circuit, the magnetizing current will be extinguished faster and you could switch the relay even faster. I pretty sure you won't read this but maybe will help someone. Very nice channel!!!

[@xcix15]

Super cool! And i haven't even watch this video yet!! Awsome!!

[@TonySkiens]

Thanks for relaying the info on the relay

[@headslash55]

I daily clean similar relays(the ones you make the sequencer out) for train use. Very simple but Fun Parts to use. And long term maintenance is easy on them.

[@geraldfriend256]

Whoa.Another brilliant idea for a wellspring thereof.Reminding me of Raymond Scotts first sequencers so clicky they had to put it in anther room from the recording part.But now they put the mike in the engine room.

[@graxjpg]

Yes!! His stuff might not be the most engaging electronic music but it certainly is interesting from an engineering perspective.

[@jameshamaker9321]

I'm looking forward to part 2, because this is incredibly interesting and entertaining.

[@biggusmunkusthegreat]

God I can't wait to come and visit your museum

[@SeamlessR]

It's like Minecraft in real life! Wait ...

[@THISMUSEUMISNOTOBSOLETE]

hahaha

[@DRMatt-zd4rh]

well it's been done... kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZOyYaenfZ2Za6s&ab_channel=legomasta99

[@hollowneedles]

I'd rather watch people playing with real Legos than MC. That game needs to die.

[@aitor.online]

@@hollowneedles bad take. minecraft is great

[@MegariskyYT]

hello seamless

[@SmellyBones]

Love! Relays can do sophisticated stuff. Makes me want to go back and learn ladder logic.

[@buckstarchaser2376]

3:05 The relay in that audio device example is to prevent it from outputting an audio signal before the AC coupling capacitors have had a chance to reach a quiescent state (I love that term). Once they have had enough time to charge, the relay connects the audio-out to the 'gubbins'. Essentially, this is to prevent that "THUMP!" sound when it turns on, or for it to output a tiny sound that takes time to grow into the full output. It's often interpreted as evidence that the manufacturer has "spared no expense" and that the product is overall higher quality; proving to your homies that it was worth the price when they inevitably attempt to clown you for paying too much. It was more significant during the Vacuum tube era, as it served as a signal to 'OCD'-types that the minutes of waiting for power-up were complete. This saved them hours of "making sure" time, and made it okay to turn off the system after use (resulting in lower tube life and increased service and parts revenue). People still remember that, so it must be present to justify the price of a 'premium' model; even if the design is modernized and the relay sound is simulated to save cost. (this is not a claim that your particular relay sound is bogus) Humorously, avoiding the loud thump also results in a need to make the relay "CLICK!" loudly, so that it can still serve to justify the inflated price, and to reduce service calls.

[@piynubbunyip]

Relay extended switch bar t hitting reverb string would be pretty nice. Also get several static reed switches and use them as gates while magnets are placed on a rotating turntable - This way you can make very nice loose/tight sequences.

[@toxicpadda]

You can use the property of "must engage voltage" , the "holding voltage" and the "must let go voltage" of the relay. To make simple latching and reset circuits. If you under and over volt relays. The holding voltage can be much lower than the engage voltage, and the let go voltage is even lower. You can take advantage of this property of a relay hysteresis.

[@yeseldiaz3453]

This MAD MAN.. make a synth out of hair one day

[@RenaissanceEarCandy]

He's liked the comment so it's probably on his drawing board now.

[@AA-gl1dr]

best example of relays I’ve ever found

[@redsquirrelftw]

With the chip shortage I think relays and vacuum tubes may very well make a come back lol.

[@UNSCPILOT]

Using a (Hybrid) Vacuum Tube amplifier with my PC, it sounds great! (It's a Xduoo MT-602, with some old GE 5654W valves in it, super fun clunky switch on it too) Don't have anything with absolute relay madness in it yet though, might be a fun project!

[@artoheino7315]

You are a builder that I totally relate to!!

[@StarchyGuy-g3j]

Your mad scientist dude, mad props

[@toothlessbluesboynorman1617]

I used to live in an old bld. I would sneak up to the elevator room on the roof and watch the old relays click as people ran the elevator..always a cool experience

[@rapidrory]

I love this. Years back I made a relay computer and a relay sound card to go with it, so more or less a full relay synthesizer (there's a bad video of it somewhere on here). The computer still works... maybe I could lend it to the museum.

[@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER]

hey watched some of the vids on tim yesterday eve haha awesome! really cool the optic loading reels are a cool idea! also that sound card haha well cool it puts my relay oscillator in my modjular to shame!

[@rapidrory]

​@@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER Should work out if I can do a better version of the synthesizer.. Relays aren't the best audio oscillators!

[@runforitman]

12:30 oo so you made a relay shift register? very cool!

[@travisreeves4578]

Not sure how your mind works... but the world is a better place because of it!

[@blazingscarabs-yt6696]

Very smart and awesome idea dude, even gets the bonus of sounding like cookie clicker! It’s awesome how there’s no transistors or chips! Keep it up man.

[@jorgelpz16]

Amazing channel, first time here and i'm loving the LEGO prototyping environment XD

[@LostInTech3D]

I have a sound card with relays in. It's broken sadly...but it was cool to hear it click when you changed to headphones

[@Joe-xd4dp]

Ahah I wish you were my teacher back in school.. I would be Definitely more focus on the lesson, instead of burning capacitors and led and other components to see all the cool explosion! Btw is that crepuscular thingy also a relay?? Ps. You really rely on relays on this one!

[@Luka_3D]

5 seconds in and i already like this guys energy lol

[@josseman]

Yes, amplifiers have a relay to prevent the electrical noise on startup, which can cause DC current to run through speakers, which can burn the coils and blow up your speaker.

[@tommibjork]

Man, your stuff is always beyond imagination. ✌️

[@m101ist]

Elementary my dear Watson. 🙄

[@alexandermcalpine]

Awesome Build!

[@mtalhakhalid1679]

great video all digital electronics using relays sound cool

[@hammondeggsmusic]

This has Raymond Scott written all over it. Cool!

[@geraldfriend256]

Wow just posted that.yeah u rite

[@gavster89]

The relay in the audio unit is there to stop the signal downstream (or in case of an amplifier, the speakers) getting a "whump" as the capacitors charge

[@Taylor-op8tv]

This is so awesome! +1 for the BSP build

[@maxjkl6304]

PID's are pretty cool too! I built a kiln and learned a little about them when programming the temp schedules. It's pretty awesome that they can "learn" to be more efficient over time. You just give it an acceptable range and it tries to figure out the best on/off time to reach the desired temp in the desired time range. Maybe it would be possible to use that for something musical?

[@contrabasstrombone13]

Very impressive relay logic! I myself have made a replica launch computer. My next step is to figure out how to make a relay randomizer. I have implemented my launch computer into the airsoft community launching model rockets. I want to make a randomizer sequence to simulate failures during an attempted launch for the team to try to resolve via switches.

[@duncan-rmi]

I made my first sequencer using a part-dismantled rotary selector switch driven by a cassette recorder motor. it had torch bulbs for each stage, & a pot for the pitch of a single oscillator. it was bobbins, but when we were kids in teesside, it was the best we could do. these days I have cirklon (#003!), P3, doepfer, three notrons, octatrack...... :-)

[@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER]

nice duncan! funnily enough im doing a similar thing for a vid coming up! you got any pics of yours? please send em over!!!! can mention in the vid.... im using a uniselector thingy

[@duncan-rmi]

no pics from that long ago, sam, but we do have surviving recordings from the era.... proof that we were, just, a 70s band! radiomassacreinternational.bandcamp.com/album/origins

[@TheAussieRepairGuy]

6:27 - a slight variation there and you can make an oscillator, then add a vehicle ignition coil and a condenser, and you can have some real fun... and I just noticed I landed back here after a whole year.

[@bluegrasssasquatch4930]

You're a mad genius.

[@vonfreud]

You're a genius. Thanks for this.

[@marknesselhaus4376]

I have always been interested in different ways to construct digital logic but using relays is my favorite next to my Light Logic projects. Looking forward to part two :-D

[@BeTheAeroplane]

Those big relays would be in the back of the big ol' board of switches controlled by the yard operator! When a switch is thrown, a relay with anywhere from 1 to several contacts will switch many rail crossovers at a time to choose where the train is going! :D I like trains lol.

[@properjob2311]

You should check out the insides of an electro-mechanical pinball machine it's an amazing thing full of relays solenoids and switches. It's basically an EM computer.

[@nkogliaz]

This is the most advanced metronome I've ever heard.

[@idj20]

Thanks for relaying all that information to us mere mortals.

[@grawlixes]

You're a great educator. Thank you.

[@nigelryenarznz]

It has been a while but I messed around with a capacitor and relay, cool to see you do that.

[@GoodVolition]

We peaked with relays.

[@NiVofHiR]

BRILLIANT MATE!

[@Chasing_Thoughts]

You’re so industrious 😎

[@jonathanwhiteside6092]

Really interesting video, looking forward to part 2 :)

[@devrim-oguz]

This is why I'm subscribed

[@DudeMcDongle]

Those Omron relays are quite durable. We had those in all kinds of packing machines that run at least 8 hours every day. I rarely had to replace one.

[@campbellmorrison8540]

Neat, never seen or heard of a polarized relay

[@gregschleitwiler2557]

You would be a great candidate for an additional chatacter on big bang theory. Shelden would be yawning, but Penny would be awestruck

[@42Hertzer]

Sort of, amazing! 😀

[@pascalcoole2725]

Thomas would be an amazing teacher

[@TheAussieRepairGuy]

When I was 11 I made a two bit binary telephone exchange to switch 4 lines on a home made telephone intercom between my friend's house - the phone was just carbon granual microphones in series with the speaker and two d-cell batteries. It meant I could switch it with only a single 4 core cable (using a shared ground)