AboutThe Tech
event
Synthux Hackathon 2023

Trap-A-Tune

A vintage toy piano connected to the power of modern synthesizers through Max.
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Button
Potentiometer
prompt
A reclaimed artefact
maker/s
Erik Krummrich
Sean Riddle
Ian Rowland
Riley Meere

Coaches & collaborators

institute
Colorado University, ATLAS institute
The vintage 1985 “Little Tikes Tap-a-Tune Xylophone” can produce only one constrained octave. Our evolved version has access to the capabilities of MaxMSP and Arduino. This allows each key to play any MIDI note, or chord, you desire, and creates near endless options for the synthesizer sounds to produce.
process & design

Project images

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the tech

How does it work?

A hacked Little Tikes toy that was turned into a synthesizer using an Arduino Uno and Max 8. The 8 original keys were turned into custom buttons using copper tape and wires. When the button is pressed the circuit is broken and the uno sends a signal to max to create sound on the synthesizer. The analog fader on the side works like a piano pedal editing the sustain in Max 8. Through Max, the synthesizer sound can be adjusted and each key can be edited to play a different note or chord, allowing this Little Tikes toy to become a creative synthesizing tool.
Open source code
Click here to grab this project's code
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Button
Closing and opening a circuit
Potentiometer
Adjustable resistor that can control the amount of electric current flowing through a circuit.
About the instrument
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