Re: [Harp-L] Turbo ELX

[Slim Heilpern <slim@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I assume it could some day be used as the basis for a MIDI controller, but in its current form (based on the the description here http://www.turboharp.com/harmonicas/turboharp/th-e01-turboharp-elx.html) it has built into it a new kind of pickup that uses optics to translate the reed vibration to analog voltage. Hence you can plug it directly into effects units and amplifiers -- there's no MIDI involved.

Personally, what I'd love to hear, and haven't come across yet, is what the signal sounds like coming out of the pickups (minus the acoustic sound of the instrument and with no effects). Is it a dynamic and musical sound?

Regardless, it may have some interesting applications.

Do keep us posted Dave ;-).

- Slim.

On Oct 3, 2012, at 12:46 PM, David Fertig wrote:

> So far as I know I'm the only one on Harp-L who ordered one of turbo elx', or at least who admitted to it.  I wonder how it will work, could it be a midi controller?     Reminds me of a time in 1970 I was on a farm in W. Va where someone had an Arp synth unit, I played harp through a mic on it with limited success (I was a complete tyro), so this may be what I'd imagined could be, I expect mine tomorrow so I'll let you know next week, as I'll be traveling this weekend.
> 
> Dave "guinea pig" Fertig
> 
> 
> --- On Thu, 9/27/12, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx <harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Re: [Harp-L] Turbo ELX
>        	Thursday, September 27, 2012 5:42 PM
>        	
> 
> 
>            From: 
>            "Slim Heilpern" <slim@xxxxxxxxxx>
>            	
>            	
>            	
>        	To: 
>        	"David Fairweather" <dmf273@xxxxxxxxx>, "Harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>Aside
> from being feedback free, it likely has a different sound than a mic'd 
> harp. I have no idea how different in this case, but consider the 
> difference between a magnetic pickup on a guitar and a mic'd guitar, or 
> guitar with a piezo pickup -- drastically different sounds but all 
> extremely useful. I would imagine optical harmonica reed pickups produce
> a unique sonic quality of some sort...
> 
> - Slim.
> 
> On Sep 27, 2012, at 5:08 PM, David Fairweather wrote:
> 
>> Can someone explain to me the advantages of the Turbo ELX?  I know it's
>> feedback free.  But what other advantages does it have.  The demos I've
>> seen on YouTube seem to emphasize the FX box it's playing through.   Would
>> a traditionally mic'd harp through the same FX box sound different?  I see
>> it has 20 different optical pickups.  Can you assign different FX to
>> different pickups?  That might be cool.
>