Electro Magnetic Radiation - Microphones

[Vic]

Hi All,

Recenty I had the good fortunre to play with a couple of microphones whose purpose was to pick up electro magnetic radiation. So for example, you could place them near a computer screen, atm machine, light etc etc etc and pick up the static from these things.

The ones I played with were quite cheap and handmade by a tech in France but I am interested in wondering if there's anyone here that might know how to make a pair of them? Or if an off the shelf product exists ( I have searched around but can't find any).

Thanks

Vic

[DrAlienSmith]

Sounds interesting. I wonder if these were built from something like guitar pickups? I used to have an old acoustic guitar pickup that you placed in the sound hole of the guitar. It had its own lead and sounded terrible but when you took it out of the guitar and waved it over drills, electric toothbrushes and vacuum cleaners etc it picked up radical sounds. Add massive delay and reverb and you were in trippy heaven.

[Vic]

Hi Al,

That sounds like exactly what I need. You don't still have it do you?

Vic

[DrAlienSmith]

No I dont but i picked it up at a Cashies for $10, they can be gotten pretty cheap. There's a heap on ebay atm for between $10 and $30. Just search for acoustic guitar pickup and check out the ones that fit into the sound hole

[Vic]

Great. I just had a look on ebay and thought I would just give it a go.

So I have ordered 2 of the cheapest acoustic guitar pick ups that fit in the sound hole, with a cable attached for $12 for 2 of them including postage

Vic

[The Tasmanian]

Vic - any guitar pickup will do this, I used to perform live using a portable battery drill to do Moog type synth solo's from my guitar.
As soon as any electrical engine comes close the guitar pickup, it comes through the wiring and into the amp- and it is really loud signal.

[The Tasmanian]

Also - did it with radios on projects, using radios dialed up to no station, and the EMR goes through the radio and amplified out the speaker
I would not be surprised if a speaker wired in reverse would get you good results / its really the magnet that is attracting the EMR.
The larger the magnet the more of an antenna it seems to become.

[Kurt]

I've heard peoples' watches through their guitars. TICK TICK TICK. Tip, don't wear your watch on your picking hand!

And of course, Mattias Ia Ecklund's vibrator solos...

[Vic]

This is one of my favourites.

http://vimeo.com/54846163

Vic