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Magpie Devices

Musical Pedals & Devices

Beehive

image of pedal: Beehive

Beehive

Beehive was my first drone synthesizer. I had been working so much with the 40106 circuit at the time that I felt like making something with as many oscillators as possible in a satisfying footprint. So 42 oscillators spread out with a volume knob and dedicated output for every 6 that you can make with a 40106. To create the proper sound of a Beehive!

Beehive User Guide

This device runs on a single 9V battery (not included) or 9VDC power (2.1mm jack: center-negative).

Controls

The Beehive has 42 oscillator pitch pots divided into 7 banks (from left to right) with individual volume pots and optional output for each bank.

The 7 bottom pots are the volume pots and they manage the 6 oscillators above them.

Each bank then goes to its own output which “activates” when you plug in a cable.

If you don’t plug in a cable the bank continues to the very left output. This is so you can break out whichever banks you want, to run through effects, or panorate if plugged into a mixer, or just go wild and play all 42 oscillators from the same mono output (which is all the way to the left).

Enjoy!