There is nice Christmas music inside the Athens' tram from Easy 97.2 MHz radio station

 

Happy Christmas!

On Making an Adaptor Cable to Connect a Dynamic Microphone to a Mobile Phone

At your risk. Please take all safety precautions. For example soldering fumes must not be inhaled, solder must only be touched with gloves, listening to playback with headphones must be at a very low level,... 

On this example....

1

A Shure SM58 Mexico microphone is used for male singing voice at 24in from mouth, mic pointing towards the nose. Microphone placed much higher than head. At 24in there is almost no bass boost proximity effect. The mic is used outdoors (balcony) in order to avoid recording thousands of annoying, blurring short delayed reflections from walls.

2

A step up signal transformer is used to step up the microphone voltage and impedance. So at this stage the signal level is like a condenser capsule with the added advantage of the much less harmonic or non linear distortion at high frequencies (see older posts with references). The step up transformer used was a 1 to 10 step up ratio with a low primary inductance (typically 280mH) which further corrects bass. This is a low value of inductance so the mic can be used a bit closer or a higher inductance transformer can  be used while keeping the mic at 24in. But it all depends on song, register and singer. The transformer stops RF energy picked up by the mic cable and the step up process creates a unique low noise (hiss) recording. The transformer used is a German one inside an female to male XLR barrel. 

3

The high impedance signal is connected directly to the Gate of a JFET. A K117 JFET is used. The Pleiades K117 mic preamplifier is built inside the female XLR connector. For more details, schematic please see older posts a few yeas back. The circuit is as minimal as it can be for purest sound and lowest noise. Just a K117 JFET, a resistor connected to the Source terminal for bias and nothing else. Amplified signal is taken from the Drain terminal. The load resistor where the amplified voltage is developed is in the following circuit which also supplies the 1 or 2 volts needed to power the low noise JFET preamp. The other end of the cable is connected to a 3.5mm male headphone mic jack connector.

4

An Apple 3.5mm (headphone, mic) to USB C adaptor is connected. It was bought for 10euros in Athens Public shores. It contains all needed ADC for mic and DAC for headphones.

5 

A Galaxy mobile phone is connected at USB C

6

Recording made with the camera app of the mobile phone.

7

That's it. 

Ornella Vanoni

 

It is strange, I listen to Ornella Vanoni today for the 1st time (a few days after she passed away) on the Hellenic Radio broadcast by Yiannis Petridis. Together with Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin for example, Yiannis Petridis would listen to the best Italian music or almost any other good music. Today's 4pm-5pm broadcast was on Ornella Vanoni.

We are fortunate in Hellenic Republic to have such a music and cinema knowledgeable radio producer.

 

Here is the link of today's broadcast on Ornella Vanoni:

https://www.ertecho.gr/radio/ertnewsradio/show/apo-tis-4-stis-5/ondemand/1156920/apo-tis-4-stis-5-me-ton-gianni-petridi-25-11-2025/

Alex North

 Music by Alex North, lyrics by Hy Zaret.

I heard the name Alex North today in Yiannis Petridis radio broadcast 4pm to 5pm.

Chryssanthemis ft. Marantinis

 

A song by Harris Kostopoulos

Michael Jackson and Seth Riggs - Vocal Training Session (1994)

 At your risk.

There is also the book Singing For the Stars - Seth Riggs

Recording practically infinite magnetic tracks on tape without losing generation

 At your risk.

See also older posts.

This can be done by disabling the erase head. For example disconnecting it.

Then it works like painting. Sound and be added on previously recorded sound. Some loss is only apparent on the first 2 or 3 passes for each layer. But it still remains original, there is no copy or overdub.

How do we monitor the music already recorded so that we can add more?

A way can be to use the (unused) erase head as a playback head. It has a wider airgap so there would be some treble loss in playback. A separate equalized preamplifier must be connected to it. And a small time delay should be added as the erase head is read first (it predicts the future, or more correctly the rec head lives in the past) as the tape will first pass through the erase head and then through the rec head.

 

Ophelia - Taylor Swift and the Bach Bass Code

 

The Bach Bass Code:

General Bass Rules - Norman Schmidt -pdf

The bass of the verse is G then D then F then C and repeat.

The melody is D G G C bB        bass G

                        (bB) G G C C bB      bass D

                        (bB) G G C bB    bass F

                         A G G       bass C

It follows that the intervals which sound fantastic are non trivial, sophisticated.

Bass D with bB  ie the interval of major 6th, code D6

Bass F with G ie the interval of major 9th, code F9

Bass C with A ie the interval of major 6th, code C6

It is a blessing that listener's throughout the world appreciate this.

After all it what we feel when we listen.

Whitney Houston: Inside the Album with Producer Narada Michael Walden

 

Ribbon Microphone examples on female voice

 At your risk.

Says - Nils Frahm

 

This was recommended to me by Nektarios:

TWO LANES - Live Performance (Piano Set)

Amado Mio - Pink Martini ft. Storm Large

 

Sotto il Cielo di Sorrento

 

You Make it Easy - Air

 

Arranger Thanassis Vichos (Θανάσης Βήχος)

 

Confucian and Aristotelian Ethics: A Global Model for Leadership - Marianna Benetatou

https://www.academia.edu/28478183/Confucian_and_Aristotelian_Ethics_A_Global_Model_for_Leadership

Joaquin Rodrigo

 

The second movement is a masterpiece in the history of mankind...

Rodrigo wrote it while his wife was having an operation at the hospital. It is his prayer to God to save her life.

 

Amy Winehouse while recording Back to Black on ribbon RCA 77-DX microphone and analog tape recorder

 

Dancer creating music than dancing to it

At your risk.

For example expanding the principle of the theremin:

Other example.

Having a very low power FM transmitter in the room and a FM radio. Reception is interupted or modulated by dancer's movement in the room.

Or even just an FM radio barely picking up a radio station. Movement of body in the room would improve or worsen reception according to the position of dancer.

Other example:

Creating a control voltage from a light beam to photocell modulated by dancer's movement. The control voltage is connected to a VCF (voltage control filter) which filters white noise. If it works, dancer's movement should create a sound similar to sea waves braking in the sea shore.

 

Letter to Thanasis

Αγαπητέ κύριε Θανάση,

'Εμενα σττην Φρίξου 6. Από σύμπτωση γνώρησα αλλού τον ποιητή Νεκτάριο Μπέση που έμενε στην Φρίξου 4!

Ο Νεκτάριος είναι τόσο καλός ποιητής που θα έχει διεθνή αναγνώρηση.

Φαίνεται μόλις ακούσετε το πρώτο μας τραγούδι, Για Ότι Χορεύει στους Δρόμους - Μπέσης, Τσακίρης στο YouTube:

Ηχογραφημένο σωστά, κάνοντας το γύρο του του κόσμου, αναδεικνύει την ομορφιά της ελληνικής γλώσσας και η Φρίξου που σας ανήκει αποκτά επιπλέον σημασία.

Ευχαριστώ για την αγάπη όταν μιλήσαμε στο τηλέφωνο. Και της Αθηνάς!!!

Από τότε που πέρασα αισθάνομαι βοήθεια από ψηλά.

Είναι άφθαρτες οι ψυχές. Καμία δεν χάνεται.

Αργότερα τις ξανασυναντάμε.

Με πολύ εκτίμηση.

Γιώργος Νικολάου Τσακίρης

Goldn Brown - Dave Brubeck

 

The G minor 3rd minor 7th chord in The Fate of Ophelia - Taylor Swift backing vocals

It is G bass together with the higher parts: B flat and F. And if the 5th is added too it is G bB D F.

It can be heard for example in the following:

At 0:22 or 5th bar of: Adagio, Oboe Concerto in D minor - Marcello, Bach arrangement for keyboard:

At 1:46:of The Fate of Ophelia - Taylor Swift:

At 0:05 and every second chord of the 4 chords only cycle of Careless Whisper - George Michael:

 

Multiple echo on The Fate of Ophelia - Taylor Swift

Today 25110615 I bought for 20 euros the CD of Taylor Swift and played Ophelia on the Sony CD Walkman connected to Sennheiser HD580. Then inserted in between a 4 pin 3.5mm adaptor to two 3 pin? 3.5mm female which give the karaoke effect by reproducing the Right minus Left signal. So bass was canceled as well as main vocal. The multiple echo added to the vocal at 1/4 intervals could be very clearly heard.

This is the non karaoke L, R:

On the Making of Hello - Lionel Richie

 

Conversation between Lionel Richie and his record producer James Antony Carmichael:

As he turned the corner to come into the room, I turned to him and said: 'Hello, is it me you're looking for?' He said: 'Finish that song.'.... I kept saying to him, 'You gotta be kidding me, right? I was just joking.' He said, 'No no, that's incredible. Give me a verse to that.' So I actually went in writing this song not liking the song, thinking that it was corny. I mean, this is REALLY corny. This is not going to do well. Then by the time I finished the verse, I fell in love with the song again.

from:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Anthony_Carmichael

Time Delay on Voice

 

Late addition: Today 25110615 I bought the CD of Taylor Swift and played Ophelia on the Sony CD Walkman connected to Sennheiser HD580. Then inserted in between a 4 pin 3.5mm adaptor to two 3 pin? 3.5mm female which give the karaoke effect by reproducing the Right minus Left signal. So bass was canceled as well as main vocal. The multiple echo added to the vocal at 1/4 intervals could be very clearly heard.

 

3 Ophelia Songs

(Ophelia from Hamlet - Shakespeare)

Aired today by Yiannis Petridis on Hellenic radio.

nice Cmaj7 chord (C with E with g with B)

Yanni

 

George Michael

 

Retro Riviera Studio YouTube Channel

 

The Windmills of your Mind - Barbara Streisand

 

Your Song - Elton John, live

 

Another Love - Tom Odell, live

 

Boyer M55 mic - Pleiades K117 pre - 3.5mm to USB C to 3.5mm adaptor - Galaxy mobile phone

 At your risk.

First published in February 2016, the Pleiades K117 preamplifier consists of just a K117 JFET and a cathode resistor. 

Here is the link:

https://euroelectron.blogspot.com/2016/02/pleiades-k117-studio-low-noise.html

It works in the same way as the internal electret mic capsule pre amp, converting high impedance to low while being powered by the device to be connected to which supplies the supply voltage trough a load resistor which converts the amplified current to amplified voltage by Ohm's law.

In this example mic distance is 24in. recorded outdoors at the balcony.

 

AI Consumes Energy

Annabel - Maria Dimitriadi

 Recorded at Columbia EMI studios Athens.

Non ho l'età - Gigliola Cinquetti , Sennheiser MD412 microphone?

 

Dernière Danse - Indila

 

Perfidia

 

USB C to 3.5mm apple adaptor to red hands-free microphone recording outdoors

 

The very small condenser electret mic is about 2 in from mouth.

Bee Gees while making Tragedy in the studio

 

George Martin, Celine Dion

 

It begins with Sir George Martin playing the piano:

The Making of the Song Lady - Lionel Richie

 

SONY TC-D5PRO II Internal Cabling Photograph

 

Gia Oti Xoreuei stous Dromous demo 3

 

A Cappella demo of Gia Oti Xoreuei stous Dromous

 

Lyrics: Nektarios Bessis

Music: Georgios Tsakiris

Andre Previn plays , Dinah Shore sings

 

Shure SM7 microphone - giafordgia

 

Nina Simone, AKG D20 Microphone,

 

Arrangement of the Song Για Ότι Χορεύει στους Δρόμους

At your risk.

For lyrics, melody, chords. please see previous posts.

A possible arrangement may be just the singer's voice. Beautiful lyrics and melody should stand well on their own. A voice perfectly recorded preferably outdoors with all little details, breath etc. Perhaps adding gradually reverberation as time increases.

Another arrangement could be as follows by inspiration from the lyrics:

Intro:

City traffic, city sounds recorded in binaural (in ear microphones)  (3D)

Sax solo for intro with melody:

E - -

- - -

- - -

E F E

E - -

- - -

- - -

- G G

G - F

- - E

- - D

- - C

E - -

- - -

D - -

- - -

Verse:

male singer on left channel

then female singer on right channel

then both possibly near center

Chorus:

Both singers

An egg with sand used as percussion for rhythm 

Verse:

Solo Sax, no vocals

Sustaining E major chord while boy, girl converse in a funny way, recorded in Blumlein  microphone pair (stereophonic):

Boy: Για ότι χορεύει στους δρόμους

Girl:  Τι χορεύει στους δρόμους?

Boy: Για ότι χορεύει στους δρόμους

Girl: Τι χορεύει στους δρόμους?

Boy: Για ότι χορεύει στους δρόμους

Girl: Τι χορεύει στους δρόμους?

Chorus:

Both singers, few children choir

more and gradually more children singing in choir

parametrically filtered white noise possibly by mouth in order to create a space distant star effect

perhaps singers also singing some verse lyrics on endings of children's singing words

everything leading to a A major 9th chord as outro

Για Ότι Χορεύει Στους Δρόμους, Gia Oti Xoreuei Stous Dromous

Date Time Code: 25101517

Location: Lilian Voudouri Music Library Rehearsal Room

Lyrics: Nektarios Bessis, Νεκτάριος Μπέσης

Music: Georgios Tsakiris, Γιώργος Τσακίρης

                                                                                  Chords

Έχει περάσει τόσος καιρός                                       Am9       G6   (Em/G)

Κάποιος χορεύει πάλι στο φώς                                 F9           G6         G

Μέσα στους δρόμους στα σιωπηλά                          Dm7       Dm7/G

'Οτι υπάρχει φεύγει ξανά                                          Fmaj7     Dm7    E45      E

Θα δω που πηγαίνουν                                               C9

Τα δέντρα τα αστέρια                                               Em

Θα φεύγουν οι σκέψεις                                             F9

Πετούν στον αέρα                                                     C9     G45

Πετούνε στ΄ αστέρια                                                 Cmaj7

Πετούν μακρυά                                                         Em7

Πετούνε στ΄ αστέρια                                                 F9

Πετούνε στ΄ αστέρια                                                 G56   G45   G

melody:

Έχει περάσει τόσος καιρός                                                        Am9                G6   (Em/G)

E  D C E        E    E   G  E                   or                 E  E  D  C  A  A   A B   C   E

Κάποιος χορεύει πάλι στο φώς                                                 F9               G6         G

E     D     C  E  E   E  E  G   E               or                 E  F  E  G  F  E  F  E  G  

Μέσα στους δρόμους στα σιωπηλά                          Dm7       Dm7/G         Cmaj7    Fmaj7

E    G   E        A    A    G      G   A  G

'Οτι υπάρχει φεύγει ξανά                                                   Dm7    Fmaj7    E45      E

G F  E  F   F   F   F   G  E   

Θα δω που πηγαίνουν                                                                         C9

G   C    D     E   D   C

Τα δέντρα τα αστέρια                                                                         Em

G   C   D     E  G   G  

Θα φεύγουν οι σκέψεις                                                                               F9

G     G    F     E   F   F

Πετούν στον αέρα                                                                                   C9     G45

F     F      E   D E   F E D

Πετούνε στ΄ αστέρια                                                                                Cmaj7

G    C  D      E   D   C

Πετούν μακρυά                                                                                     Em7

G    C     D  E  G

Πετούνε στ΄ αστέρια                                                                                  F9

G    G  F  E       F   F

Πετούνε στ΄ αστέρια                                                                          G56   G45   G

F     F  E  D      E  F   E  D

Rythm:  12/8

verse

E D C

E E - - - - - - - E E G   Έχει περάσει τόσος και

E  - - - - - - - -  E D C   ρός                     Κάποιος χο-

Ε Ε -                             ρεύει    etc

chorus

G C D E                        Θα δώ που πη-

D C - - - - - - G C D E  γαί νουν               Τα δέντρα τ΄α-

G G - - - - - - G G F E   στέρια                 Θα φεύγουν οι

F F -                              σκέψεις     etc

1st  manuscript drafts:

Haufe Transformers

 

I heard this name for the first time when dinning at Pizza Hut in London with Brian Sowter, manufacturer of the excellent Sowter transformers. just after an AES meeting on mastering.

https://www.haufe-uebertrager.de/

Searching for transformer shrouds, Asco components came up

 

https://ascocomponents.co.uk/metalwork/shrouds/

A single vacuum tube (electronic valve) small power amplifier in class A using the EF183 in triode connection

 At your risk. Potentially lethal voltage present.

This is continuing from previous posts on the Pleiades EF183 power amplifier using an input transformer making unnecessary the use of a voltage step up driver electronic valve (electron tube). 

It sounds fantastic and loud.

Resent time is devoted in building it into a small box just fitting the following.

A small power transformer placed as half shrouded. 

The very important fuse holder.

An octal base connected 1:12 input transformer.

An 1MΩ potentiometer. It may be possible to connect the wiper directly to the control grid of the triode connected EF183.

A cathode resistor of say 130Ω in parallel with 100μF.

The air gapped output transformer.

A few more bits and pieces.

The very interesting and unusual thing about this amplifier is the use of only one active device from input to output. The EF183 electron tube.

So it is only the euphonic distortion products of just one electron tube. The the distortion products of one electron tube feeding another electron tube creating new distortion products for each distortion product of the 1st electron tube.

So hopefully it may take the smoothness of the electron tube to its limit.

Waasner. A very interesting manufacturer of transformer laminations, tape wound toroidal cores including split ones for air gap.

 

www.waasner.de

I had the pleasure of learning about them on Sinadinos shop for transformer manufacturers in Athens.

Alphaville

 

Number of Syllables in Lyric's

 At your risk.

Moon River   8?

Annabel 5?

There is Nothing Wrong With Money But...

 (At your risk)

There is nothing wrong with money but make sure you don't pay the price.

Michalis

Lionel Richie on Songwriting

 

Increasing the pitch after the first milliseconds so that it sounds correct to the human brain

At your risk.

I have not heard anyone teaching this expect Sean Davies (the disc cutting lathe restauration expert) when he commented that I am singing pitch low the endings of words.

I think all good musicians seem to increase the pitch just after the attack of the note. 

An example is here at 1:30, the hand of the cello player's sliding slightly down while doing vibrato at the same time, meaning, the average frequency is subtly increased till it sounds correct to the listener's brain.

Or listening to Maria Callas:

Some songs suitable of sax solo?

 

The last two I heard my friend Lazaro Anardo play on Sax.

George Michael

 

Single electron tube vs single transistor audio power amplifier in class A operation with no negative feedback

At your risk. Potentially lethal voltage. 

Take all safety precautions. Additionally a suitable fuse should be used in series with any battery in order to protect from  a potential fire hazard or skin injury.

An additional precaution in the heft hand inside the back pocket. To the best of my knowledge this is a military rule of thumb in order to avoid an accidental electric current flowing through the heart.

It looks like the triode (or pentode triode connected) starts to win.

So far attempts to increase power output using bipolar transistors give a loud sound but there is some kind of grit, not a very clean sound.

For example the Darlington MJ1000, operated at Vb=12V, Ic=400mA with 21mH to 22mH output transformer with air gap.

Or 2N3055 operated at Vb=12V, Ic=140mA (must softer better sound, sweeter)

So far perhaps the best sound from transistors on these experiments is the Pleiades 2N3053 amplifier, one 2N3053 transistor for each channel with bias resistor from collector to bass (the examples above are biased from Vb to base). Operating conditions Vb=24V, Ic=12mA, output transformer 2.5Kohms to 8 Ohms. It is low power and it sounds fantastic on loudspeakers and perhaps this explains why the Neve 1073 using the 2N3055 at low power is reputed to sound so good.

Higher Vb experiments on the above amplifier gave louder sound at the expense of quality. What is left to do is to repeat the experiment with bias from Vb to base rather than from collector to base.

What about the electron tube?

Well the DL94 triode connected at Vb=90V, Ia=10mA, output transformer 2.5 KOhms to 8 Ohms and the EF183 triode connected at Vb=120V, Ia=20mA, output transformer 5 KOhms to 4 Ohms, both sing with depth, deep bass, clean smooth sound, hard to describe in words. On these amplifiers a step up input transformer of 1:7 is used to drive the control grid instead of a voltage amplifying triode! Bias is normally from cathode resitor bypassed by a good quality Elna magenta color Starget electrolytic. The DL94 was also operated with no resistors or capacitors and a Vc battery instead for bias through the input transformer.

Signal path of above experiments:

CD, for example Flashdance Soundtrack - Sony CD Walkman line out - Pleiades one electronic device power amplifier in class A with no negative feedback - Marantz 5-C for some of the latest transistor experiments and Celestion Ditton 150 for all the rest

When we like what we do all the doors open

The iMusical Interval of 6th major

The first chord immedately after the singer beggings:

At the capital letters of the lyrics the bass is A flat while melody is F is an interval of major 6th.

Beginning of lyrics: "to ka-lo-KE-e-ri"

Don't Know ANy Better - Purescence

A Nice Interesting, Funny Perspective on the Analog vs Digital Debate

 At your risk.

Trying to increase the power of the single transistor power amplifier in class A

At your risk. Please take all safety precautions. A suitable safety fuse should always be connected in series with a battery in order to avoid burn injury or possibility of fire.

The resent schematic has the bias resistor from Vb to base rather than from collector to base.

Signal path: CD - Sony CD Walkman line out - Pleiades single 2N3055 - Marantz 5-C loudspeaker

When the air gapped output transformer has an impedance ratio of 64 ohms to 8 ohms the sound is good even with Vb=10V, Ic=100mA or even less.

While staying with just one 12V battery and trying to increase power output by using a transformer or lower primary inductance (less turns ratio) and increasing Ic, did not work very well. Possible cause exhausted battery or inability of the CD Walkman to drive the lowered input impedance of the single power transistor.

Changing to the MJ1000 Darlington gave a much louder sound with some distortion with a transformer of 84mH:22mH or 22mH:22mH.

Music played on CD: Sodad - Cesaria Evora, Flashdance Soundtrack

Carol of the Bells (Ukrainian Bell Carol) - Mycola Leontovytch, Arr. Peter F. Wilhousky

At last I found from a girl who was playing this on the outdoors piano of SNFCC the name of this very nice composition:

A compilation LP or CD titled My Best Song of Each Year

For example:

2008 We are the People - Empire of the Sun

2015 Castle in the Snow - Kadebostany

One Dress Many Costumes - Anastasia Vlachaki

At your risk.

https://anastasiavlachaki.wordpress.com/2017/10/18/one-dress-many-costumes/

Αν το καταλαβαίνω σωστά και μόνο για αυτό το έργο η Αναστασία Βλαχάκη είναι ήδη σημαντική τολμώντας να τα βάλει με ίσως το πιό επικίνδυνο νυμφίδιο, την κοκκινοσκουφίτσα. Το δάσος είναι το ομορφότερο μέρος για καθαρή σκέψη, ομορφιά, η αφοβία. Τα ζώα στο βουνό πιθανότατα θα πλησιάσουν για να μοιραστούν την χαρά της δημιουργιας, την ομορφιά ή α-φοβία ή να σου κάνουν παρέα.Σε περίληψη. το γνωστό παραμύθι προσπαθεί να δημιουργήσει φόβο ενώ ο φόβος σαν ;eννοια ούτε καν υπάρχει.

If I get it, Anastasia Vlachaki, creator of this photographic work is already an important photographer, trying to expose the nastiness of the Little Red Riding Hood. A forest is possibly the best place for clean air, bringing out original thoughts, beauty or a-phobia. Animals will most likely approach to share beauty, kindness or love. In summary the well known fairytale tries to create fear whereas fear as a concept (notion) does not even exist.

Further reading on lack of fear:

Enchiridion (The Art of Living) - Epictetus  

Περισσότερα για την α-φοβία:

Ενχειρίδιον - Επίκτητος

It is the Product that Makes the Name and not Vice Versa

(At your risk).

But the product must be visible or audible, etc.

Konstantina Touni

 

Lazaro Anardo

I had the pleasure of meeting recently (before attending a concert at Odeon of Herodes Atticus) while he was playing, saxophonist Lazaro Anardo.

An interesting blog of photographer Anastasia Vlachaki

Almost an hour ago I had the pleasure meeting Anastasia at the library.

Here is her blog:

https://anastasiavlachaki.wordpress.com/

Sodade - Secaria Evora is a great example of avoiding consecutive 5ths

It is: 

C bE

C bE

D  F

D  F

bE  G

bE  G

D    F

D    F

and not

C  bE  G

C  bE  G

D   F   A

...

And if notes are sustained:

It sounds:

C  bE

C   bE

C    D    F

C     D    F

C     D     bE   G

C      D     bE    G

B      D      F     G

B     D     F     G

It is ingenious.

Here is what Bach says about consecutive fifths:

Please find General Bass Rules Bach PDF

Ο Κύριος Κάππος

Τραγούδι Ζειμπέκικο

C# major

9/8

Melody:

- C C C C C B C D D - - - - - - - - 

- D D D D E F D C C - - - - - - - - 

Chords:

C 

D

G

C

Best to play C E, D F, DF, C E and not C E G, D F A, ... in order to avoid consecutive fifths. Just like Sodad - Secaria Evora.

Όταν ξυπνάει ο κύριος Κάππος

Μην του μιλάτε είναι κάπως

Όταν πεινάει ο κύριος Κάππος

Ωσπου να φάει είναι κάπως

Και όταν τρώει ο ΄κθριος Κάππος

Ώσπου να χωνέψει είναι κάπως

'Οταν διαβάζει ο κύριος Κάππος

Αν τον διακόψεις είναι κάπως

Όταν ακούει ο κύριος Κάππος

Ώσπου να μιλήσει είναι κάπως

Κι όταν μιλάει ο κύριος Κάππος

Αν τον διακόψεις είναι κάπως

Όταν βραδυάζει ο κύριος Κάππος

Αν είναι μόνος είναι κάπως

(Μ' αν είσαι εκεί ο)

Μ' αν κάτσεις ώρα ο κύριος Κάππος

Ωσπου να φύγεις είναι κάπως

Looking at the 2N3055 datasheet on how promising it can be as a single transistor low voltage single ended power amplifier

 At your risk.

So far one nice combination is Vb=10V, Ic=100mA, using a 64ohm to 8ohm output transformer. Nice sound, a test using the Flashdance soundtrack CD.

How would high power sound with an 8ohm to 8ohm output transformer while increasing Ic? Or for example 24ohm to 8ohm.

Or even higher Ic for example 2A, a Darlington transistor and a step up output transformer, for example 1ohm to 8 ohm. If this works it can be a joy to make such transformers as there are few turns of wire to wind involved.

 

BJT or IGBJT (insulated gate bipolar junction transistor or MOSFET for single device audio power amplifier?

 At your risk.

Having the pleasure today discussing with George Gialousis.

I was telling him of a desire to make single device (electron tube or transistor or MOSFET) class A power amplifiers and compare the sound quality. For example the already tested Pleiades EF183, or Pleiades 2N3053 low power amplifiers in class A operation (electrons flowing all the time).. 

Asking him which might be better, a single device power amplifier at high voltage low current or low voltage high current operating point, he recommended the BUX37 high voltage Darlington which should operate either way.

After asking him for a MOSFET recommendation he also suggested the use of a IGBJT which seems a very nice idea.

On a discussion of general marketing ideas he said even a prince cannot expect people to buy because he is a prince. Hard work is needed to earn your value to a target market. 

Also it is not the name that makes a product. The good quality product makes the name.

A favorite quote is the 3 or 4 Ps in marketing.

You need to have a suitable Product.

A suitable price.

Suitable timing, place in time. For example you cannot expect to sell as retail swimming suits in winter.

Promotion. 

We were discussing whether promotion is included in the suitable product requirement.

Vasilis

At your risk.

I had the pleasure to discuss a few days ago with Vasilis about his making of a virtual 3D responding gallery in 2 dimensions at least.

Next morning 3 images came to my mind. 

Some airplanes paused in the sky, each airplane having inside it the works of art of each artist.

A virtual art exhibition at SNFCC park.

Refugee tents, where each tent can be visited having inside the works of art of each artist.

In this way the virtual galley can become surreal.

But the virtual world consumes electrical energy.

  

Back to Pleiades single ended 2N3055 audio power amplifier with single transistor 2N3055

At your risk.

Bias resistor has been disconnected from collector and connected to power supply Vb.

Now as Vb was increased from 12V to 24V to 36V to 48V with corresponding increase in Ia, increase in loudness could be heard.

With the Pleiades 64Ohms to 8 Ohms output transformer used, typical good sounding condition is:

Vb=12V, Ic=70mA.

Vb=24V, Ic=113mA

Vb=36V, Ic=150mA

Vb=48B, Ic=200mA

But there is some kind of graininess to the sound.

Is this coming from the Walkman CD source or from the power amplifier?

Pleiades MJ1000 single Darlington audio power amplifier in class A

 At your risk.

It worked with much better sound when bias resistor was connected from Vb to base rather than from collector to base. But there was thermal runaway.

Pleiades single Darlington audio power amplifier part 2

 At your risk.

By biasing with a resistor from Vb to base, Ic increased with time as the transistor was increasingly becoming warmer. That is, there is thermal runaway.

Hopefully it can be solved by a descent heatsink or an emitter resistor.

Pleiades single Darlington audio power amplifier in class A operation

 At your risk.

It seems bias resistor must be connected from Vb to base and not from collector to base.

Now things are getting better and bass is back. It sounds louder too.

So far test at Vb about 14V, Ic about 100mA. Output transformer 64 ohms to 8 ohms.

Rich Beato YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/@RickBeato

In the room with Reitzas

 

The Pleiades single electron tube EF183 power amplifier in class A (electrons flowing all the time) sounds amazing

 At your risk. Potential lethal voltage. Take all safety precautions.

Operation conditions: Va=120V, Ia=20mA, 1:12 input transformer, 5KOhms to 4Ohms output transformer, Celestion Ditton 150 speaker used is 8Ohms.

Signal path:

Constant Craving - K. D. Lang on CD - Sony CD Walkman line out - Pleiades EF183 single ended power amplifier - Celestion Ditton 150 

Huge bass, smooth mid and treble, dynamic.

It is funny how loud and big just.an electron tube the size of ECC83 can sound.

Limit to how powerful a single transistor power amplifier can be?

 At your risk.

Signal path:

Constant craving - K. D. Lang on CD - Sony CD Walkman line out or Philips CDR 870 line out - Pleiades 2N3055 power amplifier  with various output transformer ratios, Vb= 9V or 12V or 24V - Marantz Imperial 5C

Trying to increase power output by increasing Collector power dissipation (by changing Vb or base bias current), increased loudness but not as much as expected while transistor with a heatsink was getting warm.

It seems there is a limit as transistor amplifiers need signal power input due to their low input impedance which depend on how much the collector circuit is loaded. There is hfe (ratio of collector current to base current), and if the collector current is increased the base current must be increased to and the same applies to a changing base collector or base current i.e. a signal current. 

A CD player at line out for example can give a certain amount of small power output.

Connecting the sigle electron tube Pleiades EF183 power amplifier at 2.4W plate dissipation to the CD Walkman line out gave by comparison a huge sound, surprisingly loud and big. The reason seems to be that an electron tube does not take power from the signal source as it has a very high input impedance.

So it seems the winner will be the electron tube.

A Darlington can be tried. But it is 2 transistors although the configuration or connection between them is a simple as possible.

   . 

Can output transformers be made with ordinary power transformer laminations?

 At your risk. Take all safety precautions. Potentially lethal voltages may be present. 

Surprisingly enough the sound can be very good. See previous post.

Yesterday by the way on the larger transformer the I laminations were separated from the E laminations while music was playing. Bass reproduction decreased as expected. Then E laminations were removed, mid reproduction was decreased as expected by high frequency reproduction was still there. Meaning that the high frequencies can pass through air without needing the metal.

In fact this seems to be more correct. The primary is now a coil without core. Its inductance is low. But since reactance is ohms is proportional to frequency too, impedance is high at high frequencies. So the output impedance of the transistor is not loaded so there is no voltage drop. Therefore high frequencies appear at the primary and since the coils are hugged together energy passes through electromagnetic  induction to the secondary. Or is it electromagnetic radiation?

Mid and high frequencies need the iron so that there would be no voltage drop at the primary of the output transformer. And possibly the circulation of magnetic flux?

Pleiades single ended class A 2N3055 continued

 At your risk.

The use of the somewhat big (size75mm) transformer with air gap and low ratio described on previous post makes possible a good quality sound with only a 12V battery.

But today a smaller size transformer made years ago rediscovered by chance produced a sweeter and better quality sound, more natural, easier and even smoother to the ear.

The size of this transformer is 60mm. Es are stacked together and there are 2 long screws keeping them together. While Is are stacked together and placed over the Es with no 3M Scotch invisible tape separating them. There is still of course a true air gap as metals do not fit exactly together.

Also thin wire is used by "mistake" on both primary and secondary.

Also and this is the most interesting point perhaps, the laminations are ordinary "thicker" laminations used on power transformers.

I thought there would be no extended high frequency response. By surprise there was amazing bass, mid and treble.

The experiment with this transformer sounds less loud but it sounds much better or listenable with musicality.

Signal path:

Constant Craving - K. D. Lang on CD - Sony CD Walkman line out - Pleiades 2N3055 resistor biased from collector to base, Vb=12V, Ic typically 60mA - Marantz Imperial 5-C with Tweeter setting at Low

Later addition:

Perhaps this comparison of the 2 transformers is not as relevant as it seems as the 2nd one has an inductance ratio of about 1.5H to 47mH i.e. is has a larger turns ratio. 

It is likely that popular music of recent years will be the classical music of tomorrow

 For example Constant Craving - K. D. Lang advances the art.

Moonlight Sonata - Beethoven is very characteristic of beginning with a minor chord and then the 2nd chord harmony is created by the bass going down one step of the scale while the upper parts played by the right hand remain exactly the same. It is the principle of least change in music creating a fantastic effect by this passing bass note.

In Constant Craving exactly the same thing happens with a great difference. This 2nd chord takes place as the 3rd chord while the 2nd chord is an ordinary one with a remote bass. So the 3rd chord takes place unexpectedly. But the brain of the listener somehow still relates to what was the 1st chord. 

I have not heard yet another music classical or pop that uses this harmony structure as on Constant Craving. If you know one please kindly post it at the comments below. 

Beginning harmony of Moonlight Sonnata.

Bass bD       harmony bA bC E

Bass bC        harmony bA bC E

Beginning harmony of Constant Craving:

Bass F         harmony  C F bA

Bass C         harmony C bE G

Bass bE       harmony  C F bA (equivalent to what tales place as 2nd chord on M.S.)

Bass bD       harmony C F bA

it can also be played:

(right hand notes played together higher than middle C notes);

C      F bA

C bE G

C bE F bA

C bD F bA 

All this intelligent harmony carries on from introduction to verse.

A low power class A amplifier sounds loud enough as it sounds beautiful

 At your risk.

There are at least 2 other reasons.

Steven's law. How ear brain perceives sound intensity (ie power). 10 times less power sounds only 2 times less loud. So for example 100mW should sound only 4 times less than 10W. See Sound and Hearing - Stevens, Warshofsky - Life Science Library.

Nice distortion at peaks simulating real life instruments getting gradually non linear at high playing levels. See the paper Tubes vs Transistors - Russell O. Hamm.

How to create or fine tune an air gap output transformer?

 At your risk. Take all safety precautions. Potentially lethal voltage present.

See previous post on Pleiades 2N3055 single ended class A power amplifier.

How would a bifilar wound 1 to1 air gaped output transformer sound with a single 2N3055?

 At your risk.

Or even a Darlington transistor with an inverse ratio output transformer, for example 1ohm to 8 ohms in order to get very high power even with 12V power supply?

Pleiades 2N3055 single ended power amplifier revisited

 At your risk.

This is on one transistor only single ended audio power amplifiers with no negative feedback.

Using Italian Transeria Ligure E,I laminations a new lower ratio output transformer was made that the used for the Pleiades 2N3053 operated at 24V, 10mA.

This transformer was made by winding 64 turns of 0.55mm wire, then 270 turns of 0.25mm wire, then 64 turns of 0.55mm, then again 270 turns of 0.25mm,  then 60 turns of 0.55mm.

Inductance ratio with no air gap is 340mH to 47mH.

This sounded very nice with Pleiades BD139 at Vb=6V, Ic=25mA.

Signal path: Flashdance soundtrack on CD - Sony CD Walkman line out - Pleiades power amplifier - Marantz Imperial speakers

Then air gap was introduced by attaching a layer of 3M scotch invisible tape across the open end of stacked Es. Inductance ratio became 227mH to 33mH.

Sound is still very nice with amazing bass, mid, treble.

.

Then Vb was changed to 12V and Ic to 60mA for louder sound but 2N3055 sounded better at 12V and Ic=80mA.

Then transformer was opened up again and airgap was increased by putting all Is in a small transparent plastic bag and placing them by hand on top of the Es while music is playing.

Now inductance ratio is 173mH to 26mH.

Sound is very nice and loud .

 

A quote of Elia Kazan for talent or genius

 

Yesterday at 3rd (classical) Hellenic radio were noticed 2 quotes of film director Elia Kazan from his autobiography book. Here they are roughly translated back to english.

Talent: maniac of working

Ταλέντα, μανιακοί της εργασίας

Genius: shines happiness (they do what they like)

Ιδιοφυίες, ακτινοβολούν ευτυχία (κάνουν αυτό που τους αρέσει)

It's a concert in Vienna and is this microphone an AKG C12?

Juan Diego Florez

 

Creating a boundary microphone out of a mobile phone

At your risk.

First time I saw it was when Zhanna placed the mobile phone on top of the right side of the piano keyboard.

Apparently by placing the mobile phone this way, the mic capsule comes so close to the boundary (the wood of the piano) that it picks up mainly the main reflection of sound from wood (boundary mic principle), plus the vibration of wood itself.

Here are 2 recording of the same piano same day, different solo pianist (the person at the right side), different mobile phones, but one phone is held by hand, the other recording is by placing the phone (Galaxy A13) as described above.

 

Some more information on boundary microphones:

The Wikipedia article:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_microphone

Pietro Mascagni

 

I am lucky to having received this nice link of so beautiful music by Luda.

Silence

 

Κλεις τα ρολα σου ισαμε κ'οτι προλαβαμ' να ειδούμε τo 'δαμε

Recording outdoors percussion

 At your risk.

It sounds fantastic.

Priority list on music production

 At your risk.

The closer to the source the more important the quality is.

For example the song is more important than the recording. No matter how good a recording an unimaginative composition is an unimaginative composition.

So what could be a priority list?

What the producer has in mind.

What the composer has in mind.

The song.

The arrangment.

The quality of music instrument or instruments used.

The quality of voice or intonation of the singer.

The acoustics or lack of acoustics, for example recording outdoors, or not recording near wall reflections etc.

The mic positions.

The microphone or microphones.

The mic preamp.

The recording equipment.

The recording medium.

The reproducing system.

The monitoring loudspeakers.

The brain of the listener.

Music I Like

Big In Japan - Alphaville

Bones - Telenova

Chi Mai - Morricone

Julia - Pavlov's Dog

Largo - Concerto in F minor - Bach - Glenn Gould

Maria Magdalena - Sandra

Suzanne - Leonard Cohen

A signal path for Madonna

 At your risk.

Neumann U47 - NTI PreQ3 - NTI EQ3 - Tube Tech CL1B, Dave Reitzas

https://gearspace.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/106967-madonnas-vocal-chain-past-present.html

Giorgio Moroder

 Here showing how he created I Feel Love:

It is very important to treet others with respect

They can then bring out the best in themselves.

CV of Georgios Tsakiris

The pleasure of meeting yesterday Alexandros and his unique kindness is an inspiration on making a better CV. Or at least one that I can enjoy writing.

Born in 1972 in Athens.

1972-1982 (0 to 10 years old)

Piano lessons at National Conservatory

Starting teaching myself the ability to recognize musical notes by ear. It is something very useful that can help understanding how notes are combined together even when passing through any place where music is being played. I still seek to improve it everyday as any newly discovered interesting song is always a challenge. Recognizing the notes in the bass is the most difficult but once this can be mastered the door to understanding opens as the word bass can be traced in the Hellenic word "Βασις" meaning foundation [1]. Below is the song Bones by Telenova which reveals itself beginning with the bass only:

Of course lack of this ability is no obstacle in enjoying or even composing great music.

First attempts in constructing electronic circuits, radio receiver, transmitter, amplifier on the pedagogic games Polycyclomatic 1002 or 501, discovered on a schoolmate's party. The electric and mechanical connection of the electronic components is done with springs while following the assembly instruction schematic. At the time I did not know what an amplifier is so when noting was heard on the speaker except a click sound I was puzzled to what was done wrongly.. Disappointment have itself to joy when a radio receiver was connected to it and music appeared clearly heard in the room. The simplicity and nice sound of these experiments are still an inspiration on designing or improving the simplest possibly electronic circuits.

1982-1992 (10 to 20 years old)

co DJing at school class parties, usually at Intercontinental Hotel ballroom

It's the 80s and we would play with schoolmate Yiannis Tieris vinyl records on rented Technics SL1200 MK2 turntables beautiful songs such as:

Small range FM radio station after building the legendary HF65 JostyKit. It is around 1985 and it is a joy broadcasting in city of New Smyrna songs like:

Making up a piano, electric bass, drums band at school's basement studio. This is the only instrumental we tried to play, there is a recording on cassette, here is the original:

Sorbonne C1 literature - University of Paris - Sorbonne French Language Diploma

Finished High School Lycee Leonin Franco-Hellenique - New Smyrna - Athens 

Failed panhellenic examinations for admission to a Hellenic university

With the help of family business Homer "Ομηρος" schools of English attending 1 year foundation course for university preparation at Coventry Technical College - UK. Distinction marks in Mathematics and Physics allowed entrance to University Of Warwick - UK.

University of Cambridge Proficiency in English diploma

I have the pleasure to meet and communicate with piano tuner Albert Ketenzian in his workshop and exchanging information on musical acoustics beyond the usual academic norm. For example that a musical octave (one that sounds correct to the human brain) is slightly higher than an exact 1 to 2 ratio which is the engineering octave. 

1992-2002 (20 to 30 years old)

Final year project for B. Eng. degree: Design and Investigation of a Triode Single Ended Audio Frequency Amplifier with No Negative Feedback

Joined the Warwick University Chorus conducted by Collin Touchin.

Singing polyphonic choir music. Concerts in Coventry and London. 

Bachelor of Engineering in Engineering Electronics class C - The University of Warwick - England

Worked for a few months at Audio Note UK. Participated in the assembly of high end electronic valve (electron tube) amplifier kits for high quality music reproduction.

 

Withdrew from Master's of Philosophy - Napier University - Edinburgh 

Area of research is on comparison between electron tube and transistor class A audio amplifiers for music reproduction 

Military service at Hellenic Air Force. 

Telephony, Radar maintenance assistant. 

Joined the Air Force modern music band, playing keyboards, entertaining officers with their families on vacation dinners.

Co-formed rock band Obsession with Markos Delivorias and Albert Ketenzian.

I have the pleasure to meet Lefteris Logaridis who studied in England. I did not know at the time that Lefteris was a major technical force since being a kid for record productions of his uncle Stamatis Spanoudakis.

Lefteris promptly got me into pro audio equipment techniques such as using audio signal transformers and their importance for audio quality.

Joined Fons Musicalis choir. Concerts in Athens concert hall (Megaron Mousikis), Odeon of Herodes Atticus ancient theatre, Epidaurus ancient theatre.

Teaching at IEK Halandriou, Athens, sound engineering electronics relevant to sound engineering, acoustics

I have the pleasure to meet at IEK Panos Diamantopoulos, specializing in modifying pro audio equipment by simplifying the signal path. Together we begin recording concerts at various indoor or outdoor locations including ancient theatre Odeon of Herodes Atticus. Panos hands on a paper the simplest possible schematic of a microphone preamplifier with a JFET transistor.

Teaching at Akis Golfidis' MIA (Mixing is Art), electronics in sound engineering

.

Attended masterclass in choir conducting with the choir conductor of Fons Musicalis chorus, Costis Constandaras.

Pro Audio

Design, development and prototype procuction of electron tube studio equipment for music production

2002-2012 (30 to 40 years old) 

Records songs as composer, recording artist and producer in Sound Studio and Paraxis studio in Athens.

Mastering of some of these songs at Abbey Road Studios, England. A very valuable experience confirming that good studios around the world treasure, preserve and use high quality equipment or microphones of any decade together with the latest technology.

Publishing in UK some of these mastered songs with the CD and 7'' vinyl single title Songs of Innocence and Experience - William Blake poetry, Yorgos Tsakiris music.

Not exactly a commercial success but a valuable lesson, including learning from my mistakes.

2002 Pro Audio Historic Equipment

Restauration of vintage electron tube pro audio equipment such as RCA, Telefunken, Neumann, Altec.

2004 Tranquilo Marangoni

Found by chance the lost wood engraving work of art by Tranquillo Marangoni, "La Principessa e il Trovatore", negotiated  with the Italian municipality authorities for the return to its birth place where it is exhibited at the museum of Monfalcone.

2007 eBay

Taking part in worldwide electronic buying and selling.

September 13 2010 beginning of euroelectron blogspot. It concentrates on how music and electronics can work together. On the design of extremely simple electronic audio amplifiers. On why we like what we like on popular music. On explaining electronics or music getting at times as close to the heart of the vibrating (almost like dancing) electrons or air molecules that carry music from place to place. From the producer's or composer's brain to the brain of the listener.

 

2012-2022 (40 to 50 years old)

Having the pleasure to meeting again and interviewing legendary Hellenic songwritter Mimis Plessas in his 90s, on how he crafted some of his songs. The series is called Sectrets of Music (Μυστικά της Μουσικής). Here is the 1st episode recorded in binaural (3D recording) using the Pleiades binaural microphone (in ear headphones converted to housing a small microphone capsule for each ear). It is to be listened with headphones:

November 2014, published Hit Song Ingredients with Examples:

https://euroelectron.blogspot.com/2014/11/hit-song-ingredients-with-examples.html

First success in making high end baterry powered audio power amplifiers operating in class A1 (electrons flowing all the time) with only one active device per channel (transistor or electron tube). The Pleiades 2N3053 currently the near field monitoring speaker power amplifier in Pleiades studio lab.

2014 Pleiades Tuning for the Yamaha DX7, or Korg Triton synthesizer.

There are all note scale tuning parameters so that the synthesizers have correct sounding octaves to the listener's brain. Sold as an upgrade on eBay and later on published as open source on euroelectron blogger. 

2022-

First success in making a high end battery powered DL series electron tube audio power amplifier with only one electron tube per channel, no other active or passive device (no capacitors, resistors) except an input and an output transformer and 3 battery power supplies. It is found that such high end amplifier was patented by Arnold 100 years ago. 

Current unfinished projects:

Designing and producing prototype of:

Pleiades EF183 or EL84 single ended class A1 audio power amplifier with no negative feedback with an input transformer instead of an extra electron tube

Pleiades DL94 battery powered class A1 audio power amplifier with no negative feedback and an input transformer instead of an extra electron tube

Pleiades DK series battery powered electron tube microphone booster preamplifier

Continuing The Melody Book

Continuing the book A Letter to Clive Davis:

https://euroelectron.blogspot.com/2025/04/a-letter-to-clive-davis.html

Recording outdoors vocals or other instruments in order to have almost no reverberation at low frequencies.

Creating music with others:

https://euroelectron.blogspot.com/2025/09/creating-boundary-microphone-out-of.html