Weekend Assignment #171 -- Unusual Technology

John Scalzi asks us "What is the most unusual technology or machine you have used?"

 

               

Here it is: a Jamstation.  It is an accompaniment device that plays, according your selection, some one of 150 standard songs pattern accompaniments to your own musical instrument. You see it there, the smaller box on the most unusual music stand, an easy chair.

Plug in the speakers, seen also in the chair, select the accompaniment you want say Country - Bluegrass, press the button and a neat combo, bass, drums, guitar, brass, play a standard chord progression for  you.  You are the solo artist on your keyboard (shown) or harmonica (also shown on the chair arm).

At the touch of a button, any of those jamming buddies can be asked to "lay out" so YOU can star.  No hurt feelings they just shut up. 

You can program the jamstation for any chord progression you want, standard, or your own compost ion.  Plug it into your amplifier and it is a whole band for your performance. 

You don't play in their key?  No need to strain... you can turn a wheel and they play in any key you choose.

Also on the easy chair/orchestra pit is a DJ box.  Yamaha makes a rhythm section too, with all the distortions or reverberations you might wish with a dozen variations of some 75 patterns, and a choice of instruments. That is thousands of different combos for you to play along with.

Behind the Jamstation and the DJ box is a plain old tape recorder, in case I want to preserve some theseepic productions.

Under the keyboard run wires to the five separate power supplies.  You would think with so many appliances needing low voltage power that there would be a universal low voltage supply...but no.  Each device needs its own little transformer. (12v. AC, 6 v. DC, 9 v. DC, and 12 v. DC)

Earphones optional in case you want to practice late at night without disturbing the neighbors,.