Texas Instruments Speak and Spell Modified 1980 Unit

From 'Home Computer' to 'LFO' and '604', this early educational speech synthesiser is a cult feature of electronic music. The low resolution digitised voice chip provides numerous opportunities for rhythmic phonetic experimentation in music production. This original 1980 unit has been customised with the following modifications:

- Button 1 produces garbled tones, mangled words and noise. This feature is completely random, either generating one off sounds or extended streams of sound.
- Button 2 holds and loops the audio signal for granular modulation of the onboard sounds. Additionally, when a game is activated ('Say It' is best) or the various alphabetical buttons are pressed, individual elements of each vocalised letter can be held and looped until the button is released.
- Switch 1 generates a consistent stream of words, half sentences and sounds which may then be modified with the hold and distortion controls.
- Switch 2 generates an intense robotic distortion effect.

Demo to follow.

Takes four C batteries or 6v PSU.