What do you call those handheld noise boxes Lee and Thurston have?
 

They were getting some terrific scary noises out of them last night. When I saw The Locust they had one too. What are those things?

Guitars?

Tape recorders?

i haven't seen them this tour, but you're probably talking about the "buddha machine"

http://www.fm3.com.cn/buddhamachine.htm

Maybe he's talking about effect pedals?

Haha.

I think val-holla is probably right. Never heard them before, but from what I've heard about them, it's a likely answer.

there cool but it makes the DIY experiment too easy

Ya it does kind of seem like cheating a bit. But I'm a little interested. I'm gonna buy one I think, just to check it out. All the descriptions I've heard are really vague, and at the very least it could trip people out.

yeah ill probably buy one too. Maybe I learn from the internal schematics of it...

made me laugh as well

Just ordered one off eBay on an impulse. We'll see just how great these things really are...

so, what exactly does this thing do?

It's like a walkman that only plays one tape. Just drones, really. You can alternate between them with a switch or just let them play out. Pretty neat, but nothing you couldn't do yourself.

i think they'd be interesting to chop up and manipulate (the sounds, that is), and use to make different sounds and drones than the 9 (i think) that are initially offered.

if brian eno bought 9, why shouldn't you buy 1 </joke>

are you talking about the budda box?

yep, but it's the buddha machine.

I dont think it would be easy at all...

You would have to create 9 audio cassette loops(not easy) of varying lengths, get them to run independently through the output as well as with eachother, and fit them inside a walkman size container with an LED and speaker running in it as well, not to mention space for batteries. $25 is well worth it....

Homemade tape loops are easy enough and much more original.

why yes they are. the machines ruin the diy attitude and shouldnt be used for musical production...

I have a buddha machine soundbox, that i bought at Kim's in NYC (they also had them at the Whitney Museum) they are quite interesting alone or played thru an effects chain. 9 different loops each about 2-5 seconds long of electronically made misc. buddha music used for worshipers to chant to (obviously), but they have taken hold as an interesting tool for experimntal musicians/artists. it has a mini stereo output (1/8") so just got an adapter to run to a stereo -> mono 1/4" plug to plug into a std. guitar amp. /effects pedal.

i don't use mine very much, kinda just and interlude between songs for my band, i guess i prefer to run a internal feedback loop instead by plugging my input guitar cable to the output of a stereo effect pedal... it generates a constant tone and w/ misc fuzz/distortion, phaser units you can get soem crazy sounds.