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Re: [TCML] tcs as musical instruments...



On 4/1/12 9:37 PM, Henry wrote:
Jim,

First of all, if you're going to do any work with Tesla coils, particularly
high powered ones, I cannot stress the importance of understanding a
phenomenon known as "Step Potential". Ignoring this concept can and will
cause serious burns and death. I know of two colleagues working in EHV
(Extra High Voltage<500kv>) switch yards who are no longer with us because
they didn't (or weren't aware) of this danger. By the way, both fatalities
occurred on line that were de-energized. This phenomenon is also known as
induction.

The shark suit worn by those performing high voltage shows acts like a
faraday cage causing the voltage drop within the suit to be near zero.

There is no way anyone wearing one of these suits can possibly play a guitar
and fret the notes properly. That being said, what you are seeing is a
"Nilli Manilli" impersonation....the music is really a recording. Pick up a
guitar sometime and try it; then throw on a pair of gardening gloves and see
how well you do.

While not being a competent guitarist, I have actually played a bit. While I can't see using chain mail or gardening gloves, I can see a fine metallic mesh or conductive plastic (like a conductive nitrile or latex glove) potentially working. It would require some work to deal with the sliding friction, and wear on the glove... there's more to playing guitar well than just pushing the string down onto the fretboard in the right position.

And, I can see a skilled guitarist figuring out a way to to "make it work" odd feel and all. Maybe they wouldn't get the same effects they get on a standard guitar without the coil, but, then, driving a TC is a totally different kind of sound, and maybe new playing techniques need to be developed. (viz difference in acoustic vs hollow body electric vs solid body electric playing styles)



Do not take what you see for granted, or you might be sorry. I cannot stress
safety enough.

I'm fairly aware of these issues (having worked with HV for some years now<grin>).

Steve Ward's email (a few back up) describes how it's not a real guitar, but more a fiber coupled midi keyboard, which explains how they get around the combination problem of shielding and nimble fingers...




Let me give you an example:

When I play my guitar through the coil, the guitar is grounded, as is all my
equipment. I am obviously touching the guitar strings, which are also
grounded through the amp. If I get too close to the coil (usually less than
six feet on smaller coils), I get knocked on my ass due to "Step Charge".
When the coil is operating, my body is somewhere between the coils full
potential and ground....not a good situation, indeed! Notice that the
coil(s) are always at a distance from the performer.

Yes.. but if you used a wireless transmitter/optical fiber, the guitar is at "you" potential, and the potential difference between it and you is small. You'd still have the problem of spark going "coil->spark->you->wire->guitar->spark->ground" (or capacitive coupling instead of either of the sparks), but that *might* be easier to solve than the "guitar hard grounded" problem.


But this sort of electrostatics/capacitive coupling thing is why an old HV guy (there's a reputable combination!) advised when starting to fool with HV to get something like a medium size Van deGraaff generator (say a few hundred kV)... enough field to make your hair stand up and "feel" the field when you get close, and small enough that when you take the inevitable hit because you forgot, it just stings and doesn't injure.


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