Unfortunately this thing doesn’t have anything to do with the Saved By The Bell character of the same name (hey, did anyone else see his sex tape? Nasty…) but it is pretty cool nonetheless. What’s even better is that it’s all controlled by a Commodore 64!

From its inventor, Larry Cotton:

I built this bizarre musical instrument–based loosely on the playing-card-in-the-bicycle-spokes principle–a while back, shot a quick video, then cannibalized it for parts. As you’ll see, the bicycle spokes were scaled down to a small white plastic gear. The card remained.

I called it a screechophone for reasons which will become obvious as you watch (and listen) to the video.

The whole thing was synced to accompanying music from a mini-CD through an ancient Commodore 64 computer, programmed in BASIC. A transparent disc printed only with black arcs spun with the CD and was read by a photocell.

Isn’t that the most incredibly cool thing you’ve ever seen? Probably, if you lead a sheltered life. It is good though.

(via)

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