<img src="/images/finishedpieces/blue-box/bluebox_01.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="casperelectronics Blue Box" title="casperelectronics Blue Box" />
This piece uses a special kind of sound circuit that can be found in many, cheap beanbag toys. They play back stupid songs or jokes when you squeeze or shake the toys they're in. What makes these circuits special is what happens when you lower the pitch.

Rather than slowing to a rumble, the sound starts breaking up into modulating pulses and bleeps. When two of these circuits are played together you start hearing the illusion of intentional interplay. Add two more you get an orgy of spastic rhythms and chaotic noise. Hypnotic and maddening at the same time.
<img src="/images/finishedpieces/blue-box/bluebox_02.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="casperelectronics Blue Box" title="casperelectronics Blue Box" />

Four of these circuits are mounted into the case of a piece of phone line testing equipment that I found. Each has its own volume control, pitch control, play button, volume indicator light and pitch control touch pad. The face plate is plexi-glass with blue vinyl on it. The speaker and battery compartments are the two halves of a sound box from a talking stuffed animal.