Baldwin "Fun Machine" - cheap and cheesy (albeit overly complex) goodness

[Guest]

well, this thing is kind of fun for lazy SOB's like me who cant play bass pedals worth a poo.</P>


there seems to be a lot of these around, with alot of variables in the design,but VERY little in the way of information.</P>


this one is a particularly gaudy model with rocker tabs in allnature of plasticky rainbowcolors - lordy, look at all those buttons:</P>


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im trying to figure how to get that left keyboard to play ONLY bass notes... theres a yellow and white rocker bank (visible on the far left) marked "string bass" and "piano" but i cant get them to turn the bass keyboard off/on... does anyone know the elaborate sequence of buttons and switches to bypass the rhythm-driven "funbass" cheesiness? is it even possible?</P>


anyone else got one of these? i really like it - theres some pretty crazy experimental music radiohead-esque sounds in this thing. [:D] look for it on a lo-fi indie album near you.</P>

[andyg]

Re: Baldwin &quot;Fun Machine&quot; - cheap and cheesy (albeit overly complex) goodness



Been a long time since I played one of these - around 25-30 years since this one was made! The FunMachines were designed to be played from a chord or single-fingered chord in the left hand keyboard. This triggered the automatic backing, same as today's keyboards (It is basically a primitive keyboard in a pretty box). I don't think you can just have the bass sounds playing from the left hand, that wouls have been 'real' playing, not 'fun playing'.</P>


Andy G</P>

[james]

Re: Baldwin &quot;Fun Machine&quot; - cheap and cheesy (albeit overly complex) goodness



This is one of Baldwin's "toys" to get people interested in something easy, simple, etc. Then they could say, "Oh I have a "BALDWIN" fun machine. </P>


James</P>

[Guest]

Re: Baldwin &quot;Fun Machine&quot; - cheap and cheesy (albeit overly complex) goodness



yeah, no doubt.</P>


it is pretty fun though.</P>


i dont know if its the picture perfect idea of simplicity - if i sat down in front of one of these as a kid, i wouldnt know where to begin with all those bloody buttons and switches.</P>


i wouldve figured it out eventually though :)</P>

[Guest]

Re: Baldwin &quot;Fun Machine&quot; - cheap and cheesy (albeit overly complex) goodness



and it is fun, but with that extra step to activate just bass notes, it couldve been a huge leap closer to being taken so much more seriously...</P>


but who cares - itspretty much exactlywhat it's name declares it to be... its a machine. that you have fun with.</P>

[Guest]

Re: Baldwin &quot;Fun Machine&quot; - cheap and cheesy (albeit overly complex) goodness



Hello, have a question about the Fun Machine:</p>

Just picked one up, and I really like it! I'm wondering if what I'm playing is 'normal' or not....</p>

it doesn't play like a normal piano... I play the first five notes and then it goes down a few notes... it's not like a standard keyboard... I've pressed all the buttons, and can't figure out how to play it in normal key order! is this how it's supposed to be, or am I missing something? I've searched the web and can't find any info... if anybody has info about this, would be much appreciated! :)</p>

Thanks!! Chad
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