One of the last things that I would think of to be steam powered would be any sort of electronic device, let alone a synthesizer. Well Lorin Parker and Sarah Seelig, whom we covered some time ago when we showed you the Thermatron flame-controlled synth, have built such a device which they call the Parker Steam Synthesizer.

How does it work? Well, the pressure delivered to the engine is controlled by a ball valve between the boiler and the engine. The dynamo is much like a brushless, permanent magnet motor which is spun by a belt attached to a flywheel. This creates an alternating magnetic field which is turned into electricity by an inductive pickup.

The pickup creates various unique waveforms which are generated by the reciprocal motions of the piston. These waveforms are amplified, and these combined with the clacking of the engine and hissing of the steam creates an interesting bunch of sound.

The steam synthesizer does not need to be plugged into electricity as it uses only steam power, and generates it’s own electricity. It generates about 6 watts of AC at high pressure and speed.

This project started as a discussion with my friend Lewis Keller. I kind of joked about the absurdity of a steam powered synthesizer, and how strange and inefficient it would be. Well, the idea stuck in my head and a year later, here it is the Parker Steam Synthesizer.

The steam synth runs best on coal, but will also run on Esbit Tablets (hexamine), Ethanol or Propane. It requires a pretty constant, hot fire to keep the synth going continuously. The boiler can build up to 40-50psi before the safety valve opens.

Watch the video below to find out what it looks and sounds like. It’s more of a steam-powered oscillator that a full-fledged synthesizer, but it’s a great concept. I love how to need to use a wrench to adjust “parameters”:

• Steam-Powered Record Player
• Steam powered sequencer
• Thermatron: the flame-controlled synthesizer
• The thought-controlled synthesizer