Once upon a time, in a land far away, there was a magical musical thing that brought joy and wonder to all who encountered it. This mystical entity was unlike anything anyone had ever seen or heard before. Whenever the musical thing played its enchanting tunes, it had the power to lift spirits and transport people to a realm of pure happiness. The magical musical thing was not an ordinary instrument. It had strings made of sparkling gold and a body adorned with intricate patterns that glowed in the moonlight. Its sound was ethereal, like a celestial lullaby that could soothe even the most troubled soul.

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Its sound was ethereal, like a celestial lullaby that could soothe even the most troubled soul. Legend had it that the musical thing was created by a gifted musician who possessed extraordinary powers. It was said that this talented individual poured their heart and soul into the creation of this bewitching instrument, infusing it with a piece of their own magic.

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Build Your Own Retro 80’s Musical Toy

Now you can make your own custom version of one of the most iconic musical toys of the 80's.

• Time Required: 38 Hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Print this Project

By Bob Knetzger

Bob Knetzger

Bob Knetzger ([email protected]) is an inventor/designer with 30 years of experience making fun stuff.

Perhaps the most iconic 80’s music toy was the Magical Musical Thing from Mattel. The TV commercial featured a kid playing melodies with one finger on the toy’s keypad strip — and finishing by playing it with his head! It featured a sound circuit that was designed around the cheapest and most basic building block of digital electronics: the 4049 CMOS hex inverter chip.

Usually used for decoders and multiplexers, the lowly 4049 was re-imagined by Mattel’s thrifty engineers to create musical tones. Three of the IC’s six logic gates were linked head-to-tail with a resistor and capacitor to create a simple, self-oscillating on-off/on-off square wave generator. The output of this oscillator was hooked up to the remaining three inverters in parallel. Their combined outputs were just enough to directly drive a speaker, with no audio amplifier needed!

A network of resistors created the various musical tones. This was done using a cleverly designed membrane switch pad. The top and bottom layers were made from a single, folded piece of Mylar, printed with conductive silver traces connecting strips of resistive paint. The middle layer was a die-cut insulated spacer with holes positioned to make touch points, each labeled for a different color-coded musical note. Touching the membrane pressed together two conductive strips, which completed the circuit through a path of resistors, producing a single musical tone. The shorter the path, the less electrical resistance, the faster the circuit oscillates, and the higher the pitch! Beep boop! Follow the color-coded notes to play a song or slide the “Thing” over your body for a flourish of notes.

Now you can make your own custom version of this classic 80’s toy. Wire up the circuit, paint a membrane keyboard, and make a housing (or put it in some repurposed container). This DIY re-do has a new added feature: a circuit-bending touch point.

Mattel Magical Musical Thing 1979

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Magical Musical Thing: A vintage analog synthesizer

Item works but is missing battery cover.

In March 1979, Mattel Toys previewed their Magical Music Thing at the Dallas Toy Show. While it didn’t make a huge splash there, it did get a few mentions in newspapers. It would hit the market later that year in anticipation of being a hit for the 1979 Christmas season.

Invented by Franklin Eventoff, who also invented the technology at the core of the Musical Thing, the force-sensing resistor (FSR). These FSRs whose are materials where the resistance changes when you apply a force, pressure or mechanical stress.

Eventoff would license it to Mattel and the toy would be a nice hit for the company, selling 3 million units. It would live on afterwards because of its relatively simple design and a music-making ability that has given it a bit of cult status over the years.

What is the Magical Musical Thing?

The Magical Musical thing is a 25 button toy musical synthesizer with a single built-in speaker. Buttons are arrayed in two rows and by pushing a button you played a note. By following along with the music in a color-coded and numbered songbook, most kids (and adults) could play simple tunes.

The unit was about 21 inches (0.53 m) long by 3.5 inches (8.89 cm) wide and 2 inches (5.08 cm) high. It is fairly light to handle, which is great for kids, and ran on a 9-volt battery.

The form-factor resembled a very stripped down guitar. And while it is possible to play the Musical Thing while holding it like one, it is a lot easier to play it on your lap or on a tabletop. Here you can see it being used both ways in this ad from 1979

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People from far and wide would flock to hear the magical musical thing play. The notes that emanated from the strings had an enchanting quality that captivated everyone who listened. It was as if the instrument had a mind of its own, knowing exactly what melodies to play to resonate with the emotions of its audience. Children would dance joyously, twirling and spinning in delight. The elderly would close their eyes, reminiscing about their fondest memories as the music transported them back in time. Even animals seemed to be affected by the mystical power of the musical thing, wagging their tails or purring contentedly. The magical musical thing became a symbol of harmony and unity in the land. People would gather in grand arenas to witness its mesmerizing performances, coming together regardless of their differences to celebrate the universal language of music. But as with all things magical, there were those who sought to possess the musical thing for themselves. Greedy individuals, driven by the desire for power and control, were determined to harness the instrument's magic for their own purposes. They believed that with the musical thing in their possession, they could manipulate the emotions of others and bend them to their will. However, the magical musical thing could not be tamed. Its power was rooted in purity and love, resonating only with those who understood and appreciated its true essence. It would not yield to those with selfish intentions, nor would it be used as a tool for manipulation. And so, the magical musical thing remained a symbol of hope, reminding all who heard its ethereal melodies that beauty and wonder still existed in the world. Its legacy lived on, inspiring generations to come to embrace the power of music and the magic that lies within each and every one of us..

Reviews for "Sonic Sorcery: The Art of Creating Musical Illusions"

1. John - 1 star

I found "Magical musical thing" to be incredibly underwhelming. The plot was predictable and lacked depth, and the characters were uninteresting. The music, which I had high hopes for, was forgettable and did not leave any impact. Overall, I was disappointed with this musical and would not recommend it to others.

2. Sarah - 2 stars

While "Magical musical thing" had its moments, overall, I found it to be quite disappointing. The storyline felt disjointed and rushed, and it was difficult to connect with the characters on an emotional level. The songs, although catchy at times, were not memorable, and I left the theater feeling underwhelmed. I wouldn't say it was a complete waste of time, but I definitely expected more from this production.

3. Mike - 1 star

I can honestly say that "Magical musical thing" was one of the worst musicals I have ever seen. The plot was convoluted and made no sense, and the songs were unbearable. The attempts at humor fell flat, and the production values were lacking. I couldn't wait for it to be over and would not recommend wasting your time or money on this mess of a musical.

4. Emily - 2 stars

I had high expectations for "Magical musical thing," but unfortunately, it did not live up to them. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, and the plot felt contrived and predictable. The music was forgettable and failed to evoke any strong emotions. While there were a few enjoyable moments, overall, I left feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied. I would not recommend this musical to others.

The Magic of Musical Creativity: Unleashing Your Inner Composer