555 timer synths

What going on here? The 555 timer is a monolithic integrated circuit...blah blah blah. The 555 timer allows me to control the speed of a flashing LED. This LED is sandwiched...mmmm sandwich. Sandwiched with a LDR, or Light Dependent Resistor, or photo-resistor. The LDR is connected to the clock of a bent toy or a tone generator. Then one places these two components in light sterile environment like in some black heat shrink or electrical tape. I like using old magic marker pen tops and then wrapping them in E tape so that no light gets in. Some people call this a Vactrol. The 555 timer can also generate tones as well as blink LED's. I've begun making my own tone generators and they are becoming more interesting to me than toy bending. I've also been thinking of how I would mass produce something but then again I'd rather not get tied down to one formula! Working with random and different enclosures is sure to make my tone generators unique and fun for me to work on.