A beginers guide to building a synth

[dbtraktion]

Well ive just signed up to the forum in the hope i mite be able to start building my first synth.

There is so many sub forums that im not sure where i should of posted this so i thought here mite be ok.

Can anyone link me to a post(s) or any websites, or even books that are aimed at a complete novice. I need to learn everything from scratch.

[blue hell]

I'll move your post a level up to the general section, it's a bit hidden behind all the sub-forums

As an absolute beginner you'll maybe not have an idea as to what to build, but do you maybe have a type of music you are aiming for? Any other instruments that you are playing? Or maybe your primary interest is in electronics?

[joshco]

hello,
for the beginning i would suggest the atari punk console. the parts are easy to get and you can learn how to use the solder iron etc.

http://www.getlofi.com/?p=518

from MFOS soundlab mini are some kits available. try to get a complete kit and depending on your hardware skills, a suitable case...
its more complex and maybe too much for starting.

what have you planned to build
a modular synth or synth in general?

regards!
[/url]

[dbtraktion]

[BobTheDog]

Well I have been thinking the same thing myself.

Have you had a look at http://www.musicfromouterspace.com/ specifically http://www.musicfromouterspace.com/analogsynth/SOUNDLABMINISYNTH/soundlab.html

Andy

[blue hell]

[BobTheDog]

snap

[dbtraktion]

Ok thanks for the replys so far so they have been really helpfull...

would this be the right kit 'Sound Lab Mini-Synth Component Kit (w/PCB)', this would be found with a paypal option beside it?

So you get the kit, all parts etc, apart from the housing ?

Is it difficult?

[Sound]

dbtraktion, you have found the right place : this forum.

Why not start a modular synthesizer? Here is how I did two filters of Fonik. http://www.electro-music.com/forum/topic-19166.html
http://www.modular.fonik.de/

Also you have www.magsmoke.com where you can found PCB for the mankato, 566 Oscilator, and the TH 21st Century LFO and very interesting and highly recommendable books of Thomas Henry. http://www.electro-music.com/forum/forum-148.html

Or maybe you would like start with a drum machine?
http://www.electro-music.com/forum/topic-28509.html

[Tim Servo]

Hi DB,

I would highly recommend some basic electronics material. Not all of this is related to audio or music, but it will be a great way to learn electronics. Also, you might be surprised to learn how many of these basic circuits turn up again and again in synthesizers. I'd start with the Radio Shack "Learning Lab," or at least download the User's Guides (two PDFs, about halfway down the page) and read through them. If you don't get the Radio Shack gizmo, I'd still recommend getting a "breadboard," some wire and a few basic parts to play with. You'll also want a good multimeter and soldering iron. Eventually you'll want an oscilloscope, but you won't need one just to start out.

For a first project, I'd recommend the Ray Wilson WSG. I think the SoundLab might be a bit much for a beginner (especially with all the panel wires).

Welcome to the forum, and to the Synth DIY addiction!

Tim (bigger than a breadboard... or is that bread box?) Servo

[Tim Servo]

Oh, and here's the link to that Radio Shack gizmo, and the User's Guides (written by the very popular Forest Mimms):

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102913&tab=support


Cheers!

Tim (semi-popular) Servo

[joshco]

[dbtraktion]

hello guys

These links are very helpful. im checking them out. I'm sure if i have any question u'll b able to oblige

If anyone wants to add any more info please do.

One question to start with though is:

You buy a kit, you get all components such as pcb, resistors, etc, but these kits dont include housing or face boards, and rotary caps etc no? Are there are any kits that do?

[Pehr]

http://www.elby-designs.com/synth-modules/soundlab/soundlab.htm
http://www.elby-designs.com/shopping/index.html?lang=en-uk&target=d6.html

[dbtraktion]

Anyone know if there are any good videos any where to help me get started, perhaps learnth basics. Using a breadboard and components sounds like a good idea, help me get on the ladder?

I found this video:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ofq1EzbJxfI&NR=1

Problem is they're in random videos, and not in episodes so i have no idea what order watch them.

[Dave Kendall]

Hi.

Something that really helped me out when I started was simply studying the schematics on the CGS site
Like the MFOS site, the information and particularly the schematics are well laid out, and there are some great wiring diagrams. Simple modules like this one show circuits that often turn up in all-sorts of synth modules.

Some of the designs are pretty complicated, but similar sub-circuits show up again and again. (I used to study them, and others gleaned from the net during a long daily train commute.)


Some other sites for synth DIY that may be of interest:
http://www.bridechamber.com/bridechamber.com/Home.html - pcbs for sale, and it includes links to some others, including;
http://www.yusynth.net/
http://home.comcast.net/~ijfritz/
http://home.debitel.net/user/jhaible/hj.html

some other good ones...
http://www.uni-bonn.de/~uzs159/
http://home.comcast.net/~sbernardi/elec/og2/sitemap.html
http://m.bareille.free.fr/synth.htm (PCBS available)
http://www.ucapps.de/ for midi stuff - some PCBs available indirectly through their forum.
And finally, http://www.introspectiv.org/ an advanced build but *very nice*.
I hope to build my board this xmas break.
http://www.subatomicglue.com/9090l0g/ has some very good build details, and Trevor Page of introspectiv is currently gauging interest for another run of PC boards.

Hope that helps

cheers,
Dave

[Dave Kendall]

some others....

http://home1.gte.net/res0658s/fatman/
The fatman comes as a complete kit with a MIDI interface, which is very useful if you have a computer and hardware rig, and it can be modded lots.
http://mypeoplepc.com/members/scottnoanh/
http://www.curetronic.com/curetrbau/neubau/bau.htm
http://www.tellun.com/motm/diy/diy.html

there are others out there too, but I've just been invited up to the pub, so the computer is being switched off now

cheers,
Dave

(edited for typos)

[LektroiD]

Soldering tips here:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3dkragEKSKI&feature=related

Pretty basic video, but worth watching, here's a couple of my own tips that I've picked up over the years which were not mentioned in the video...

Rather than bending the legs over to hold the components in place like the video suggests, what I do is to populate the board in levels, starting with the components that have the smallest physical height / protrusions, placing a flat piece of wood just marginally bigger than the board over the top of the components to hold them in place before turning over, starting with wire links first, then diodes, resistors, smaller ceramics, IC sockets, transistors, electroylitics etc... By the time you come to soldering the larger components, you can use mostly your fingers to hold them in place while soldering. There are proper clamps designed for 'through hole' soldering in the industry, but for the amount of soldering you'll do, the piece of wood technique will suffice.

Always pre-bend component legs to fit the correct pitch (hole spacing) with a pair of pliers, especially smaller components, such as wire links, diodes & resistors. A a fully populated board that's clean looking makes troubleshooting a lot easier.

Get in the habit of facing your non polarised components the same way, such as resistors (always have the tolerance band at the same end). It makes it easier to read when it comes to troubleshooting.

Here's my MFOS WSG for an example: (also included a photo of the front panel while I'm at it)...

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[dbtraktion]

Cheers brainstormer

Nice pics, ur neatness and attention to detal are definatley something i would aim for and to do myself.

I have some experience of soldering. I work for an audio cable company, so i solder jacks, rca's and bfa's etc to cable.

[dbtraktion]

So...

I think the best way for me to build my knowledge is by getting a breadboard and components.

What do i need? I would like to get as many components as i can to start simple but build to more complex stuff and experiment with.

Maybe something like this:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VED1swbg8Xs

But maybe have more possiblities such as modulation and more osc's.

Cheers

Edit: Perhaps like this??

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=p0xdrycD680

[LektroiD]

some simple breadboard projects to get you started here:

http://www.play-hookey.com/digital/experiments/rtl_bistable.html

Get yourself a cheap oscilloscope from ebay. Then try changing the values of the components to see what it does to the results. Experiment with it so you get a feel of how the current flows, and what all the components do.

[dbtraktion]

[numbertalk]

There are also projects you can build that don't require a scope to calibrate, if you want to hold off on that. I've been warned against buying scopes from ebay as far as whether or not they're calibrated or what kind of shape they're in. Not sure if you could use a strictly software-based scope - have never tried.

[dbtraktion]

Would this be hard to do just using components and a breadboard?

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=t8M9Lg2Cl5w

[fonik]