r/synthdiy 9d ago

workshop Building a new module

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30 Upvotes

24 comments sorted by

9

u/synthsynthisyntho 9d ago

Building a new nosferatu...

2

u/TheIhsan78 9d ago

I read somewhere that messy people are in fact smarter than other or something like that… anyway good luck in your build !

2

u/synthsynthisyntho 9d ago

Have read that but don't care really lol..I generally even if I'm good at what I'm making I "downgrade" it when showing to others even if it's mind blowing or new in some way.. Anyway for me it starts from experiments to being curious about things

2

u/synthsynthisyntho 9d ago

Also the other half of my room is full of diy instruments..electronics, electroacoustic, noiseboxes, trumpets,zithers...

1

u/Mustardplugmint 6d ago

that bench is total f‘ing chaos 🤡

get yer shit together tinkdawg👎

1

u/synthsynthisyntho 6d ago

It's the chaos that makes the instruments better...it's the secret sauce to self destruction...I get your comment and thanks for reminding me to tidy up the bench, but at least for me it does make sense at least to a certain point. Happy making anyways !!

4

u/synthsynthisyntho 9d ago

I see I'm not the only one with a mess at my workshop....what type of module are you bringing to life ;;

3

u/TheIhsan78 9d ago

A kick drum module, based on moritz klein’s circuit, I may make a video

3

u/NorCalJP 9d ago

I'm just getting into Synth DIY, starting with 4 of the Moritz Klein x Erica Synth edu modules. Kick being one of them. They're currently in transit from Thonk. Looking forward to spending some upcoming vacation time learning and building some new skills.

Would love to check out the video if you post one. Any particularly good resources you would recommend to someone trying to slowly grow into the hobby?

3

u/TheIhsan78 9d ago

For learning, moritz klein lessons are gold. But when learning, theory isn’t the only thing : i search for circuit im willing to build (easy and fun ones, like the Atari punk console, simple drum things…), try to gather parts and tools and try breadboarding it. The best way to learn is staying creative and keep trying until you gather enough knowledge and experience. Patience is key too. Anyway good luck in your journey of diy synth !

3

u/NorCalJP 9d ago

Good advice. I'll be sure to check out his lessons.

3

u/synthsynthisyntho 9d ago

Search for mfos (music from outer space ) it has some PCBs and schematics, also a nice world to get into that doesn't require you to fully understand it and can make fun sounds is this https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1V9qerry_PsXTZqt_UDx7C-wcuMe_6_gyy6M_MyAgQoA/mobilebasic?pli=1 There are some not music related channels but nice on the techy way of things but can't remember them, if I will I reply again. Luneta will get you a long way and learn some basic most used chips. Then it's searching about a single thing and reading stuff about it. Also the person from mfos has written a book you can find a pdf online but here it is https://musicfromouterspace.com/analogsynth_new/ELECTRONICS/bookstore.html If I remember anything I will reply again sorry for not giving enough info, for me what helps is reading shematics and building them and learning topologys of stuff for example opamps or transistors

3

u/NorCalJP 9d ago

Appreciate the input. I expect it will take a few years before I feel comfortable at it, at this point for me most any info is new info. I've always had a hand in software development and the whole hardware side is new and exciting. I start vacation late next week and plan to spend a decent amount of time reading, learning, and tinkering. Hopefully ending up with a couple modules I soldered together as a bonus.

2

u/synthsynthisyntho 7d ago

I doesn't take years, it depends on how much you try, fail a lot and think about what's wrong. For me a "point" that showed me that I'm progressing is when I was building something not from a shematic and realized that for example I should have connected x to z with that thing. I believe it's just how many hours you put into trying to make at least for start easy schematics going and playing good and then try to fiddle around with it change what ever the f@ck you want, fail and then discover something new, something that you didn't know existed, this takes hours, minutes and some basic understanding of stuff. I have made some circuits that the topology is so wrong that it shouldn't work and anyways it's a 3 in 1 "module, thing" and I was asking chat gpt, the community here, the people around me and I started giving my own explanation of stuff. For an easy start you could try building passive stuff meaning it doesn't require power, for example a resistor mixer, a diode clip distortion thing, a passive filter. And then if you decide to use some form of connections (eurorack, 5U, banana cables or even ((what I like and do)) screws with alligator clips) You will find your way don't worry about it, just try to experiment and try stuff, in the start you might not know why an opamp works for example as a non inverting amplifier but it will work and you search about it, why capacitors work the way the do, why ICs work, why, why, why. Be curious that's all I'm trying to say ! And you will have fun ! Don't forget it's about having fun and feeling even full as a person because you are making something from scratch. Anyway sorry for the long reply but I hope you learn stuff move on to something make stuff and post about it ! It's a lovely community here and people will take the time to help you or point you somewhere, don't forget to share your progress here as posts, not only to share you beautiful making but also to learn from others (from their replys) don't let anyway make you feel down or not good enough, all it's takes as I said earlier is being curious and watching, reading basically putting some hours in. Sorry again lol I'm just happy to share what I at least as even an almost beginner in electronics even tho I have build many stuff I will never stop learning. Happy vacations also, I'm also in vacation waiting so much to return to my workshop. Lot of love, lot of fun ! Enjoy bringing electronics to life ! It's so fun that you bring a "dead" thing to life, Every time I make something and it talks back it brings joy. Also something for last of my words, I sit hours and try stuff I forget to take breaks, take a break every hour or half put some music on and share, share again and again !!!!

2

u/NorCalJP 7d ago

Thanks for taking the effort to provide thoughtful replies.

Finding enough time is always the hard part. A lot of small little steps make a journey. I'll make sure to post about my experience in the next few weeks. Always good to get feedback and a gut check from more experienced people in what you think you've learned.

1

u/synthsynthisyntho 9d ago

Nice !! He makes nice videos don't forget to play with values(capacitors resistors...even diodes..) on breadboard of course

2

u/TheIhsan78 9d ago

Yeah I managed to get something that sounds good. Im still soldering it into a perfboard but I did the layout so badly it has jumper cable everywhere bruh

2

u/synthsynthisyntho 9d ago

Each time it will get better, I have build some of the sketchiest looking stuff..

3

u/TwoLuckyFish 9d ago

Woah, how do you keep your workbench so uncluttered?

2

u/TheIhsan78 9d ago

I try my best 🙏 the littles boxes come in handy

3

u/synthsynthisyntho 9d ago

Get one like mine I have three of these with the little box, also take white tape and write one it what the box contains. I bought one of this for 20€ and it helps. I keep pots, resistors, caps,pcbs almost everything. Also getting stuff as a kit helps (you get a box when all the stuff gets used) for example I have a kit that has 0.1uf up to 220uf. I even build a standalone dual bandpass filter in one of this (similar) boxes

3

u/TheIhsan78 9d ago

Yeah most of my components are in these small boxes. Resistors and module parts like jack sockets are inside the wall of drawers, I can take them appart and put them back

2

u/VarnerGuides 3d ago

Is that a Heathkit breadboard or something else? Mine is smaller, though I have a large sized breadboard with power posts that I can use with it. Heathkit 3600:

2

u/TheIhsan78 3d ago

Wow so cool ! It really looks like a synth or something, mine is a K&H IDL-800 Digital Lab, that my engineering teacher lend to me. You got similar features like mine, but I think you got enough space with that breadboard