This is a bit niche, but it’s something I find super helpful, and maybe one day you will too. Occasionally I will breadboard a circuit that I choose not to build, for one reason or another. When it comes time to clear off all the components, I am typically left with a handful of resistors … Read more
At the time of writing, my article on databending from the 00s is still on the first page of Google results on the subject. It’s also the only link on the first page devoted to databending audio, and is one of the most comprehensive articles on the topic that you can find online. If you’re … Read more
Commonly-held wisdom would have you believe that the dog is “Man’s Best Friend”. John Cale sang that fear is a “man’s best friend”. I’m going to depart from both points of view and say that a good pair of pointed tweezers is a person’s best friend. I have a pair on my computer desk and … Read more
Add power to activate. Active components require a power source to affect a circuit. As the name would imply, a voltage regulator maintains a consistent voltage, below the supply voltage rail. They come in several form factors, and are available for both positive and negative voltage, but all essentially do the same thing: dump … Read more
Add power to activate. Active components require a power source to affect a circuit. Operational amplifiers (op amps) are a basic component used for a variety of voltage manipulation purposes. The standard configuration for an op amp has one noninverting input, one inverting input and an output. An inverting input will produce the opposite … Read more
Passive components don’t require additional power to affect the signal path. Or, another way to look at it is that they cannot use additional electric sources to affect the signal path. Resistors are the most common component in DIY synth design. As the name implies, they provide resistance in a circuit by acting in … Read more
When thinking about circuit design, there are two really, really high-level categories to consider: through-hole and SMD. Through-hole is the traditional component style that has conductive leads that are fed through holes (roll credits) drilled in a circuit board. The leads are then soldered to conductive pads that surround the hole, and the remainder is … Read more