A few years ago, while digging around the web to find plans for simple instruments, I found plans for a VHS ribbon controlled circuit called the Synthstick. I was intrigued, but I had no idea which end of soldering iron was which.
By a blind stroke of luck I went to see my friend Michael Trommer perform at Interaccess, a gallery which promotes the use of technology in art and culture. It turned out that they were running an Introduction to Electronics workshop that weekend. I quickly signed up and learned, among other things, the wonders of the breadboard. From that workshop, I learned how to make a blinking LED circuit, and a bit about telling capacitors from resistors.
Armed with this new knowledge, I began putting together my own synthstick. Here is a picture of the circuit on the breadboard:
I did make the stick, which was a big challenge as I learned the authors weren't kidding when they said that not all VHS tape is conductive! I fried the circuit when I tried to solder it up and haven't been back to fix it.
But I had caught the bug! My next project would be the Music From Outer Space Weird Sound Generator. You can see the stripboard layout lurking under the breadboard in the picture above.
More to come...
By a blind stroke of luck I went to see my friend Michael Trommer perform at Interaccess, a gallery which promotes the use of technology in art and culture. It turned out that they were running an Introduction to Electronics workshop that weekend. I quickly signed up and learned, among other things, the wonders of the breadboard. From that workshop, I learned how to make a blinking LED circuit, and a bit about telling capacitors from resistors.
Armed with this new knowledge, I began putting together my own synthstick. Here is a picture of the circuit on the breadboard:
I did make the stick, which was a big challenge as I learned the authors weren't kidding when they said that not all VHS tape is conductive! I fried the circuit when I tried to solder it up and haven't been back to fix it.
But I had caught the bug! My next project would be the Music From Outer Space Weird Sound Generator. You can see the stripboard layout lurking under the breadboard in the picture above.
More to come...
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