Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 1K views

    Synth Manual V1

    Uploaded by

    REMINTE
    This document provides instructions for assembling a DIY electronic synth kit. It includes 10 steps to assemble the circuit on a breadboard using components like a 556 timer IC, resistors, capacitors, potentiometers, a speaker, and a 9V battery clip. Additional sections provide tips for customizing the synth by creating an enclosure and expanding the circuit. The goal is to help makers learn new tech skills and create their own musical instruments.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Synth Manual V1

    Uploaded by

    REMINTE
    1K views26 pages
    This document provides instructions for assembling a DIY electronic synth kit. It includes 10 steps to assemble the circuit on a breadboard using components like a 556 timer IC, resistors, capacitors, potentiometers, a speaker, and a 9V battery clip. Additional sections provide tips for customizing the synth by creating an enclosure and expanding the circuit. The goal is to help makers learn new tech skills and create their own musical instruments.

    Original Description:

    Instrucions to make a DIY synth

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    This document provides instructions for assembling a DIY electronic synth kit. It includes 10 steps to assemble the circuit on a breadboard using components like a 556 timer IC, resistors, capacitors, potentiometers, a speaker, and a 9V battery clip. Additional sections provide tips for customizing the synth by creating an enclosure and expanding the circuit. The goal is to help makers learn new tech skills and create their own musical instruments.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    1K views26 pages

    Synth Manual V1

    Uploaded by

    REMINTE
    This document provides instructions for assembling a DIY electronic synth kit. It includes 10 steps to assemble the circuit on a breadboard using components like a 556 timer IC, resistors, capacitors, potentiometers, a speaker, and a 9V battery clip. Additional sections provide tips for customizing the synth by creating an enclosure and expanding the circuit. The goal is to help makers learn new tech skills and create their own musical instruments.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 26
    At a glance
    Powered by AI
    The key takeaways are that this manual teaches you how to build your own electronic synth using common electronic components. It provides step-by-step instructions and encourages learning new technological skills.

    The main components needed are a breadboard, jumper wires, a 9V battery clip, an 8 ohm speaker, resistors, potentiometers, a timer IC, capacitors and other basic electronic parts as listed on pages 4 and 22-23.

    The circuit uses a NE556 timer IC to generate an oscillating waveform that is then shaped and modulated by the potentiometers to control features like frequency and pitch. The signal is then sent to the speaker to produce sound.

    DIY

    Synth
    Kit Manual

    Welcome to the
    DIY Synth
    - Manual

    This is a step-by-step guide to making


    your own electronic Synth.
    All the equipment youll need to make
    your synth is your DIY Synth kit and of
    course your fingers.

    We hope you enjoy this creative


    task, learn some new technological
    skills and apply them to your life in
    useful ways.

    Technology Will Save Us

    Getting Started

    Top Tips
    Keep an eye out for the top
    tips. They are highlighted in
    a yellow box like this!

    Making Time
    The kit takes about a fun filled hour to complete,
    depending on how creative you get with the
    construction of your Synth box.

    Useful Appendix
    Further information on all the components in
    this kit can be found in the Appendix at the back
    of the manual. Learn about their use within the
    circuit you are building.

    Further Resources
    Information on how the circuit works alongside
    different ways to extend your Synth can be found
    on our resource page: twsu.co/synth

    DIY Synth - Manual

    Making your DIY


    Synth

    Parts:
    1) 1x Breadboard
    2) 1x 9v Battery Clip
    3) Selection of Jumper Wires (Colour coded and cut to size)
    4) 1x 8 Ohm Speaker
    5) 1x 1k Ohm Resistor
    6) 1x 4.7K Logarithmic Potentiometer (Volume Control)
    7) 2x 470K Linear Potentiometer (Frequency and Pitch Control)
    8) 1x NE556 Timer IC (Integrated Circuit)
    9) 1x 10uf Electrolytic Capacitor (Cylindrical and Black)
    10) 2x 10nf Ceramic Capacitor
    Check your components to make sure you have all the parts to build
    your DIY Synth!

    DIY Synth - Manual

    Components

    Technology Will Save Us

    10

    Top Tip

    Some components may


    look slightly different to
    the ones above, dont be
    alarmed, this is normal!

    DIY Synth - Manual

    1
    The Breadboard
    Take a look at the
    breadboard. The horizontal
    rows at the top and bottom
    of this image (marked in
    red and blue) are used as
    power rails. They provide
    a convenient way to supply
    components with
    electricity. The power rails
    are connected all the way
    along the edges of the
    breadboard.

    However the inside rails on


    the breadboard run
    perpendicular to those
    on the outside. These are
    marked in orange.

    DIY Synth - Manual

    Step 1

    Technology Will Save Us

    Connect the power and


    ground rails on each side
    of the breadboard together
    using two jumper wires,
    its a good idea to use red
    wire for the positive voltage
    supply and black for the
    ground. Top red rail
    connects to the bottom red
    rail and the top black rail to
    the bottom black.

    Top Tip
    For this kit we have colour
    coded the wires for you. But
    as a general rule, red wires
    are positive and black are
    negative. Sticking to this will
    help you when building your
    own creations.

    Step 1

    DIY Synth - Manual

    DIY Synth - Manual

    trigger B

    control A

    7
    0V

    threshold A

    Place the chip over the


    gutter of the breadboard
    with the notch facing
    towards number 1. Placing
    the chip near the centre
    gives you room to space out
    the other
    components around the
    board.

    output B

    10

    trigger A

    reset B

    11

    output A

    12

    control B

    threshold

    13

    reset A

    discharge

    14

    556
    Dual
    Timer

    +4.5 to 15

    Find the 556 timer chip. The


    chip has 14 pins, starting at
    the end of the chip with the
    notch in it the left pin is (1)
    and finishing on the other
    side of the notch at pin (14)

    discharge A

    556 Timer IC
    (Integrated Circuit)

    Step 2

    Technology Will Save Us

    Now connect the chip to the


    power rails using the
    following wires. Use the
    small red wires to connect
    Pins 4, 10 and 14 of the IC
    chip to the positive red rail.

    Top Tip
    Refer back to step 2.0 for the
    numbering of the IC Chip
    pins.

    Use the small black wire to


    connect Pin 7 of the IC chip
    to the blue ground rail.

    Step 2

    DIY Synth - Manual

    3
    The Resistor
    Take your 1K resistor.

    Top Tip
    Resistors can be plugged in
    any way around. Their legs
    are the same length - which
    is a way to tell that it can be
    plugged in both ways. Also,
    if you look at the body of
    the resistor, youll see that
    there are different coloured
    stripes. These stripes tell us
    what value the resistor is.
    Brown, Black, Red = 1K Ohm.

    Now add the 1K resistor


    across pins 1 and 6 of the IC
    chip.

    10

    DIY Synth - Manual

    Step 3

    4
    Connecting the Pins
    Use the 2 yellow jumper
    wires to connect the
    following IC chip pins
    together:
    Pin 2 to 6
    Pin 5 to 8

    Use the small silver wire


    to connect the following IC
    chip pins together:
    Pin 12 to 13

    Step 4

    DIY Synth - Manual

    11

    5
    Capacitors
    Take your two ceramic
    capacitors.

    Top Tip
    There are two types of
    capacitors. Those that do
    care which way they are
    plugged in, and those that
    dont. The easy way to tell
    them apart is to check to see
    if their legs are the same
    length. If they are, then just
    like the resistor, they can be
    plugged in any way around.
    If not: Then the long leg
    always must be plugged
    into the voltage ( + ) and the
    short leg must be plugged
    into the ground ( - ). This
    kind of capacitor is called
    electrolytic or polarized.

    Attach the two ceramic


    capacitors as follows:
    The first from the bottom
    ground rail (blue) to pin 2 of
    the IC chip.
    The second from the top
    ground rail (also blue) to pin
    12 of the IC chip.

    12

    DIY Synth - Manual

    Step 5

    6
    Frequency
    Potentiometers (470K)
    Take a look at your
    potentiometers. A
    potentiometer is a variable
    resistor. As you rotate the
    knob or shaft, the resulting
    resistance changes. These
    are often used to control
    volume - increase the
    resistance, decreases the
    volume! The change in
    resistance takes place at
    what is called the wiper
    pin. Typically, the wiper
    pin is the middle pin on the
    potentiometer.

    Add the two red wires on


    the far left hand side of the
    breadboard. These will be
    connected from the positive
    voltage rail (red) to the left
    pins of the two 470K
    potentiometers in the next
    step.

    Step 5

    DIY Synth - Manual

    13

    Technology Will Save Us

    Add your two blue wires,


    these will be used to
    connect the middle wiper
    pins of the potentiometer to
    the chip.
    Connect the first blue wire
    from row 3 of the breadboard
    to pin 13 of the IC chip.
    Connect the second blue
    wire from row 3 of the
    breadboard to pin 1 of the
    IC chip.

    Add the two 470K


    potentiometers. (Their
    resistance is marked on the
    back of the casing.) Make
    sure that the red wires from
    the previous step connect
    to their left pin and the blue
    wires to their middle wiper
    pins.

    14

    DIY Synth - Manual

    Step 6

    7
    Electrolytic Capacitor
    Take your Electrolytic
    Capacitor shown in the
    image to the right.

    Connect the long leg (the


    one that wants voltage) to
    pin 9 on the chip.
    The shorter leg should be
    placed a few holes along
    from the right hand side of
    the chip. In order to give
    space for the final
    potentiometer to be attached.
    Top Tip
    This capacitor has two
    different length legs. That
    means its polarized, and has
    to be connected in a specific
    way!

    Step 7

    DIY Synth - Manual

    15

    8
    4.7K Potentiometer
    (Volume Control)
    Take your 4.7K
    Potentiometer. You can
    tell it is the correct one of
    the three by the resistance
    which is marked on the back
    of its casing.

    Connect the final


    potentiometer (4.7K). This
    will be the volume control!
    Align it with the shaft
    pointing away from the
    chip. The left leg should be
    in line (vertically) with the
    short leg of the capacitor
    from the previous step.

    16

    DIY Synth - Manual

    Step 8

    9
    Speaker
    Take your Speaker which is
    pictured on the right.

    One wire of the speaker


    wires goes to the ground
    rail, the other to the wiper
    (middle leg) of the volume
    (4.7K) potentiometer.

    Step 9

    DIY Synth - Manual

    17

    10
    Battery Clip
    Take your Battery Clip which
    is pictured on the right.
    Noticing that it has a black
    and a red wire connected
    to it.

    Connect the black wire


    of the battery clip to the
    ground rail and red wire to
    the positive rail. Add your
    battery and your done!
    Now your ready to create
    some musical madness!

    18

    DIY Synth - Manual

    Step 10

    Circuit Check

    Circuit Check

    DIY Synth - Manual

    19

    Congratulations!
    You have finished making your Synth
    Kit. Now make it your own! Create and
    customize the casing of your kit using
    whatever you want. You could use a
    cardboard box, that old tin thats sat
    on your windowsill or design your own
    personal housing for your synth. Then
    customise with stickers, Sharpies or
    paint. When you are happy with your
    creation all that is left to do is create
    sweet sweet music.

    20

    DIY Synth - Manual

    For those of you who want to test your


    skills and learn more check out:
    http://twsu.co/synth
    You will find many more creations and
    hacks to expand your technological
    orchestra.

    Customising your Synth


    By this stage youll have a fully
    functioning Synth but we thoroughly
    recommend you keep the creativity
    flowing by creating some sort of housing
    for it. This will not only make it your
    own but also help protect the circuit
    and MAKE IT LOUDER if done well.
    The examples below are just a very
    simple wooden casing with a removable
    acrylic lid. But you could make it out of
    almost anything...

    Whatever you make your casing out of,


    a few things to keep in mind are;
    You need to be able to get at the battery
    to change it.
    The speaker works best on a hard
    surface and youll have to drill a hole
    through this to mount it.
    The casing needs to have a few holes
    for your controls (potentiometers) so
    you can actually play it!
    Aside from that, go wild! We want to
    see some crazy creations!

    DIY Synth - Manual

    21

    Component Appendix

    Electrolytic Capacitor -

    Resistors -

    A capacitor is like a big bucket, it


    stores up charge waits until its
    full then release it all in one go.
    How much charge depends on
    the size of the capacitor measured
    in farads.

    Resistors are used in a circuit to


    restrict the flow of electrical
    current and stop things from
    blowing up! The resistors in
    measured in Ohms.

    Speaker -

    Integrated Circuit (IC) -

    This is a loud speaker, this is


    where the signals are turned into
    audio through the movement of
    the surface.

    An Integrated Circuit also know


    as an IC is a whole circuit itself
    but very very small and made of
    Silicon. The chip in this
    circuit is a 555 timer chip one of
    the commonly used chips in the
    world made up of 25 transistors, 2
    diodes and 15 resistors.

    22

    DIY Synth - Manual

    Components

    Technology Will Save Us

    Battery Clip -

    Capacitors -

    The battery clip allows a 9 volt


    battery to power the circuit. The
    battery can only connect in one
    direction with the red wire being
    positive and the black wire
    negative.

    A capacitor is like a big bucket, it


    stores up charge, waits until its full
    and then releases it all in one go.
    How much charge depends on the
    size of the capacitor, measured in
    farads.

    Breadboard -

    Potentiometer -

    No soldering required! A
    breadboard allows you to build
    circuits without having to solder
    due to its rows and columns each
    with contacts that allow current to
    flow through a regimented grid.
    This makes it perfect for playing
    and prototyping your projects.

    A potentiometer is a resistor that


    you can control! Turning the knob
    on the potentiometer increases
    and decreases the amount of

    0resistance bit like a tap
    and the flow of water.

    Components

    DIY Synth - Manual

    23

    Thank You!
    Technology Will Save Us exists to educate and
    inspire people to make, tinker and experiment
    creatively with technology as a way of unleashing
    new possibilities.
    Devices, gadgets and computers are all a part of
    our everyday life and yet most people know so little
    about what these things are made of, let alone how
    to fix them or create new uses for them. We believe
    that the opportunity for technology to play a richer,
    more creative role in our lives has yet to be explored.

    24

    DIY Synth - Manual

    Contact

    Interested in more classes? Have an idea for


    a workshop we should teach? Do you want to
    teach a class yourself? Wed love to hear from
    you. Contact us by email or find out more on
    our website.
    [email protected]
    www.technologywillsaveus.org
    @techwillsaveus

    You might also like