About

This course gives a comprehensive set of basic skills needed for making your own primitive analog electronic audio tools. The main goal of the course is to provide a knowledge system such that if one finds a schematic of an interesting device online (e.g. a guitar pedal), they can successfully read it, understand what parts on the schematic correspond to what parts in real life, and how to practically assemble it.

The course is highly technical relatively to other courses provided in an arts university, but is not math-heavy at all; no knowledge required past knowing how to add, subtract, divide and multiply.

Each 2-3 sessions, a bare-board micromodule is built. This micromodule serves a simple narrow function that uses a particular common circuitry technique (e.g. a contact microphone amplifier using an op-amp chip). By the end of the course, these modules (and anything extra) are used to build the final project: anything audio, ranging from sound sculptures to audio production tooling. The aim and context is up to students. They will receive thorough guidance on the project, circuit design advice and assembly help.

Learning outcomes

By participating in this course, you will:

• Learn circuitry basics in context of DIY audio tools
• Learn to read schematics and associate the symbols with real life parts
• Get hands-on experience with soldering and assembling DIY sound devices
• Assemble a final project of your choice while getting extensive help

Organisational

This course is not active at the present moment!