Synth DIY F.A.Q.
Created June 29, 2002

    This is a page that will, hopefully, answer some of the more basic questions that come up from time to time in build your own Synthesizer.  We have all been here at one time or another.  In fact, many of us are still learning.

    If you have an answer to a question you have seen asked, or have more information to add to one already here, by all means, send it to me.  It can be in the form of a link or text.  Both are welcome.


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    What is the best kit to build for my first project?

        Answer by Jim Patchell.

        This is a fairly tough question to answer, as it depends a lot on your skill level.  If you have minimal electronic skills, Paia is probably a good choice.  Their Fatman synth has a minimum of parts, is a fairly nice nice for what it is, and is acknoledged as a fairly easy kit to put together with a good chance of success.  However, there are a lot of excelent kits out there.

        Blacet Research also makes some fine kits.  Although, I have never built one of these.  They are highly spoken of plus he has some rather unique modules.
        MOTM modulars are also very nice kits.  They tend to be more pricey, but these are by far the highest quality, in my opinion.

        For those who are a bit more advanced, Tom Gamble has his Electronics For Music.  You have to be a little bit more savy perhaps to build these, but Tom does have a support list on Yahoo Groups.
 

    How do I know what type of capacitor to use where?

    http://www.capacitors.com/pickcap/pickcap.htm            provided by   Scott Bernardi (article by Walt Jung).
    http://www.musicsynthesizer.com/txt/caps2.txt    Provided by Harry Bissel


    How do Exponential Converters Work and How do I temperature compensate them?

    http://www.uni-bonn.de/~uzs159/expo_tutorial/index.html provided by Rene Schmitz