Simple Synth Projects for Beginners

DIY STUFF
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Doing a bunch of synth electronics projects with kids aged 11-18 next year.

Obvs we’ll do APCs, and 555 keyboards, 4017 sequencers, that 4011 ring mod, probably Mortiz’s 40106 oscillator…

:mega:If anyone could also list simple synth projects for that age range (assume they have little to no electronics experience) please list in this post.

I figure they don’t have to 100% understand what’s going on in the circuit, but low parts count is good because I figure the less parts, the better chance of success and I just want to get them excited about electronics.

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Not a new project idea, it’s a 40106 oscillator, but this is instructional materials you might be interested in.

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Lm386 speaker amp? A cool project to blast tunes through.

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yeah, I have the LM386 amps on my project list because then we can do electric 1 string guitars and stuff

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Along the lines of the 4011 “ring modulator” some of these articles might be fruitful

(one of those is where the CMOS noise bell circuit comes from)

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I still need to build a noise bell, thanks for the reminder about the HackADay logic noise series.

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A few passive parts like summing mixers, multipliers, attenuators and rc filters etc are always fun. A couple of 1N5818 shottky diodes will give you a passive overdrive ( 4 of you want to be fancy).
Homemade resistors with tape, paint or graphite.
Piezo Disks in a box covered in springs or wires or cardboard all make good kit.
Have fun

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Which reminds me of this :

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