Here I am writing another blog....
I started on analog stuff back in the 70's, moved to digital around 1988 or so?
And as an older tech guy I have gotten back into the old analog circuits and sounds from when I was young. Why not?
Some of the goals for all of this:
- Audio DIY is primarily a learning thing for me. I could buy some premade Eurorack VCO thingy, probably for way less money than building it myself ("DIY") and it will probably sound and work better than anything I can come up with, but that's OK. I have no formal training in physics, engineering or math. The little low frequency electronics knowledge I have was picked up mostly from my brother, who's an EE, reading books, the web, and what I can find on youtube. My college degree is in anthropology. But as they said in Animal House: "knowledge is good". So yes I suck at a lot of this electronics stuff but want to get better at something (for a change).
- If I don't write this stuff down right away in a month I will never remember why I did x vs z on a particular project. Not good if I really want to keep any of this working for any recording I do.
- I have a website that covers some elements of DIY but I mostly use it to post finished stuff. This blog might help me better track things I am working on or struggling with vs. what is finished and known to work. Gets back to "why not" and "knowledge is good".
- I am trying to develop a strategy about how to do DIY in general. Should everything be modular and reusable? Should I strive always for low parts count as I would with anything mechanical? How much digital do I integrate without it sounding "too Casio?"
- I grow weary sometimes of working on digital things all day long, and analog (mostly) audio is a refreshing change. It's puzzling at times in a way digital never is.
- Things that used to cost a king's ransom, like a decent 200Mhz scope, now costs not a lot more than peanuts. Same with a good arbitrary waveform function generator or power supply whose output can be controlled from a python script. Arduino and other low cost robotics type MPUs and AD/DA change things as well. In other words, it's way cheaper and easier to mess around with this stuff vs. say 20-30 years ago.
- I am getting too old to play music out--needing more sleep etc.--and DIY satisfies the strange OCD I have suffered from most of my life that surrounds audio and music.
- My friends can tolerate it.
- Women will still date me even though I mess with this stuff. That's probably an age thing.
- It's not terribly embarrassing to be into having a workbench, parts, and then enjoy soldering stuff together. Yes I'm geeky--but I am, according to my friends and family--"highly functional"; it worked for Bill Gates right? Why/why not? Put the parrot on your shoulder and wear it with pride.
Not sure how often I can post. But I will start soon.
nice blog.
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