Please Help {me to learn electronics...}

Im not sure if this is the right forum topic but I REALLY want to learn electronics and how to build preamps and stuff. There is a lot of ways people learn how to do these things, and I would appreciate if you can stir me in the right direction. Thank You.
-Paul

Hi There...

I am also relatively new to DIY and have a few projects going at the moment such as an GSSL, SSL 9K and some Api 500 stuff. Its all being rackmounted now, im just waiting on the last few bits and peices. (according to my girlfriend, im a typical gemini that always starts something else before the first project is finished).

I knew next to nothing when i first started other than the very general electronics taught to me in physics in high school.

Most of which can be found here.

http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=6887

For me, the best way to learn is actually doing it. Start up a project. The Green Preamp seems a good place to start according to a lot of people. There is a heap of infomation out there about electronics, so reading is also a good place to start. I went to my local Library and borrowed a few basic electronics books to get myself started. I've also had the Audiocyclopeida (sp?) for quite sometime and have actually started reading it!

This place is also an priceless source of infomation and very cool people to lend there years of knowledge. The search function alone has answered the majority of my questions.

Its like walking, the first few babysteps are the hardest where your confidence is very low... but once you are over that hurdle things seem to get a little easier. Over the last few months i've learnt a lot... Sure its not enough to fly to the moon, but atleast im learning right :thumb:

You are in the right place... I'd suggest starting a nice little project and find some reading material that is relevant to it...

paul-

do you play guitar?

building a fuzzface is an awesome first project:

1. its cheap to build.
2. its easy to make work.
3. its easy to make it sound cool.
4. its easy to understand how it works, there is excellent documentation about it online.
5. its easy to find support building it, everyone has built one.
6. its battery powered, so you dont have to deal with power supplies.

it will also give you a good taste of metal work and putting it in a box and how much (un)fun that might be.

after that you can jump into a more complicated project with a good perspective about how much you are biting off and go at a good pace. Looking at the projects here, some may seem really complicated, looking at using PCB's can seem intimidating, but its really not very difficult once you get used to it, its the getting used to it part where the learning curve can be brutal out of the gate. A fuzz face is a nice project to sort of break the ice and there's crazy satisfaction to build one, plug it in and bust out that first phrase on "satisfaction". Big party.

dave

Yea,

I second the Fuzz Face build- even if you're not a guitarist they sound supercool on synth outputs :grin:

Check this META too- you'll find people who have been in the same position as yourself:

http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=349

Welcome to The Lab, and good luck with your DIY!

:thumb:

Mark

For me, starting with an IC regulator based power supply was great. You only need to have a basic understanding of AC, DC, Ohm and Kirchoff to design one, but by the time you're done, you'll know it all by heart. You'll have the theoretical foundations down, and a project that's always going to be useful if you really get into this stuff. And it doesn't get deep enough that you can't figure it out - an LM317 datasheet and these fora is all you need.

Good luck!

Peace,
Al.

YOU GUYS ARE ALL AWESOME. SERIOUSLY. I WOULD HUG YOU ALL. Im a drummer but I play guitar. I think building a guitar effects box is an awesome way to start learning. Thanks for the tip guys. Maybe you guys can help me out with the schematics if I have some problems with them.
-Paul

www.geofex.com is the bible, RG Keen is one of the somewhat unsung old school heroes of the DIY audio circles online.

http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/fuzzface/fffram.htm

dave

The first things I built were a Fuzz Face and a TS-808. I just finished a Dyna/Ross compressor last week - nice for knocking the peaks off of solos.

Have you compared your 808 clone to a real one?

There is one thing that the clones do not get right.

There are two overlooked parts that make an 808 a 808 It is the ic to a point and the output section but there is more.

Hi Gus,

No I haven't compared. I did try a few IC's and went with the TI 4558 over the JRC.

What's the story?

Thanks,

Ron

Thanks for nothing, Gus.

? :?:

[quote author="cayocosta"]Thanks for nothing, Gus.[/quote]


He's not going to spoon feed you...

It's rude to profess knowledge that one is not willing to share - better left unsaid if that is the case.

With regard to being spoon-fed, Gus' post was obtuse - essentially: "there's one thing, but there's two overlooked parts, then there's more."

How could anyone be expected to derive any value - whatsoever - from this sort of "information?"

cayocosta
much respect to you
but don't

there is enough info from Gus in various places
if you are still having trouble then go behind the scenes
this is not the way to get the help you want

I have a schematic of a uni-vibe if anyone is interested. There's just one catch:


It's a vacuum tube Univibe!!!

And yes, I have noticed a relationship between the ambient tempeture outside and people. Ever live in a real hot area? A lot more police choppers out at night. But hey, it's nice to remember what the old place was like from time to time, just to appreciate what we have here.
:thumb:

And it has been hot all over. Did you know that ice cream sales were up 11 percent above normal for the month of July?
Why just last night I polished off a pint of Ben and Jerrys Mob something or other, along with a pint of Cherry Garcia.

The night befor it was Ben and Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake. For dinner! :thumb:

The night before that it was a box of It's It's and another pint of ice cream that had pretzels stuffed with peanut butter inside. But hey, whatever.