<div dir="ltr">For a beginner, go Music From Outer Space or Eurorack. Plenty of Eurorack boards and kits on the web.<div>Advantage with these is that for a small investment of time and money, you have something that works.</div><div>Hardest thing to build is an oscillator. Personally, I would start with a cheap beginner digital keyboard as a source, and aff envelope follower, filter, phaser etc.</div><div>It is necessary to know all the maths in the world to design a new original synth, but you can build a DIY synth with no maths at all. My own degree is in political science.</div><div>paul pery Melbourne Australia</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sat, May 31, 2025 at 1:40 PM Michael E Caloroso via Synth-diy <<a href="mailto:synth-diy@synth-diy.org">synth-diy@synth-diy.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div>First thing you'll need is a good foundation in math up to calculus. There's no escaping this prerequisite.</div><div><br></div><div>There's plenty of discussion in the SDIY archives.</div><div><br></div>Hard to beat the full Electronotes set, but they currently aren't available from Bernie Hutchins.<div><br></div><div>Good references on synth circuits:</div><div>US 3,828,110 patent describes the typical synthesizer system (many more patents on <a href="http://till.com" target="_blank">till.com</a> and google patent search)</div><div>Musical Applications of Computers, Hal Chamberlin 2nd edition</div><div>Introduction To Electrical Engineering, C.R. Paul S.A. Nasar, L.E. Unnewehr<br></div><div>Electronic Devices And Circuit Theory, Robert Boylestad & Louis Nashelsky 3rd edition</div><div>Design with Operational Amplifiers and Analog Integrated Circuits, Sergio Franco</div><div>Hardware Design of a Real Time Musical System, Sergio Franco's PhD Thesis University of Illinois</div><div>Small Signal Audio Design, Douglas Self</div><div>Electronic Principles, Malvino</div><div><br></div><div>Be careful of internet resources - many of them contain errors. These are the reputable ones I have found:</div><div>North Coast Synthesis Ltd</div><div>ARRL Radio Amateur's Handbook (1990s and later)</div><div>Elektor Formant Music Synthesizer Description Design Construction, C. Chapman</div><div>Back issues of Polyphony (predecessor of Electronic Musician)</div><div>Ron Mancini "Opamps for Everyone"</div><div>App notes from TI, NatSemi, Analog Devices, Farichild, RCA, many OEMs</div><div>Anything by Rene Schmitz, Ian Fritz, Walt Jung, Barry Klein, Don Lancaster, Jim Williams, Thomas Henry, Don Tillman, Forrest Mimms, Ray Wilson, Neil Johnson, Magnus Danielson</div><div><br></div><div>Active filters are a subject by themselves. Entire books have been written on this topic. Encompasses engineering physics, control systems, network analysis, calculus, transforms - dizzying stuff.</div><div><br></div><div>Many will suggest Art Of Electronics by Horowitz and Hill - I am not a fan.</div><div><br></div><div>Hardly a complete list, many more I haven't mentioned.</div><div><br></div><div>MC</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Fri, May 30, 2025 at 9:18 PM david walker via Synth-diy <<a href="mailto:synth-diy@synth-diy.org" target="_blank">synth-diy@synth-diy.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><div style="font-family:"Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><div dir="ltr">hello all does any one know of a good book or books on how to make your own synthesiser for beginners to intermediate skills i got sum bits a bobs made but be nice to have sum books on it any help will be a grate help thanks </div></div></div>________________________________________________________<br>
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