DIY schematics

[Steven Varner]

Hi,

Several people have written about being new to building synths and are 
looking for schematics.  Most of them want to know where to find them on 
the net.  Well, there are some folks who have put a few schematics on the 
web (in fact there are schematic web pages, eg. DMZ), but these are very 
few and lack much of the textual explanations for the circuit parts that 
I find very helpful (as someone who is not a professional electronics 
person).  Although analog synths were being built in the 50's and 60's, 
most of the popular diy stuff was put out in the 70's and early 80's.  It 
was basically a pre-digital era even in the instrument industry.

So... if you want to find schematics, the web is probably not the mother 
lode.  Instead go down into the dusty vaults of your local university or 
large public library and seek out all those 1970's volumes that seem to 
be the bulk of many libraries' holdings.  Look in periodicals for 
Polyphony magazine and on the shelves for books by Barry Klein and Thomas 
Henry.  Oh, they may be stolen, but if you find them your lucky.  And I 
bet you'll find other cool stuff as well.  Many of these authors still 
offer their books for sale and are members of this list or are known by 
members. 

To see several good bibliographies check out the 'books' page under DIY 
at the Music Machines site:
http://www.hyperreal.com/music/machines/categories/do-it-yourself/books/


Look especially for:

Electronic Music Circuits --  Barry Klein
(as well as his IC databook)

Build a Better Music Synthesizer  --  Thomas Henry

Electronotes Magazine  -- from the 'Musical Engineering Group' (Bernie 
Hutchins et al)
Electronotes Builder's Guide and Preferred Circuits Collection (PCC) -- 
by the same publisher.

Electronic Music Circuit Guidebook -- Brice Ward

The many books by R.A.Penfold and Delton Horn, especially the ones they 
wrote specifically about electronic music.