Really Basic Question

[Gavin Muir]

Hi all,

	My experience in electronics is limited to working with existing designs,
as my theoretical knowledge is next to nil. I am however trying to learn
myself on a few things, thus my interest in putting some modules together.

	I don't yet have a MIDI to CV converter, and would like to hold off as
long as possible by focusing my efforts on projects like a moog filter, or
some of Tom G's filters, which I could then run my analog poly-synths
through. This would pretty much limit my requirements to a power supply, a
couple simple EGs, a VCA and the filters themselves, which suits my degree
of adventure right now. So, to my question...

	Is it possible to build a simple comparator device which would trigger a
gate signal when the threshold (incoming audio, threshold set with a pot)
is crossed? I understand basically what a comparator does, and I have a
couple circuits for envelope followers which include this feature, but I
really would prefer not to have to lay out a board for a whole envelope
follower if I don't have to (I have no idea how to even START laying out a
board!). It seems to me this should be a fairly easy thing to do, but then
again, I don't know too much about these things!

Cheers,
Gavin Muir