I am new

[Magnus Danielson]

From: "Martin Johansen" <rico303 at wanadoo.dk>
Subject: I am new
Date: Tue, 2 May 2000 23:53:02 +0200

> 
> Hey

Hi there!

> I am new, i never try to make sometinge before
> what is easy to build

OK. Newbee question number 1A (no offence, but it really seems popular).

Many good gentlemen will enlight you with things like:

1) Tomg's projects
2) Gene Stopps ASM-1
3) Paia's FATMAN
4) Paul's MOTM

These form some fundamental shape of projects with varying milage in startup
effort (getting the stuff), cost, complexity, building skills required,
building time, quality and feasable end result usefullness. Further I would
add the feasability for the builder to extend the curcuit migth come in to
some degree.

I'd say that if you want top of the notch quality, go for the MOTM modules
which (I haven't seen the in real life, but judging from various input) really
seems to go far, but they do cost some money. Well spent most probably, but
still, could be a bit of an investment. You are building a modular here,
moduler for module, so the freedom you get should be just wild.

The Paia FATMAN is a MIDI controled single voice analog synth. It's a complete
kit (just as the MOTM) but it falls on a lower price and quality level than
the MOTM.

The ASM-1 goes beyond the FATMAN in quality, also you have larger freedom to
interconnect stuff as you want. However, there is no complete kit with all the
components, you can only get the PCB, so you have to "hunt" the components
yourself (you can regularly see questions relating to this here). Also, there
is no frontplate that comes along with the PCB, so you have to invent your own.
This also carries with it the responsibility of trying to figure out what
features goes where and the cost of pots, knobs, contacts etc. easilly gets
forgotten. It is however a fund project to build and quite few has been built.
The ASM-1 has been around for quite some time on Synth-DIY.

Then, Tomg's projects is varying in size etc. Trying to grasp all of the
modules etc in a few sentences are hard. I think you should take a look at his
pages to see if some stuff could possibly be a good starter.

Now, I let the others elaborate on this starter to an answer. This question and
answer really belongs in a FAQ!

Cheers,
Magnus (clearly ASM-1 biased, just so you know ;)