[sdiy] Newbie alert :-)

[synth at oldmail.charlielamm.com]

I went through the same dilemma when I was getting started, and had to
find/build my first VCO as well....after much research and indecision I
settled on the ASM-1 VCO, which is here:

http://home.swipnet.se/cfmd/synths/friends/stopp/asm1vco.html
http://home.swipnet.se/cfmd/synths/friends/stopp/#3.1 (jump down the page
and get the VCO schematics PDF, and read all you can about the VCO itself)

My own experience with this was fabbing a PCB based on the schematic and
then getting it tuned up, so it stayed in tune across 9 or so
octaves....which for me was a completely new experience!

http://www.charlielamm.com/synth/asmvco.php3

I have now built a few of these and have been very happy with the results.  
It's a simple design that works great.

Have fun!

--CL




On Thu, 30 Sep 2004, Nicolai Czempin wrote:

> 
> So, here it comes:
> Can you please give me/point me towards schematics for a minimalistic 
> VCO, that, and here's the catch, I can build with just the basic 
> components I get from "Conrad" (which, as far as I understand, would be 
> the German equivalent for "Radio Shack"). I'm not concerned at all with 
> quality, I just want something that makes some noise (actually, signal 
> would be preferred :-) on the little LS. It may be a certain lack of 
> understanding, perhaps you're not supposed to hear anything directly 
> from the VCO, and you definitely need some kind of amplifier (once I get 
> my osci probes I can at least see if "I am" oscillating anything at all, 
> that I'd just need to amplify). I wouldn't mind starting with an 
> IC-based one (because it will be simpler to build), but at some point 
> I'd like to advance to discrete components, simply because I want to 
> know what's going on under the hood.
> 
> Perhaps some of you would say that I should start with something 
> simpler, but the method of trial and error has been very successful for 
> me. First, I used to just copy BASIC programs (and a lot of those were 
> way above my understanding at the time) from magazines (back in the 
> 80s), and when they wouldn't work I had to spend some time trying to 
> find out why. Worked for me.
> 
> Anyway. Please help. TIA. YMMV. SCNR. LOL.
> 
> 
> mfg Nicolai Czempin
> 
> P. S. I managed to blow an analog multimeter on the day I had bought it. 
> Luckily it was of the 5 Euro variety. I guess one has to go through 
> these experiences oneself :-)
>