Music

Take your creations beyond the workshop and onto the stage with diy music instruments! Let us show you how these creations range from simple, basic setups that produce beautiful sounds to more complex projects that require a greater level of engineering knowledge. With these tutorials and examples, we’ll guide you on this journey to make your own musical instrument for experimental, artistic or everyday use – so whether you’re starting out new or a seasoned sound creator, come explore the wonderful world of making your own music.

Shopping-cart serenade

Not since industrial noisemakers like Einsturzende Neubauten first miked a shopping cart… This is a decidedly more 21st version. The makers, Hogan Birney, Sean Kinberger, and David Plakon explain the design: Touch and pressure are used to control the live manipulation of sound and image. The cart is equipped with a video projector, computer and […]

The Furby Youth Choir

The Furby Youth Choir

Those of you who attended Maker Faire 2008 in Austin may recall the performance of local circuit-benders Furby Youth Choir. I recently had a chance to attend one of their live performances at the United States Art Authority, next to Spider House on Fruth St. in the UT Campus area. A Furby, for those who […]

Getting to know the diode mixer

Dave posted this vid along with a write-up, covering the ins-and-outs of the unbalanced diode mixer circuit – This circuit uses the small non-linear response area of a single diode to create combinations of sum and difference frequencies of two input signals (or one input signal containing multiple overtones). Radio designers use this type of […]