Take me to the Steps

This is a really fun project for anyone interested in electronics or music. Best of all, it’s inexpensive, easy to solder, and lots of fun.

You can pick up a kit in the Maker Shed.

Make sure to watch my video demo and take a guess at what song I’m playing!

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Project Steps

Check your kit against the parts list

Remember to get a mint tin to house the electronics, or pick up a Make Projects tin.

The first step is to cut out the templates provided in the directions. I used the piece of cardboard that the solar panel was attached to for the Theremin’s top.

Tape the bottom template in the tin. This will stop any of the electrical components from shorting out if they happen to touch the tin.

Add the long cardboard strip around the interior edge of the tin.

Solder the 3 transistors and the 22K resistor.

Make sure you insert the transistors according to the diagram or it will not work.

You need to connect the (2) supplied capacitors together prior to soldering them.

Make sure you connect them with the (+) and (-) ends together. The arrows on the capacitors, which happen to point to the negative lead, should be pointing from right to left when looking at the board.

Solder the capacitors to the board.

Don’t clip the leads yet! You can cut the (+) lead, but the (-) lead will be soldered to the switch.

Attach the pre-tinned copper wires to the board.

You can see them at the top of this picture.

I used the 3rd hand to hold them in place while soldering.

The (2) 3cm wires go in the middle of the (2) 7cm wires.

Solder the switch to the (-) side of the board and the twisted pair of wires from the capacitors.

Add the 12k resistor to the back of the board.

Make sure to read the included directions carefully and solder it in the right spot.

One end goes to the (+) side of the capacitors and the other goes to a trace on the board.

It can be a bit tricky to solder the speaker. I found using the 3rd hand to hold the speaker in place and bending the (2) 3cm wires was the easiest way to solder them together.

Screw the switch into the cardboard template that you cut out.

Next, feed the (2) 7cm leads through the holes in the template.

Now solder the solar panel to the copper tinned leads.

Make sure you orient the solar panel as described in the instructions.

The panel can be tricky to solder; make sure you use enough heat.

Push the whole assembly underneath the lip of the tin.

The cardboard ring will hold it away from the bottom.

You might want to use a small screwdriver to slip the cardboard under the lip. It can be a bit tricky, but the template is a perfect fit.

That’s it! Take it outside and make some music.

Make sure to watch my video demo too!