What is it about ?

For as long as I can remember, I was always fascinated by those large modular synthesizers that could be seen along artists like Jean-Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk or Keith Emerson.  I fondly remember the large 5U modular (unplugged !) behind the belgian band Telex during their performance at the european Song Contest in 1980.

Telex : Telex during rehearsals for the Eurovision Song Contest 1980
Nationaal Archief, Den Haag, Rijksfotoarchief: Fotocollectie Algemeen Nederlands Fotopersbureau (ANEFO)
Source : Wikipedia

Keith Emerson (photo Surka, source Wikipedia)

Now that I finally experimented a little bit with Do-It-Youself (DIY) electronics, I tend to believe that I can build my very own synthesizer.  So, the purpose of this blog is to document the journey of an amateur hobbyist (me !) into the world of DIY modular synths.

To make things straight, I did study electronics at the University, more than 20 years ago.  But I spent most of my professional career programming computers.  This part of my life seems a century ago.

What decided me to come back to electronics after all this time ?  A simple electronic layout on a musical web site showed me how easy it was to make a booster pedal for guitar.

So I bought a bit of hardware, built the thing and it worked.


There I was, with my first DIY electronic device in hand…

 

It was 5 years ago.

This blog will not only be about building a synthesizer, I intend to write a little to document my journey in gaining enough knowledge and confidence to tell myself I can make my own synthesizer.
Of course, you will see my progress as they happen… if they happen.
And if these articles encourage you to start your own projects, my job here is done.