Announcing a workshop taught with my 1976 Phototheremin kit, although I won’t be in attendance.

HANDMADE MUSIC
Culturefix, 9 Clinton St., New York, NY 10002
Sunday, August 29
Workshop 4-6p
Event 7-9:30p
Hosted by createdigitalmusic.com with Etsy.com, Make Magazine, and XLR8R Magazine

4pm – 6pm
WORKSHOP: Make your own Photo-Theremin (Beginner-friendly!)
$10 (includes parts)
Never soldered before? Dozed off in Physics class when they were explaining electricity? Here’s your second chance. Create a noise-making two-transistor synthesizer of your very own, controlled by modulating light. Based on an original circuit by electronics legend Forrest M. Mims III, the man who de-mystified electronics in books for Radio Shack and others, and adapted by designer Eric Archer for Handmade Music Austin, this simple circuit is the perfect introduction to making sound with electricity. It’s quick to assemble, but lots of fun. Learn basic soldering, then make your own kit. And be sure to come back in the evening with your creation to join the world’s first known Photo-Theremin Chorus.

You must pre-register for this event.
Registrations close August 20! (Parts are being fabricated in advance!)
http://phototheremin.eventbrite.com/

7pm – 9:30 pm
HANDMADE MUSIC – Open Party
FREE

Meet and mingle with inventors, musicians, and artists. Discover chip and mobile music played live wirelessly at the bar by New York’s Pulsewave community. Hear music and sound made with free software on Android mobile phones. Check out open sound inventions in the gallery and surprise performances hosted by createdigitalmusic.com, DIY musical crafts from Etsy.com, the latest inventions and kits from Make Magazine, and a world-exclusive debut performance of a new, hackable synthesizer called the MeeBlip.

Special guest: Drone Lab creator and renowned synth designer, artist, circuit bender, and musician Pete Edwards of Casperelectronics

Full lineup will be announced, but unplanned guests tend to appear.

Handmade Music Austin #3

Sunday, December 20 ‘09

4PM – 5:30 – Beginner’s Workshop
6PM – 8 -Upper Division instrument building class
8:30 – ? Jam and featured performance

Salvage Vanguard Theatre
2803 Manor Road
Austin, Texas 78722

Snare is synthesized with Andromeda Mk-1 damped sine wave + Mk-2 filtered noise burst. The damped sine waves simulate the top head of the snare, and the Mk-2 simulates the bottom drum head and snare wires. The sharp percussion sound is from an experimental all-transistor circuit, on the left. Its triggered by a prototype 2-button loop sequencer using PIC 16F684, code by Wooster Audio.

Church of the Friendly Ghost presents Handmade Music Austin.An exciting series of DIY electronic music workshops, with expert instructors from Bleep Labs, 4MS Pedals, and Eric Archer.SYNTHS AND DRUM MACHINES?

In a friendly workshop setting, we’ll present a newly-designed series of miniature electronic instruments, called Andromeda Space Rockers.  No bigger than a credit card, these projects are designed for DIY’ers like you. They can be built in a couple of hours to make a working drum machine, bass generator, or micro-synthesizer. These fun little instruments love to jam together, and they do it by forming a wireless network to keep the rhythm! They react to the environment as well… for example, the drum machines‘ filter, pitch, and envelope are controlled with light-reactive photocells.

Each workshop will feature a different instrument.
The full series of kits will be available online as well (to be announced soon).

BEGINNERS ARE WELCOME TOO

Basic classes are offered for beginners free of charge, where you can learn to solder by building mini space rockers.

Or you can skip straight to the ‘Upper Division’ and build one of the Andromeda Space Rockers instruments. Soldering equipment will be provided. To participate in the Upper Division classes you should be familiar with assembling printed circuit boards. An understanding of electronics theory is not required; just patience, hand-eye coordination, and enthusiasm for DIY music.

OPEN JAM AT EVERY WORKSHOP

Of course, there will be an open jam / performance once the instruments are built.  We encourage you to bring some pedals and a small amp to plug in your new synth or drum machine and participate in an exciting musical experiment. Huh? Since the Andromeda Space Rockers communicate with each other using infrared wireless, they keep the rhythm automatically - the space will be filled with synchronized sound as you tweak the tones and control the arrangement.

Performances are free to attend.

CLASS SCHEDULE

All workshops are on Sundays.

4PM - 5:30 Beginner’s Workshop
6PM - 8 Upper Division instrument building class
8:30 - ? Open Jam and featured performance

CLASS DATES

2009

October 18
November 15 (coincides with East Austin Studio Tour)
December 20

2010

January 17
February 28
March 14
April 18

LOCATION

Salvage Vanguard Theatre
2803 Manor Rd
Austin, TX

HOW TO REGISTER

Beginner’s Workshop is free.  Upper Division registration is $45 and includes materials.  We’re accepting workshop preregistration for Oct 18th and Nov 15th.   The first 2 workshops are filling up quickly!

REGISTER VIA EMAIL :  churchofthefriendlyghost (@) gmail (.) com