Breadboarding Modular Synthesizers
No previous experience is necessary and all materials are provided for you in this workshop.
In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to design basic electronic oscillators with integrated circuits and discrete components. These principles will allow us to synthesize musical sounds from the ground up and arrange them into melodic and rhythmic patterns.
Over the course of two days, we will focus on square wave oscillators for synthesizing pitched instruments. After learning how to build these circuits out on breadboards, we’ll explore two ways of interacting with our circuits – one a button-based system for actuating sounds, and another an automated circuit for sequencing them.
By the end of the workshop, you will have built your own unique, playable instrument capable of generating synth melodies and sequencing drum patterns in real-time.
Course Logistics
Dates:
Monday, October 5 & Wednesday, October 7, 2026
(Two sessions)
Times:
6 – 9 PM PT
Location:
Gray Area / Grand Theater
2665 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Cost:
$250
Experience Level:
Beginner to Advanced
Scholarships:
Diversity Scholarships are available.
Apply by September 15, 2026 for a scholarship.
Prerequisites
No previous experience is necessary.
What to Bring
No additional tools are required.
What’s Provided
All materials are provided for this workshop.
Additional Information
- No refunds or exchanges
- View our FAQ here
- Contact [email protected] with any questions
What You’ll Learn
By the end of this workshop, participants will:
- Design basic electronic oscillators using integrated circuits and discrete components
- Build square wave oscillators for synthesizing pitched instruments
- Build sine wave oscillators for emulating percussive sounds
- Construct and troubleshoot circuits on breadboards
- Use buttons and switches to actuate sounds
- Build an automated circuit for sequencing melodic and rhythmic patterns
- Create a unique, playable instrument capable of generating synth melodies and sequencing drum patterns in real-time
Workshop Outline
Day 1
- Build out a basic square wave oscillator + amplifier
- Build out a basic twin-T sine wave oscillator
- Troubleshooting and Q&A with an explanation of both circuits
Day 2
- Using buttons and switches as an interface
- Build out sequencer with binary counter + multiplexer
- Circuit variations and discussion of further possibilities
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