When I was in high school I built a few primitive electronic instruments from scratch, and I’ve always enjoyed building do-it-yourself electronic projects. In the years since then, the Web has enabled a community of DIY synth builders to grow. Now there are many sites with plans for synthesizers and other gadgets, and many are available as circuit boards or kits. As a regular feature I’ll be pointing out some of these projects, and reviewing them when I have the chance to build them myself.

First up: the Sound Lab Mini Synth by Ray Wilson. Complete plans are available on the Web site, including a circuit board layout, parts list, and front panel layout. The synth has two oscillators, a noise generator, resonant filter, LFO, ADSR envelope, and VCA, and the author estimates the parts cost at $30 to $60. He calls it an “intermediate to advanced” project. If you’ve never soldered electronics before, you’ll want to start with something easier, but if you’ve built an electronics kit or two, this one looks like it won’t be too hard.

This synth is not available in kit form, but you can buy a circuit board for $30. If you’ve ever etched your own circuit boards, you’ll probably agree that it’s well worth the price. I ordered a board in January and it was shipped promptly. The board is very professional, with plated-through holes and printed labels for every part. It does not include printed instructions, so be sure to print out the instructions from the web.

I’m going to start work on my Mini Synth soon, and I’ll post some pictures and tips along the way.

[Note: This is not a MIDI synthesizer. You'll be able to make noise with it, but if you want to play it with a keyboard you'll need some kind of MIDI-to-control-voltage device. I recommend the PAiA midi2cv8.]