2025-04-18 –, K4b Hardware Workshop
Language: English
Anyone can learn to solder!
And anyone can learn to make music, sound (and noise!) with computer chips!
All participants will easily learn all of this by making an ArduTouch music synthesizer from a kit.
For total beginners.
Learn to solder by making a way-cool, powerful music synthesizer, and
learn how to make cool music, sound, (and noise!) with computer chips
(The fancy word for making sound with a computer chip is Digital Signal Processing or DSP).
ArduTouch is an open hardware Arduino-compatible music synthesizer kit with a built-in Touch Keyboard, and with built-in speaker/amplifier. It is a really nice performing musical instrument.
This workshop is for total newbies to learn to solder.
This workshop is for total newbies to make their own ArduTouch music synthesizer and learn to make music, sound (and noise!) with computer chips. Attendees take their completed synthesiser home at the end of the workshop.
The ArduTouch comes pre-programmed with a way cool synthesizer. And I will show you how to re-program it with other way cool (and totally different) synthesizers, as well as how to make your own synthesizers.
For ages 10 - 100.
Workshop Itinerary:
Intro to music synthesis
Basics of making sound with computer chips (Digital Signal Processing)
Basics of using an Arduino
Learn to solder. Don't let this scare you! I've taught tens of thousands of people to solder, most of whom have never made anything before in their lives. It is actually a very easy skill to learn. It is also very useful.
* How to re-program your ArduTouch music synthesizer to make lots of cool music, sounds, (and noise!)
Materials costs
The workshop is free, but if you would like to partake in the hands-on aspects of the workshop, Mitch will have ArduTouch kits for €35.
Optional: USB-Serial Cable for re-programming ArduTouch (and many other projects): 5 €.
Optional: Bring your laptop if you want to go home with the free Arduino software installed on it.
Arduino software runs on Windows, MacOS and Linux.
Mitch Altman is a hacker and inventor, known for inventing TV-B-Gone, a keychain that turns off TVs in public places. He co-founded a successful SilyValley startup and did pioneering work in Virtual Reality. He is an author and teacher, and goes around the world giving talks and workshops. Mitch promotes hackerspaces, open source hardware, and mentors others wherever he goes. He is a co-founder of Noisebridge hackerspace in San Francisco, and is founder of Cornfield Electronics.