| Workshops, Classes, Salons, and the eSymposium |
What is Circuit Bending? |
 |
|
Circuit Bending is the creative recycling of discarded consumer electronics, usually children’s toys, guitar effects units, inexpensive battery-powered musical instruments, portable CD players, etc., to create unique experimental electronic art by adding wires, knobs, and switches to control new connections within the device’s pre-existing circuitry.
No prior knowledge of electronics is required. Examples can be found on our 'Devices' page. What's a Good Device to Bend?
Well for starters - don't bend anything you can't live without (especially if you're just starting out). Also never bend anything that plugs into the wall. There are definitely some "holy grails" of bending - almost anything by Texas Instruments and Casio. Lately I've been bending musical greeting cards. They don't just beep out a song anymore. They have actual samples in them now. Which brings me to another guideline - toys that have samples in them are the most desirable. If it says, "hi!" or barks or meows or quacks it's probably a good bet. Toys that merely beep and boop are usually not so fun. Which brings up the obvious - toys that make sound. You'd be surprised how many students bring toys that make no sound to the workshop. True, you can bend them... but the results have less of an "immediate gratification" quality to them. |
|
Battery-powered video devices are a candidate, but require a monitor to see the results (usually not readily available).
Usually the older toys are easier to work with. Here's why. There's a trend in electronics these days towards miniaturization and cost-efficiency that manifests itself in things known as SMDs (Surface Mounted Devices). They are tiny tiny versions of basic electronic components.
It's one thing to go after a fairly "see-able" resistor or capacitor in a toy, and it is quite a different thing to go after a little square of metal smaller than half a match head. It can be done, but requires excellent eyesight. I use one of those big magnifying lamps.
Some of the simplest things bend the best. I have this rather stupid Fischer Price toy that does nothing but count, do the ABCs, and that's about it. I put one clock bend in it and I love it. (SMD based, by the way).
Here's another general rule. Try to stay away from games. Not that they won't bend - just that they are more difficult to work with because you have to actually "play" the game in order to get it to make sound. Kind of a drag when you're trying to get at it's internal circuitry.
|
|
|
| Workshops Currently Offered |
Introduction to Circuit Bending (Adults)
An Introduction to the Acquired Technology Arts |
|
Saturday, September 29th, 2012, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Take apart an old toy and make a brand new musical instrument! At the end of this workshop participants will be able to identify and explore the basic components of a typical circuit board, the basics of soldering, install output jacks, switches, body contacts (and more!), and control a world of new sounds. Tools and components will be provided. Participants are required to bring one or two battery-powered devices (with batteries!) to the class. No previous electronics experience is required.
Students are required to bring one or two battery powered devices to the class. |
|
|
Introduction to Experimental Music & Instruments (Kids)
How to Build an Instrument from Scratch |
Dates and Times to be Announced
What is “Experimental Music?” How does one play it? On what sorts of instruments is it played? How do you conduct it? How do you score for it? This workshop specifically designed for children ages 11 - 14 yrs. explores these questions as well as what it means to make your own musical instruments out of common household materials and how to create your own music on them. This three-hour workshop emphasizes non-traditional approaches to music and sound. Participants will be engaged in “homemade” instrument design, construction, and playing.
|
|
|
Introduction to Homemade Electroacoustics (Adults)
How to Build a Simple Contact Microphone |
Dates and Times to be Announced
Not to geek out on science too much, but how does a contact microphone actually work? Learn the basics of the Piezoelectric effect while honing basic soldering skills. During the first half of the workshop participants will learn the physics of a contact mic, as well as the simplicity of its construction from reclaimed materials. The second half of the workshop participants will learn the basics of DIY electroacoustic instrument design and construction. Participants are encouraged to bring random objects to amplify - sheet metal, cardboard boxes, acoustic instruments, slinkies, coat hangers, textured plastic objects, etc. No previous electronics experience is required!
|
|
|
Introduction to Homemade Electroacoustics (Kids)
What's the Science Behind Amplified Sound? |
Dates and Times to be Announced
Students ages 11- 14 will learn the basics of DIY (Do It Yourself) experimental electroacoustic musical instrument design and construction. Emphasis will be on learning the science behind the amplification of acoustic sound, what is resonance, and how to build experimental electroacoustic musical instruments from common household materials.
|
|
|
How to Build a Controller Oscillator (Adults)
An Introduction to Granular Synthesis Programming |
Dates and Times to be Announced
This workshop will focus on a more advanced level of electronics hacking. How to read and write electronics schematics, how to assemble and use homemade sequencers to control and trigger electronic devices. Though not a prerequisite, participants will benefit from having basic soldering and Circuit Bending skills, a basic understanding of electronics components, and a basic understanding of oscillators. Participants are encouraged to bring a Circuit Bent device to the workshop. |
|
|
How to Build a Vactrol Sequencer (Adults)
An Introduction to Granular Synthesis Programming |
Dates and Times to be Announced
"Vactrol” is the trade name for an optoisolator or optocoupler. A simple vactrol is a lightproof packet containing an LED and a photoresistor, usually a Cadmium Sulfide (CdS) cell. Practically any material can be used as the vactrol’s casing – as long as it is lightproof (electrician’s tape, gaffer’s tape, heat shrink tubing, opaque epoxy, wood, etc.) Optoisolators are a convenient way to control trigger points within a circuit bent toy. Controlled by a homemade sequencer circuit and various devices can be triggered in predictable (and sometimes unpredictable!) patterns. Though not a prerequisite, participants will benefit from having basic soldering and Circuit Bending skills, a basic understanding of electronics components, and a basic understanding of oscillators. Participants are encouraged to bring a Circuit Bent device to the workshop.
|
|
Music and the Arduino
An Introduction to Granular Synthesis Programming |
Dates and Times to be Announced
The Arduino is a "microcontroller," basically a computer in the palm of your hand. Learn the basics of programming an Arduino while creating a small, but very loud granular synthesizer, a basic sound synthesis method that operates on the microsound time scale.
Students are required to have basic Soldering and Circuit Bending skills and a basic understanding of electronics components. |
|
How To Build a Portable Amplifier
Skip the Kit - Build it from Scratch! |
Dates and Times to be Announced
This workshop will guide you step by step through the process of building your own standard, battery-powered, portable amplifier. This course will show how simple electronics construction can be while emphasizing the basics of soldering, following an electronics diagram, custom circuit design, circuit construction, and finishing techniques. Though students may bring their favorite tools, all that is required is a 9v battery and a "box" to house your completed amplifier circuit (good candidates include cigar boxes, coffee cans, Tupperware, broken radios, small pre-existing speaker cabinets, etc. -- anything that can can be easily manipulated with a hand drill).
Students are required to have basic Soldering and Circuit Bending skills and a basic understanding of electronics components. |
|
| Past Circuit Bending Lectures and Workshops |
|
|
| The Peter Jones Gallery, Chicago |
 |
 |
|
| Nic Collins' Hardware Hacking Class, The School of the Art Institute, Chicago |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| The Association for Computing Machinery, DePaul University, Chicago |
 |
 |
|
| The Peter Jones Gallery, Chicago |
 |
 |
|
| The Open Source Open Ear Festival, The Mess Hall, Chicago |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| The Peter Jones Gallery, Chicago |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| The PACedge Festival, The Athenaeum Theatre, Chicago |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Festival de Música Electrónica Latina, The National Museum of Mexican Art, Chicago |
 |
 |
|
| The eSymposium, Lizard's Liquid Lounge, Chicago |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Roth Mobot, the Roth Mobot logo, associated images, video, and audio recordings are trade marks of, and copyrighted by, Roth Mobot,
and cannot be used or reproduced without explicit written consent of Tommy Stephenson & Patrick McCarthy.
