A4 Sounds and Satellite Studios Skill-Share # 5: An Introduction to Circuit-bending by Andrew Edgar
Hosted at A4 Towers
19 Mountainview Avenue
Harold’s Cross
Dublin 6W
Thursday 21st March @7.30pm
The workshop is free but if you can afford it there is a suggested donation of 5 euro to go towards studio running costs.
Circuit bending is the creative short-circuiting & modification of the circuitry of kid’s toys or battery-powered musical instruments to create strange, outlandish, unintended, and unpredictable sounds. By building in controls, adding switches or knobs you can control these sounds to create new, unique instruments.
If interested we would ask people to bring along a battery-powered, sound-making electronic device to tinker with. Charity shops are a good hang out for suitable devices! Not every toy can be bent, but in any event there’ll be some extra toys provided to mess with – and all tools and additional components will be provided. The workshop is suitable for complete beginners to the more advanced who wish to develop their skills.
The workshop will open with a short introduction to circuit-bending as an electronic folk-art practice, moving on to a show-and-tell of pre-bent toys, followed some pointers on how to acquire likely devices or “ targets” for circuit bending, and what to look out for . We’ll then move to an exploratory bending session, where participants are invited to experiment with the toys or instruments they have brought along, seeking “bend points” in the circuitry which give rise to interesting sounds .
The emphasis of this workshop is on exploration, experimentation and play, but will also look at circuit bending as a learning tool for understanding electronics and audio basics. The session will cover all the essentials of circuit bending, and there will be experienced facilitators to hand to help with soldering and other electronic needs.
All welcome but spaces are limited so please reply to A4SOUNDS@gmail.com to book a spot.
“Andrew Edgar is a circuit-bender, audio experimentalist, self-taught electronic tinkerer, and irrepressible hoarder. In 2009 he co-founded the Gamepak Dublin chiptune/DIY-electronics collective, and is now also actively involved in the Open Learning Ireland alternative learning initiative.”
Other Links
Gamepak Facebook
www.gamepakcollective.com
www.openlearningireland.wordpress.com
www.satellitestudios.tumblr.com
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