The WSG

admin — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 01:07:42 +0000

All of the parts in the WSG kit come neatly organized and bagged: wire, capacitors, resistors, switches, PCB mounting hardware, PCB, IC’s, pots, and knobs.

Another view of the kit components…

WSG resistors, separated according to value. For beginners, the Music From Outer Space site has all of the info you need as far as learning to identify resistor values and other critical specs…

WSG pots, again separated and grouped according to resistance value. The values are clearly marked on the pots, making the “work” very easy.

Now it’s time to populate the PCB. Start with resistors, as they are more tolerant to heat and are easiest to install. Gently bend the leads and slide them through the holes on the PCB. Once the resistor is placed, you can bend the lead on the back side of the PCB, thus holding the resistor in place for easy soldering.

Next come the IC holders, added as easily as the resistors.

Capacitors come next; I chose to start with the ceramic caps.

The electrolytic capacitors are added next. Especially when working with the electrolytic caps, I started using a heat sink to protect the component being soldered. I used an alligator clip, attached between the PCB and the capacitor body. Pay attention to polarity also! Now we have a fully populated PCB. All that’s missing are the two chips which pop easily into place.

I used a 4-space rack panel for my WSG. Overkill? Certainly. On the other hand, who can deny the power of a 4-space device painted white and filled with 12 knobs, 8 switches, and blue LED’s?

The front panel. Notice the extras: holes for LED’s, the rotary switch, and an extra audio jack. I don’t have a drill press, I just measured and marked the drill points. Don’t look too closely…

The back panel. Yes, the PCB is upside down. I originally had it oriented “correctly” but it was getting messy quickly. I had to de-solder a few wires and start over. Next time I build, I’ll plan a bit more carefully, but I really like this front panel layout all the same.

A finished but not organized back panel. You can clearly see the 4-position switch, extra audio jack, and LED holes. I attached the ground wire to the extra switch; because the panel is metal all pot bodies and switches are grounded. A few of the wires are much longer than is necessary: I did this to allow for ease in future mods. By the way, the wire included with the kit is more than enough- careful planning will leave you wire left over.

The back panel, organized, with PCB attached. Notice the DC jack I added; plugging in bypasses and saves the battery. You can see where I marked the back panel with reminders to keep me mistake-free. At this stage the WSG is a fully operational battle station: turn it on and make some weird sounds. I powered up fully expecting to hear nothing but was quickly and pleasantly surprised.

I took a few minutes at this point to note some interesting circuit bends. I used a bit of wire with alligator clips attached on each end. Simply hook one clip to any pot or switch and poke around with the other till you find something you like! I wrote down my favorites and will add them later, using the 4-position switch to turn them on or off. This will make the switch act as a “mode” or “variation” selector since only one of the bends will be actice at a given time. Also planned is a momentary push-button switch to kill the circuit- I love the sounds that happen when the circuit loses power!

A view inside the case. I made a case out of pine; a few dollars at Home Depot.

Another view under the hood.

The finished (stock) WSG. Looks nice with the MG-1.

Again, a very rewarding, simple project. Check back for updates on the added circuit bends!

Introduction

admin — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 22:07:00 +0000

Everybody loves new gear. We’re addicted in varying degrees to the euphoric feeling that comes from finding, ordering, opening, and putting a new bit of kit to use. Then comes the pinnacle: owning a one-of-a-kind piece, something no one else has. What about building that one-of-a-kind piece? Interested? Read on, my friend.

I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of building my own equipment. Most of us have a soldering iron in the toolbox for making or repairing cables; if you do, you’re just as qualified to build as I was. A while back, I decided it was time to dive in to the world of DIY. As a first project (there will certainly be more) I chose Ray Wilson’s WSG (Weird Sound Generator) kit from musicfromouterspace.com.

This blog is a record of the construction process. If you’ve just ordered or are thinking of ordering your own WSG, you’ve chosen wisely! Perhaps you’ll find some useful information here, or at least learn a few things not to do.

The first thing I did was order the WSG component kit. No problems at all. The box arrived and I opened it eagerly to inspect the contents. Again, no problems- everything was there. Wanting my WSG to have a few unique variations, and being the slightly obsessive person I am, I also ordered a few extra parts: a 4 position rotary switch, a big knob for said switch, some blue led’s, plastic led holders, and a dc jack, all from Action Electronics.

I already had the tools I needed: a cheap Radio Shack soldering iron ( I need to get a real one someday…) a basic multi-tester, a wire stripper, needle-nose pliers, and a diagonal cutter. A vise for soldering is really useful, too, as soldering is a three-hand task.

In conclusion

admin — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:06:00 +0000

This is a perfect first project. It’s easy enough yet results in an interesting and unique piece of equipment- I’ve used my WSG for noises and random sounds on a few tracks already. It should be noted that this is not a synth in the traditional sesne- it has no gate or CV inputs, and the sounds that come from it are best classified as “noises”. It’s great for generating new, unique electronic percussion and drum samples.

Start with the WSG or a simple guitar pedal. If you want to move further ahead, try the FatMan from Paia, which has a MIDI input, then the Soundlab synth from musicfromouterspace, which has gate and CV inputs. A quick web search will yield buckets of great information concerning DIY. You can find projects as easy as a distortion box or as complex as an 1176! Good luck.