[sdiy] newbee! help!

[media at mail1.nai.net]

At 12:05 AM -0600 01/04/02, the-h at mail.utexas.edu wrote:
>
>Hiya synth diyers. I am just starting up with synth diy and have been
>>testing a few things on breadboard and am getting some strange results. I
>>first made a simple passive high pass filter just a capacitor with a
>>resistor across it. It worked fine but then i switched the capacitor and
>>resistor (to make it low pass) and it just stopped working, no sound at
>>all.

I'd calculate the cutoff point, and see if you should hear something.

>Ive also been trying to do some simple stuff (making an inverter or
>regular >amp) with an op amp. and meeting with unbrideled failure, they
>just don't >work.

I'd check the pin-outs :)

>I think my main problem might be my technique for connecting the 1/4"
>jacks >into the breadboard, or my laying out of components on the
>breadboard. If >someone could recommend some construction and prototyping
>techniques it >would help a whole lot. I have one
>of those minimal type breadboards, no power or oscilator or nothin (its the
>kind you can get at radio shack). Any help would be great.

I use two of those side-by-side.  Well actually, I think one of them was
from Lafayette.  They're crap but they still work.  I'd go over it with an
ohmmeter (is that two m's?? it looks funny in print) and make sure the
points tie the way you think you do.  I connect pots and jacks buy
soldering solid wire onto them, and plugging the other end into the board.

Needless to say, I should probably buy a new breadboard. The GC Proto-board
and 3M ACE are in the Mouser and Digikey catalogs, respectively.  Any
suggestions??