Workshop 1

Weds 5 Aug, 6–7:30pm BST

Workshop 2

Thu 6 Aug, 6–7:30pm BST

Build your very own synthesiser at home using just household objects and our DIY set, posted to you and included in the ticket cost. Participants will be instructed on the assembly of their DIY synth by Dirty Electronics (John Richards) in this pair of online workshops, hosted via Zoom.

The Thrupenny Synth is based on Andrew Bentley’s Poorman’s Synth, an analogue synth that takes an alternative approach to electronic circuit construction and uses electricians’ terminal block (a.k.a chocolate block). This approach more-or-less eliminates the need for soldering and enables sound-generating circuits to be created in a truly hands-on practical way.

Over the course of two Zoom sessions, participants are invited to get stuck in assembling the Thrupenny Synth, continuing at their own speed following directions and a printed guide. Dirty Electronics will interject tips and anecdotes on how to build the synth and discuss broader ideas of music for DIY electronics. By the end of the second session, participants will have built their very own Thrupenny Synth, and there will be opportunities to experiment with different sounds that can be made.

You will need:

A small flat headed (slotted) screwdriver
9v (PP3) battery
Headphones or small amp/speaker. (The synth has a 3.5mm mini jack socket.)

Optional tools:

Pliers
Blu-tack (3rd hand)

No prior knowledge needed, all ages and abilities welcome. Please note that this workshop requires dexterity and may be unsuitable for those with limited mobility. If you have any questions regarding suitability for this workshop or if the price is a barrier to your ability to attend, please get in touch with sophie@nonclassical.co.uk

Admission £30 plus postage and packaging of kit (standard delivery, large letter 100g, padded envelope)

Please allow ample time for postage when purchasing tickets to ensure your Thrupenny Synth kit arrives in time for the workshop.

BUY TICKETS

Approximate shipping times

UK (next working day)
EU (3-5 working days)
Non-EU (6-7 working days)

See the full Nonclassical Academy programme >>

About the artist

Dirty Electronics, also know as John Richards, is a composer and musician who works in the electroacoustic spectrum, and has received recognition for his experimentations with improvisation and home-made instruments. A versatile sort, he has previously collaborated with Gabriel Prokofiev, in the collective Nerve8, and has both played with Napalm Death band members and performed at IRCAM.

A champion of the D.I.Y. and lo-fi, Richards shuns high-end equipment, in favour of what he calls “dirty electronics”. Richards has released an album on Nonclassical with the pianist GeNIA, in which these practices are combined with her piano expertise.