Clean boost pedals represent the simplest and most elegant of guitar effects, providing pure signal amplification without coloration or distortion—at least, that’s the ideal. These minimal circuits teach fundamental amplification concepts while delivering genuinely useful functionality. Whether pushing an amp into saturation, compensating for signal loss through long cable runs, or simply adding volume for solos, a well-designed boost pedal solves real problems with refreshingly straightforward circuitry. Building one makes an perfect introduction to audio electronics and effects pedal design. ...

Environmental sound recognition represents one of the most practical applications of embedded machine learning, enabling devices to understand their acoustic surroundings and react intelligently. Unlike speech recognition that focuses on linguistic content, environmental sound classification identifies non-speech audio events: glass breaking, dogs barking, machinery malfunctioning, or babies crying. Running these recognition algorithms directly on microcontrollers—without cloud connectivity—opens possibilities for responsive, privacy-preserving, low-latency audio applications across countless domains. Why Environmental Sound Recognition Matters Traditional audio systems react to simple thresholds—sound present or absent, loud or quiet—providing crude detection at best. Machine learning enables nuanced understanding: distinguishing wanted sounds from background noise, recognizing specific audio events among many possibilities, and adapting to acoustic variability that defeats rule-based algorithms. This capability transforms devices from simple sensors into intelligent listeners that understand context. ...

Short demo of a small MXR Phase 45 clone that was built using the “Smoothie” PCB. This is a short demo video of a small two-stage phaser that was built based after the MXR Phase 45 circuit. Homemade Franken caster will be playing through Fender Pro junior amp, which demonstrates what the dry signal sounds like.

This short video contains some useful advice on some starting options for building your own guitar pedals! I’m going to give a plug to my tutorial series, where there’s eight videos and they go through etching the board all the way to painting the box. Not only will you be soldering everything onto the PCB, which will give you an introduction to the electronic components, but you are going to be wiring it up as well. ...

I found a great beginner’s project, the MadLab Junior Theremin, as a cheap electronics kit available on Jameco! Build and Demo Video Here’s a video from Youtuber 3DSage that shows off a nice build tutorial along with the functionality of the Junior Theremin: Theremins are extremely cool to play around with, but are bulky and a bit expensive. The MadLab Junior Theremin is a stripped-down version of the famous proximity-controlled instrument. One key difference is the lack of a volume control antenna, but the pitch control aerial/antenna is way more interesting! Simply move your hand closer to the antenna and listen to how the pitch changes. ...

YouTube channel LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER has a great in-depth video review of the classic 8 step sequencer. He discusses concepts such as control voltage and he also shows how he assembles his own circuit. Very cool stuff! For another great 8 step sequencer circuit with an in-depth explanation, check out this link: </posts/8-step-sequencer/>.

When we are building our circuits and DIY guitar stompboxes, power supply polarity is extremely important. Boss guitar pedals makes sure that their power adapters supply continuous power through a center negative power supply. This means that the input jack must be wired correctly in order for the circuit to function. Using the wrong polarity power adapter can, at worst, destroy the circuit! Many older designs do not prevent users from doing this! ...

Check out this great video from YouTube user Circuit Basics. If you’re new to audio electronics, one of the best projects to build is an audio amplifier with the famous LM386 Audio Amplifier Integrated Circuit. In this video tutorial, he will go step-by-step through the breadboarding process to eventually testing his custom LM386 circuit. A companion article to this video can be found here, http://www.circuitbasics.com/build-a-great-sounding-audio-amplifier-with-bass-boost-from-the-lm386/, with loads of details that will help you tweak your circuit for optimal sound quality and performance.**NOTE:**As you can see in this video, there are a lot of issues that can occur when you use small breadboards. Jumper wires and cables can clutter up your work area and get in your way when you’re experimenting. It’s also common for long -lead resistors and capacitors to create short circuits when bending them out of the way. Your best course of action is to plan your breadboard projects in advance, have a set of solid core wires of varying lengths, and test often during the process. ...

If you’re interested in optimizing your workspace, this tutorial from one of the greatest electronics YouTube channels will surely help! Dave from EEVBlog is one of the most knowledgeable and detail-oriented people out there. You will appreciate his candor and professional insight. Enjoy!