Craig Anderton

No writer has done a better job of covering the do-it-yourself world of music electronics than Craig Anderton. He’s written for a variety of music magazines, and covered everything from soldering cables to patching virtual synthesizers.

Electronic Projects for Musicians is a great introduction to the DIY world. The Internet has made it possible to get parts and plans to inexpensively build just about any electronic music device that you can think of. The DIY approach makes almost any electronic device affordable. For most people, though, the thought of piecing together electronics from a collection of resistors, diodes, and transistors is daunting.

Anderton’s book is one of the best ways to get started. The projects he covers are all pretty simple, and are for devices that just about anybody can use: pre-amps, ring modulators, phasers, and filters. The designs are perfect for use as guitar pedals or keyboard effects.

Anderton starts out slowly, covering the basics of electronic parts. Then he moves onto simple projects, and gradually introduces more complicated ones. The book also teaches you what you need to know in order to build small projects like these, including things like judging a good solder joint.

Electronic Projects for Musicians is a must-read for anyone interested in the world of DIY electronic musical instruments.