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Participants will have access to instruction, materials and work stations for the construction of piezo-microphones, amplified circuit-boards, and circuit-bent electronics.

The workshop is coordinated by Jeff Morton.

Piezo mics, also known as contact mics, are unlike most other kinds of microphones. They only amplify sound in the object to which they are attached; they do not amplify sound in the air around them. In this way they are very good for amplifying acoustic guitars or basses, other string instruments, or just about any object one wishes to listen to.

Workshop participants will learn the basic soldering skills and diagnostic plans for building these microphones from simple materials available at very low cost.

Circuit-bending is the process of disassembling, rewiring, and reassembling toy electronic musical instruments or other circuit-board sound components. New connections on the original circuitry, in the form of wires, buttons, and dials create new and often bizarre sounds. To take part in this workshop component, participants must bring their own instruments or noise makers to circuit-bend. All other components will be available form the workshop coordinator.