Is electronics a difficult subject to learn?

Question

I know nothing about electronics, but I would like to learn how to make simple effects pedals, synthesizers, and other music related electronics. Know anywhere I can go, any good websites or books I can check out to learn basic electronics? Thanks.

Answer 1

If you know nothing about electronics the first step is to learn the basics, no matter what you plan to make. The book that I learned using was called "Basic Electronics" and it was published by and was purchased at a Radio Shack. The most important thing when your learning is not to skip ahead and try to work on a schematic for a distortion pedal when you don't know the basics. It'll end up not working and you'll get very frustrated. If you feel like your not getting anywhere, run to the nearest electronics part store and buy a kit that makes something stupid. In half an hour or so, you have a light organ or a digital slot machine and a boost of confidence. After reading the book and doing a few basic things, I ended up taking an adult ed. class at a community college. Definitely something to look into. From my experience, the kind of guys who run these classes could construct circuit boards in their sleep, and are really passionate about it. So, it's not the easiest thing in the world to learn, but if it's something you really want to do and are willing to put the time into, it's worth it. Kind of like learning an instrument now that you think about it.

Answer 2

The first answer is first class.

I would add only that you should buy any monthly electronics magazines you find on sale, and consider subscribing to foreign ones (from the U.K. if you are in the U.S. and vice versa.)

There will be much which you at first don't understand but nevertheless you will pick up things and some of them publish articles for beginners every now and then.

You might also find the electronics forums of interest. There are dozens, but a few with which I was familiar are here http://www.davidbridgen.com/links.htm

Answer 3

I highly suggest taking classes at a community college. A book is fine, because we all learn from books, but you really need an instructor, tests, and the possibility of failing to force the knowledge into your brain. I have tons of books I ordered, and do-it-yourself learning kits, but they collect dust with nothing driving me to actually do it. I mean, think about it, for the time it took for you to post this question, you could have looked up countless sites on the subject......GET OUT THERE AND DO IT!!!!

Answer 4

In graduate studies, I took a classed called Numerical Methods for Electromagnetics. Trying to understand and grasp the concepts of different methods to solve the problems took a long time. Topics covered were: Finite Difference Methods (FDM), Method of Moments (MOM), Finite Elements Methods (FEM and commonly used), Transmission-Line-Matrix Method. Once the method was understood, then it was off to write a program to aid in the calculations.