Breadboards are a type of circuit board that allow the user to easily modify circuits by placing metal wire or “legs” of circuit elements into holes that are connected. There are two columns on each side of the board, each of which connect vertically all the way down the board. On the inner portion of the board, there are two sets of 5 columns, separated by a large gap between them. Each row of 5 in these matrices are connected horizontally.

A multimeter is an electrical tool that allows the user to measure multiple electrical aspects of a circuit. By placing the attached probes onto both ends of a resistor without current, you can accurately measure the resistance of that resistor. You could also touch the probes to the negative and positive ends of a battery to see the amount of voltage emanating from the battery. Multimeters are also capable of measuring continuity between two points, which signals that current can flow through between those two points, which is useful if you are checking to see if wires are properly connected or to check for shorts in a soldered joint. Accurate resistance and voltage measurements are also imperative in analog electronics, as nothing is exactly accurate, and such values are required to calculate how to build circuits.

I thought that Jackie Elliott’s Distorto-Trem Pedal was interesting, as the circuit is able to command both distortion and tremolo. In my final project, I definitely would like to work with a similarly multi-faceted unit.

Julian Vanasse’s Kinetic Spring Reverb Noisemaker was also very intriguing. I think its ability to create a space with the box and utilize it is very unique. I am also quite a fan of spring reverb, so I might look into creating one for my project.

Christy Welch’s Shoebox Monophonic Synth also presents an intriguing project idea, as I really appreciate the buttons for the notes, and I love the enclosure. I think being able to create an instrument that I can use in future recordings would be the ultimate goal for the final project, and this synth shows one way to go about getting that.

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.

This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
• What topics do you think you’ll write about?
• Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.