Building Your Own Noise Source?

The Moog Forum Moogerfooger Forum
1

Hi Veeger,

A long time ago, back in the mid '70s, I built a PAIA kit
that simulated ocean waves.

I was very surprised to find that the noise source was a
transistor with one of its legs bent at a 90 degree angle,
flying in the air and not connected to anything.

If memory serves (we’re talking 35 years ago) the noise
was very full and even.

Does anyone here who’s clever with circuitry have an idea
about what PAIA might have done?

I’ll see if I can Google an ancient instruction sheet for it.

2

I found a source for the PAIA Surf Synthesizer Assembly Instructions & Schematics:

http://www.musicparts.com/products.asp?Company=PAIA

There may be free ones out there somewhere (the above is $15).

3

http://www.bomarc.org/catalogs/catalog-upload/AUDIO.txt

PAIA 3711K Surf Synthesizer $1
PAIA 3730 Wind Synthesizer $1

This may be the same thing for free:

http://www.epanorama.rackhost.net/schematicsforfree/Audio/Circuits/Sound_Effects_and_Synthesizers/Surf%20synthesizer.pdf

Notice part Q7 (bottom left of schematic). The NC
(no connection) is what’s generating the noise.

When I was a teen I used to read this catalog over
and over until I wore it out:

http://www.emusic-diy.org/MusicGearAdverts?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=PAIA_1983_Catalog.pdf

I built the Surf Synthesizer, Vocoder, Synthespin MK-II
and the very cool Stringz 'N" Thingz. (Wish I still had that.)

4

Thanks for posting. From reading the instructions it looks like this will produce white noise or pink noise with or without an LFO on the amplitude. I have not put together any DIY synth projects, this looks like a great project to start out with.