Tips, Information and
Do It Yourself Construction
Articles.

Serving Working Musicians Since October 1997

http://www.colomar.com/Shavano/construction.html

NOTE: All cabling and wire listed as a 'gauge' on this website is AWG. See the SWG to AWG conversion table to help translate if you use SWG gauges.

Cables

(12/97) Audio Cables - General information for the working musician. Be aware of what you are buying and how it will be used.
(10/98) Making your own MIDI Cables. Sometimes you need an odd length cable, or you need lots of very short ones.
(2/99) Making Ring - Tip Cables - Splits a stereo signal into 2 mono signals, or for use when you have an effect send/receive that uses a stereo cable to connect to devices with mono inputs and outputs. Note: Graphics Intensive Page
(3/99) Making XLR Cables - Often used with Low Impedance Microphones/Direct Boxes. Note: Graphics Intensive Page
(9/00) Using Audio Stage Snakes - General Concepts
(1/01) Building an Audio Snake - A very generalized design that can be adapted to many needs. Note: Graphics Intensive Page
(2/02) Common Splitter Cables - 1/4 or 1/8 Inch Stereo/XLR/RCA
(3/02) Common Speaker Cables - Using Speakon, 1/4 inch, Bare Wire and RCA Connectors
(8/02) Converting a Balenced XLR signal to Unbalenced Phone (or RCA) signal
(10/03) SWG to AWG conversion table - Wire Gauges

Covers/Bags/Fabric

(2/99) Making Padded Microphone Bags - Many microphones don't come with cases and as a result don't survive life on the road. Sew your own. NOTE: Graphics Intensive Page
(3/99) Making Cable Straps - Keeping wires untangled and held down. NOTE: Graphics Intensive Page
(4/99) Making Cabinet Covers; Part 1 - Protect your cabinets during transport. You might need to retro-fit covers onto existing cabinets, or make them for cabinets that you have just custom made for yourself.

Cross Over Networks (Passive)

(1/98) First Order Crossover Networks
(2/98) Second Order Crossover Networks
(3/98) 2 Way/3 Way Passive Crossover Networks - Testing the results
(1/99) Some Cross Over Equations - People often ask for these. I'll add more information sometime in the future.
(2/00) Using L-Pads - adjusting attenuation. Most frequently used between the speaker and a crossover network for Midrange and/or High Frequency drivers.
(6/98) Cross-Over Network; Air Core Inductor Calculator. Online CGI Application for people who want to build Cross-Over networks and save some money on the Inductors by winding them by hand. This will also allow you to create Inductor values that you can't buy off the shelf.

General

(3/98) Patch Boxes; Multi-Purpose Audio Adapters
(7/98) Using a Volt Ohm Meter - This simple tool can make all the difference in the world when something appears to be wrong with your cables, battery eliminators or the AC Power. Keep one in your cord case!
(9/98) Learning how to Solder - If you plan on being able to handle on the road repairs, or just making/fixing your own cables, you should learn this skill.
(2/01) Using your PC's Game/MIDI port - Its there, and you want to use it to connect to your MIDI devices.
(7/02) Using Mechanical Relays - Part 1 - An overview of what they are and how they work
(7/02) Using Mechanical Relays - Part 2 - Signal Switching
(1/04) Ohms Law, as it pertains to the Musician - Understand the impact of adding speakers/altering speaker impedance, and see if your might be drawing too much power.
(9/04) General Sound Information - Getting to know more about Speaker Systems
(11/04) Choosing a Power Amp

Modifications to Gear

(4/03) Art X-15 MIDI controller 7-pin MIDI modification - Instructions on how to modify an Art X-15 MIDI controller for MIDI in, MIDI out, and phantom power with a single connection

Op-Amps and Active Circuits

(3/00) Introduction to Op-Amps - Part 1 - How these work in an Audio Context.
(4/00) Introduction to Op-Amps - Part 2 - Interfacing your circuits with real devices. Includes a 4 input Mixer circuit design and High-Low impedance matching designs.
(5/00) Introduction to Op-Amps - Part 3 - Using Battery Power Supplies
(5/02) Introduction to Op-Amps - Part 4 - Active Tone Control - Using Op-Amps for Treble/Bass Cut and Boost.
(5/02) Introduction to Op-Amps - Part 5 - Active Cross-Over Network - Split your signals for Bi-Amping or Recording.

Playing Out

(4/98) Playing Out; Dealing with exceptions - A bigger/smaller room, a reconfigured PA system, No electrical outlets - a bad dream? It will happen to you.
(8/98) Organizing Supplies; What to bring along and how to package it - You'll have lots to keep track of - Organization can simplify the task.
(1/99) Playing Out; Protecting your Equipment, and Insurance - Help prevent things from getting stolen - simple steps can make a big difference in protection your investment.
(7/99) Performing Outdoors - Note: Graphics Intensive Page
(10/02) Playing out with Electronic Drums - Equipment and Amplification considerations.

Lighting

(10/97) Build your own lighting system Part 1 - The logic behind it
(10/97) Build your own lighting system Part 2 - Generic Stand
(2/98) Build your own lighting system Part 3 - System Schematic: Cables, Controller and Light Poles

Recording

(10/98) Recording Tips - Updated as more recording related topics are covered.
(10/97) Recording: Phone Cutout with Answering Machine port. Use it to shut down phone calls when you are recording.

Speaker Cabinets/Cases/Wood Items

(11/97) Construction Tips; Speaker Cabinets and other road worthy cases - Choosing materials and Tools
(4/99) Construction Tips; Speaker Cabinets and other road worthy cases - Internal Structure - tips and techniques on Cabinet/Case layout/assembly. Note: Graphics Intensive Page
(3/99) Copy a Guitar/Bass Cabinet Looking for a specific tone quality? Replicate a classic Guitar/Bass Cabinet. NOTE: Graphics Intensive Page
(12/99) DIY - Mini Piezo Tweeter Project - Add sparkle to your PA. NOTE: Graphics Intensive Page
(01/00) Fixing stripped out holes - Keeping your wooden cabinets and instruments from falling apart.
(3/02) Make a cheap box - One that can take abuse
(11/02) A Speaker Cabinet Project, in Words and Pictures - Building a Quality Pro-Audio PA Cabinet. Note: Graphics Intensive Page
(2/03) Finding Materials - Tolex for Cabinets and Aluminum for Road Cases
(3/03) An Amplified Speaker/Near-Field Monitor Combo - Building a Specialized Pro-Audio Cabinet with Front and Rear Mounted Speakers. Lots of construction details. Note: Graphics Intensive Page
(3/03) Homemade Rack Cases - Custom fitted for your needs!
(4/03) A Stereo Guitar Speaker Cabinet
(7/03) 2-way, 12" PA cabinets - Small Simple DIY PA Project.
(10/03) Building Floor Monitors - Concepts and Generalized Plans
(5/98) Sub Woofer; 4th Order Bandpass Calculator. Online CGI Application for people who want to build a Sub Woofer and need to match Speaker/Driver to Cabinet/Port(s) as quickly and accurately as possible. Generates plans on the fly.

Speakers - Usage/Wiring

(1/98) Basics of wiring Speakers: Loading, Phase and other tips
(5/98) Speaker Wiring/Loading Examples. Includes schematics and math formulas.
(11/98) Speaker Wiring - Series and Parallel Real world examples of wiring up your Cabinets.
(9/99) 4 Speaker Cabinets - Wired for Stereo/Mono. Many people would like to be able to set up their 4 speaker cabinets to run either way. Heres how.
(10/99) Wiring up a large network of speakers - Guidelines for loading and Power Amp needs for 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 speakers.
(1/00) PA Systems - Bridged Power Amps - The concepts behind it.
(7/00) 70 Volt Speaker Systems - How they work and how to wire them.
(6/01) Using Switches Creatively - Select Modes, Inputs or Impedances
(11/02) Speaker Design and how it affects your choices
(4/03) Adding subwoofers to your PA system - What they are, How to use them and why.
(5/03) Speaker Wires and Connectors for stage cabinets
(7/03) Speaker Reconing - Why and What its all about.
(1/04) Speaker SPL - How much power do you need? - Understanding SPL when buying speakers can save you a lot of money and frustration
(2/04) Wiring a 2 X 12 Speaker cabinet - Some common 2 speaker configurations and how to use them. Use: Guitar/Keyboard/PA.
(3/04) Wiring a 4 X 12 Speaker cabinet - Some common 4 speaker configurations and how to use them. Use: Guitar/Keyboard/PA.
(10/04) Dual Voice Coil Speaker Wiring - How DVC speakers are most commonly used.
(12/04) Adding Jacks - Need to add some additional connections to your Speaker Cabinet?
(2/05) General Thoughts about Power ratings for Pro-Audio Speaker Applications
(12/98) Speaker Wiring; Impedance Calculator. Online CGI Application for working out the impedance of up to 16 speakers wired in Series, Parallel or Series Parallel. Useful when mixing and matching different speakers within a cabinet or different cabinets in a network. This does the math quick and simple.

Online CGI Applications at this Website written by The COLOMAR Group.

If you or your organization has a need for interactive Web applications to serve a focused need, please contact us! We are available to consult or create custom Web applications.

NOTE: We do not work on Home or Car Audio. We work only with Pro-Audio applications. We cannot help you with Home or Car Audio questions.

Questions? Comments? .

NOTE: Any suggestions made becomes the property of Shavano Music Online to be used in future articles. These are not being sold for profit, so there is no money to be earned by making a suggestion, however if you help other musicians become more successful, everyone involved benefits.

Tips, Information and Do It Yourself Construction Articles.