schematics.

[veganinme]

is their any place to learn how the hell to read them?  am i just not looking at this sight enough?

[PenPen]

What do you need to know? My first suggestion is to read the DIY FAQ link at the top of the page, otherwise, its just something you pick up after a while.

[Doug_H]

Sounds like some basic electronics training is in order.

http://www.tpub.com/content/neets/index.htm

Check out module 4.

[Mark Hammer]

There are two aspects to "reading" schematics, that are sort of analogous to learning how to "read" music.  On the one hand, there is the interpretation of the symbols and shorthand (e.g., knowing that Vb, Vbias, V+/2, a distinctive triangle, and Vref are the same thing....usually).  This is no different than learning about sharps, flats, whole notes, glissandos, and that crayyyyyyzeee, crazy Italian terminology.  On the other hand, there is the recognition of groups of symbols or sections of a schematic as a "stage" or functional subcircuit (e.g., recognizing what is and isn't part of the LFO/modulation circuit, or the "output mixer stage", etc.).  This is analogous to being able to recognize a riff on the printed score, and know that everything from here to here can be carried out in one breath, or needs to build in a certain way.

The first part can be accomplished by virtually any electronics text.  Public and university libraries have tons of books about reading electronic diagrams, and even if they are well-thumbed volumes from 1967, not a lot has changed in terms of the symbols for our purposes since that time.  As for the second part, well, much like the difference between seasoned musicians who "see" a score in terms of phrases and movement and novices who decode it one note or bar at a time, it takes time and exposure to many different versions of the same general material to see the patterns and have them jump out at you.  No texts for that.

But here are some ideas.  Find multiple schematics for the same *type* of effect.  Print them out, stick them in a binder.  And whenever you have some free time, look at them.  Bring the binder with you on the bus, on vacation, to the bathroom, when you know you have to stand in line for tickets, etc.  Look at them and look at them, and you'll start to feel familiar with the higher-order organization of the circuits - essentially being able to see the forests, not just the trees and bushes.  You'll also become less dependent on having a schem drawn a certain way for it to make sense to you if you see the same basic circuit drawn many different ways.  You'd be surprised by how much a simple perspective change in a circuit drawing can totally change your degree of insight into its functioning.

That's pretty much how the rest of us do it.

[Roobin]

Well, if you want to read a schematic, there are plenty of places. Grab an electronics book out of your library or off the internet. the FAQ sectio has loads of recommendations.

As to understanding them, well I found RG's 'Technology of..' VERY helpful. If you want to know which bit of a TS does what, or how a Uni vibe works, check out his site.