OPAMPS- from Schema to reality

[RollingElbow]

Everyone,

I've been reading through the beginner information and looking through the links.. I can understand what opamps do and what they are on a schema.., but how exactly are they hooked up to the cicuit given what you see on a schema? Maybe I am confused, but are there a series of numbered inputs on the things? How do they all link up? What is the theory behind connecting these things to the rest of the circuit?

Thanks, I'm spinning in circles.

[GibsonGM]

Hi Rolling, welcome...do a search on google for "LM741 basic tutorial"...you'll get some links to probably the world's most common OA.    They come with a data sheet (or you look it up online as a .pdf file), which shows the functions of the various pins.  Schematics rarely show power supplies, so watch out for that!   And, for much audio work, you need a + and - supply, OR a BIAS supply that's added to the unused input.  The tutorial will explain at least the split supply stuff (+ and -)...you'll find out about biasing here. 

Work with the basic 741 for a little bit, learn about power supplies, gain, and how they're used, then move into searching the forums on here for "op amp distortion' or some such thing.   You'll get it.