reading schematics

[Musicbureau]

I am new to the world effects building/repair. Is there anywhere I can learn to read schematics, other than in a book I have to buy(somewhere online)
Thanks

[Papa_lazerous]

Hmmm how to read a schematic thats not an easy thing to answer outright.  The main thing is that you follow logic.

Maybe find a simple looking schematic and post it on here and we could look at different parts and talk you through what you dont understand.  Is it the symbols or what?

[TELEFUNKON]

Reading a schematic is like letting your fingers wander over a lady`s body.

[Papa_lazerous]

Reading a schematic is like letting your fingers wander over a lady`s body.

you get arroused by reading schematics

You need to get out more

[MikeH]

There's an awesome website out there... I think it's called google , and if you search for "How to read schematics" you get this:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=How+to+read+schematics&btnG=Google+Search

[GibsonGM]

Why don't you use Google, and find a site that offers tutorials on basic electronics, like this one?
http://www.play-hookey.com/dc_theory/schematic_diagrams.html

Do a little homework, you'll learn a ton in a short time 

[petemoore]

  Most of it is reading the symbols etc.
 Check out FAQ for that, other links from FAQ and other also help to build schematic 'reading' such as studying each component's functions.
  Other than links, try googling:
 Beginner electronics
 Small Bear Tweek-O
 capacitor function
 What is a resistor
 etc.

[choklitlove]

something like this would definitely help.  seriously.  the hands on approach works way quicker.  you may have to swallow your pride first...


http://www.hobbyengineering.com/H2183.html

[TELEFUNKON]

Reading a schematic is like letting your fingers wander over a lady`s body.

you get arroused by reading schematics

Maybe I`m queer?

[surfdaworld]

http://www.mikesarcade.com/arcade/components.html

this site is also a good resource to help remember color codings etc. on components 

The Google is definitely your best friend on this.

[guitar_199]

Reading shematics is at least a two part thing.  One is recognizing the individual components and how they are connected together.  That part isn't quite so difficult.    The other part is identifying the various circuits/sections and what they do.  THAT part requires some knowledge of electronics.  Things like: how does a transistor work/how does it bias and/  how does this little section of components achieve that; how do you bias an op-amp/ how does THIS little circuit achieve that.

When you get to troubleshooting you have to open your imagination up a little bit and get familiar with the concept of "how DOESN'T it work?".   Most circuits tend to work one way.....but they can fail in a myriad of ways!

I like the idea of the little electronic "lab" kits.   Build little test circuits and make measurements and come to understand how they work.  PLUS..... if you can study the schemo to put the circuit together...  you begin to understand the connection between the two better.  Maybe some simple little electronic projects books....

[petemoore]

this site is also a good resource to help remember color codings
  Spending a little time with Resistors, pots and a good DMM...just to see what kind of readings you'll be getting, try a few...100ohm, 10k, 100k, 1m range...see what the %age tolerances are etc., see what a pot does between the wiper and each outside lug [B = linear will work differently than A = Audio = Logorythmic = Analog = Log taper].
  cap value measuring  is too expensive for most of us.
  Breadboard or  Perf an active component circuit, that'll show ya somepin!

[TELEFUNKON]

in Europe:

A=normal
B=aBnormal=logarithmic.

[gez]

Reading a schematic is like letting your fingers wander over a lady`s body.

...you stare at the triangle long and hard, think about what connection needs to be made then unholster the iron to splash some solder...[/SwissTony]

http://www.jokefile.co.uk/rich/swisstony.html

[DaveBullard]

I started by building some of the simpler kits that you can find on the net, ie: 1 watt amp, function generators, adjustable pwr supply,etc. Do a google seacrch for electronic kits. They usually have adequate docs, which helped me with schematic reading and got my soldering technique to a decent level. This is REALLY important. If you have no understanding of what's going on in the first place, the last thing you need is bad skillz to frustrate you into giving up. I lurked around here and http://www.geofex.com/ for about a year before I tried anything of the stompbox variety. Once I felt confident that I could compently build something, I ordered a couple of boards from http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/, got those working and then graduated to etching my own boards. I'm just now at the point where  I can tell what's happening in a circut and I have been reading and obsessing about this stuff for a while now.
You don't have to go crazy on this hobby to get something to work, but if  you get into it at all, I bet you will.
Just hang out here for a while and use ALL of the incredible, not to mention free, resources here. If you have any questions, I bet that if you spend some time using the search function and actually reading ALL of the threads that pop up, you will find the answer. The old timers here will really appreciate that too. I would also suggest buying a book on basic electronics The books by TAB are pretty good and if you can find anything by Delton T. Horn, get it. Depending on your geographical situation any of the large chains will have something that will teach you schematic reading, and the more you build, the more you will know.
Oh yeah go to http://www.mouser.com/ and get on their cactalog mailing list. Every three months they will send you a phone book sized wish book of compents so you can sit in the can and begin to understand how to order the parts you will need. This is still the hardest part for me, especially ordering capacitors. Have fun!

[TELEFUNKON]

Reading a schematic is like letting your fingers wander over a lady`s body.

...you stare at the triangle long and hard, think about what connection needs to be made then unholster the iron to splash some solder...[/SwissTony]

http://www.jokefile.co.uk/rich/swisstony.html


ooops - and I was concerned you coulda been gay, too 

[zjokka]

I am new to the world effects building/repair. Is there anywhere I can learn to read schematics, other than in a book I have to buy(somewhere online)
Thanks

If you really really want to start studying electronics, but as you say, you just want to build effects.

So why not... (is only a on-board variation of choklitlove's suggestion)

make your first stompbox
and learn about schematics & symbols and components
at the same time?

there are so many great sites that offer free pcb layouts, so you could just start building without understanding anything. But even after building 10 stompboxes from the layouts, you will automatically start seeing connections and recurrences. The difference between AC DC might be a subject for electronics class one, unimportant in 'stompbox electronics.

You build the clean booster (one transistor), you do a fuzzdistorion and see two transistors and you go  the more transistor (stages) the more gain? that simple? yes or no you'll learn slowly by experience, and that's priceless.

Had electricity introduction at school 3hours/week one semester without one experiment or project by ourselves. This might come as a shock to some American readers, but high school in my country belgium was very theoretical. And now the government is complaining we have a lack of technically schooled people. The only thing I learnt in school is what a resistor was.

I mean, read all you can get your hands on, but don't drag yourself through them before you allow yourself to build.

good luck however you tackle it.
zj