It's amazing what a little disk can do ... when it's layered with piezoelectric crystals. Piezo disks are impressively sensitive to vibration and can easily be adapted to work as a contact microphones. The trick is the preamp - a basic circuit used to match the piezo's signal to levels compatible with modern audio gear inputs. The resulting piezo/preamp combo can be used for electrifying an acoustic guitar or simply exploring the lesser-heard world of small sound around us.
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I love this show. I've learned lot from him. Lot of memories watching this after many years.
7:33 Has science gone too far?
yes. yes it has
Great video! Thanks. It might be worth mentioning that whenever one needs to "clip off the connector" from the end of a cable (RCA in this case), it's smart to clip the wire much farther back on the cable (length permitting). By doing that, a second usable cable is created, saving future project cost. Clipping the RCA plug off so close to the end wastes a good opportunity to have a cable for another day.
The sounds from the wire mesh were pretty amazing!!
Why are there no more Collin videos these days? He was the only reason I watched!
They are now on Adafruit.
What a great demonstration! Fun and educational at the same time!
Collin as always you made my day. I am so happy you're making your videos, please don't stop.
Honestly, this is the best Collin's Lab video yet, because he just gave me the key I needed to fulfill my one-man-band dream! THANKS COLLIN! YOUDAMAN!
This guy is a legend
It's always my master peace to learn electronic component. Please keep on!
Also, this video made my day a lot better, it's always nice to hear about interesting projects you can do with electronics; I was looking for some cheap ways to make sounds.
I've been trying to find a way to make my own pickup! This is awesome! Just what I was looking for!
This is the most inspired circuit I've ever been itching to try!!
So I made it and my guitar is picking up radio signals... I'm currently listening to the radio. I think I did something wrong
Frankie Romero lol
You were probably missing a connection between one of those three bottom resistors. I came across the same problem while making the circuit. It was interesting, to say the least.
Two years late, but... This is because of the type of cable you used between the disk and the rest of the components. The cable he used (an old audio cable) is "shielded", meaning the audio signal won't be influenced by outside sources and won't pick up other signals. If you use standard wires or speaker wire, you have this problem because it doesn't have that shielding. (The shielding happens because the negative "signal" is on the outside.) This is important when buying regular cables for an instrument as well, specifically when you need an instrument cable (which is essentially was made here) versus an amp cable (which is usually not shielded). Source: I've been getting into this recently and needed to learn the difference when purchasing equipment.
Good to know. I'm fairly certain I bought a nearly identical cable for the project, and the interference did go away after I realized I had missed a connection and corrected the circuit. It may have been a combination of the two somehow, though I suppose going back through the project again with new parts and components would show it was the cable all along as you said. Anyways, thanks for the info.
Can i shield the audio cable with aluminum foil? Will it work?
Collin, you are the best DIYer I've ever seen
why collin's series are the best: 1 - he makes everything easy to understand 2 - at the end his prefboards (or whatever he is using) always looks a lot better than mine 3 - he makes funny jokes about stuff while in most of times showing some cool use of something for example, I'm not on guitars or analog electronics circuits but he still makes this video interesting and fun to watch =)
That comb sounded terrific!
One of the most interesting projects on here!!
Collin's Lab is the reason why I subscribed to makemagazine. You are awesome-o Collin-o!
Will you please get your own channel I could watch you talk about electronics all day even on things I already know you are a good teacher.
You are the only reason I'be subscribed to MakeMagazine :D
Best part, your acoustic playing. Nice rhythm.
Works great inside of my 12 string guitar! I don't know if I got lucky, but it sounds really full and there is zero noise.
You are a genius! amazing idea with piezo plate
Man .. You are awesome ... Very clear , easy and not least important , FUN tutorial.
This is really great! Worked excellent for my needs! :) Thanks Collin!
Hey Collin, I just LOVE your videos. I can't wait to try this out and maybe get my daughters accoustic guitar amplified so she can play Rocksmith !!
i love this guy, all his videos are entertaining and very useful
Cool as always Collin. Great stuff.
I have home made stereo contact mics on my desk right now! Perfect for for making duel or stereo sounds. The only thing you did different to me was use epoxy resin which seems a lot better than the hot glue I used. These are so cheap and easy to make and so much fun! :D
I love your videos Collin!
this is what I've been looking for , few know what to do with old tech. & how things work.
I made one of these minus the preamp and I also added a second disc in parallel so that I could get a more even sound. I place them right behind the bridge, one on either side. I used an 1/8" jack so that I could plug directly into my computer. I think it sounds pretty darn good.
Great videos! Love your channel. Smart stuff. Can we hear more of your music please?!
That's was a good episode. Good job.
Mr. Collin, You are awesome!
so simple yet it works so great
Good Rockin Out on that Wire Mesh! Growing up, my dad used to play the Rubber Boot. If he'da been able to go electric with it, he coulda been famous! :) Thanks for the info. I'm going make some noise!
oh, come one now. what are you doing with a comb??
The fact that colin can play guitar only adds to his awesomeness
I fed the signal from the piezo right into my guitar amplifierer. Works just fine. No pre-amp circuit needed
collin is the best teacher ever!
this is a great circuit.lotta fun..i can actually leave the battery out of mine and it works. thanks for posting this :-)
Piezoelectricity is really an interesting thing and is found in anorganic, organic and polymeric materials. High impedance output is critical. I experimented with another contact microphone type DIY, but piezoelectric materials are modern and have advantages against other technologies. Therefore I'll test that sort of material too!
You are a good guitar player Who could have imagined !!
A while ago I tore apart some old multimeters with piezos in them and converted them into drum triggers for my DM5. Fun stuff.
Man, you're cool!! Wondering, could you have used the piezo crystals you created to make this "sensor"?
best weekend project ever!
Nice to see the perf board in action vs. jumpers all over the place.
DIY Electroencephalograph! We need that
nice skills on the guitar
*Laughts* You are so awsom Collin. its looks like you hiting the big O when you playing and explore thos sounds... and you dont rush true everyting like other How to do shows do.
@Snuk1s It'll work the same, although the difference is that the microphone will require an excitation voltage to work (A power source). The amplification will also have to change depending on the voltage range you get back; this means you'd have to modify the choices for R and C.
As long as there is no mac, these videos are great.
considering the fact that you're running an acoustic guitar through what looks like an electric guitar amp, that sounds really good.
The source and drain were reversed in your instructions. The drain goes towards +Vcc and source goes to ground. Works much better.
Então como fica no esquematico!!???
I've learned a lot more with Collins then when I was in college :D
if there is one thing that always haunts me about electronics is the power wires always snap off my projects...watching this i picked up how to help that...THANK YOU COLLIN
Collin: the NEW, more tech savvy, Kip Kay [and now with a serene voice!]
:) Glad to pass on some knowledge to a fellow electronics hobbiest
THIS MIGHT BE THE BEST VIDEO EVER!!!
I like that tone.
Got it, thanks for the reply.
Works a treat.
awesome as always .
please make more vids! I haven't seen one in ages!
Whoa... That's awesome.
I think the one thing that would help is a parts list. This video is better because he has them and shows them and the circuit is mostly understandable, but still, thought it was worth mentioning.
i put mine on a big iron cone we had in the garage and yelled in the same room as it and it made some interesting sounds
collin you're the reason i subbed this channel. your videos are the best and this is one of my favorite videos that you've done. =)\mm btw you look a lot like my eighth grade photography teacher lol.
Yay, another video from Collin :D
@yhevrah The signal that comes from the Piezo or 'contact mic' is way to small for the amp, so it has to pre-amplified (the signal needs to be made stronger) so that it can be used with a guitar amp. Hope that answers your question.
Source and drain are indicated wrong on the diagram. Source is a source of electrons, which are negative, so that one goes towards the ground via the 560 ohm resistor. Drain goes via the 1.5K to the + voltage.
qual a solução?
Colin, this is awesome... i rolled laughing on the floor when you used the comb :).. keep it up
very nice job !!! so cool
These have been use for more years then I could say for CBG!
You are a guru Jack Nickelson....nice work.
collins lab is the only reason im still subscribed, i can ignore the other girl and guy in order to occasionally get something good from collin. :)
Damn... I only just discovered these vids.. the mans a genius !
Classic! They sound rad squashed between an electric guitars neck and body in parallel with another single coil too! The output is lower and acts as a high
This was awesome. Your like the Alton Brown of electronics.
I tried this a while back with no pre-amp...no luck. I'll have to give this a go.
I just do it! Works great
hahahaha!! the head drum....that's where I 'lost' it... collin=geek^legend. :D thaks for posting!
Very Talented both Musically and Electronically **like**
Neat. Thanks. Would have never thought of adding epoxy myself.
you're awesome man keep making videos
Hey Collin. It´s great. But you can do this much easyer just puting a cable to the piezo if you are going to use an amplifier! Thanks for the info!
awww great circuit... I was looking for it almost everywhere... i have a question, will it work on guitar pickup? I have elecrtic guitar pickup and i want to make sample electric guitar circuit
awesome. If i would have a guitar I would definitely try this
Collin, youre a supernerdman. wonderful!
excelente presentador!
dat waz a great video, mang!!
Very fun!
Please bring back Collins Lab D: I want moar episodes/videos D:
im subbed to this channel for collin
amazing piezo!
How cool is that!
u can use use a stereo jack, connect the battery ground to the ring and the circuits ground to the sleeve, and then the preamp will only be on, pulling power from the battery when the jack cable is connected.
awesome! ah.. my next project :) I have all the pieces :-D including the guitar!
I'm going to actually try this one.