ABSTRACT
Many of the innovations in electronic musical instruments have for a long time had a strong link with the phenomenon of Do-It-Yourself (DIY) electronics. Such innovations eventually took a foothold in mainstream culture, supported by an interest in home-made electronics, spawning successful commercial enterprises, some of which still exist today. This chapter examines the relationship between the history of electronic musical instruments and DIY hardware. It looks at the possibilities of the currently available microcontroller technologies, discussing some of its musical applications. The history of post-second world war electronic musical tools is linked with a DIY electronics subculture that grew up alongside it. Two factors were important for this: an incipient usage of electronic sound by composers and musicians, and a general absence of commercial electronic instruments. The development of the music electronics DIY market in the fifties is illustrated by the appearance of Theremin kits.
