Workshop: DIY Microphones

Build Microphones on a 0€ Budget—and Learn to Use Them!

Join this workshop led by Fra and discover creative strategies for building lo-fi microphones using only scraps and discarded materials. We’ll cover essential microphone theory: How does a microphone really work? What crazy magic turns sound into an electrical signal? How can different microphone types be compared and understood?

We’ll work together to assemble a simple voice microphone, as well as experiment with weird designs such as piezo microphones for your ukulele, hydrophones for underwater sound-fishing, and electromagnetic field microphones for ghost hunting! No prior experience is necessary, and you don’t need to bring any tools or materials. You’ll build and take home your own microphone by the end of the session!

Bullet list:

• Overview of how microphones work
• Understanding microphone specifications
• Building budget-friendly (0€) microphones
• Exploring unusual microphones: piezo, electromagnetic (EMF), and hydrophones
• Creative sound design with unconventional microphones
• Concepts such as the Barkhausen effect, feedback, no-input mixing, and the Larsen Effect
• Methods for measuring microphone performance

This workshop offers hands-on learning in a relaxed, inventive atmosphere—ideal for anyone interested in sound, music technology, or DIY electronics.

Photos: courtesy of iii, Den Haag