Permanent circuits in guitar based project...

Hi there, this is my first time posting so I'll give a quick bit of background:

I started using Arduino recently (very recently, last week actually) and have been learning the basics of creating circuits and programming the board. I'm primarily a MaxMSP user which I'm very comfortable in using to create things. I am about to embark on a project for a performance in which I'll play a synthesizer created in MaxMSP using an electric guitar (with pitch-tracking etc.) and wanted to control the synth parameters using a hardware interface integrated with my guitar. This is how I started using Arduino.

So far with my Arduino Duemilanove, a breadboard and various push buttons, potentiometers and an FSR I've got some good control over parameters exactly how I wanted too and I'm very pleased. Info over at the Playground has helped greatly with communication with Max.

The next step I'm not so sure on because I'm pretty inexperienced with circuit boards and electronics etc. (which was why I was recommended Arduino). I'd like some suggestions on creating more permanent circuits, preferably contained mainly within the body of the electric guitar. How can I take my breadboard based circuits to the next level and not have all of the controls crammed tightly onto a breadboard? :stuck_out_tongue:

Thanks a lot, I'd appreciate any help or suggestions people could give, so far I'm having a good experience and I'd like to hope it will continue!

well, soldering to different types of prototype boards is a option, so is making your own printed ciruit (which can be done with fancy CAD packages and computer printed, or hand drawn with a thick coat of sharpie)

another option is conductive glue, it adds some resistance, which may change some minor aspect of your project, and its kinda expensive, but you could really just glue it all together (ie wire to wire OR using a prototype board)

as far as the arduino itself, you will need a regulated 5v power supply (which is a 7805 ic and a few caps for example) a 16mhz crystal and 2 caps (or a packaged ceramic resonator) and other than translating which pins of the chip goto which arduino pins there isnt much to it

example of conductive glue
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/tools/b70c/?cpg=froogle

a random picture of something on prototype board

a tutorial I didnt read about making printed circuit boards
http://www.electro-dan.co.uk/electronics/pcbbuilding.html

a schematic of an arduino compatible system (keeping in mind things like led's and pushbuttons are extras)
http://www.amplifid.com/img/BBAC_schematic.jpg

Atmega 168/328 to arduino pin mapping diagram

just for starters :wink: and dont hesitate to ask

another way is to use one of these

http://www.moderndevice.com/products/rbbb-kit