# Circuit Playground: K is for Kits ## Video Adabot & the Circuit Playground components love to jam, but they could use some new instruments. Luckily, Ladyada has few kits up her sleeve! https://youtu.be/wvNxZmZCqvw # Circuit Playground: K is for Kits ## Transcript ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/182/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits2.jpg?1483690288) Ladyada: Hello? Adabot - is that you? ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/181/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits1.jpg?1483690251) Ladyada: What’s going on over here? ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/183/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits4.jpg?1483690387) Adabot: Oh - we’re just having band practice. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/184/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits6.jpg?1483690419) Ladyada: Wow - that was intense! Adabot: Thanks - I love my new keyboard! Ladyada: Huh … and Ruby, what are you playing?  Is that a box of rocks? ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/185/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits7.jpg?1483690455) Ruby: rhythm section! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/187/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits9.jpg?1483690527) Ladyada: Gus - is that you inside that clarinet? Gus: I’m gonna be like Benny Goodman! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/188/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits10.jpg?1483690545) Ladyada: Hans - what are you playing? Hans: Why I sing tenor, of course! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/189/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits11.jpg?1483690582) Ladyada: Wow, ok - Mho what are you playing? Mho: I play defensive tackle. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/190/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits13.jpg?1483690619) Ladyada: Very impressive everyone!  But I think if you want to take your band to the next level, you might wanna upgrade your instruments with a couple of kits. Adabot:  Kits? What’s a kit? Hans: Ooh - what’s that? ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/191/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits14.jpg?1483690652) Ladyada: An electronics kit is a bunch of different parts you can put together to make your very own electronics.  Like this little synthesizer kit.  Once we put this together, Gus won’t have to crawl inside an old clarinet to make some music. Gus: Awesome! Ladyada: another reason building kits is so great, is that in addtion to building something cool, you’ve also picked up a new skill.  ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/192/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits17.jpg?1483690701) Mho: You’ve gotta have the skills to pay the bills. Hans: Yah! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/193/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits18.jpg?1483690744) Ladyada: Skills are good for paying bills, but they’re also good for other things, like solving problems or buidling cool stuff - like this necklace or this watch.  So let’s get started … ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/194/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits20.jpg?1483690771) ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/195/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits22.jpg?1483690803) ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/196/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits24.jpg?1483690827) Ladyada: Ok - this synth kit is done and it’s ready to play. Gus: Cool! Ruby: Thanks! Ladyada: And for you Adabot - how about a guitar? Adabot: Excellent! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/197/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit_Playground_-_K_is_for_Kits25.png?1483690887) ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/198/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits27.jpg?1483690924) Ladyada: Ok Adabot - you’re new electric guitar is all finished. Adabot: Wow - thanks! Ladyada: Ok everyone - so how do you like you’re new instruments? Adabot: Let’s find out! Ladyada: Alright - hit it! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/199/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits-12b.jpg?1483690975) # Circuit Playground: K is for Kits ## Learn More [Electronic kits](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_kit) have been around since the 1940's, giving people the ability to build devices which would normally require a lot of specific knowledge to make otherwise. Back in the day, the most famous kit company was [Heathkit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathkit).  Heathkit's first kit was the OL-1, an oscilloscope people could build themselves … ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/201/medium800/circuit_playground_Heathkit_Oscilloscope_OM-2-small.jpg?1483696878) But Heathkit wasn't the only kit company from yesteryear - check out some of the others and learn more about the history of kits over at [Nostalgic kits](https://www.nostalgickitscentral.com/). # What can you learn by building a kit? ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/202/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits22.jpg?1483698594) Building a kit is fun and a great way to learn about electronics.  Here are just a few of the skills you sharpen when buidling an electronics kit: - **soldering** - solder is the electronics 'glue' that brings it all together! - **identifying components** like resistors, capacitors, transistors, & more - **electricity basics** - wiring power connections is a great way to learn basic electronic theory - **modding** - making changes to a circuit is a great way to learn while doing! - **PCB design** - mounting components on a printed circuit board familiarizes you with printed circuit boards # What kits were used in this video? ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/038/203/medium800/circuit_playground_Circuit-Playground---K-is-for-Kits-13.jpg?1483698803) Check out the kits Adabot & the Circuit Playground components used in this video. **Ruby: [Minty Synth](https://www.adafruit.com/products/2648)** **Adabot: [Gakken Guitar](https://www.adafruit.com/products/1832)** **Hans: [Capacitive Touch Shield for Arduino](https://www.adafruit.com/products/2024)** **Gus: [Piano Hat for Raspberry Pi](https://www.adafruit.com/products/2695)** Plus - **Ladyada** wore a **[Blinky Skull Pendant](https://www.adafruit.com/products/2306)** & **[Solder: Time Watch](https://www.adafruit.com/products/495)!** ## Featured Products ### MintySynth Kit - 2.0 [MintySynth Kit - 2.0](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2648) **The MintySynth kit - 2.0** is a great way to make your next musical creation while experimenting with electronics and programming.  Open source and hackable, the MintySynth is an Arduino-compatible synth kit that fits in an Altoids tin. This comes as an unassembled... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2648) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2648/guides) ### Mini Electric Guitar Kit from Gakken [Mini Electric Guitar Kit from Gakken](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1832) Shredders unite! This handmade Mini Electric Guitar has a built-in amp and speaker. The strings on this 320mm guitar can be installed and tuned the same way as a normal sized guitar. The built-in amp and speaker output a powerful distortion sound, and an external amp can also be connected with... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1832) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1832/guides) ### Adafruit 12 x Capacitive Touch Shield for Arduino - MPR121 [Adafruit 12 x Capacitive Touch Shield for Arduino - MPR121](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2024) This touch-able add on shield for Arduinos will inspire your next interactive project with 12 capacitive touch sensors. Capacitive touch sensing works by detecting when a person (or animal) has touched one of the sensor electrodes. Capacitive touch sensing used for stuff like touch-reactive... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2024) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2024/guides) ### Adafruit Capacitive Touch HAT for Raspberry Pi - Mini Kit [Adafruit Capacitive Touch HAT for Raspberry Pi - Mini Kit](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2340) This touch-able add on HAT for Raspberry Pi will inspire your next interactive project with 12 capacitive touch sensors. Capacitive touch sensing works by detecting when a person (or animal) has touched one of the sensor electrodes. Capacitive touch sensing used for stuff like touch-reactive... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2340) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2340/guides) ### Infinity Shred's Datadealer Synth Kit [Infinity Shred's Datadealer Synth Kit](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3280) Datadealer is a functionally identical clone of the Mutable Instruments Shruthi-1 - a hybrid analog / digital synthesizer that’s as powerful as it is versatile. This thoughtfully curated kit uses the SMR4MKII style filter and includes all of the components needed to assemble a... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3280) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3280/guides) ### Pimoroni Piano HAT [Pimoroni Piano HAT](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2695) Raspberry Pi - meet your new musical B.F.F! With the **Pimoroni Piano HAT**  you can control hardware synthesizers and software synths or play some really beautiful music in Python. Surprise everyone with your creativity, maybe even... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2695) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2695/guides) ### Solar Powered SKULL Blinky LED Pendant Kit from Lumen Electronic [Solar Powered SKULL Blinky LED Pendant Kit from Lumen Electronic](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2306) Discontinued - **you can grab** [Day of the Geek Soldering Badge](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3590) **instead! **   Scary. Solar. Skull-y. **The Solar Powered SKULL Blinky LED Pendant** by No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2306) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2306/guides) ### Solder:Time DIY watch kit [Solder:Time DIY watch kit](https://www.adafruit.com/product/495) Calculator watches are back, but microcontroller watches are _always_ in style. Make your own with this easy to solder real time watch kit from SpikenzieLabs! It comes with a unique laser cut acrylic casing which protects the watch and looks snazzy besides: the four individual acrylic... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/495) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/495/guides) ## Related Guides - [Adafruit MPR121 12-Key Capacitive Touch Sensor Breakout Tutorial](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-mpr121-12-key-capacitive-touch-sensor-breakout-tutorial.md) - [Metal Inlay Capacitive Touch Buttons](https://learn.adafruit.com/metal-inlay-capacitive-touch-buttons.md) - [Capacitive Touch Drum Machine](https://learn.adafruit.com/capacitive-touch-drum-machine.md) - [CircuitPython Hardware: MPR121 Capacitive Touch Breakout](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuitpython-hardware-mpr121-capacitive-touch-breakout.md) - [Circuit Playground - P is for PCB](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-p-is-for-pcb.md) - [Glowing Lotus Flower - Electronic Origami for Beginners](https://learn.adafruit.com/glowing-lotus-flower-electronic-origami-for-beginners.md) - [Circuit Playground: M is for MOSFET](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-m-is-for-mosfet.md) - [Circuit Playground: Q is for Quartz](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-q-is-for-quartz.md) - [Circuit Playground: F is for Frequency](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-f-is-for-frequency.md) - [Circuit Playground: L is for LED](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-l-is-for-led.md) - [Circuit Playground - A is for Ampere](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-a-is-for-ampere.md) - [Circuit Playground: R is for Robots](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-r-is-for-robots.md) - [Circuit Playground: S is for Soldering Iron](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-s-is-for-soldering-iron.md) - [Circuit Playground: D is for Diode](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-d-is-for-diode.md) - [Circuit Playground: B is for Battery](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-b-is-for-battery.md)