Events
Music Theory and Keyboard Skills for Electronic Musicians
Do you struggle to put chords together, or find melodies that fit comfortably over them? Have you ever backed out of joining in on a jam or improv session because you don’t know your way around a keyboard? Have you ever wanted to study how your favorite artists put together chords, beats, and melodies, but weren’t sure how to start? These are all problems that can be solved by music theory: the collected wisdom of musicians, composers, and performers over the centuries, from J.S. Bach to Boards of Canada. With a little music theory—and enough keyboard skills to plonk them down on an instrument—you can expand your musical toolkit, and learn the basic terms that musicians use to communicate with each other.
In this workshop, we will look at practical concepts in music theory and keyboard playing for beginners and self-taught musicians looking to improve their skills. Forget complicated harmonic hierarchies, endless scale practice, and medieval Italian vocabulary—this is music theory and keyboard knowledge that you can actually use as a modern electronic musician and performer. Using instruments at the Synth Library, tools from Ableton Live, and musical examples from this century, students will get a chance to practice and discuss these ideas with our instructors, along with some helpful exercises to try at home.
Taught by Clayton Davis
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Sunday, May 3rd 2026
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
All ages, 10+ recommended - beginners absolutely welcome)
$20 general admission
$10-19 sliding scale
Tickets are required to attend. No one is turned away for lack of funds, so email info@synthlibraryportland.org for lower/no-cost tickets.
Intro to Tape Loops
In this workshop you will learn the magic of tape loops—how they work, how to make them, and why they've been a beloved technique for years. This two-hour workshop is beginner friendly--no experience is required.
We will be teaching you:
- how audio tape works,
- how cassettes and cassette players work,
- and how to hack a cassette to make a tape loop.
By the end of the workshop you will have made at least one tape loop and will go home with supplies to make some more on your own.
Sunday, May 3rd, 2026
4 pm - 6 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
$20
(tickets required to attend, no one turned away for lack of funds, email info@synthlibraryportland.org for no-cost tickets)
Women and Nonbinary Electronic Music Meetup
All women and non-binary folks are welcome to join us for a monthly event series that encourages learning together, jam together, and connect with other artists in the area. We want to create a welcoming environment to help grow our community of electronic musicians for all femmes and enbies regardless of skill level or experience.
Wednesday, May 6th, 2026
(Recurs every first Wednesday of the month)
5:30 pm - 7 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map) first
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Free
(RSVP encouraged but not required)
New Member Orientation
In this brief in-person gathering you can learn about our organization, how to begin checking out gear from our lending program, and how to access all our member resources including weekly drop-in hours, studio hours, and more!
(signup form may refer only to the nearest upcoming date but these take place monthly and you will receive reminders each month until you actually attend or request to be taken off this list)
Friday, May 8th, 2026
6 pm - 7 pm
Recurs Every 4 weeks
(Email us if your work schedule prevents attendance)
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Portland Synth Improvisers Collective (PSiC) Meetup & Jam
A Wonderful group jam! Bring your own instruments and play electronic music with fellow community members.
See PSIC’s webpage or the event page listed below for more info.
Arrive at 3 pm to setup; the jam starts at 3:30 pm. Breakdown and cleanup by 5:30.
Sunday, May 10th, 2026
3 pm - 5:30 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Generally recurs the 2nd Sunday every other month but be sure to RSVP separately to each event.
Free
(RSVP required to attend)
New Volunteer Orientation
Have you wanted to get more involved with the library but didn’t know where to start?
This in-person onboarding seminar will get you up to speed about the many types of work that helps run and grow our organization.
We’ll cover in detail how to facilitate our lending program, host or assist workshops, manage event logistics, and many more behind-the-scenes administrative tasks inherent to non-profits.
Click Here to Sign Up (signup form may refer only to the nearest upcoming date but these take place monthly and you will receive reminders each month until you actually attend or request to be taken off this list)
Wednesday, May 13th, 2026
5:30pm - 7:30 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
RSVP Required
NOTE: We ask those wishing to attend to first attend the library’s new member orientation if they have not already done so.
Intro to Synthesis for Women, Femmes, and Non-Binary Folks
Welcome all Women, Femmes, and Non-Binary folks! This introductory workshop teaches the fundamentals of modular synthesis. If you are new to synths don't worry! Neither a traditional background in music nor a familiarity with electronic instruments are necessary to attend - in fact, the course is explicitly designed for total beginners.
Sunday, May 17th, 2026
3 pm - 6 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
$10-20 sliding scale
(tickets required to attend, no one turned away for lack of funds, email info@synthlibraryportland.org for no-cost tickets)
Intermediate Synthesis: Patching Beyond Subtractive
Looking to take the next step in your synthesis journey? This intermediate workshop teaches synthesis concepts beyond the standard subtractive patch we teach in our intro class. Familiarity with the basics of modular synthesis is encouraged, but we welcome those who just want to hear some cool sounds.
We will discuss processes that add harmonic complexity to sounds, resulting in more sound design freedom than subtractive synthesis.These include but are not limited to Frequency Modulation (FM), Amplitude/Ring Modulation (AM/RM), Distortion, and Wavefolding: the techniques used by all of your favorite electronic musicians. Join us on June 21st at the Synth Library and expand your sonic palette!
Presented by Jakob Kintzele
—
Saturday, May 23rd, 2026
1 pm - 4 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
$10-20 sliding scale
(tickets required to attend, no one turned away for lack of funds, email info@synthlibraryportland.org for no-cost tickets)
Build a CCTV Simple Gates DIY Eurorack Module
In this workshop participants will build and take home a CCTV Simple Gates DIY Eurorack module. Simple Gates is a dual low pass vactrol gate 4HP module with 3 filter types and a 2-pole mode in a 4HP DIY Kit. Inspired by classic Buchla designs, Simple Gates is entirely passive, drawing power from the incoming CV only.
Each low pass vactrol gate (2 in the module) has an input (on the left) and an output (on the right). Both are DC Coupled. The CV input is below and indicated by an LED and a lightning bolt symbol. CV can be applied to the CV input to open the gate (positive voltages above 1.2V open the gate). The gate can be more or less open depending on voltage applied. Short gates can be used to create plucky, percussive bursts of sound, or gradual, slow CV can be used to subtly shape the sound.
The three position switch switches between 3 different modes:
LPG - A classic low pass gate frequency response. Fully closed, the cutoff is at 20Hz, fully open the cutoff is at 6KHz. Useful for audio sources and percussive sounds. This is the traditional sound most associated with LPGs.
VCA - This mode applies no filtering to input signal, the frequency response is mostly flat. This is useful to add an additional VCA to your system, when waveshaping is to be applied elsewhere. This mode is also great for Amplitude Modulation and Frequency mixing - sending one frequency into the input and another into the CV input to obtain unusual signals on the output. Great for CV too.
LOW - an Extremely Low Pass Filter - This mode has an off-state cutoff frequency at 0.1 Hz and a on-state cutoff frequency of about 800Hz. This is fantastic for bass synths or kick drum synthesis.
Once patched, it's easy to switch between the three modes to experience how each shapes the tone. You will fall in love with this flexibility.
The bottom CV Input is normalized to the top CV Input, and the top Output can be normalized to the bottom input (via a solder jumper on the rear). This allows a 2-pole mode where a source is connected to the top input, a control voltage signal to the top CV Input, and take the output from the bottom gate's output. This mode allows 2 poles of filtering, the filtering done by first the top vactrol gate and then the bottom. This allows 9 different modes of gating to further sculpt your sound.
The Simple Gates Kit contains all parts needed to assemble this module. This kit is appopriate for beginners, there are no surface mount components and all parts are large and easy to solder.
DIY beginners are welcome! No prior experience is necessary. If you are brand new to DIY we can teach you the skills you need to complete the project (including how to solder) and facilitators will be there to assist with troubleshooting to help get your build working if you run into any problems
- NEW DATE & LOCATION -
Saturday, June 6th, 2026
1 pm - 3 pm
@ our future location
(central east side, near Burnside Bridge)
More info on the new location announced soon!
(previous date/location was May 30th @ Lloyd Center)
Tickets are required to attend.
$45
Price includes:
-Kit with other necessary parts/components for the build
-a small ~$10 dollar donation to Synth Library Portland (the rest of the ticket price entirely goes to cover parts costs for each kit)
(Like other SLP DIY workshops where the price is mostly parts costs, we cannot offer no-cost or reduced-cost/NOTAFLOF tickets, nor can we offer membership discounts this time.)
Open Channels (New Date)
The mixer channels are open—bring some gear and share your sounds, or just come to see what happens. This monthly gathering is for electronic musicians of all experience levels to connect, experiment, and share with the community. Our goal is to lower the barrier to entry and bridge the gap between performer and audience. It's perfect for new musicians or experienced musicians looking to simply try out new material and techniques in a low-stakes environment.
New date!
Sunday, June 14th, 2026
3 pm - 6 pm
Performance slot signup at 3 pm, Music starts at 3:30 pm
@ New location to be announced soon
Free
(Performance slots are determined on site on a first come, first served basis. RSVP encouraged to receive an email reminder about the event but does not reserve a performance time slot.)
Build a DIY Gristleizer Pedal
In this workshop, we will be building the legendary Gristleizer pedal. Based on a design by a British teen in an electronics hobbyist magazine, the Gristleizer was named by Chris Carter of Throbbing Gristle, and you can hear its strange effect on many of their tracks (the vocals on Hamburger Lady are a very clear example). The Gristleizer gives a type of tremolo effect, with controls for changing the waveshape and speed of the tremolo's LFO, a switch to toggle between VCA and VCF, a wet/dry knob, and an effect gain control that, when cranked, can add some pleasant distortion to the output.
The workshop includes all the supplies needed to build the pedal and a metal enclosure to house it in. While some soldering experience will make the build go faster, this project is beginner friendly and we will teach you how to solder.
DIY beginners are welcome! No prior experience is necessary, and we are happy to teach you how to solder.
Led by Jon Daries
~~~
Sunday, August 9th, 2026
1 pm - 4 pm
@ New location to be announced soon!
Tickets are required to attend.
Price for SLP members: $75
Price for Non-members: $100
(note that you must be logged into your WithFriends account with an active membership to obtain the discounted price)
Workshop fee includes all tools and supplies to build a pedal including the metal enclosure. We will have soldering irons and solder available for all attendees.)
Tickets are required to attend
Member Drop-In Hours
Drop-in hours for members of any tier to drop by the library every Thursday 4-7 pm, no RSVP needed!
If you’ve never been to the library before and want to check it out, feel free to stop by at this time. Check in with our facilitators when you arrive and we’ll introduce you to the space.
Thursday, April 30th, 2026
(Recurs every Thursday at the same time)
4 pm - 7 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map) first
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Free
Electronic Music Meetup for People in Recovery
All people in recovery are welcome to join us at Synth Library Portland for a monthly event series designed to foster connection, creativity, collaboration, and community among local artists.
We aim to create a supportive and empowering space where people in recovery—however they choose to define it—can grow, express themselves, and build relationships, regardless of experience or skill level. This is an inclusive, welcoming space for all.
While Synth Library Portland is providing the gathering space and sponsoring this free event you do not need to be a member of the library to attend, though we hope you consider joining our diverse crew of creatives.
Tuesday, April 28th, 2026
Repeats same time every last Tuesday of the Month!
5:30 pm - 7 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Free
(RSVP encouraged but not required)
Fundamentals of VCV Rack with MetaModule
Join Ross of 4ms/Moffenzeef to learn the fundamentals of VCV Rack and how they relate to MetaModule by 4ms.
MetaModule: https://4mscompany.com/metamodule
VCV Rack: https://vcvrack.com/
In addition to going over the basic workflow of VCV Rack, students will also learn how to transfer their patches to MetaModule and set them up for hardware performance. No previous experience with VCV Rack or MetaModule required.
-
Sunday, April 26th 2026
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
All ages - Beginners welcome but the instructor will assume understanding some basic synth/modular terminology
$20 general admission
$10-19 sliding scale
Tickets are required to attend. No one is turned away for lack of funds, so email info@synthlibraryportland.org for lower/no-cost tickets.
Synth Library Open House
During this time the library will be open for all to explore our collection of gear and meet our facilitators! It’s also a great chance to learn more about member perks like our lending program, drop-in hours, and studio hours.
Saturday, April 25th, 2026
(Recurs about every 4 weeks)
1 pm - 4 pm
(Come at any time, or stay the whole time!)
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Free
(RSVP encouraged but not required)
Member Drop-In Hours
Drop-in hours for members of any tier to drop by the library every Thursday 4-7 pm, no RSVP needed!
If you’ve never been to the library before and want to check it out, feel free to stop by at this time. Check in with our facilitators when you arrive and we’ll introduce you to the space.
Thursday, April 23rd, 2026
(Recurs every Thursday at the same time)
4 pm - 7 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map) first
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Free
Intro to Synthesis
Learn the fundamentals of synthesis (focusing on hardware modular) in this beginner workshop, with no prior knowledge necessary. Hands-on instruction puts concepts into practice. Open to all. Great for total newcomers to electronic music or as a way to get folks with some experience introduced to modular gear.
Sunday, April 19th, 2026
3 pm - 6 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
$10-20 sliding scale
(tickets required to attend, no one turned away for lack of funds, email info@synthlibraryportland.org for no-cost tickets)
Member Drop-In Hours
Drop-in hours for members of any tier to drop by the library every Thursday 4-7 pm, no RSVP needed!
If you’ve never been to the library before and want to check it out, feel free to stop by at this time. Check in with our facilitators when you arrive and we’ll introduce you to the space.
Thursday, April 16th, 2026
(Recurs every Thursday at the same time)
4 pm - 7 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map) first
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Free
(RSVP encouraged but not required)
New Volunteer Orientation
Have you wanted to get more involved with the library but didn’t know where to start?
This in-person onboarding seminar will get you up to speed about the many types of work that helps run and grow our organization.
We’ll cover in detail how to facilitate our lending program, host or assist workshops, manage event logistics, and many more behind-the-scenes administrative tasks inherent to non-profits.
Click Here to Sign Up (signup form may refer only to the nearest upcoming date but these take place monthly and you will receive reminders each month until you actually attend or request to be taken off this list)
Wednesday, April 15th, 2026
5:30pm - 7:30 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
RSVP Required
NOTE: We ask those wishing to attend to first attend the library’s new member orientation if they have not already done so.
Tabling (Sunday) @ Portland Synth & Pedal Expo ‘26
During this time the library will be tabling at this years Synth & Pedal Expo for all to explore our collection of gear and meet our facilitators! It’s also a great chance to learn more about member perks like our lending program, drop-in hours, and studio hours.
Sunday, April 12th, 2026
10:30 am - 5 pm
NOTE: 10:30 am - noon entry requires a special “No Crowd” ticket
@ JaJa PDX (view map)
819 Southeast Taylor Street
Portland, OR 97214
$5-10
Early Bird Tickets are Half Price until March 15th
Young Musicians (under 18) enter free at all times
“No Crowd” tickets for AM entry (10:30-noon) are $17.50
(Expo tickets are limited and required for entry)
Unfortunately since this is not our event we cannot offer low/no cost entry.
Tabling (Saturday) @ Portland Synth & Pedal Expo ‘26
During this time the library will be tabling at this years Synth & Pedal Expo for all to explore our collection of gear and meet our facilitators! It’s also a great chance to learn more about member perks like our lending program, drop-in hours, and studio hours.
Lending program gear returns can be made to us at the expo.
Saturday, April 11th, 2026
12 pm - 6 pm
@ JaJa PDX (view map)
819 Southeast Taylor Street
Portland, OR 97214
$5-10
Early Bird Tickets are Half Price until March 15th
Young Musicians (under 18) enter free
(Expo tickets are limited and required for entry)
Unfortunately since this is not our event we cannot offer low/no cost entry.
New Member Orientation
In this brief in-person gathering you can learn about our organization, how to begin checking out gear from our lending program, and how to access all our member resources including weekly drop-in hours, studio hours, and more!
(signup form may refer only to the nearest upcoming date but these take place monthly and you will receive reminders each month until you actually attend or request to be taken off this list)
Friday, April 10th, 2026
6 pm - 7 pm
Recurs Every 4 weeks
(Email us if your work schedule prevents attendance)
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Member Drop-In Hours With Gear Returns
Drop-in hours for members of any tier to drop by the library every Thursday 4-7 pm, no RSVP needed!
If you’ve never been to the library before and want to check it out, feel free to stop by at this time. Check in with our facilitators when you arrive and we’ll introduce you to the space.
This is an official window for gear returns for this cycle. We added this date because Saturday gear returns on April 11 is at Portland Synth and Pedal Expo which has a small entry fee.
Thursday, April 9th, 2026
(Recurs every Thursday at the same time)
4 pm - 7 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map) first
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Free
Another Green World: Deep Listening Night with SLP @ ProcessPDX
Synth Library Portland will be at Process for an evening of esoteric electronic music, dub techno and deep listening. Join us for this special night featuring live electronic music, live visuals, and DJ sets curated by SLP members coming together for a night to appreciate sound and our community
This event will feature lounge seating (don't worry, there is still room to dance!) and we will run the lighting and sound system at a lower intensity than the typical weekend club night. Hosted by Casual Decay.
We will start the evening at 7pm with an hour of open decks, original music encouraged! (CDJs or vinyl). This is your opportunity to play some music on the amazing soundsystem at Process. From 8pm - 11pm Synth Library facilitators and friends of the library including CJA, Thomas Fang, Beth Wooten and more will take over the decks.
+ Synth Library DJs!
—-
Wednesday, April 8th
7pm - 11pm (21+)
@ProcessPDX
5040 SE Milwaukie Ave, Portland, OR 97202
No Entry Fee
$10 - $20 suggested donation
All ticket sales go straight to Synth Library Portland so we want to thank ProcessPDX for generously hosting - it's a fixture of Portland's underground music scene!
No one turned away for lack of funds
Open Channels (NEW DATE & TIME)
~ NEW DATE & TIME! ~
NOW 4/4/26 @ 4pm
(was on Sunday but moved a day earlier due to Lloyd Center closure on that day)
The mixer channels are open—bring some gear and share your sounds, or just come to see what happens. This monthly gathering is for electronic musicians of all experience levels to connect, experiment, and share with the community. Our goal is to lower the barrier to entry and bridge the gap between performer and audience. It's perfect for new musicians or experienced musicians looking to simply try out new material and techniques in a low-stakes environment.
~ NEW DATE & TIME! ~
Saturday, April 4th, 2026
4 pm - 7 pm
Performance slot signup at 4 pm, Music starts at 4:30 pm
Sunday, April 5th, 2026
3 pm - 6 pm
Performance slot signup at 3 pm, Music starts at 3:30 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Free
(Performance slots are determined on site on a first come, first served basis. RSVP encouraged to receive an email reminder about the event but does not reserve a performance time slot.)
Nature as Muse: An Organic Approach to Electronic Music
Learn how trees, smoke, muscles, and waves offer a blueprint for composing electronic music that feels dynamic, expressive, and unmistakably yours. Light on music theory, heavy in concepts. Just a powerful new way of seeing music that expands your range and sharpens your personal style.
Taught by Jonathan Haidle (Pink Buddha)
@pink.buddha.music
-
Saturday, April 4th 2026
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
All ages
Made to accommodate total beginners with no music or theory background, but with concepts/tips helpful at all skill levels
$20 general admission
$10-19 sliding scale
Tickets are required to attend. No one is turned away for lack of funds, so email info@synthlibraryportland.org for lower/no-cost tickets.
Member Drop-In Hours
Drop-in hours for members of any tier to drop by the library every Thursday 4-7 pm, no RSVP needed!
If you’ve never been to the library before and want to check it out, feel free to stop by at this time. Check in with our facilitators when you arrive and we’ll introduce you to the space.
Thursday, April 2nd, 2026
(Recurs every Thursday at the same time)
4 pm - 7 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map) first
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Free
Women and Nonbinary Electronic Music Meetup
All women and non-binary folks are welcome to join us for a monthly event series that encourages learning together, jam together, and connect with other artists in the area. We want to create a welcoming environment to help grow our community of electronic musicians for all femmes and enbies regardless of skill level or experience.
Wednesday, April 1st, 2026
(Recurs every first Wednesday of the month)
5:30 pm - 7 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map) first
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Free
(RSVP encouraged but not required)
Electronic Music Meetup for People in Recovery
All people in recovery are welcome to join us at Synth Library Portland for a monthly event series designed to foster connection, creativity, collaboration, and community among local artists.
We aim to create a supportive and empowering space where people in recovery—however they choose to define it—can grow, express themselves, and build relationships, regardless of experience or skill level. This is an inclusive, welcoming space for all.
While Synth Library Portland is providing the gathering space and sponsoring this free event you do not need to be a member of the library to attend, though we hope you consider joining our diverse crew of creatives.
Tuesday, March 31st, 2026
Repeats same time every last Tuesday of the Month!
5:30 pm - 7 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Free
(RSVP encouraged but not required)
Intro to Synthesis (VCV Rack Edition)
Learn the fundamentals of synthesis using VCV Rack, free modular synth software that replicates the experience of patching with hardware. in this beginner workshop, with no prior knowledge necessary. Hands-on instruction puts concepts into practice. Open to all. Great for total newcomers to electronic music or as a way to get folks with some experience introduced to the modular workflow with tools they have on their own computer.
A special section not normally present in our Intro to Synthesis workshops will be added discussing hybrid hardware/software workflows. Namely we'll be walking through bridging VCV to Hardware, using the Expert Sleepers ES-9 Eurorack-format Audio Interface as well as the highly adaptable 4ms MetaModule). A small number of computers are available but attendees are encouraged to bring their own laptops! VCV Rack is cross platform and we can show you how to download it once in attendance if you need help.
Sunday, March 29th, 2026
3 pm - 6 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
$10-20 sliding scale
(tickets required to attend, no one turned away for lack of funds, email info@synthlibraryportland.org for no-cost tickets)
Synth Library DJs plus pinball
Synth Library DJs spinning our favorite electronic music on vinyl at Star Tropics on a Saturday afternoon, while you play pinball!
Free admission to hang out with us and listen to music. All ages. Pinball games are $8 for an all-day pass!
Saturday, March 28th, 2026
2pm - 4 pm
Location: Star Tropics, at Lloyd Center on the second floor.
https://startropicsarcade.com/
RSVP to let us know you're coming, and bring friends!
Member Drop-In Hours
Drop-in hours for members of any tier to drop by the library every Thursday 4-7 pm, no RSVP needed!
If you’ve never been to the library before and want to check it out, feel free to stop by at this time. Check in with our facilitators when you arrive and we’ll introduce you to the space.
Thursday, March 26th, 2026
(Recurs every Thursday at the same time)
4 pm - 7 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map) first
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Free
Delay Techniques
Delay deserves praise, so we made a whole workshop about it! This intermediate-level talk explores the many faces of everyone's favorite effect, delay. Time scales determine how delayed audio effects function, so we will explore these qualitative changes that occur as the delay time changes. We'll illustrate how delay is central to many forms of audio synthesis/manipulation beyond traditional echo.
We will delve into the anatomy of the delay effect, showing you how to create echos with any audio buffer and creating feedback routing ourselves using a generic mackie mixer. We'll show how adding effects inside the delay feedback loop can help you gain precision control over how repeats unfold, as well as provide an opportunity for unexpected results and wild recursive madness!
Instructors: Max Jersak (Max Myriad) and Jon Nasrallah (Casual Decay)
Sunday, March 22nd, 2026
3:30 pm - 6 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
$10-20 sliding scale
(tickets required to attend, no one turned away for lack of funds, email info@synthlibraryportland.org for no-cost tickets)
Video Mixer
Join us for a video art and visual synthesis workshop and meetup at the Synth Library! Whether you're into software, hardware, flatscreens, CRTs, raster or vector, euro, lasers, VHS, LZX or anything else that makes light wiggle - we're into it!
Jonah Lange from LZX Industries will present a short demo of the new Videomancer.
Jerett and Matthew from Synth Library Portland will introduce our new 6U modular video synthesis case that will be available as part of our Lending Program.
We'll also have several CRT monitors set up, and anyone is welcome to bring their rigs or play around on the various stations of gear we'll have set up there already (enabling techniques such as mixer feedback, camera feedback, video synthesis, and glitch processing).
Open Projector: Attendees are encouraged to share their own video art works during the open projector portion. We can play VHS, DVD, or most digital formats from SD card. Pieces should be under five minutes long. Attendees are encouraged to share their own video art works during the open projector portion. We can play VHS, DVD, or most digital formats from SD card. Email us in advance if planning to bring your work.
There will be a small gear swap table at the space to buy/sell/trade your video gear.
Sunday, March 22nd, 2026
12 pm - 3 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
$0-$20 sliding scale
(Tickets/RSVP required to attend)
Member Drop-In Hours
Drop-in hours for members of any tier to drop by the library every Thursday 4-7 pm, no RSVP needed!
If you’ve never been to the library before and want to check it out, feel free to stop by at this time. Check in with our facilitators when you arrive and we’ll introduce you to the space.
Thursday, March 19th, 2026
(Recurs every Thursday at the same time)
4 pm - 7 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map) first
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Free
(RSVP encouraged but not required)
Intro to Synthesis for Women, Femmes, and Non-Binary Folks
Welcome all Women, Femmes, and Non-Binary folks! This introductory workshop teaches the fundamentals of modular synthesis. If you are new to synths don't worry! Neither a traditional background in music nor a familiarity with electronic instruments are necessary to attend - in fact, the course is explicitly designed for total beginners.
Sunday, March 15th, 2026
3 pm - 6 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
$10-20 sliding scale
(tickets required to attend, no one turned away for lack of funds, email info@synthlibraryportland.org for no-cost tickets)
Synth Library Open House @ Lloyd Center Mall Crawl
During this time the library will be open for all to explore our collection of gear and meet our facilitators! It’s also a great chance to learn more about member perks like our lending program, drop-in hours, and studio hours.
This is a special Open House occurring during Lloyd Center Mall Crawl, a community strengthening event every second Saturday where folks can come explore the mall and discover all that Lloyd has to offer. Synth Library Portland will be opening its doors during this event and we hope to meet new faces!
Find out more about the Mall Crawl
Find out more about SLP's Open House events at the link below!
Saturday, March 14th, 2026
12 pm - 3:30 pm
(Come at any time, or stay the whole time!)
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Free
(RSVP encouraged but not required)
New Member Orientation
In this brief in-person gathering you can learn about our organization, how to begin checking out gear from our lending program, and how to access all our member resources including weekly drop-in hours, studio hours, and more!
(signup form may refer only to the nearest upcoming date but these take place monthly and you will receive reminders each month until you actually attend or request to be taken off this list)
Friday, March 13th, 2026
6 pm - 7 pm
Recurs Every 4 weeks
(Email us if your work schedule prevents attendance)
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Member Drop-In Hours
Drop-in hours for members of any tier to drop by the library every Thursday 4-7 pm, no RSVP needed!
If you’ve never been to the library before and want to check it out, feel free to stop by at this time. Check in with our facilitators when you arrive and we’ll introduce you to the space.
Thursday, March 12th, 2026
(Recurs every Thursday at the same time)
4 pm - 7 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map) first
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Free
New Volunteer Orientation
Have you wanted to get more involved with the library but didn’t know where to start?
This in-person onboarding seminar will get you up to speed about the many types of work that helps run and grow our organization.
We’ll cover in detail how to facilitate our lending program, host or assist workshops, manage event logistics, and many more behind-the-scenes administrative tasks inherent to non-profits.
Wednesday, March 11th, 2026
5:30pm - 7:30 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
RSVP Required
NOTE: We ask those wishing to attend to first attend the library’s new member orientation if they have not already done so.
Portland Synth Improvisers Collective (PSiC) Meetup & Jam
A Wonderful group jam! Bring your own instruments and play electronic music with fellow community members.
See PSIC’s webpage or the event page listed below for more info.
Arrive at 3 pm to setup; the jam starts at 3:30 pm. Breakdown and cleanup by 5:30.
Sunday, March 8th, 2026
3 pm - 5:30 pm
@ 1256 Lloyd Center (view map)
2nd Floor, near Dicepool
Generally recurs the 2nd Sunday every other month but be sure to RSVP separately to each event.
Free
(RSVP required to attend)