YOU CAN BUILD A TESLA COIL THAT SHOOTS LIGHTNING AND PLAYS MUSIC
A solid-state Tesla coil that plays music through the electric arcs themselves - no speaker, just 30 cm sparks singing into the air.
by matt0852
WorkshopAudio
- difficulty
- ●●●●●
- time
- several weekends
- license
- none stated
- repo
- repo FINISHED10 stars
●●●●● · several weekends · none stated · 10 stars · repo FINISHED
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Jump to section
COMPAREE VERDICT
This is a compact, fully solid-state tabletop Tesla coil (a DRSSTC) that plays music through its sparks. The repository is a concise build log: full specifications, the half-bridge schematic, PCB layout and Gerbers, and construction notes, with the driver based on Steve Ward's Universal Driver 1.3 (files on his site) and music from a bought oneTesla SD card interrupter linked by fibre optic. It runs at 242 kHz from 325 V DC rectified straight off 230 V mains and throws sparks up to about 30 cm. It assumes you already know how to read resonant current and gate-drive waveforms on a scope - the author calls an oscilloscope crucial - and there is no full BOM, no tuning walkthrough and no licence. For an experienced high-voltage builder it is a clear, compact reference design; for a beginner it is a lethal place to start.
IN THE REPO
GOOD TO KNOW
- —Half-bridge schematic, DipTrace PCB files and Gerbers are in the repo; the driver is based on Steve Ward's Universal Driver 1.3 (files on his site).
- —No firmware in the repo — music comes from a bought oneTesla SD card interrupter, linked to the driver by fibre optic.
- —A concise build log covering design goals, specifications, the half-bridge design, construction and first tests - not a step-by-step guide or tuning procedure.
- —No full BOM — the README names the key parts (IGBTs, tank capacitor, ferrite toroid) and the rest follows Steve Ward's driver design.
- —No enclosure design or coil-former drawings; the README gives the specs (acrylic secondary former, 6 cm × 18.3 cm) and the primary uses 3D-printed standoffs.
- —No licence is stated in the repository, so ask the author before reusing the design commercially.
Parts to buy
10 itemsFrom our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.
- Half-bridge PCB and the Steve Ward Universal Driver 1.3 boardFind
- Two IGW75N65H5 IGBTs with heatsinksFind
- CDE 940C 0.068 µF 3 kV tank capacitorFind
- Large electrolytic bus capacitor and rectifier for 325 V DCFind
- N30 ferrite toroids for the gate-drive and feedback transformersFind
- AWG36 and AWG14 wireFind
- Acrylic tubeFind
- Styrofoam torus with aluminium tapeFind
- 24 V supply for the driverFind
- OneTesla SD card interrupter kit with a fibre-optic linkFind
Can I build this?
This build involves mains voltage — for adults comfortable with electrical work only.
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Videos
Sleigh Ride on my Musical Tesla Coil
The creator's own demo of the finished coil playing music.
More builds like this
All projectsGallery
Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the full build guide in the repository (The README is a concise build log - specifications, the half-bridge design, construction notes and first tests. For theory and tuning, follow the projects it credits (Loneoceans, Kaizer, Steve Ward) and the 4hv.org and highvoltageforum.net communities.)
- 2.Order the half-bridge PCB, build the driver board and get the interrupter kit(Half-bridge Gerbers are in the repo, the driver (Universal Driver 1.3) files are on Steve Ward's site, and the interrupter is the oneTesla SD card kit.)
- 3.Source the BOM(There is no full BOM: the README names the key parts (two IGW75N65H5 IGBTs, a CDE 940C 0.068 µF 3 kV tank capacitor, N30 ferrite toroids), and the half-bridge schematic and Steve Ward's driver design cover the rest.)
- 4.Wind the secondary coil(About 1350 turns of AWG36 on a 6 cm × 18.3 cm acrylic tube — the creator built a motorised Lego jig and it still took two days.)
KNOWN ISSUES
- The single most common mistake is blowing the IGBTs on first power-up because the interrupter current limit is set too high or the feedback CT is wired incorrectly — test the gate drive waveform with no resonant load first.
- Tuning the primary to the secondary is critical - and it is not an exact match: the author detuned the primary by 18% to allow for streamer loading. You need a scope (and ideally a signal generator) to measure resonance and check the feedback before running at full voltage.
- There are no drawings for the coil former, only the spec (6 cm × 18.3 cm acrylic tube) — winding ~1350 turns by hand takes patience, so build a simple winding jig.
- The tank capacitor must be a pulse-rated film cap — the build uses a single CDE 940C (0.068 µF, 3 kV). Do not substitute generic parts here.
- Music comes from the bought oneTesla SD card interrupter playing files from an SD card - if you want live MIDI from a keyboard or DAW, you need a different, MIDI-capable interrupter.
- The arcs produce ozone and UV - run it in a well-ventilated space, keep run times short, and do not stare at the arcs.
Can I build this if I have never worked with high voltage before?
No. This project switches 325 VDC through IGBTs at hundreds of kilohertz and produces arcs that can kill you. If you do not already have experience with power electronics and resonant converters, start with a simpler Tesla coil design or a non-resonant IGBT driver project first.
What is the difference between a DRSSTC and a spark-gap Tesla coil?
A DRSSTC uses solid-state switching (IGBTs) instead of a mechanical spark gap, which gives you precise control over the spark rate and allows you to modulate it for music. It is also quieter and more efficient, but significantly more complex to build and tune.
Do I need a specific MIDI controller?
The creator used oneTesla's SD card interrupter kit, which plays songs from an SD card; for live MIDI you would pick a MIDI-capable interrupter instead.
How loud is the music?
Surprisingly loud — the arcs themselves are the speaker, and the sound carries across a room. Higher notes are easier to hear than lower ones because the pulse rate is faster.
Can I run this off a battery?
Not practically. The design runs on 325 V DC rectified directly from 230 V mains, and the author's first light was at just 30 V DC before ramping up - a variac or a current-limited bench supply is the usual way to bring it up safely.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
The coil resonates at 242 kHz, and the interrupter pulses it at audio rates so the arcs play songs straight from an SD card. What song would you load first?
matt0852
matt0852 set out to build a small, fully solid-state tabletop Tesla coil that plays music, and documented the specs, the half-bridge board and the construction in the repository.
Keep building — related projects
Same category or platform, picked by how close they are to this build.
FULL CADYou can build a machine that makes vinyl records at home
AudioFor advanced builders
NO CAD FILESMake your old floppy drives play music
AudioFor beginners
FULL CADYou can 3D print a machine that knits socks
WorkshopFor intermediate builders
FULL CAD3D print a six-axis robot arm with 0.1 mm repeatability - full plans are free
RoboticsFor expert builders
NO CAD FILESYou can build a liquid-metal space thruster on a bench that produces real, measurable thrust
ScienceFor expert builders
FULL CADThis device recycles plastic water bottles into 3D printing filament (and it's open source)
WorkshopFor advanced builders
DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM2mo agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: this is a build log, not a kit — the repository has a README with specifications and construction notes, plus the half-bridge schematic, PCB layout and Gerbers. The driver is a modified Steve Ward Universal Driver 1.3, whose files are linked rather than included, and the music comes from oneTesla's SD card interrupter kit fed to the driver over fibre optic, so there is no custom MIDI firmware to flash. The secondary coil is fully specified (acrylic tube 6 cm across and 18.3 cm tall, about 1350 turns of AWG36), and the author says winding it took a good two days even with a motorised Lego jig. He is blunt that an oscilloscope is crucial for debugging. The repository has no licence file, so reuse terms are unclear, and the README links one video of the coil playing music rather than a walkthrough. One weekend is optimistic; this runs on rectified mains, so count on several and treat it with respect. Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.