The FX Hackathon combines analog and digital effects tinkering combined with an effects showcase with various pedal makers and audio effects designers—it’s a public event whereby students work in small teams with coaches (musicians, faculty, and professionals from pedal/effects communities) to create interesting audio effect devices alongisde a pedal showcase, a pedal repair station, and more! The event is sponsored by The Les Paul Foundation and run by the WPI's RATLab (the Electric Guitar Innovation Lab and the Interactive Music Systems Lab) and a growing community of friends and companies that like making unique sounds!

The FX Hackathon will return in 2026!

↳ For Attendees:

And it's not just hacking! All day long, FX Hackathon 2025 featured a pedal and effect showcase, hands-on electronics DIY/tinkering activities in our Soundgarden™ (powered by CopperSound Pedals), a Learn-to-Fix-Your-Broken-Pedal Station —, and many interesting individuals and companies who would love to talk with you about sounds! Our 2025 event included Electronic Audio Experiments, Aviate Audio, Cosmodio Instruments, Small Bear Electronics, Synth Cube, and others! Demo unique pedalboard rigs designed by Stompbox Sonic, play a mythical SynthAxe, and hear performances by guitarist Andy Pitcher and harpist Emily Hopkins ! Come by, hang out, try stuff, make noise, and be fun—open to the public (feel free to bring an instrument and headphones)!