diff --git a/quam/components/__init__.py b/quam/components/__init__.py
index 75dde8b9..5c3d6a38 100644
--- a/quam/components/__init__.py
+++ b/quam/components/__init__.py
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
+from .basic_quam import *
 from .hardware import *
 from .octave import *
 from .channels import *
 from . import pulses
 
 __all__ = [
+    *basic_quam.__all__,
     *hardware.__all__,
     *channels.__all__,
     *octave.__all__,
diff --git a/quam/components/basic_quam.py b/quam/components/basic_quam.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d7cd5ee6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/quam/components/basic_quam.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+from typing import Dict
+from dataclasses import field
+
+from quam.core import QuamRoot, quam_dataclass
+from quam.components.channels import Channel
+from quam.components.octave import Octave
+
+
+__all__ = [
+    "BasicQuAM",
+]
+
+
+@quam_dataclass
+class BasicQuAM(QuamRoot):
+    channels: Dict[str, Channel] = field(default_factory=dict)
+    octaves: Dict[str, Octave] = field(default_factory=dict)
diff --git a/tests/components/test_basic_quam.py b/tests/components/test_basic_quam.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dc31307c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/components/test_basic_quam.py
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+from copy import deepcopy
+from quam.components import BasicQuAM, SingleChannel
+from quam.core.qua_config_template import qua_config_template
+
+
+def test_instantiate_basic_quam_empty():
+    quam = BasicQuAM()
+    assert quam.channels == {}
+    assert quam.octaves == {}
+
+    d = quam.to_dict()
+    assert d == {
+        "__class__": "quam.components.basic_quam.BasicQuAM",
+    }
+
+
+def test_instantiate_basic_quam_with_channel():
+    quam = BasicQuAM(channels={"single": SingleChannel(opx_output=("con1", 1))})
+    d = quam.to_dict()
+    assert d == {
+        "__class__": "quam.components.basic_quam.BasicQuAM",
+        "channels": {
+            "single": {
+                "__class__": "quam.components.channels.SingleChannel",
+                "opx_output": ("con1", 1),
+            },
+        },
+    }
+
+
+def test_generate_basic_quam_config():
+    quam = BasicQuAM()
+    cfg = quam.generate_config()
+    expected_cfg = deepcopy(qua_config_template)
+    assert cfg == expected_cfg
+
+    quam.channels = {"single": SingleChannel(opx_output=("con1", 1))}
+    cfg = quam.generate_config()
+
+    quam.channels["single"].apply_to_config(expected_cfg)
+    expected_cfg["controllers"]["con1"]["analog_outputs"][1]["offset"] = 0.0
+
+    assert cfg == expected_cfg