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Adam-V
Joined: Jan 29, 2007 Posts: 300 Location: Australia
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 4:01 am Post subject:
Alternative Controllers Subject description: Keyboards are so passé you know! |
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I was wondering what sort of alternative DIY controllers people have seen or maybe built themselves. I know there are ribbon controllers and touch keyboards but there have to be some other really cool ideas floating around out there.
Cheers,
Adam-V |
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Mikmo
Joined: Dec 01, 2005 Posts: 150 Location: Copenhagen - Denmark
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 7:42 am Post subject:
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If you mean MID controllers, try to google "alternative MIDI controllers", and you will be souprised how many different things people have come up with. Wind controllers a host of different percussion / mallet controlers, even a hamster driven MIDI controller (its true)
IF you mean CV / gate then i think the selection is more limited, vind controllers, and as you mention yourself ribbon controlers, and some other touch based controllers. _________________ Stay Cool
Mikael
http://www.mikmo.dk |
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bugbrand
Joined: Nov 27, 2005 Posts: 846 Location: Bristol, UK
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 7:55 am Post subject:
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I did a stylus keyboard module a few months back ---> you'd play this pretty differently compared with a standard keyboard..
Other things off the top of my head -- well, anything resistive::
Joysticks
Light Sensors
Humidity Sensors
Bend sensors
QTC pill pressure sensors
+ Hall effect sensors?
+ percussion from piezos
Also, layout / presentation / interface is always going to play a big role in how you use whatever design... _________________ http://www.bugbrand.co.uk
http://www.bugbrand.blogspot.com |
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para
Joined: Oct 16, 2006 Posts: 276
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 9:18 am Post subject:
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i remember reading a while back that someone had done a diy antenna to CV design but they never did post it. it has to be simple but i've never tried to work with antenna so that step is lost on me
there was a water controller - not really but someone tool a laser pen and had it pass through the top of a glass of water angled down at a solar panel and got some voltage out it. when tapping or moving the glass it would bend the light and give slight changes. some self perpetuating lava lamp style thing could be done easily i would think.
there is lots of stuff. i wish the “reactables” stuff was a little bit friendlier for diy. they won't publish the gui last i checked. |
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Scott Stites
Janitor
Joined: Dec 23, 2005 Posts: 4127 Location: Mount Hope, KS USA
Audio files: 96
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 10:21 am Post subject:
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If I had a blank stare controller, my synth would go nuts. |
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snufkin
Joined: Apr 06, 2007 Posts: 57 Location: the world
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Adam-V
Joined: Jan 29, 2007 Posts: 300 Location: Australia
Audio files: 1
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 4:16 pm Post subject:
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I like your stylus keyboard module BugBrand. I remember building a stylophone as a kid.
I was thinking a percussive controller like a MalletKat would be rather cool but with gate and CV signals rather than MIDI.
Cheers,
Adam-V |
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para
Joined: Oct 16, 2006 Posts: 276
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 4:57 pm Post subject:
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in that case you could take a look at Mikael's brakedrum. hands down the best looking diy drumpad i've ever seen. also a nice clean simple circuit. piezo's feeding amps that are triggering 555's setup as pulse stretcher ( that could be made to be variable to adjust the hold of each hit if you wanted a little extra control ) you could leave it with 4 separate outs or sum them with a mixer like he did too
http://www.mikmo.dk/cbbrakedrumdetails.html |
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Adam-V
Joined: Jan 29, 2007 Posts: 300 Location: Australia
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 6:16 pm Post subject:
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Awesome! Thanks.
I've found a page with links to all manner of alternative controllers (mostly MIDI) if anybody is interested.
Cheers,
Adam-V |
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Scott Stites
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Joined: Dec 23, 2005 Posts: 4127 Location: Mount Hope, KS USA
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Adam-V
Joined: Jan 29, 2007 Posts: 300 Location: Australia
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 9:35 pm Post subject:
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Nice one Scott.
Sounds a bit like an ocarina.
Cheers,
Adam-V |
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Scott Stites
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Joined: Dec 23, 2005 Posts: 4127 Location: Mount Hope, KS USA
Audio files: 96
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 9:39 pm Post subject:
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Obscure Laurie Anderson reference: "I could be an ocarina salesman, going from door to door" |
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bugbrand
Joined: Nov 27, 2005 Posts: 846 Location: Bristol, UK
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manatee
Joined: Feb 12, 2007 Posts: 6 Location: london
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dave_b
Joined: Apr 01, 2007 Posts: 42 Location: Kansas City
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Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 11:29 am Post subject:
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Has anyone here ever attempted to duplicate what Roland does with their positional sensing drum pads? I've seen the patent on them before and I get the idea of how they work with a single piezo, but I've not seen a DIY version.
Everything available seems based on the 'rubber glued to plywood/aluminum' design.
Um... at this point I guess drum pads aren't really alternative though, correct?
Dave |
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frijitz
Joined: May 04, 2007 Posts: 1734 Location: NM USA
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Adam-V
Joined: Jan 29, 2007 Posts: 300 Location: Australia
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Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 7:56 pm Post subject:
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Awesome stuff Ian.
Cheers,
Adam-V |
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frijitz
Joined: May 04, 2007 Posts: 1734 Location: NM USA
Audio files: 54
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Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 8:49 pm Post subject:
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Adam-V -- many thanks. This kind of work is the hardest there is, at least for me. You can't tell how a controller will work until you build it and practice on it for a while. Then you have to tear down and redo for the next iteration. The more control parameters you have, the harder it is, the more practice it takes, etc. |
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