Repurposed tech for VST control surfaces

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I cannot solder. I have terrible eyesight for detail and am basically no good with practical fixing/building stuff. Computers, hardware and software? No prob... except I am inept at getting into the case. I'm one of those truly non-mechanically inclined individuals. Luckily, I'm pretty sure I can scare up help and truth be told I'm willing to put the effort into it if I can make (and show others how to make) what I've got in mind, even if it's fairly expensive. Wish they sold OSC components instead of midi. May have to google some more.

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I've always liked this one:

http://www.midigun.com/

Doepfer and Cycling '74 both have excelent options for building your own midi controllers. Where I work people have used both as the front end of their frankenstein controllers.

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That is HILARIOUS! Bet it works pretty good too.

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http://www.makingthings.com/products

Thanks justin, now I'll never sleep again. Ever.

:? :shrug: :uhuhuh:

Yeah, I always liked the midigun, kinda weird that he doesn't sell em.
In fact this is the whole point of this thread. As though it's not already enough memorizing DSP and synthesis and production and 1000+ plug-ins, etc. etc. etc. I think it's only fair to expect someone who actually knows what they're doing to create INSTRUMENTS for us to interface with our VSTs.

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http://www.piengineering.com/xkeys.php
I've always liked these guys. Not exactly pertinent, but cool.
Actually, I see they now do X-Y joysticks and jog and shuttle controllers as well as their old stuff, so it is pertinent.

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bluetooth si for cell phone conection(hands free mode) probably not what you are looking for (the french manual thing)
also, about dmx controllers, I don't think it sends midi, it just receives sysex programs you made on a computer editor i think) and the DMX out is a 8 or 19 pins xlr conector, probably transmits some kind of contrl voltages/pulses
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DMX is like MIDI for lights. You can usually find it in 3 pin or 5 pin format (the 3 pin format is like XLR, but you should use a dedicated DMX cable and not a mic cable).

It has 512 channels, and each channel has a variable value of 0-255. Some lights interpret this value for a brightness, but others have specific meaning for specific values (e.g. 0-30 = shutter closed, 31-50 = shutter open, 51-255 = strobe effect of varying speed).

I've done extensive work on MIDI to and from DMX - unfortunately it's very difficult stuff to reliably learn about online.

Brian

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I like this thread :D

I am like runagate though, no programming or electronic skills. Just folders full of sketches and Word documents of musical ideas that I would hope to realize some day..

I think it's because I'm a musician/artist and not an engineer. Give me an interesting piece of hardware and I will come up with 100 unique forms of expression with it, but making my own hardware? Arg!
I always respect those engineers who custom build their instruments and play as musicians but truth be told I rarely see any of these people make GOOD music.

Maybe I should lower my standards a little ;)

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thenumber23 wrote:DMX is like MIDI for lights. You can usually find it in 3 pin or 5 pin format (the 3 pin format is like XLR, but you should use a dedicated DMX cable and not a mic cable).

It has 512 channels, and each channel has a variable value of 0-255. Some lights interpret this value for a brightness, but others have specific meaning for specific values (e.g. 0-30 = shutter closed, 31-50 = shutter open, 51-255 = strobe effect of varying speed).

I've done extensive work on MIDI to and from DMX - unfortunately it's very difficult stuff to reliably learn about online.

Brian
Hey, thanks for that infos. Don't know exactly when I may put it to use but .... :) been curious about that for a while. cheers, frog

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That's really interesting, 23... shit, even midi light data is better than our old-assed early-80's midi standard. OSC is what, 11 years old now or something like that?
Grr.

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[quote="Alliance Distributors"]You recently purchased a P5 Glove from our website; unfortunately, we no longer carry this product.

--Steve[/url]

Damn. I was really looking forward to that.

Anything else off-the-shelf I can buy that's a 3 or more dimensional controller?
Don't have much time to research it at the moment, sadly.
I'll have to go digging for that thread where justin3am mentioned a wicked midi footboard.

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Does anyone offer software to do something much less exciting, but still useful: to just map all of the keys on a normal computer keyboard to midi cc's, and then use the midi controller's mod wheel to make an adjustment? In other words, it would let you:

1. Press F1 to activate the program and override the usual function of the keys.
2. Press a key, say, R, to activate a CC controlling reverb.
3. Make the adjustment with the mod wheel.
4. Press F2 to return the computer keyboard to its usual state.

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runagate wrote:I'll have to go digging for that thread where justin3am mentioned a wicked midi footboard.
FCB-1010 awesome buy for $150

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Gracias, Sir Justin.

[edit] omfg it does midi note on also?! shit, I need that!

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http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHFCB1010 wrote:No matter what you play, or even if you're an engineer with a MIDI arsenal, you'll appreciate the way our FCB1010 helps you get the most out of your gear without tying up your hands or slowing down your performance. On top of its impressive MIDI functions, it gives you 2 jacks for analog switching and rugged, road-proof construction.

Features
10 banks with 10 user-editable presets each

2 expression pedals with freely assignable MIDI channel, controller number, and range

5 MIDI program change and 2 MIDI controller commands per preset (simultaneously transmittable)

MIDI note-on commands transmittable for trigger and tap-tempo applications

2 programmable relay-controlled switch jacks, e.g. for amp channel selection

MIDI merge and sysex backup functions

Easily programmable in a standing position

Integrated power supply -- no messy AC adapters, includes power cable

Technical Info
MIDI and footswitch cables sold separately.
Organ bass-pedal like midi stuff is way, way more expensive than this thing alone.

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mckenic wrote:
runagate wrote:How about a bluetooth (wireless) 7" touchscreen as a VST control surface?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... CatId=2374

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$219
  • Features
    5 inch Touch Screen
    400 Mhz Processor
    Sirf III GPS antenna
    MP3-Movie Player
    Car charger
    Home charger
    Headset
    Mounting bracket
    Carrying bag
    USB cable
    BlueTooth connection
    TMC/RDS
touchscreen + USB + "AV in" to watch movies + bluetooth all means to me that this is a handheld, touchscreen monitor that could be, unless I'm misunderstanding something, used for live VST control.
:shock: :shock: :shock:

Since I discovered Tablet2Midi and the Lemur Ive been DREAMING of something like this...

So will Tablet2Midi work with this damned thing?

I've had little time to research it, though I need to know.
At the very least it's almost worth it just for the wireless headphones aspect which I'm fairly certain can be gotten to work through bluetooth.

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