cheapest usb midi controller device with velocity?

[gamecat666]

ive got a hankering to make a cheapo electronic drum kit, probably using a spare 'rock band' videogame drum kit thats lying around.

now you can sort of already plug this into a PC and use it but it only works as a USB joystick, so that each pad is a button press - but this is binary, so theres no pressure sensitivity just off/on.

i was thinking, maybe I could get a really cheapo USB midi controller that has pressure sensitivity, rip the guts out of it (so you'd only be using the PCB) and then resolder the rock band pads up to the inputs.

at the moment i can only think of:

mk1 korg nanokey (25 inputs)
mk1 korg nanopad (12 inputs)
akai lpd8 (8 inputs)
and this complete piece of crap:
http://www.slashgear.com/gallery/data_f ... drumb2.jpg
(edit: blah, the would have been ideal but looks like isnt velocity sensitive)

anyone got any other suggestions that i night have missed?
criteria: USB + MIDI (with pressure) + *CHEAP*!!!

cheers!

[tapper mike]

And here we go again.

After pressure does not come cheap on keyboard controllers. If you want "reasonable" and after pressure go used on ebay.

Cheap is what holds down the industry and gives us "throw away" controllers. And gives us this wide margin of "Expensive yet highly useful" and cheap with no middle ground.

[ghettosynth]

And here we go again.

After pressure does not come cheap on keyboard controllers. If you want "reasonable" and after pressure go used on ebay.

Cheap is what holds down the industry and gives us "throw away" controllers. And gives us this wide margin of "Expensive yet highly useful" and cheap with no middle ground.

Ok, but, that kind of misses the OP's question a bit.

What I think that the OP really wants is to use the velocity sensitivity of the keyboards. To the best of my knowledge, this isn't really possible. Probably what he's looking for is best solved with piezo elements and a multi-input sound card, or, more practically, just buy a cheap alesis drum kit from craigslist and plug it into a midi port.

[Dean Aka Nekro]

Do not know if this helps at all but it was the first cheap but very useable idea that came to mind, You can get them quite a bit cheaper used:
http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical- ... mode=model
Ebay - http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/yamaha-dd55
and my local has the DD65 for £179 new and they are on Ebay buy it now for £145 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-DD-65- ... 1208815757 - Only problem is if you are not in the US on that one the postage is too much IMveryhumbleHO

They are not great but a much better medium between the guitar hero/rock band stuff and a decent e-kit

The other alternative would be more DIY involving contact/piezo mics on the rock band kit but really for the MIDI conversion part plus getting it all running smoothly/too taste would be a pain in the arse and take more time than it'd be worth saving up for a month or two.

I'm sure there are cheaper options than Yamaha in a similar format if someone knows of any and/or you have a good look into it

I hope that helps some, All the best and to all as always

Dean

[Dean Aka Nekro]

And here we go again.

After pressure does not come cheap on keyboard controllers. If you want "reasonable" and after pressure go used on ebay.

Cheap is what holds down the industry and gives us "throw away" controllers. And gives us this wide margin of "Expensive yet highly useful" and cheap with no middle ground.

Ok, but, that kind of misses the OP's question a bit.

What I think that the OP really wants is to use the velocity sensitivity of the keyboards. To the best of my knowledge, this isn't really possible. Probably what he's looking for is best solved with piezo elements and a multi-input sound card, or, more practically, just buy a cheap alesis drum kit from craigslist and plug it into a midi port.

Yeah better phrased than what I wrote but that is what I was trying to say ghettosynth man. The piezo route I agree although do-able is just hit and miss whereas with a decentish alesis, yammy or similar at least when hit they'll respond, Feel a lot better plus its one MIDI cable

[gamecat666]

thanks for the tips.

i've since discovered the 'Teensy' USB microcontroller. its got 12 analog inputs so i could hook up the rock band pressure sensors and make it a class compliant MIDI device. (garageband on ipad? )
this might be a bit more straightforward than trying to cannibalise an existing usb device!

pretty hard to find in the uk but is currently the most sensible option..

[psychoxkps]

keystation from m-audio....

[ghettosynth]

thanks for the tips.

i've since discovered the 'Teensy' USB microcontroller. its got 12 analog inputs so i could hook up the rock band pressure sensors and make it a class compliant MIDI device. (garageband on ipad? )
this might be a bit more straightforward than trying to cannibalise an existing usb device!

pretty hard to find in the uk but is currently the most sensible option..

Yes, definitely! If you're not afraid of breadboarding a bit of hardware that is the way to go. They're quite cheap as well, nice find.