LinnStrument Dark Mod

[LarsDaniel]

I have been experimenting with different surface overlays, as I at the moment lean towards a very slide oriented playing style, often just using one finger for lead play. I like the character that phrasing with one finger gives me. Anyway, that is a whole other chapter.

In my search for alternative surfaces, I tried a Lee ND filter, which is a plastic sheet that is used in photography to reduce light. I liked it more and more, so today I decided to make it a bit more permanent by fixating it under the edges of the top plate.
In doing so, I found that the top plate is reversible (except for the recessed holes), so I just could not resist putting it on the "wrong" way.
Remember, this is a 100% reversible modification. (I did however recess the screws a bit on the new up side.) And I know all the panel controls I need by heart now. I am not using the arpeggiator nor the sequencer at all, though. If I did, I would have to look elsewhere for reference.

The plastic sheet seems to be very durable, and allows for more effortless (and step-less) sliding.

Just thought I'd share...

PS: Forgot to mention: I have removed the "C dimples" with a sharp knife. That part of the mod is not reversible, but that was one of the first things I did to my poor Linny.

[Roger_Linn]

While I appreciate Lars’ idea, it is important to note that reversing the top panel will likely cause problems like some cells not working or not in all dimensions, or LinnStrument waking up in non-functional modes. The reason is that the panel screws also hold the touch sensor’s contacts against the circuit board, and therefore tightening them too loosely or too much can cause these problems. (This is explained on the FAQ page, Problems tab, 5th FAQ from top.)

Also, your LinnStrument will much harder to use without any printed panel parameters, and the screws will stick up above the panel because the holes are not countersunk on the bottom side.

I also do not recommended cutting off the tactile bumps on the “c” note pads because you’ll likely feel the cuts more than the bumps, and in a less desirable way.

If you wish to put photographic filter paper on your LinnStrument’s surface for the perceived benefit of making it look darker, keep in mind that you’ll loose the tactile indentations between note pads, resulting in a featureless surface like an iPad. You’ll also lose a little touch sensitivity because there’s more to press between your finger and the touch sensor. And you’ll lose much of the LED light.

Again, while I appreciate Lars’ idea, performing this mod will likely result in my having to respond to many unneeded support inquiries. So I kindly ask that people not do this mod.

[LarsDaniel]

I appreciate all the warnings, Roger. I would not like people to screw up their Linnstruments.

The primary goal, off course, was to see if I would benefit from another type of surface. And then I was struck by the minimalist dark look. Anyway, I am just fooling around, being the experimental wierdo I am.

[FranklyFlawless]

The plastic sheet seems to be very durable, and allows for more effortless (and step-less) sliding.

How does it compare to your current experimentations with the playing surface?

[LarsDaniel]

Ha, that is an old thread you dug up. I think I dropped the plastic cover because it got worn. Problem is that sometimes I am up on the tip of my fingers, and once a nail slides on it, it will leave a mark. Then I tried some easy-to-replace paper covers (the kind you use to cover a baking plate), and while that was very nice to play, paper gets annoying very fast, because it expands and shrinks, AND wears down. Then I took a break with all that.
Later on, I got a new 128 (because of band logistics) and I was pleasantly surprised by the newer coating, that clearly suited me better than the original coating. (So I ordered a new surface for the 200).

To answer your question, I am fine with the coating of the current surface (although I feel that it is getting more grippy in the more used areas), but it is the grid pattern I would definitely rather not have on the horizontal axis. The various covers I tried out took care of that, but were not lasting solutions.
I really like the feeling of my newest experiment with simply filling the vertical gaps. So I have ordered some plastic strips that should have the exact dimensions of the gap, - fingers crossed that they fit. I will have them within a week, so I will report how that goes.

[FranklyFlawless]

Even if you do fill the entire grid, there are two major issues, one of them being that during performance, the silicone playing surface will stretch during finger slides, and two, because there is already a matted polyurethane coating, that you will need to frequently reapply the strips to keep it sticking to the surface. If you can selectively remove the coating on the grid, then it should be easier to apply your own adhesives for long-term usage, but you will still need to somehow deal with the tension from silicone stretching.

I think that replacing the entire playing surface makes more sense in the long term, instead of having an overlay over the silicone, as with the latter, either the playing surface is not entirely flat due to two different shaped layers, or it has multiple textures due to two different materials, and thus different coefficient of frictions. As a result, neither of them will provide a consistent experience while playing over them.

Having been inspired by your experiences with the Lee ND filter sheet and parchment paper, I began searching on McMaster for raw materials that provide a flat, slippery surface in a film shape, with a plain backing.

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/raw-m ... -slippery/

This may be a useful resource if you want to reconsider the plastic cover idea again. In particular, the FEP film has a Rockwell hardness of R25, which is about the same as Shore 90A/40D, while offering good thermal stability. Most of these plastics are economical, at least compared to getting a mold from General Silicones or elsewhere, so my focus has shifted to this for the time being.

[LarsDaniel]

Even if you do fill the entire grid, there are two major issues, one of them being that during performance, the silicone playing surface will stretch during finger slides, and two, because there is already a matted polyurethane coating, that you will need to frequently reapply the strips to keep it sticking to the surface. If you can selectively remove the coating on the grid, then it should be easier to apply your own adhesives for long-term usage, but you will still need to somehow deal with the tension from silicone stretching.

I think that replacing the entire playing surface makes more sense in the long term, instead of having an overlay over the silicone, as with the latter, either the playing surface is not entirely flat due to two different shaped layers, or it has multiple textures due to two different materials, and thus different coefficient of frictions. As a result, neither of them will provide a consistent experience while playing over them.

Having been inspired by your experiences with the Lee ND filter sheet and parchment paper, I began searching on McMaster for raw materials that provide a flat, slippery surface in a film shape, with a plain backing.

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/raw-m ... -slippery/

This may be a useful resource if you want to reconsider the plastic cover idea again. In particular, the FEP film has a Rockwell hardness of R25, which is about the same as Shore 90A/40D, while offering good thermal stability. Most of these plastics are economical, at least compared to getting a mold from General Silicones or elsewhere, so my focus has shifted to this for the time being.

Stretching of the surface an issue? Nah. I don´t see how that should be an issue.
"different coefficient of frictions" Nah, it works perfectly well sliding over the canvas tape I am testing. It is the sharp edges of the grid lines that stop my finger. A 2mm slight change of friction does absolutely nothing.

If the strips fit snuggly I think they will be easy to keep in place.
But time will tell shortly.

[Roger_Linn]

...I began searching on McMaster for raw materials that provide a flat, slippery surface in a film shape, with a plain backing.

Hi Frank,

That's an interesting material that I wasn't aware of. If you order it, please let us know here what you think of it.

[FranklyFlawless]

I just made an order for the FEP film, since it compared more favourably compared to the ETFE film I was looking at, among others. Apparently it will be delivered this Friday at the end of the month.

Replacing the silicone surface with this FEP film is not trivial though. I need to shape it similar to the bottom of the silicone playing surface in order for it to accommodate the electronics/solder and screw holes. I also still need to somehow apply pressure on the sensor contacts at either the top or bottom of the surface in order to have every column between each screw hole function properly, so my current line of thinking is to create a custom top panel. Ideally it would be the same material and finish as the current top panel, but thick enough to apply pressure while providing enough space for the electronics/solder underneath.

So for now, once the FEP film arrives, I will use it as an overlay and see how well it handles fingerprints, fingernails, finger slides, and general usage.

[Roger_Linn]

Frank,

It actually is pretty trivial. You need only to cut your sheet to match the size of the LinnStrument sheet, then cut the screw holes and the three end rectangular cutouts at the ends to match the stock sheet. All the other small round holes on the right edge don't matter much; if you don't cut them, you'll see a very slight rise of perhaps .5mm in the center of the panel on the right side. The only other issue is that the 8 control buttons won't stick up through the holes, but you can simply press harder on the sheet in the button holes to actuate them.

Regarding applying pressure on the sensor contacts, your 1/16" sheet is the same thickness in the non-pad area as the stock sheet, so all you need to do is follow the instructions for correctly tightening the screws that are given on the FAQ page, Problems tab, FAQ: "There is no Y-axis (forward/backward) response in one column or two neighboring columns, or one or more note pads in a column doesn't respond. Help!"

Frank, in other forum posts, I've offered to help you by having a direct email discussion or video call, but you've always ignored my invitations, preferring to keep your name, serial number and location a secret. I am concerned that you have a stolen LinnStrument. It would help me to confirm that this is not true by emailing me your name, serial number and location. I promise you that I will never give or sell your email address to anyone, and only wish to confirm that I am not helping an owner of a stolen LinnStrument.

[FranklyFlawless]

This morning, McMaster cancelled my order. This is the message they sent:

Hi Frank,

Due to the cost and complexity of shipping our products to Canada, we are only able to accept orders from businesses and schools. We’ve canceled your order. If this material is not for personal use, please resubmit your order online using the business or school name.

I will need a few days to reevaluate my options before I make the order again.

The FEP film is 0.001 inches thick, so unfortunately it is not a drop-in replacement for the silicone sheet.

We have already corresponded via email. The local-part is my username. As for video calls, I only use Jitsi Meet, and no longer tolerate Zoom and other proprietary software. After your comments about my microphone during one of the previous Zoom meetings, I no longer considered it viable for communication for video conferences, and have since ceased its usage.

I have thought about emailing you multiple times after our first correspondence, and still do to the present time. I never have a strong reason to do so, even with an invitation, and I see no obvious benefit from accepting it.

[Roger_Linn]

Thank you, Frank. I see now that you emailed me last year, kindly offering to show your LinnStrument to any potential buyers in your area. I'll email you directly.

I have no problem with the anonymity of forum aliases or open source software. Regarding my forum reply to you about your requirement of only using Jitsi Meet, I've never heard of it and I merely stated that I'd be happy to use it if you are able to send me a link that I can simply click to join the call. With over 4200 LinnStrument owners to support, it is difficult for me to have to install and configure a new video call application for only one person.

Regarding silicone sheets, I think the 1/16" sheet that I suggested is a good choice for your stated needs and worth trying.

[FranklyFlawless]

I ordered one quantity each of FEP and PFA film from CS Hyde Company, after some reading about other FEP film retailers. It seems they ship internationally, as well as to residential addresses, so odds are high my order will go through. I will continue to provide updates about its status as they come.

Jitsi Meet does not require installation. It is a turn-key web application. You can use a pregenerated URL or generate your own. I do not want to reconsider using it again until I upgrade my microphone and pair it with a suitable audio interface, for our sake.

I want to replace the current silicone sheet with either plastic film, so that means the silicone sheet and steel top panel will no longer have any purpose. The plastic films I ordered from CS Hyde are 0.0005 inches thick, so that means I will need a new top panel shape able to apply pressure to the touch sensor against the circuit board. I know a few businesses in my local area that offer custom fabrication services for plastic and metal, so I will be able to get this project done with ease.

[Roger_Linn]

Sounds good, Frank. However if your new film is very thin and its purpose is to give you a non-stick feel, it might be easier to use the 1/16" sheet that I suggested and put your thin non-stick sheet on top of it. That way, you can still use the stock top panel and have confidence that attaching the stock top panel will correctly hold the sensor's contacts against the circuit board. Plus, that gives you the softer feel closer to the stock playing surface. But I may be missing something. If you need any help, let me know.

[FranklyFlawless]

My order for the FEP and PFA film has been shipped. ETA is April 12th, which is next Wednesday.

That could work, but not for my purposes. I want a more direct access to the sensors for increased sensitivity, so that means I need as little materials as possible between them and my fingers. Your idea is a very effective solution otherwise for those who still have a use for silicone.