Keypad used as Keyboard

inform3r · Joined: Sep 03, 2006 Posts: 59 Location: nyc

For a long time I've had the idea bouncing around in my head about having a keypad-type controller for a synth. I swear I remember seeing a site a few weeks ago and somebody illustrated how they did it. Unfortunately I didn't bookmark it because at the time I had so many pages open about something else I was pursuing.
BG Micro has a bunch of the keypads that I've always pictured using. Here's a quick example at this link:
http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=10843

I wanted to ask here if anyone has built a controller from a keypad and/or if they know of the website I mentioned? I guess the whole thing is similar in style to what Kraftwerk used on their Computerworld Tour. I was thinking it would be neat to house the pad in some kind of box and either have jacks on the back or maybe the box will have leads instead. I'd be interested in anyone's feedback.

richardc64 · Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 3:42 am Post subject:

I have not built this.

http://www.cgs.synth.net/modules/cgs10_pedal.html

Although perfect for a matrix-type keypad, it uses the discontinued, hard to find 74C922.

mark_olson · Joined: Oct 26, 2006 Posts: 177 Location: Lawrence, Kansas

You can get that 74C922 from futurlec.

I'm in the home stretch of building the cgs10 so I can't quite say yet how terrific or not it is. Others here who have built it seem to agree that it's good for what it is.

Mark

slacker · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:01 am Post subject:

If the 74C922 is hard to get, there's also Ray Wilson's matrix keyboard scanner http://www.musicfromouterspace.com/analogsynth/KEYENCODERPCB/KBDMATRIX022005.html.
I think it should be possible to make something simpler based on that to work with a keypad. I might give it a try.