DIY Harmonic Table keyboard

akorbeti · Joined: Oct 30, 2008 Posts: 22 Location: Greece

Hi there,

I just built a simple Harmonic table keyboard (in the likes of the C-Thru music's expensive thingies). It is a quite simple project and involves a lot of switches , a midibox core module (www.ucapps.de) and two midibox DIN modules. I am planning of releasing the full tutorial but first, I would like to get some feedback on features you would like it to have so I can give to the community a complete project and not bits and pieces.

I have more information on http://synth-diy.blogspot.com/ where the project is located.

The range is still small but I've included a transpose note/octave function. Maybe I could do a 128 switch version (another two DIN modules).

Again, the switches I used suck a bit (even though they are the softest switches I could get off ebay) so any ideas on DIY soft switches would be a great welcome..

Please tell me what you think and what features you would like it to have!

Thank you all in advance ,

Aris

PS The first addition I could think of is making a map for an Isomorphic keyboard http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isomorphic_keyboard and have the two preloaded so you can switch between them.

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Luka · Joined: Jun 29, 2007 Posts: 1003 Location: Melb.

i saw this on matrix synth i think
good work
could this surface be interfaced into a mbSEQ3?

what is it about the switches that you don't like, is it the tact switch itself for the switch caps?

akorbeti · Joined: Oct 30, 2008 Posts: 22 Location: Greece

Hi there Luka,

what exactly do you mean by interfacing it to a mbSEQ3?

There is midi out which can go to the sequencer but other than that, it is a completely different thing. They share no common code. Just think of it like a generic midi controller.

About the switches, in my wild dreams I see switches like the padKontrol's or whatever might give a pleasurable feeling to the finger (and a little bigger than 12mmx12mm like the ones I have now). So if I could find any lead to such switches or at least tutorials to make them, I would be a very happy kid!

For now, I scavenge around ebay!

Luka · Joined: Jun 29, 2007 Posts: 1003 Location: Melb.

you should speak to sasha who is on the ucapps forum. he makes awesome custom moulded switches and caps.

ericcoleridge · Joined: Jan 16, 2007 Posts: 889 Location: NYC

How about using some kind of capacitance switches for keys? this could additionally provide pressure sense, right?

akorbeti · Joined: Oct 30, 2008 Posts: 22 Location: Greece

Hi ericcoleridge,

Using capacitive switches would be my dream but it requires additional circuitry for each of the sensors and it will make it very complex. It might be feasible through other means.

moreover, since digital inputs are used, there is no way (currently) to record pressure or anything analog (but it is really simple to change to analog inputs.

Thank you very much for your thoughts!

Aris

blue hell · Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 12:44 pm Post subject:

Maybe the microchip capacitive thingies are of interest here.

akorbeti · Joined: Oct 30, 2008 Posts: 22 Location: Greece

Will look into it asap. Didn't know they have the circuitry on board!!!!

blue hell · Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 1:34 pm Post subject:

akorbeti · Joined: Oct 30, 2008 Posts: 22 Location: Greece

I'm looking at the presentations right now!!!

THANKS! Smile

blue hell · Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 1:51 pm Post subject:

You're welcome, please let us know if it's useful or not for you.