Futureman

Live dangerously and use vero like the ancients of yesterday did.

Ok.. Well, I've got the encoders already (without the push action built in tho..) And I just bought these.. http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=330280842408&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=014 I got my base board components from smash yesterday (Thanks smash!) so I'll start construction of that in a day or two. Regards Mike

Cheers, but I think I will pass for on your kind offer. I don't want to get bogged down on trying to use something I'm not familiar with + implementng the code for it (Which I'd have no idea where to start) I know this is the wrong place to ask, or even ask at all, but does anyone know if it will be much longer before (Or even if) smash will be selling the CS parts? If it's going to be soon, then I'll hold off self sourcing the tact switches etc.. Regards Mike

Great... So I'll still go ahead and use the encoders I already have. Regards Mike

Hey there, sorry if this is a no-brainer... I've noticed all the 14 bottom encoders have their switches wired in parrallel, and that the menu encoders push switch is on it's own... I'm assuming these are not needed for operation, otherwise the PCB would not be made to fit the smaller encoders which generally don't have a built in switch? Can someone confirm this? What are they used for ? Regards Mike

Is this a subtle way of saying you want to sell me dope? What are Softpots? Regards Mike

Yea, I like the first one more too... Did I mention I'm left handed?

Hey all, some input please.... What do you recon of these layouts? First pic, the keys are more forward.. better for playing.. The control surface will be more raised to keep inline with the keys etc.. The top of the keys (the ugly end) will have to be covered by some nicely made timber... still thinking about it's shape. 2nd pic, the keys are back more, and the control surface is nearly flush with the timber etc.. mod section coming soon.. not sure if I should make it out of aluminium or timber. the keyboard I hacked up also has USB & a thumby stick for mouse pointing etc + a few knobs and sliders + octave up & down buttons with LEDS. Regards Mike (No nothing is soldered in yet... just looking how those encoders would look + Knobs) IMG_0023.JPG IMG_0028.JPG IMG_0023.JPG IMG_0028.JPG

Spiffy!

Do you really think I'm capable of doing that? lol. Regards Mike

What if I just want to Play the synth? No Sequencer involved? As for dedicated controllers with an IN? To be honest, I have not seen many of then around.. (Well not the low end ones) The reason why I kinda did prefer my 'kludge' way was that it covers most scenarios that I'd use.. I can play it, I can sequence it, I can use it as a controller keyboard playing another synth with both voices doubling up.. All with or without a sequencer involved. Sure it's not as easy to record Knob movement etc, but to be honest, I generally don't ever record that sort of MIDI info.. Just the Audio. As for extra cost.. Killing one of the $20 merges i've got lying around is fine by me. Here's a close up pic of that Jog wheel if anyone is interested.. It's got a nice bit of mass behind it.. If anyone wants it, it's theirs (Plus the surround) Regards Mike B&O Complete + Closeup of JogWheel.JPG B&O Complete + Closeup of JogWheel.JPG

I appreciate it's elegance... And maybe I should just have three Midi sockets on the back of my box... Midi keyboard Out, MB6582 IN, MB6582 OUT and then patch appropriately depending on the scenario.. (FWIW my $25 Midi controller keyboard has no Midi in or Thru) Anyway.. moving on... I think I'll hack up the $25 MIDI Controller next... it's 4 Octave, which is a shame.. Regards Mike

Good Call.. Will do! What was even cooler about the B&O Case was that it already has 3 DIN Sockets built in! Regards Mike

It's a bit tricky to do with ASCII, but I'll try.. MIDI Controller OUT ------>SPLIT----->Mikes Project MIDI OUT Socket | \------>MERGE BOX ---------------> MB-6582 CORE Input ^ | Mikes Project MIDI IN Socket ------------/ So, Just to confirm, the keyboard & the merge & the 6582 Core are all in one tidy box (The B&O Case). The Box (Mikes Project) has a Midi IN socket, and a Midi OUT socket. The Midi OUT socket is just that.. an OUT from the keyboard (Hence the split) The Midi IN socket gets merged with the other split OUT from the Keyboard, The OUTPUT from the MERGE is then sent on to the INPUT to the 6582 CORE. This way, I can sequence the fuker, and play it from the keyboard if I choose.. I'm mainly gonna be using it as a Polysynth... Essentially the same as turning local to "on" in a midi synth.. The keys play it's own engine, and so does whatever is plugged into the midi IN socket (Midi channel permitting) No PC in my setup, except as a glorified tape machine. Heaps of hardware sequencers tho. I hope this answers all your questions.... Regards Mike

I think we are having a hard time understanding each other... It seems pretty simple to me, but I guess I'm not explaining it well enough. Out to Out... well, yea, If the Midi Out socket of a Keyboard is being soldered to the Midi out socket on my Project. (I should really have called that "My Project" instead of "My 6582") If it's any consolation, this will be the second time i've wired up MIDI internally for a project like this.. Regards Mike

This is what I was thinking.. Midi OUT of keyboard gets Split.. One Side goes straight to the Midi OUT of my MB6582 Synth. The Other OUT connects to the Merge input 'A' The MIDI IN on my MB6582 connects to Merge input 'B' The Output of the Merge connects to the MB6582 Core input. I'll do this once I have ironed out the 6582 core etc, and made sure everything is running sweet. I was looking at the Picture of the Black&White LCD, and yea, the backlight does look a bit blotchy, but I'm also thinking it could be a crap picture taken by the seller.. I'll let you all know when I spark it up to see how it looks. I've got the Blue one as a backup, but, to be honest, I'm pretty over blue.. especially blue LED's.. sooooo late 90's.. lol. Regards Mike

I got two screens today.. What one do you recon? I'm more partial to the black & White one..

I thought I'd start documenting my MB-6582 for others to see... Firstly - Big ups to TK & Wilba & Smash & All for making this happen! This is the best thing since sliced bread, and it's kept me off the streets and out of trouble. My goal is to build it together with a 2 or 2.5 octave keyboard in one box I've got a few midi-merges lying around, so I'll slap one of them inside, so that, hopefully the synth can be sequenced & it can be played with the keyboard at the same time. I read that someone was trying to make this work without a merge, but in the mean time, using a merge is fine by me. I picked up a 4 octave controller the other day for $25, and I'll hack that apart for the keyboard etc. For the Case, I bought a Broken "Bang & Olufsen Beomaster 2000" stereo / amp off fleabay ($27) that looked pretty spiffy.. it's about 60cm long and approx 25cm wide & 7cm deep. I really dig the grill at the back of the case, and it's shape as a whole.. it reminds me of a Atari 2600 Woodgrain. It also has a catch underneath so that the whole unit can be angled up at about 30 degrees. I got the B&O last night, and gutted it out (Which did make me a little sad as it was a fine piece of kit) - On a Side note, it has an AWESOME Jog wheel that would probably make a super jog wheel for tracktor etc.. I'll start constructing the MB-6582 Baseboard parts as soon as they arrive (Should be in a few days) Now I just gotta read the manual and see if Pitch bend & Mod wheel is supported.. if not, I'll leave out the Mod wheels etc.. Regards Mike B&O Complete.JPG B&O Gutted 1.JPG B&O Gutted 2.JPG Sussing out Keys.JPG B&O Complete.JPG B&O Gutted 1.JPG B&O Gutted 2.JPG Sussing out Keys.JPG

Cheers! I've seen how the MB-SEQ can do up to 48! 1ms trigger outs with extra DOUT's which is pretty special. I also have used the 8 Gate outs from J5 on my MB Sequencers, which are great.. To be honest, 1 Core with it's 8 Gate outs should be enough for most of the old drum machines that I'd (And I assume others) would like to midify (Korg MiniPops , CR78 & Hammond etc..) I guess code that basically has a small key map (Say C1 - G1) on an assignable channel and converts these to either 1- A Pulse or Gate that has the duration as long as the key is held down (might not always be ideal) 2- A Trigger that has a predefined duration (I'd like to be able to code these individually, as some sounds require longer gates to trigger properly) As some bits of old kit use Short to ground for their internal triggers, the ability to invert some triggers would be handy.. I'd imagine it would be a 'set and forget' sort of install.. Would this be coded in C or ASM like the MB-SEQ? Any other suggestions?

I'm sure someone must have made a box that does this? I've read a few posts about people wanting such a box, but no real hard results. I've got a few ancient and wicked sounding drum machines that i'd love to midify, including this incredible and huge Hammond drum machine that sounds amazing and looks like it needs to be played by someone wearing a coat and smoking from a pipe. Assuming we need 1ms triggers, is there an Application that I can use? I'm pretty useless at C, but have got a few books, and trying to learn... can anyone help me with the odd gentle prod in the right direction? Regards Mike

sweet! I could imagine that 4 stereo voices each with 6 Oscillators would be pretty fat... Much regards. Mike

So, Currently For the MB-6582, If i want to use mine mostly as a poly synth, we are talking about 4 voices max.. What difficulties are there in working the SPV mode? How 'experimental' is this as it's the feature that i'm thinking I'll most be using?... Are there plans to upgrade it up to 8 voices, or is this a hardware limitation? Thanks for your prompt replies. Regards Mike

I'm a little confused.. :-\ It would seem that a fully stuffed MB-6582 (8 Sids) would have 8 voices, but I'm reading in a few places mentioning of 4 voices stereo? Stereo is great, but I'd like to use mine as a meaty mono 8 voice polysynth.. Sorry if this is a no-brainer question, just want to clarify 100% Regards Mike

So, after you changed the J5 statement, you re-assembled the code? Then uploaded to your Midibox?

Hey there.. My advice to you is read up on the wiki, thne read ALL the info about the SEQ3 on the Ucapps page.. then read it again 5 times over.. then print it out, and read it while you are travelling to work, while you are at work, and while you are coming home from work (Or school) To my knowledge, there is no 'pre assembled' service where you can get the boards all made up for you.. But, Mikes Shop & Smash TV do sell wonderful kits of the boards... I've now made 2 of these great sequencers, and did have to ask a few questions, but ALL the answers are out there, just search for em (Like I should have, and then did) This file is in there for how the LED's are connected http://www.ucapps.de/midibox_seq/mbseq_v3_dout.pdf This file is in there for how all the buttons & rotary encoders are connected http://www.ucapps.de/midibox_seq/mbseq_v3_din.pdf This file is in there for how the MIDI IIc's & Core is connected http://www.ucapps.de/midibox_seq/mbseq_v3_interconnections.pdf Regards Mike