SEQ for kids

[spazmatron]

I have a three year old son, and I've noticed that there are not really many quality musical creation type toys for the young ones.  I've never actually used a hardware sequencer before, but from my reading it seams like it might be a good platform for a kids instrument.

Would it be possible to make a simplified SEQ with only:

16 buttons for steps

4 buttons for 4 tracks

16 encoders for note change (force to scale)

1 encoder for bpm

Put it all in a durable kid friendly case, perhaps in a circle pattern for the steps?

I would appreciate any input from some of you that have experience with the SEQ.

- also, any ideas on an inexpensive, and easy to implement built in sound source?

-Thanks for any input

    Shane

[/tilted/]

If I might make a _small suggestion...

Don't do "force to scale".

Or maybe, have an easy to find button that does the "force to scale" mode.

If you leave the force to scale mode off, your child will make some of the most amazing beautiful, uninhibited music you've ever heard.

Besides, they'll have the rest of their lives to be told which notes to play.  ;)

Re: the circular step pattern:

[stryd_one]

I think this is a totally awesome idea, and the design you mentioned should be a snap to whip up in C, based on the clockbox code. Because it's so simple, and *perfect* timing isn't a must anyway, you just need to whip up a few arrays for the tracks and iterate through them.

How's your C?  Probably would take just a few hours at most... I'd offer to do this for you but I'm totally swamped (and if I don't finish this document for TK he will banish me to the bottom of the planet... oh, wait.......)  ;D

Edit: Oh I forgot about the scaling. Ahh that shouldn't be too rough either... and I totally agree with tilt. Give it a button.

[nILS]

Awesome idea :D As most people here are pretty swamped it's unlikely that someone will program the whole thing for you, but you'll definitely get all the help we can offer!

[moxi]

don't be borred about the programmation, all you need is already done in the existing seq, and it's not difficult to prevent acces to functions you don't want to use ..

I thinked something similar for my own children, then realize i have to do something really solid and strong (buton and case), cause kids are (sometime?) wild, it's the more difficult part of the work! rock-solid button are expensive! I think standard encoder won't resist more than 17 dayz to kids tweaking!

maybe you can do the TK seq, with no group button and use the F1-F4 button for the 4 track mutes,

it could be a good start, then you keep the possibility to add more button as your kids grow up :) .

..but maybe this post is in fact from a kid who want to make a simple Seq for his father!  ;D

[spazmatron]

Thanks for all of the input.

I have only a little bit of c++ knowledge.  Just the pointless programs I have to write for computer science classes. (gradebook, sorting an array, basic math stuff, etc..)

I really have no idea what the code for a midibox app would look like.  Is it possible to use the defualt SEQ app and just leave out the buttons I don't need?  Or does the code need to be changed?

stryd_one mentioned writing the code based on the clockbox.  Given that I'm a newbie, that sounds more involved than changing existing code, perhaps I should have mentioned that I really don't know what I'm doing!

I was thinking also to maybe have a hiden "parent section" with a few extra buttons (force to scale, whatever else might be usefull)  I would like the option of more features as my son gets older.

I took a look at the manual, and I'm trying to figure out if it is possible to have the buttons and encoders set to the functions I want without being able to change them on accident. (restricted access)  Also for the 17th encoder to be set to bpm by defualt.

I hope that all makes sense.  I actually have 2 core kits that just need to be soldered, so I welcome any more ideas.  You guys are great!

-Shane

[spazmatron]

I forgot to mention.  I would also like to have the standard leds included.  Perhaps even the dou color ones if not more difficult.

-Shane

[spazmatron]

I've looked at the code for the SEQ and also the clockbox, but its a bit over my head.  I'm actually a computer science major at the University of North Texas.  Unfortunatley the simple things I've learned so far don't really help me much here.

To clarify a previous question:  If I load the SEQv3 app, but just don't connect the buttons I don't need, will it work?  Or do some modifications need to be made in the code, and also the hardware (din I guess?)

I remember reading a post a while back from a guy in Denton TX that was building a SEQ.  Does anyone know who that was, I also live in Denton.  Perhaps we could hook up and talk Midibox, or make some music.

-Thanks

Shane

[/tilted/]

I remember reading a post a while back from a guy in Denton TX that was building a SEQ.

That would be creatorlars.

[spazmatron]

Thanks.  I'll give him a shout.

[moxi]

To clarify a previous question:  If I load the SEQv3 app, but just don't connect the buttons I don't need, will it work?  Or do some modifications need to be made in the code, and also the hardware (din I guess?)

yes you can let some butons unmounted, that was what i'm meaning when I said all the work is already done.

what you can do is for ex. not to mount the menu buton , so access to various menu won't be possible with the step gp button. you can just mount it at start to create a template pattern.

you will be obliged to tweak the code only if you want to create some shorcut.

[spazmatron]

I was planning on having the lcd and menu buttons hidden under a panel or inside the enclosure so that I can access the menus if I need to.  But as far as all of the other buttons, I will just not connect them at all.

So this is great.  It sounds like I can just install the buttons I need, load the app, and I'm done.

Is it really that easy, or am I missing something?

-Thanks

Shane

[stryd_one]

It sounds like I can just install the buttons I need, load the app, and I'm done.

Is it really that easy, or am I missing something?

That easy :)

[Jaicen]

Sounds like a great idea to me! Maybe i'll build one too if there's not much firmware modding needed!

[DrBunsen]

I was planning on having the lcd and menu buttons hidden under a panel or inside the enclosure

Great!  Teach your kids the art of hacking early, too  ;D

[spazmatron]

Well, its coming along o.k. but I do have a few questions:

1.  Can I connect more than 1 led in series to each DOUT pin?  Not like an led ring, I just want 2 or 3 leds for each GP button.(it will make since when you see it)

2.  Is there a standard type of led to use? (size or rating or whatever, I don't really know much about them)

3.  How do I make a dedicated BPM encoder?  (add or change something in the asm file?)

thanks,

I'll have some pics soon

[stryd_one]

1) and 2) Yes but if your LEDs draw too much current it'll kill the SR.

3) I think this has been covered, did you search?

[TK.]

The MB808 variant of seq_enc.inc contains a function for a tempo encoder, which maybe can be re-used (I haven't tried it).

The encoder pinning has to be added to the encoder table in setup_*.asm

Some additional code is required to forward encoder movements of the additional encoder to the SEQ_ENC_Tempo function. This is usually done in main.inc, USER_ENC_NotifyChange

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Wilba]

1.  Can I connect more than 1 led in series to each DOUT pin?  Not like an led ring, I just want 2 or 3 leds for each GP button.(it will make since when you see it)

You have to check the voltage drop across each LED you put in series, make sure the sum is less than 5V and adjust the resistor size... as you increase the amount of voltage drop across the LEDs (by using more than one LED), the voltage drop across the resistor decreases, so the current will be less. You want to lower the resistor so the current is the same as it would be for one LED. Read more here and learn Ohm's Law.  ;D

If you don't have enough voltage to power more than one LED then you can put them in parallel using a resistor for each LED i.e. from one DOUT pin, have two resistors leading to two LEDs that then lead to ground. In this case, you can bridge where the resistor goes on the DOUT board and mount two resistors near your LEDs. This handles the fact that each LED has a different voltage drop. Read more here

2.  Is there a standard type of led to use? (size or rating or whatever, I don't really know much about them)

LEDs come in different packages (sizes, shapes, diffused/clear/tinted)... 3mm and 5mm round LEDs with a diffused and tinted package are fairly standard and common. If you get high-bright, super-bright, ultra-bright LEDs, they'll be brighter for the same current. If you're using multiple LEDs per DOUT pin this is an advantage, because you can increase the resistors you use (1K or higher) and use less current for a  normal level of brightness for indicator LEDs. You don't need LED torch level of brightness coming from your control surface.

[spazmatron]

Thanks for all of the help.

Is the voltage for each DOUT pin 5V?  If so, then it sounds like the parallel method would be better.  Is there anything I need to measure/watch for so that I don't damage my SR?

As far as the BPM encoder, I'm afraid that's a bit over my head.  I don't know how to reuse the  MB808 variant of seq_enc.inc.  Also I don't think I really know what the additional code in the main.inc would be either.

I'm sure this is probably easy stuff for most of you guys.  I would love to have a better understanding of how to manipulate the code to do what I need.  I would greatly appreciate any more help working through this.

Thanks for your time!

[spazmatron]

Here's a couple of pics of my progress:

[spazmatron]

...and with a backlight:

[stryd_one]

Nice!!

[/tilted/]

That is fantastic!

I would've loved one of these as a youngster.

Very nice.

[stryd_one]

Yeh, I think I have a present for my new niece or nephew! (due in one month)

My sister is gonna freeeeak!