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First MIDIBox project


Pablo1234

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Currently I have not used a Pic directly in a project and have always wanted to make the move. I started with the Basic Stamp and have made several MIDI projects with them. Currently I made a Bank and Patch Floorboard system for my Synths and Guitare rig. It works quite well actualy but the Stamps limitations have reared their ugly head. I started to make a Drum Trigger to MIDI project, wrote some code and tryed it out. 2 Pads worked nicely but anything after that was no good. Its just too slow to handle that much Serial comunication. If the MIDI Baud was faster it mite not be so bad but thats that on this chip for me. Time to step up to a cheaper/faster solution.

I curently have 12 Piezo Trigers set up with 6 TL074 opamps Each Peiezo gets Full rectification and then Split to 2 Buffers. The first Buffer Has an RC circuit to turn it into a DC Envelope and the second just sends the Signal to an on state at 5VDC for 1 mSecond. The Pulse was used to Triger what channel to read the analog signal from on the ADC Multiplexer.

I plan on starting with a Core and an AIN to get started. After reading some of the posts so far my couriosity was peeked by some of the realy nice looking projects that people have made. I took a seeper look at the API functions, specificaly the AIN ones and found that the AIN works on a change to Trigger the call. I'm not sure how this will specificaly affect me but I also noticed that it can do 2 Analogs at a time in verry low time slice. If thats the case - Would useing 2 Cores give me 4 Anolog signals at a Time(Drummers only have 4 apendages, But can hit in verry little time slices) and free up some processing power for some Buttons and sliders? I could easly see me adding up to 20 or more triggers, but I could only hit 4 at a time.

I fuiger I will need 8 Sliders for my Sequencer to control the Track Volumes 8 Sliders to control Pan. 3 buttons per Track to punch in Solo, Mute, Arm. 3 sets of encoders or pots to adjust each of the 8 Drum Pads Volume, Pitch, Tone. 12 Buttons for "Go to" Markers, 9 Buttons for Transport.

On a side note I have looked at the eDrum. Looks nice, but I would like to start with the Core and AIN Modules and work my way out to other projects on this platform.

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Hi Pablo, welcome aboard!

eDrum isn't really a midibox project, but it does use the MIOS bootloader, which just enables application upload via midi. Otherwise, they have their differences. The two-at a time thing you are referring to, I believe is sequential reads on the same input. It's designed to 'focus' on the knob which is moving, to give smooth input.

I have a bunch of triggers (all DIY of course) with an octapad II and I've often thought that I'd like to have the control of my own trigger brain, and of course midibox crossed my mind...but I can never shake the fact that a dedicated firmware would probably be more appropriate. In your case, I'd probably build an eDrum and an MB64e.

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you think the midibox platform isn't suitible for drums.

I don't remember saying that. I just said that eDrum would be more appropriate. stryd_one hates being misquoted.

But yes, I think that edrum would probably be faster - that's just a guess though, but it is designed for that single purpose. I'm sure that, perhaps with with sufficient modification, midibox could be just as good. But, yaknow....why? Sure it'd be cool ....

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Sorry, did't mean it like that. I'm gona start with the MB64E and after I have a good IOdea of whats up with the MIDIBox API I'll try to work in my Drum stuff. I'm gona try and make my system somewhat moduler with my own boards that I currently have. I made a nice MIDI controlable 5 band Graphic - Tube Screamer - 3 band Parametric with my last 2 Basic stamp, It can hold 20 presets all controled with VCR's and Analog switches. I may try and integrate the core and replace the 2 stamps I'm using.

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