808 seq combined with Midibox 64 to create perfect MIDI drum controller

[The III Man]

Hi All,

I am planning to build a controller to enable me to sequence and control drum racks/ VSTS off ableton but sequencing and controlling from the hardware and not through piano roll.

I can see the mb 808 sequencer can be built standalone. I also want to have pots in strips so I have controls for each sound, such as volume tone etc. For this i am guessing I need a straight forward midibox 64 affair with plenty of pots.

How do I go about combining the two of these into one machine with one midi out, is that going to be possible. I cant work out whether for the hassle of working all this out I shouldnt just buy one of Doug's kits for the full Mb 808, although I must say I dont think I would use the 808 sounds much so potentially i would just use it as a midisequencer. (thats not that I dont lovbe 808s! its just a darn site easier to use vsts and samples as the post production and automation is on a different level)

thanks

Toby

[SilverZero]

One option would be to have basically two separate controllers housed within the same enclosure. Then build an LTC module that gives you a MIDI-Thru port. You would then chain the MIDI-out of the MB64 affair to the MIDI-Thru on the LTC, then back out to the MIDI-In on the SEQ affair, or vice-versa. Then the MIDI-out of that second device would go out to your DAW, obviously.

LTC at the wiki: http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp_ltc.html

So it's like building two separate devices, then chaining them together with the LTC, but then mounting everything in the same box. I'm sure there are more elegant solutions, but this is one idea. :)

[The III Man]

Yeah I'd thought that might be a possibility but as you say it seems a touch clunky, thanks for the explanation of how I would do it though - its a consideration but I have my fingers crossed there may be a more simple way.

do you happen to know if the mb 808 seq functions as a full midi controller as well as from the on board sounds? I havent yet got access to their forum and cant quite work it out yet

cheers

[SilverZero]

I have no idea. You're lucky I could put this much together for you. :)

If you do think more about this, you should note that even the LTC module can be pared down quite a bit to ONLY run the MIDI-Thru function (as in, you could build the circuit with just the J1 interface, IC3, R5-R8, C8, and J4 and J5 for the MIDI-Out/Thru ports). I don't see why you'd even have to include the IC2 socket (it just controls the activity LEDs) or the IC1 circuit (it controls the interface to the COM port). If I'm wrong, somebody please correct me, but they seem to be three separate circuits that only share +5V and ground, so removing one or two of them shouldn't be a problem for the remaining one(s).

At that stage, you'd almost be better off just wire-wrapping the components on a piece of matrix board instead of buying the whole LTC PCB. In fact, after this discussion, I'm almost leaning toward building my Core on a matrix board with the IC3 circuit integrated, as it's so simple to add it on. Cut out the LED controller and the COM port, and you've got a pretty basic little MIDI-Thru add-on!

If you haven't seen the LTC schem that TK made, here's the PDF:

http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_ltc.pdf

EDIT: There's actually a straight MIDI-Thru circuit design already isolated and schemed here:

http://www.ucapps.de/midibox/midi_thru.gif

It's very similar, just omits the 2nd MIDI-Out port, along with the bypass cap and some other pin connections that must have to do with the MIDI-Out signal. 1 IC, 2 resistors, and a few solder points is all it takes to add the Thru port! (This is mostly for my own reference when I build later.)