Large Format Console control surface

[ChrisCummins]

Hi,

I'm entirely new to the MIDIbox, so take care of me. :angel: A quick introduction - I'm 18, finished school this summer, I run an amateur recording studio as well as drumming in several bands and I'm going to study Electronic Engineering here in the UK next year.

To business: an idea has been building up inside of me for a while now - why not build a full scale control surface to emulate the workings of a large format desk? It seems to me that the one argument that console users have over click-and-drag DAW operators is that with a desk, you can just stand up and 'survey' an entire row of settings to quickly trouble shoot or make alterations simultaneously across a large number of different settings/channels. As a born-and-raised 'digital' head, I have been thinking why shouldn't I build a full size control surface, emulating these consoles, but tailored to my own use?

A little bit of doodling on InDesign made me realise that if it's worth doing, it's worth going the whole 9 yards. This means 24 or more full channel strips with motorized faders (touch sensitive preferably), full dynamics section, eq, aux sends and bussing etc etc. This is obviously going to be a terrific amount of work, but I am more than willing to put the time in and think it would be a really satisfying experience.

Here's a mock-layout of one channel strip:

Now that's 30 buttons, 29 encoders and a motorised fader. Not at all an easy undertaking, when you times that by 24 and add on a master section. How would you recommend even planning this? I was thinking that daisy chaining lots of smaller modules together would be the key, such as say assigning all of the rotary encs and buttons of one channel to one project, then all of the motor faders to another? To be honest, I find this website a little daunting. I can see theirs a lot of enthusiasm and passion, but I find it hard to see how I should make the connection between having an abstract idea like I do now, and actually putting pen to paper with a construction project. The casing should be easy, I will make a large wooden frame and I should be able to buy access to the Laser cutter CNC machine at my old school to cut proper aluminium panels for the controls, so it is the electronics that are the difficulties.

Any help in this undertaking would be greatly appreciated!

Regards

[Wilba]

That is a massive project!

I can see how it would be hard to make the connection between such a big idea and the modules required to make it.

For example, the number of encoders you would need far exceeds what one Core module can handle, so you will need to chain multiple Core modules, but should that be one per strip, or split it up in terms of sections of the strip, in groups of 8? I'm not sure what's better.

Take the motorized faders for example... they might be best handled in groups of 8 from one Core. So perhaps one Core connects to 8 "sections" of strips, each "section" having 1 fader, X encoders, Y switches and Z LEDs.

As a first MIDIbox project, it's probably too big, because you haven't learned from some experience what is possible. Perhaps you should start with something smaller, like a MIDIbox 64E or MIDIbox LC.... get some experience constructing a control surface and making changes to the code to suit your tastes. Then when you "design" your big one, you'll know what's possible and also can optimize things - perhaps you can find a way to use less controls per strip and reduce complexity, space and cost.

[latigid on]

It is big, but things like this have been done before.

Seeing as you mention "survey"ing I might add that encoders are not visual unless you put LED rings around them. Analog pots are, but there's no way to store their positions. It all depends on what you would like to do.

I would agree with Wilba; a large project like this would probably take a _long_ time and wear you down unless you had a tremendous amount of spirit. But welcome anyway, it sounds like you're in the right place.

[nILS]

Welcome aboard Chris! :flowers:

Doable: yes

Pricey: most certainly

A lot of work: most certainly

A good starter project: probably not

You really might want to start with sth a little smaller - maybe boil your idea down to the absolute minimum (for instance use as many leds/encoder/motorfaders one core can handle) build the thing with the components you want to use in the "real" version (less financial overhead) build the whole thing into a DIY-wooden box, play around with it, fiddle with some code. Once you're comfortable with that, replan the big one and get going - you can reuse pretty much all of the components of the test box and might save yourself a lot of grief that way :yes:

[Screaming_Rabbit]

What protocol would you use? The Mackie Protocol won't deliver you the needed information to access all your controls. You can't access the AUXs while you're in EQ-Mode etc.

On the other hand, using native mode, is probably not flexible enough.

Greets, Roger

EDIT: This topic actually should be placed in "MIDIbox HUIs"

Edited November 2, 2009 by Screaming_Rabbit

[ssp]

i gotta agree with nils and wilba on this, making something like an lc or an mb64e would be a better option for your first build, there is an awful lot to learn here and the best thing about it all the information is free.

you could make an mb64e control based surface, but this would only have 8 motorfaders, however if you used non motorised faders and an ainx4 board then you can put 16 non motorised faders onto it (unless you can chain more ainboards on?), then you can attatch 4 din boards for buttons and encoders. this would be a better option for you and code changes would be minimal.

i am making a little control surface inbetween my current project for something to do and to get to grips with the mb64e editor and workings of the code.

best thing to do is the golden rule here, read, read and read some more, goto ucapps and read over and over, in the forums search threads out for similar items and read up.

also pop into the midibox chat and ask questions.

welcome to the forum