Organ pedalboard

[Ganryu]

I've always wanted a midi pedalboard but they are ridiculously expensive for a student. It so happens that my father has quite an extensive workshop, however, and I will have access to it for quite a while now. I decided to spend that time well...

It seems electric organs are quite cheap nowadays. They're so cheap that they're free. If I could get my hands on one I could slaughter it for the pedals and then with slight help from here turn it into a working midi pedalboard! Alas, I'm a n00b with electronics (not with programming, though) so I will need some help. From the website it seems this is what I need:

1 x MBHP_CORE

1 x MBHP_DINX4 (it will only have 13 "keys")

I don't need any douts do I?

I haven't yet gotten my hands on the organ in question but that will happen soon enough.

I will need switches for the pedals.

Anything else I need and if possible anything else I need to pay attentiont to?

Edit: Just realized one more thing. I forgot to discuss the specifics. There are a few features which will be important to this project:

A: The ability to transpose by octave is important.

B: I would like it to have two midi outs. Each midi out would then connect to a separate midi device. With a switch near each out I would be able to turn it on or off. (I will use this to control a Nord Modular and a Nord Electro 2 on stage)

C: I need to be able to select on which midi channel data is sent to the devices (does not have to be separate for the different ports. It should be global to both)

Edited December 7, 2009 by Ganryu

[jimhenry]

From the website it seems this is what I need:

1 x MBHP_CORE

1 x MBHP_DINX4 (it will only have 13 "keys")

I don't need any douts do I?

I will need switches for the pedals.

You are correct about the needed hardware. If you can retain the switches that were used with the electric organ you will make your project much easier.

[DrBunsen]

An LCD display wouldn't hurt, for showing internal settings and such things as pitch transpose, MIDI channel, etc.

Edited December 10, 2009 by DrBunsen

[tonyn]

If you order the latest versions from avishowtech, they have dual headers.

So don't forget to get some 10 pin IDC connectors for the dins and core.

You will need 6(get a couple of extra just in case).

I found that the IDC connectors are easier and cheaper than trying to crimp individual female header connector pins.

You don't need a crimping tool either, a small cheap vise will do.

Plus get some nice 10 pin ribbon cable too.

Feel free to check out my thread to get some ideas on how I did it.

I also show how I crimp the IDC connectors using a vise.

Edited January 11, 2010 by tonyn