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Midibox Seq4 - UI


Braintu
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post-3649-0-35483500-1379863947_thumb.pnHi everybody,

I build a working prototype of the SeqV3 (with a PIC) some time ago. Now I attached a LPC to it and decided that I want to build a new sequencer with a different user interface.

The basic idea is to have 64 step buttons directly available for step programming because most of the time I program beats that are longer then 16 steps.

There is a very rough sketch attached:
[1] 64 step buttons with leds -> 64 steps direct accessable
[2] row selection buttons with leds -> select the row that is shown in the display and can be modyfied with the encoders
[3] shift button -> selects second parameter for the 64 step buttons (Mixer, Event, Edit, Trigger Layer,... )
[4] navigation


Let me give an example how I would imagine the workflow to show the detailed functions of the UI elements.

I am in step programming mode. The pattern is four bars long and 16th notes are selected so I can program 64 16th notes (four bars) via the buttons.

So the instead of showing four tracks with 16 16th notes each - like on the 4x16 Button/LED matrix the sequencial light (Lauflicht) would go through each row like shown in the picture (red arrow).

Now I would program a track. I can program all the 64 steps of our 4 bar pattern via the step programming buttons [1]. Let's say I want to change some parameters of step 32. Therefore I have to select the second row via the row selection buttons on the left [2]. This button will light up to indicate the selected row. Now all the parameters of the second row and therefore the second bar will be shown in the display. The parameters can be change now via the encoders above the display.

Next I would like to open the mixer page. So I press and hold the shift-button in the upper left corner [3]. All of the 64 step buttons can have a second function witch are available when shift is pressed. So I press the assign button for the mixer page. The display could also show the assigned second functions if the shift button is pressed but since we only have to rows in the display only two of the four rows could be shown.


Can you guys give me some input, if this concept would be realizable with the Seq4 Software without changing to much?
Moreover the DIN/DOUT pin assignment would be probably different from the Seq4 but as far a I understood it is no problem to change that in the software.

Would be realy nice to get some feedback.

Best,
braintu

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Concerning the integration into the existing firmware: I could provide a special hook for button events, and another one for LED updates of this 4x16 matrix, where you could add your own code.

So, basically you could keep your customizations in a single file, and migrate to future versions without conflicts.

To the changed UI: keep in mind, that many pages require 16 GP encoders !and! 16 GP buttons. The upper row of your matrix would take over this GP functionality in most pages, only in the EDIT page the upper row could be used to set triggers.

Since this alternative usage is not optimal, I would propose to add the common 16 GP button row like on the standard UI - otherwise you will really miss it.

General question: did you use your MBSEQ yet, so that you know how the standard UI is working? If not, it makes sense to build a cheap version (with some mini buttons and low-cost LEDs) first to get a better understanding of the control surface before building a dedicated one which may miss some important functions.

Best Regards, Thorsten.

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