Total newbie, want to build Live controller...

[elemental]

Hey people,

i've come back to the idea if building my own controller, mainly for use with Ableton Live. I did a bit of electronics at school, so I know how to solder but thats about all I remember!

I want to use the MIDIbox64  ... i think that would give me enough options. My 1st main question is where to get parts and PCBs etc, I live in the UK. Seen the german on-line shop Mikes-Elektronikseite which looks like a good place to start but couldnt see a MIDIbox64 kit...

I would also like to have some form of MIDI clock control, like on the Grex MFX8 controller, with course and fine tuning of BPM. Would this need the SEQ module?

I also see some people have put in a circle of LED indicators around rotary encoders - is this difficult to implement?

Also, is it possible to assign multiple MIDI controllers to one control?

Thanks for any advice, and excuse my ignorance!!

A.  :)

[pay_c]

Hi & welcome! (and: yeah! breakbeatz rule!  ;D )

Making a Ableton Live Controller is not the big problem. Many (at least 3 I remember) already made something like that.

So:

Mike´s shop is really a good start, as he gives you *all* the parts you need and you don´t have stress with getting all that. But if you want to: www.reichelt.de is also a very good shop here in Germany.  About that "Midibox 64 Kit" - there is nothing like that. The MBs are all modular, meaning that there are certain parts (like DIN - digital in or AOUT - analog out etc.) are used in different numbers for each project. Read more about this on UCApps.de, there is also stated what modules you will need. (you really should read everything there - there are a lot of FAQs & Troubleshooting Guides, which answer many questions).

TK didn´t build something like a MIDI clock control, as it is not really needed (very special thing only for live stuff parallel to some records playing). But anyhow I think it should be possible to assign a normal controller with something like that, perhaps you can even implement that in Ableton somehow (dont ask me). But there´s no special Midibox for this here (right now?).  ;)

Those LED rings are not that big prob. It´s kinda much soldering & cables, but that´s nearly all. BUT: Then you have to build a Midibox 64E (enhanced - meaning not pots are used but Encoders). With MIOS you can mix both Encoders and pots.

About assigning: Read more about that on the UCApps page. Search for "Midibox link" - already implemented (also you don´t really need it anymore cause 64 Pots + let´s say 32 Encoders are really enough in kinda every case)...!  ;D

Have fun! Good luck!!