Absolute beginner needing advice

[hdnine]

Hello people!

This is my first post so please bare with me. Let me start off by saying that i have been creating electronic music for years but i have never explored to deep into the world of MIDI. Just enough to get by. Along with this i use a lot of different softsynths and have reached a point where i am sick and tired of using my mouse to control them. My original plan was to buy a new midi controller as i stumbled upon this and other equal sites. So now i am thinking, "why not build my own midi controller?"

I have basically no knowledge in electronics or soldering but i am confident that i will do well, as long as instructions are well written. So, this is what i was planing to build. A versatile MidiBox that will allow me to use all my soft synthersizers (or future ones) in an easy way. I was thinking of making it perfectly flat so i can utilize overlays for each of them. I guess it would be recommended to use both sliders and dials but i'm not sure how buttons would be relevant?

Well anyway. I would be happy if anyone could think of a good solution for such a versatile MidiBox or otherwise point me in the right direction to get started.

Thanks,

Krister Nielsen

Karlshamn, Sweden

[SounDuke]

first of all, read VERY CAREFULLY the documentation and insist on what you cannot figure out by superficial reading. Remember that different hardware/software combination extend the MB project to unlimited possibilities, see ucapps.de for information. You'll need normally open buttons (often named pushbuttons) wich closes circuit when pressing it. First of all, I recommend to design your controller by bearing in mind which softsynths will be in your main setup (the ones you use more often and you're most pleased by its sound). I left some customizable buttons for synths I use occasionally, pay a lot of attention on the parameters you tweak more on the synth, especially the nature of the synth (type of synthesis). Practice soldering with scrap, and try to get printed circuit boards etched by someone who can do it easily and with reliability (see smashtv or mike's shop veryvery low prices). Hope it helped, post question here if you need help ^_^

[stryd_one]

Hello people!

Hi :D

i am confident that i will do well, as long as instructions are well written.

Well OK... The instructions are complete, but to say they are well written would be a stretch - they do tend to be spread out and interspersed with other information. But that's the nature of such a project :) .... You will be OK, but it's important to understand that it's really up to you, not the documentation. You might have to read a lot more and surf around a lot more than you would like to, in order to find the information you need... But so long as you are prepared to do the hard work, you'll be fine :)

[DavidBanner]

Hi hdnine,

Yep, all the info is on the board and the forums  - you've just gotta find it.

Part of the vibe behind this board is getting people to learn more about electronics, that's one of the reasons people are so keen for people to do their own research.

There are some fantastic people on here, very knowledgeable and very helpful and friendly BUT you will generally find you'll get lots of help IF you've done your home work and take the time to very clearly describe your problem.

What people tend not to take too kindly to, is people expecting an easy ride and for other people to do all the thinking for them.

I've personally learned so much over since I've been on here, it has really got me into electronics again in a way that I haven't been since I was a kid.

[hdnine]

Well ok, thank you people. I guess i'll start reading like crazy then...  ;D