MidiBridge: Splitting a midi controller between two apps
In this tutorial Ryan Hemeon shows how to hook up an external midi controller and send the midi to two separate apps using MidiBridge. H uses Audiobus to keep the apps running in the background, iGrand and Magellan.
Meganome — DIY Arduino MIDI Controller
The Meganome is inspired by the monome controller and powered by an Arduino Mega. Like other grid controllers like the Launchpad and Push, it has performance modes for triggering drums, playings synths, and launching clips and effects. I like the feel of arcade buttons and look of exotic hardwoods, so mass-market products just weren’t right for me.
You can see how the grid-based layout makes octave jumps and glisses really easy in this video: http://youtu.be/Gsph_10sb64?t=2m18s
Watch the Meganome be used as a drum machine: http://youtu.be/rMrk-pZ4RBk
Patrick writes with more details:
I just uploaded a demo video for my custom grid-based controller, the Meganome. The design is obviously inspired by the monome, but it departs in a couple ways from the monome and its cousins. I wanted larger buttons with light but solid action for triggering drum hits and synth notes–buttons that are hard to miss and give you a nice “clack” sound when struck. The rectangular arrangement with 14 buttons per row lets me display the entire
chromatic scale plus two notes of overlap when the Meganome is in synth control mode. Like the Push controller in its chromatic mode, the notes of the scale I’m in light up, but unlike the Push, the Meganome lays octaves along its columns, which makes for easy traversal of octave space and wide chord voicings. Triads, on the other hand, are tricky.
I did a blog post on difficulties I encountered while building it and posted my Arduino code on my blog:
http://jazarimusic.com/finally-a-diy-midi-controller-with-purpleheart/
DJ: Numark Orbit software
New software for Numark’s Orbit controller allows for easy DJ operation without complex MIDI mapping.
The unit might have a toy feeling – but it could absolutely could have a place as a secondary controller for those looking for a very handheld unit to add to their setup. The controller has attachments that will allow it to be worn around the neck, a belt, or in other ways that make it easy to access.
The comparisons to a video game controller are the most apt in terms of controls as well – with trigger controls on either shoulder of the unit. The mappings on display at the Numark booth weren’t anything to write home about, but we found ourselves easily imagining some cool jogwheel based effects for the controller.
Experimental concepts: Wiimote TR-909 Ride Cymbal control
A wiimote and a candle is used to control the pitch of a TR-909 ride cymbal. This works also with other infra red sources such as a halogen lamp, a pocket lighter or the Wii “sensor bar” (which actually isn´t sensor).
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https://sites.google.com/site/synthaq…
Alesis Vortex Keytar Review – Accelerometer Fun
Mitchell Sigman talks about the innovative accelerometer control in the new Alesis Vortex Keytar Controller.
Watch for a full review in the June issue of Keyboard Magazine.
Experimental: Wiimote + Pocket Lighter = Synth Control
A MIDI synthesizer is controlled by a Wiimote. As infrared source, a pocket lighter is used. It works also with a candle, a halogen lamp or most other IR sources. Up/down controlles the pitch of the oscillator, while left/right controlles the cutoff frequency of the
low-pass filter.
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https://sites.google.com/site/synthaq…
Ableton Push: Review and First Look with Mad Zach
Mad Zach takes a sit down with Ableton’s new controller, Push.
Push is a new controller from Ableton that features a high-performance 64-button grid, backlit LED screen, and a plethora of function buttons dedicated for total control over Ableton. Although at quick glance Push might look a bit like a Novation Launchpad on steroids, it’s actually much more.
The Good: Great feeling buttons with accurate velocity sensitivity and nice rebound (suitable for clip launching and finger drumming). Impressively bright LED’s with included power supply. Groundbreaking integration with Ableton lets you build grooves and compose songs without ever touching a mouse. Super long throw touch fader with pitch bend resolution.
The Bad: A bit on the heavy side. Although the knobs feel smooth, they are endless rotary and are not optimal for extreme knob twisting and controllerism. Grouped drum racks behave like instruments. Drum rack grid on left side (would have made more sense on the right). Would have liked to see more routing and sound design tools accessible through the hardware.
The Bottom Line: This versatile and thoughtfully-engineered control station makes working with Ableton a much more musical experience. A true “instrument,” Push gives us an intuitive and expressive way to build songs, grooves, melodies, and harmonies. Although it doesn’t do anything we couldn’t technically do before using a mouse, it excels in recontextualizing the Ableton platform and getting you into music world instead of mouse land.
Read his full review and preorder a Push here: http://www.djtechtools.com/2013/03/12…
New Soundplane software!
A quick camera-mic demo showing the new touch sensitivity of new client software v0.99. Strings by Aalto, piano by some Logic factory sample.
Screencast of calibration and other new features in Soundplane client version 0.99.
The Soundplane A is a computer music controller with the sensitivity and feel of an acoustic instrument. It detects a wide range of touches on its walnut playing surface, from a light tickle to a very firm press. Unlike a MIDI keyboard, which typically sends out just one velocity value at the start of a note, the Soundplane communicates three dimensions of information, x, y and pressure, over the entire duration of every touch. As a synthesist, this lets you replace a triggered envelope with an intimate connection and breathe life into each note.
True force sensing
The Soundplane is a true force sensor. When you press on the articulated walnut playing surface, it bends slightly to your touch, and the small change in position is measured very accurately. This offers a playing experience with real physical feedback, and the feel of an instrument worth learning and spending time with.
Very high speed
The Soundplane is incredibly fast. It measures the pressure at each of 512 points on its surface almost 1000 times per second, enough to capture every nuance of a musical gesture. The touch screens in tablet computers typically capture data at 30 to 60 frames per second.
Ableton Push Freestyle Session
First in a series of Ableton Push performance videos. Featuring Brooklyn’s own Derek VanScoten aka D.V.S.*
Gestural Control of Modular Synthesizer via Kinect
Custom software enables gestural control using Kinect and PC. Hand movements in the X and Y axes are translated into MIDI signals which generate control voltages, allowing 2 dimensional morphing of waveforms in a “Morphing Terrarium” module, processed through modular moog. Recorded in the superterranian lair of the Robotmakers.
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