Ableton Forum

Sweet(jesus)! I've been thinking about turning my stenography machine into a midi keyboard/controller but haven't really known where to start -- this might be the place!

Of course steno keyboards work differently to qwertys cos you press 'chords' of key combinations rather than one at a time (so you can output a phrase of several words with one press), but they output raw data to a com port so I reckon it's tameable (but will be a complete headwreck to figure out the theory... ).

My problem is that to turn a keyboard/typewriter into a really useful midi device you'd really need some way of measuring velocity accurately that can fit in a really small space. Any suggestions, O Internet?

Cheers for that link!

hmm, this is actually really helpfull, because ive been thinking of turning my baby grand into a midi keyboard. Sure, its alot to haul around, but I think a crowd could really appreciate the ability to play crazy synth bass lines, and calming piano sounds at the same time.

Hmmm... think I'll turn my lawn mower into a MIDI controller next...

inis wrote:hmm, this is actually really helpfull, because ive been thinking of turning my baby grand into a midi keyboard. Sure, its alot to haul around, but I think a crowd could really appreciate the ability to play crazy synth bass lines, and calming piano sounds at the same time.

Actually you don't really have to solder contacts onto your baby grand's hammers and then connect them to a breadboard, you can just pay Bob Moog loads of money:

http://www.bigbriar.com/detail.php?main_product_id=71

rozling wrote:

inis wrote:hmm, this is actually really helpfull, because ive been thinking of turning my baby grand into a midi keyboard. Sure, its alot to haul around, but I think a crowd could really appreciate the ability to play crazy synth bass lines, and calming piano sounds at the same time.

Actually you don't really have to solder contacts onto your baby grand's hammers and then connect them to a breadboard, you can just pay Bob Moog loads of money:

http://www.bigbriar.com/detail.php?main_product_id=71

thanks roz, but I kind of have this thing where I love to Solder.lol.

Niiiice. Thanks for the link.

<brag>

My conversion of a Sperry-Univac mag card typewriter (looked like a Selectric [which, internally, it was] on dialysis [which it wasn't]) into a printer for a VIC-20 was more drastic, but had far less retro appeal.

However, I'd never deign to use a Smith-Corona. It's Royal for me, all the way.

(Note: I am NOT about to do any mods on my prized 1920s Royal manual typewriter -- the kind with bevelled glass side panels so you can see the works.)

</brag>

I'm gonna convert this stove to a midi controller. The row of big chunky knobs will send midi control numbers and the oven doors will work as switches, either using cc's or note on/off.



BEAT THAT

BEAT THAT

why not use a BBQ? at least you could take it with you on tour. and think how handy it'd be after the show!

Wow. Excuse me for being enthusiastic!

Midi toilet.

Flushing temporarily activates the saturator on the rectifier setting and a simultaneous big-ass filter sweep.

Plops create midi notes with velocity and pitch denoted by velocity and area upon landing of said plops.

Have I taken it too far?

I've had this brand new idea for a MIDI controller...








You press the keys and they can correspond to musical notes in Live... I know it sounds wacky but i reckon it might catch on. I call it a "Keyboard"