[OT] - Wanna use a typewriter as a controller?
-
- Posts: 8803
- Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2004 3:12 pm
- Location: www.fridge.net.au
- Contact:
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!
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!
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: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.
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.rozling wrote: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: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.
http://www.bigbriar.com/detail.php?main_product_id=71
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>
<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>
-
- Posts: 1743
- Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2004 5:07 am
- Location: Melbourne AU
- Contact: