New Ableton 4 controller?

Komplex · Post by **Komplex** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 4:41 am

No not really

Just a box my mate Dave and I whipped up. It's not that hard to do a DIY thing so get on it people. If you can't solder, get a mate who can because nothing beats a unit tailored to your needs.

Bit of info: each numbered column represents a single channel/track. So theres 4 knobs plus a button to tweak per track. The first 12 collumns control audio and midi tracks and the last 4 columns control things like master efx, sends, tempo and so on.

The buttons in the bottom left corner are transport controls for scenes and the 4 buttons above those are for accessing the menu.

All the knob names/funcitons are displayed on the lcd when they are moved.

All that is only the setup for bank 1. It has 16 banks which are accessible by the menu and everything is assignable.

Obviously the midibox 64 platform was used for this. www.ucapps.de for schematics and info.

AdamJay · Post by **AdamJay** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 4:56 am

good work greg.
mind if i inquire to the final cost of parts?

Komplex · Post by **Komplex** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 5:25 am

Around AU$200 for the components (wholesale). The case and powdercoat cost around 30 bux. So all up I guess around AU$230 for parts plus I had to fix Dave up for his efforts involved in the whole thing too.

It just took a long time to complete, and lived in a cardboard box for a while, then a wooden case and after a few months I pulled my finger out and designed the steel case.

I'm still working on extra panel labeling. The curent stuff is cut vinyl stickers, sort of like the ableton logos but thinner. However its limited to large sized fonts and can't handle tiny stuff.

Any ideas?

AdamJay · Post by **AdamJay** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 5:37 am

wow thats $165 USD, amazingly cheap.

i haven't a clue on what to do with labeling..
what are the dimensions ofthe case?

Vercengetorex · Post by **Vercengetorex** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 6:22 am

Lookin good!
Damn thats a lot of knobs.

Ironically my own DIY controller will look rather like that, however swap all of its knobs with buttons and buttons with knobs.

Different approaches to the same piece of software require different controll schemes, hope to see what more people come up with in the DIY controller scene.

bod · Post by **bod** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 9:01 am

cool! thats sweet mate! so hows it feel to play out with and is there anything you would change or add now its done?

colossus · Post by **colossus** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 9:21 am

Nice work fella - I'm impressed.

This is why I love this growing computer music movement - it lets people make the music they really want to make - and people with a bit of nous, like Kompakt, can set up a music making environment exactly to their tastes.

BTW -For those of us not so hot with a soldering iron, there are a couple of new budget MIDI control surfaces (Behringer I think) that can map to a similar <track><parameter> arrangement.

Komplex · Post by **Komplex** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 9:38 am

Adam - The front panel is about 18X44 centimetres. It is quite heavy, all steel with alluminium front panel but its very solid.

Bod - it makes Live really "live" and hands on. There are definately things I would change.

1. The knob spacing. I can only fit my fingers comfortably in the space between the rows and not on the sides of each knob. So I have to "pinch" the tops of the knobs for quick movements.

2. The transport buttons. They would be heaps better if they were bigger. You have to be precise to activate small buttons and when u are really getting into it, all you want to do is just slam and punch big buttons.

3. this one is optional and would totally change the layout and compactness of this thing but a row of faders would be cool.

Aside from that, it works realy well. I also use an mpd-16 for mutes and solos. They are great to slam around!

Komplex · Post by **Komplex** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 9:39 am

Oh yeah, and consider this thread a post your midi controllers thread. I would really love to see what people have come up with.

AdamJay · Post by **AdamJay** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 9:39 am

thanks for the dimensions, sounds like you could put some rack ears on it even!

Komplex · Post by **Komplex** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 9:44 am

yeah, it was originally going to go into that rack console I used at Wild Things 3. But I don't want to lug that thing anymore

bod · Post by **bod** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 11:21 am

cheers complex! i'm in the process of designing mine, but i'm playing arround with several different layputs and just cant decide!!!!!

but basically i'm looking at 8 channels, 4 pots, a fader and 2 buttons (start + stop) for each channel.

scene up/down buttons.
cross fader
effects controllers (joystick type controls)
and a few other bits and bobs.

did you buy the printed circuit boards or make your own? dont know if i feel confident enough to do that and you can buy them for $23 from the usa!!!!

Patch · Post by **Patch** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 11:33 am

Somebody needs to post some kind of walk through for producing your own midi controller. Pretty much evryone here would love to build one. I've looked into buildind one - but for a total beginner it is VERY daunting. Share the knowledge, man...

hoffman2k · Post by **hoffman2k** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 11:51 am

Patch wrote:Somebody needs to post some kind of walk through for producing your own midi controller. Pretty much evryone here would love to build one. I've looked into buildind one - but for a total beginner it is VERY daunting. Share the knowledge, man...

check out this thread.

Building your own MIDI controller: How to get started

http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic. ... t=make+own

cheers