HOME MADE MIDIBOX

Okay, so I've spent almost a year sitting at my desk at work planning how the hell I can take control of all the cool things that ableton has to offer. In the meantime I have investigated a variety of midi controllers really hoping that something will meet my needs. The closest things I can find currently are the CME -  Bitstream but that doesnt have enough buttons to control each channel's clips. There's the behringer 2000's but they don't have enough knobs or buttons. The best option I found was the faderfox - in its various forms. I have seen various people use these to dj, I stumped up almost £150 and bought one. It is very functional but for the sake of size each button has about 6 different purposes, and not to put too fine a point on it, its a total headfuck to use. I just end up navigating with my keyboard and using the faderfox faders. Its a cool device and maybe good for traktor - but there aren't enough knobs to let you do ableton justice.

Anyway so I started trawling the net and came across the controllers belonging to Richie Hawtin and Monolake and have come to the conclusion that I wanted to build my own MIDI controller. I am slightly nervous as I have no electronic skills to speak of and really don't know what the hell I'm doing but I'm going to take a dive and see what happens. So I ordered parts yesterday.

I therefore thought I'd write this because it took me so long to garner all the knowledge I have so far and was really thankful for those few people who have already done the same on the MIDIbox forum. To quickly summarise, there is a open source program designed by Thorsten Klose that has been designed so that people like me can construct home made midi devices to our own spec and use Thorsten's knowledge, program and general genius to get what, in some other peoples cases, are seriously smart looking controllers. For all info check out the MIDIBOX website and the forum and wiki. I am making the presumption that anyone who bothers to read this has checked out the midibox project as I don't plan to write out everything that is up there already. The only problem I found is that as the midibox site has evolved and developed some of the information is in odd places and having found a diagram once it is tricky to find again. So here goes my summary as far as I've got, trying to be as simple and thorough as possible

DESIGN

So you want to build your own controller, you've checked out all the pictures and they look sweet, but how the hell does anyone human without a physics degree and a factory of tools and home go about this. Well I don't know yet as I am only at stage one, but I intend to find out. First things first, what do you want your controller to do. I want to control Ableton Live in the studio as well as in live performance. Live performance will either entail playing my productions out on multiple tracks and effecting and mixing parts as I go, or djing using 4 channels - i really dont see any need for more than a 4 channels. For the djing I plan to use up two strips on the mixer per track in ableton so each ableton track will have 8 pots, that way I can have 3 band EQ, Filter and 4 sends - nice.

Okay so you have a rough picture of what you want, try sketching it out and get a firmer idea of actual layout, and be realistic, unless you're minted or have serious aspirations don't spend time designing a 72 track mixing desk. No what you need to clarify is what project you are building. There are 2 clear options for midi controllers for a program like ableton or traktor. The Midibox 64 and 64e. There are clear differences, but first out you need to know some terms:

Potentiometer - This is a variable resitor (work with me) that you and I more frequently recognise as a roating knob on dj mixers, keyboards etc. The way it works is quite simplea and you can google it. Point is if you hear people referring to pots this is what tey are talking about. A Potentiometer can be rotary (twisty knob style) or linear (more commonly known as a fader. So if you want faders and knobs - you want pots.)

Rotary encoder - This is similar to a pot in the sense it is a twisty knob device. However the way it works is very different and the important point is they are endless. I.e you can get turning it forever and unlike an EQ button on your dj mixer it won't stop at 0. This is really useful for things such as scrolling through scenes in ableton or for a use such as a jog wheel. I wanted these but have compromised and decided to keep it simple.

Button - push buttons are essential. If you don't know what a button is then I don't know where you have been. Anyway presuming you do, what you might not know is that pushbuttons come in a plethora of designs, both externally and more importantly internally. Buttons perform different functions and so you need to be uber careful when choosing your buttons and don't base your choice just on looks. If you are building a Midi device you want to be sending off and on signals to a computer program. In this case you want a Momentary switch - i.e. it it only sends a signal when pressed done, and then springs back up and stops sending the signal. If you think about it programs like Ableton don't require you to hold down a button on your keyboard to keep a track muted etc. You just need to send one signal very quickly and thats it. Hence momentary. The opposite from what I can tell is a latching button. This is where you push the button in, it sticks in the on position, until you press it again. Generally I don't think you want these.

Point 2 on buttons is the terminology:

SPST = single push, single throw  (this is what we want)
SPDT = single push double throw (i don't think i want these)

there are loads of other types, if in doubt query on the midibox forum.

MIDIBOX 64 vs 64E

The difference in these 2 projects is that the 64 supports pots and buttons, the 64e now supports pots, buttons and encoders. It took me a while to work this out as lots of the diagrams and photos on the 64e page are of its first incarnation which is not what I was after. If you check the changelos, it has been amended by TK so it now accepts pots when originally it didnt. I should really go with this to get my dream device but I want to stick to stuff I can really work out and understand - if needs be in future, if this goes when I could make amends etc.

So the Midibox 64 - what does it let you do. Well a "fully stuffed" Midibox 64 can have 64 pots, 64 buttons (including the ones to control the LCD), an LCD, Midi In/Out & Thru. This is a pretty exciting option when compared with the simplistic stuff on the market that seems to be designed with cost and size in mind as opposed to functionality.

The GUTS

So, you know what you're dreaming of but how do you start to understand it and also lay it out. Well you need to do lots and lots of reading on the midibox sight to understand the inner workings of the machine and also look at the gallery to get some ideas of what you do and don't want. I was sucked in by illuminated buttons but when I started looking at the costs I realised there was much need - or at least they were really prciey. Also I dont want tacky looking buttons that take ages to press. I will breifly sumarise what goes inside the MIDIbox although don't think that in reading this you dont have to read the Midibox 64 page because you do - about 10 times, if you're like me.

How the hell does it work?

Well here is the diagram of the fully stuffed Midibox

What does this mean if you don't speak electrical. Well firstly, its not really an excuse to not understand the diagrams, they are fairly self expanatory although you do need to take the time to understand how to read them. I am still learning.


COMPONENTS


AIN - Analog Input X 4 - this is the section of the Midibox where you have to attach each of your pots. Each AIN x 4 takes 32 inputs, hence for a fully stuffed box, you need 2 AINx4

DIN - Digital InputX4 - this is where buttons attached (and I believe on the 64e encoders also use the DIN) Again each one takes 32 inputs.

DOUT - Digital Output X4 - this is where LEDS attach and your feedback signals to tell you what stuff is on or off will be routed.

CORE - the hub of the beast that does all sorts of tricks.

LCD - Liquid Crystal Display (unit) - the display you find on most digital electronic devices that more often than not gives you incorrect error messages. Well the Midibox has one two and you can do most of your programming using the LCD,
Back in the early days of the Midibox project, the trailblazers had to make ther own PCB's (PCB = Printed circuit board and its the plactis/copper thing with all the electrical routing on it so you don't have to use loads of wires etc, they look very tricky to deisgn and build). Anyway some people with greater knowledge than I, perservered and made there own PCB's for the AIN, DIN DOUT and the CORE. Thankfully two guys have set up online shops where you can buy these pcb's premade and in a pack with all the necessary components. This takes the MIDIBOX from the real of the genius into that of the average man, as most of the really nasty leg work is done for us. These guys are SMASH TV and a bloke called Mike. I have used smash to get the kits from and I have also ordered my Pots (rotary ) from him. This smacks of laziness, but anything to guarantee that they are the right spec is good for me.

So work out how many pots, buttons you work and then work out what components you need. Bear in mind you don't have to have all the bits, for instance i am only having one DOUT. When I say 1, each AINX4 is one component not 4 so for a full midibox you need to order 2 AINx4, not 8 like I almost did.

LAYOUT

Obviously you need to plan what arrangement your devices will go in. There is a company called Schaeffer who make bespoke aluminium panels. In the US you can use Front Panle Design, a related company I think. The cool thing about Schaeffer, even if you want to build your own front panel, is that they have a free to download Front Panel Design program where you can very accurately lay out your device as you would like it and at any time get a quote on how much it will cost. I ahev used this throughout to go through my hundreds of different designs. Make sure if you are setting pot and button size for layout purposes that you allow for sufficient spacing underneath the panel where pots are far bigger that the actual spindle that sticks out the panel.

So you can layout your project and work out what you want. You also need to chose what parts you are gong to use. Lots of people recommend different shops. Most people on the forum seem to use Reichelt, however its all in german and not speaking a word of the language it wasnt an option for me. I am planning on using farnell UK as they are a one stop shop and have useful diagrams ad online ordering. Also they stock key components such as ALPS faders - which seem to be the fader of choice according to the forum.

PARTS

The coosing of the parts you are to use it the thing that really takes the time and dedication. There are so many options it is unbelievable, and many of the websites are unintelligible. You can choose all components as per your design. One major consideration is whether the components Panel Mount or PCB mount. This means what it says - some buttons & pots are fixed directly onto the front panel. This is ideal as it avoids you having to mount things on the dreaded PCB. In my case all my pots and faders will be panel mount, this will also make things easier if and when they break.

A serious issue is that panel mounting buttons tend to cost more, be bulkier and the selection is pretty average. All this has driven with, with great reluctance, to decide to use PCB mounting buttons. I want the same ones that I have on my faderfox as they are simple, small, and coloured. I don't quite know how this part will go, I imagine not easily. My plan for what it is worth is to use a breadboard, which is a sort of test board with loads of holes in it. I will hopefully be able to mount my components on this without having to make a pcb. The pcb will then need attaching to the frontpanel.

THis is where I am now at - my design is not inspirational, however after all the innovative deisgns I tried to come up with there is a reason that most devices look like they do, because it works. My design isnt actually finished yet as I need to work out exactly what I want to do in terms of control buttons for clips in Ableton. I am also going to add a whole load of multi purpose buttons as I am hoping Ableton will make some upgrades that enabled midi control of screen view and so on. This is where my design has lead me. I need to stick a power button on and a few amends but I'll work these out as I go before I order the panel, as I will need to check my layout fits my parts before I fork out for it. SO thats about where I am up too. Layer out, got an understanding, have ordered the first parts form SMASH TV. Have quit my job so should have some time to make it! I am resolute this won't become a passing phase a sit in the corner of my room half finished. 

SMASH KITS HAVE ARRIVED

I ordered 2x AINS, 2X DINS, 1X DOUT and a core. These parts turned up all nicely packaged from smash, problem is I havent got a bloody clue what to do with them. The parts are all there and there are various diagrams on the Midibox website that tell us what to put where. I am going to start with the core as that is the key. BTW I get the feeling that other people who call themselves "newbies" on the Midibox website are frauds because they seem to be talking about stuff I really don't understand. I am honestly a newbie and currently don't know the answers as to how to put this box together however hopefully with the help of the forum my questions will be answered and things will fall in place. 

Firstly, what do you get from smash for the CORE:

 

I am unsure as to what exactly each component is. This is where we have to consult the technical layout of the PCB: 



This blue diagram is the circuit layout provided by the PCB. If you look closely and carefully you will be able to see component details etc and sections that tell you where to put what. Also there is an explanation of parts required on the UCAPPS CORE page. Problem is I don't know my resistors, capacitors etc. So I am going to open this one to the forum in the hope that between us we can compile a slightly more clear and comprehensive set of instructions for what goes where. Also I hope to amend the photo of the parts above telling peeps what is what. Here are  photos I have cut up of the different bits you get with your core, I'm hoping to get Midibox peeps to fill in the gaps .............

Okay i made a bit of a dick of myself and quickly got slapped back down. Smash's website actually has some really cool diagrams that I had totally missed and its comprehensive, exactly what I was after and any represntations i make wouldnt be as good as his so I am just going to link to his thinks as they answer the questions visually. Such a relief as I didnt have a fucking clue what the circuit diagrams were on about. result.

You can find Smash's diagrams for the CORE here although this version i have linked too below doesnt work with the rollovers that tell you what is what.