If you want some inspiration on a different direction for what to make synth hardware look like - check out the stuff done by Folktek: http://ariusblaze.com/soundart.html http://folktek.com/benhouston/instruments.html http://folktek.com/ariusandben.html Very cool looking "Steam-punk" like stuff done in old test instrument cases. Very creative. Functional stuff that looks like it came out of a lab in the 1800s. This is what is the coolest thing about analog - you can make controllers out of almost anythin that works like a switch or resistive element. -James On Feb 19, 2008, at 4:58 PM, partlydrone wrote: > Hi all, great group, long time lurker, first time poster. > > Since I've got a bit of spare time (as if) I thought I might build an > interesting controller for my modular (doepfer, AS, harvestman). I > need something to send gates and control voltages, but not scaled as a > keyboard since a lot of my stuff is microtonal, or involves switching > between odd frequencies that work well together through eg ring > modulators, or by setting controls on eg A112. I've got some vague > troubleshooting and assembly skills but I am no electronics ninja, so > I'd be grateful for pointers on the circuitry which should be very > simple. > > What I am planning is this, and it's rudimentary: > > 1. Obviously I want a control surface which looks pretty. This one > will be very pretty once I have attacked it with the dremel and my > extensive collection of nice knobs. > > http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=2071515#header > > 2. Nice big buttons (got lots lying around) to send gates > > 3. Nice big knobs on potentiometers which will let me set control > voltages, with momentary switches etc to choose between them. > > As far as I can see the electronics side of it is going to be pretty > simple. Here is my kludge plan, please forgive/assist me if it is > loopy: > > For the gates, which are a positive going 5v, to avoid messing around > with voltage regulators etc, I will just take the 5v from the power > supply ribbon, and use that to feed my gate switches, with a 470 ohm > resistor to avoid short circuits. > > For CV I will just take the 12v +ve from the power supply, feed it > into linear 10k-100k pots, using those as attenuators, and then I'll > have my nice CV out the other side in a minijack. Should I bung > something in there so that I can use the full travel of the pots, > instead of being stuck with 0-12v? > > Then I will have momentary switches, and selectors, etc, to choose > between eg which CV is going to an oscillator at a given time. > Switching between those will of course produces horrible glitches, I'm > sure. No problem. > > Does this sound okay, or do I need to delve into it more deeply and > have some proper circuity in there? Hopefully not. > > Later I'll built some fun stuff into the controller too. I want to > make a mechanical sequencer with a rotating wiper on metal plates. > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > >
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Re: [Doepfer_a100] DIY - standalone CV and gate controller - any advice or ideas?
2008-02-20 by James Husted
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