Ribbon controller - WAS: List/Controller (Long but fun)
2002-03-27 by J. Larry Hendry
> ----- Original Message ----- > From: jwbarlow@... > What is this "conductive mesh" that you mention? It is a very fine weeve of copper wire. That is the best way I know to describe it. It is very thin and flexible, like wide Christmas ribbon. It has adhesive on one side. Apparently a surplus product once used by NASA. > I'd like to see this. I am in central Indiana, just north of Indianapolis about 15 miles. :) Come on over and take a look.... <g> Or, you can look at the photo I just uploaded: http://www.wiseguysynth.com/larry/misc/mesh.jpg misc-mesh. <nyck nyck> > What is the maximum length of the mesh? I got it in 25 foot rolls, 1" wide. I got enough to make a sh*t load of 2 or 3 foot ribbons. > How are you making the resistive element? I was thinking about nichrome wire. The cool thing about that is you could have 2 or 3 wires in parallel so you could get more than one CV from the ribbon. I have several different protos drawn up with a switchable point in the middle so you could have a split point that could be switched on or off. The configurations are endless. But, it has to be simple for me to make it work. No uP. No start point when you first touch it. No assignable split points. Get the KW MIDI ribbon thing for all that BS. But, it could have all the cool features you could implement in the analog world. Gate OUT of course. Maybe the 2nd or 3rd wire could be used to trigger another CV on which could be used like an aftertouch or an actual trigger since the actual gate will stay high as long as the ribbon is depressed. Since the ribbon is 1" wide you could slide along the lower half for CV and maybe hit re-triggers with your other finger at the top as you move along. > I remember Moe giving us (me) a rather good > description of the mechanics of his old Moog ribbon. > As I recall, the > ribbon was suspended above > the resistive strip by a spring mechanism. Yes, that is really the hard part. My latest idea is to use thin foam (like you see used to wrap things for protection).The nichrome wire would sit in slots in the foam and the mesh is adhesive on top of that. Now, look at me giving away all my secrets. The electronics would be the easy part. However, some challenges are there because even fine Nichrome wire may only have 50-100 ohms in a 3 foot piece. My basic thought was this, a nice walnut wood base about 3 inches wide and 2 to 3 foot long. Most if not all the controls for range, split, reversing, etc, would be in a module that the ribbon would plug into. Putting the controls are the ribbon end means you have a lot larger connecting cable. > Glad you're still thinking of it! Yes, it is on the "to do" list. However, Stooge panels, flat rails, end caps, and a variety of other things have kept me from getting to much of the "to-do" list. I plan to change that after I get my cabinets built and my synth module building caught up. Doing the Blacet Miniwave and Time Machine conversions and the complete documentation of that process took a lot of time and put me behind. Plus I have been scanning lots of documentation and writing disk drive replacement instructions for my beloved Korg DSS-1 and DSM-1 sampling synths. And, soon it will be Harley riding weather. We got heavy snow here today. I hate winter. And, I still have not finished the docs for the breath contoller mod for the MOTM-850. And there is the "Mother of All Joystick Interfaces" for Paul calling my name... sigh.... Larry Insert standard disclaimer