Midi Foot Controller DONE! *buildlog with pics*
Midi Foot Controller DONE! *buildlog with pics* Posted on: 24.06.2011 by Beverley Stanphill So i just got done with my midi foot controller.Really happy with the result! The hardware is a Saitek P480 gamepad. 3PDT buttons from ebay. Led holders from moodysounds.se Pots are Alps pots made in JPN. Case is Deltron GP9 measuring 222 x 146 x 55mm Wrapped the case in wrapping vinyl since my dayjob is at a signshop. Printed the top decal aswell on brushed aluminium look vinyl. On/off switch at the back. Only thing im dissapointed with is the pots, i read that Alps brand are the best but they don't respond as good as i hoped either. They start responding from 11.30 a clock kinda. I also did wire the thing up so that the leds located with the pots were supposed do dimmer but for some reason when i had both pots running like that the pcd flipped out. After trying pretty much everything i gave up on the dimmer function and just putted lighted leds in there to not have empty holes. Think i might change the hardware in it later for something more reliable then a gamepad pcb. | |
| Beverley Stanphill 30.06.2011 | Thanks alot! The issue really is the gamepad pcb, or well, all gamepads. If i'd use a chip like Arduino or any other more high-tech chip it would be programmable. But i just don't have the energy to learn about programming them and so on. There must be some way to solder a DPDT or alike switch to do diffrent things, atleast in my world. When pressed signal to gamepad must be like On/On so that it turns off immidiatly, but since the gamepad can't recive signals it can never tell the led to stay on or "follow" |
| Beverley Stanphill 30.06.2011 | Thanks alot! The issue really is the gamepad pcb, or well, all gamepads. If i'd use a chip like Arduino or any other more high-tech chip it would be programmable. But i just don't have the energy to learn about programming them and so on. There must be some way to solder a DPDT or alike switch to do diffrent things, atleast in my world. When pressed signal to gamepad must be like On/On so that it turns off immidiatly, but since the gamepad can't recive signals it can never tell the led to stay on or "follow" |
| Beverley Stanphill 30.06.2011 | Thanks alot! The issue really is the gamepad pcb, or well, all gamepads. If i'd use a chip like Arduino or any other more high-tech chip it would be programmable. But i just don't have the energy to learn about programming them and so on. There must be some way to solder a DPDT or alike switch to do diffrent things, atleast in my world. When pressed signal to gamepad must be like On/On so that it turns off immidiatly, but since the gamepad can't recive signals it can never tell the led to stay on or "follow" |
| Beverley Stanphill 30.06.2011 | Thanks alot! The issue really is the gamepad pcb, or well, all gamepads. If i'd use a chip like Arduino or any other more high-tech chip it would be programmable. But i just don't have the energy to learn about programming them and so on. There must be some way to solder a DPDT or alike switch to do diffrent things, atleast in my world. When pressed signal to gamepad must be like On/On so that it turns off immidiatly, but since the gamepad can't recive signals it can never tell the led to stay on or "follow" |
| Beverley Stanphill 30.06.2011 | Thanks alot! The issue really is the gamepad pcb, or well, all gamepads. If i'd use a chip like Arduino or any other more high-tech chip it would be programmable. But i just don't have the energy to learn about programming them and so on. There must be some way to solder a DPDT or alike switch to do diffrent things, atleast in my world. When pressed signal to gamepad must be like On/On so that it turns off immidiatly, but since the gamepad can't recive signals it can never tell the led to stay on or "follow" |
| Beverley Stanphill 30.06.2011 | Thanks alot! The issue really is the gamepad pcb, or well, all gamepads. If i'd use a chip like Arduino or any other more high-tech chip it would be programmable. But i just don't have the energy to learn about programming them and so on. There must be some way to solder a DPDT or alike switch to do diffrent things, atleast in my world. When pressed signal to gamepad must be like On/On so that it turns off immidiatly, but since the gamepad can't recive signals it can never tell the led to stay on or "follow" |
| Beverley Stanphill 30.06.2011 | Thanks alot! The issue really is the gamepad pcb, or well, all gamepads. If i'd use a chip like Arduino or any other more high-tech chip it would be programmable. But i just don't have the energy to learn about programming them and so on. There must be some way to solder a DPDT or alike switch to do diffrent things, atleast in my world. When pressed signal to gamepad must be like On/On so that it turns off immidiatly, but since the gamepad can't recive signals it can never tell the led to stay on or "follow" |
| Beverley Stanphill 30.06.2011 | Thanks alot! The issue really is the gamepad pcb, or well, all gamepads. If i'd use a chip like Arduino or any other more high-tech chip it would be programmable. But i just don't have the energy to learn about programming them and so on. There must be some way to solder a DPDT or alike switch to do diffrent things, atleast in my world. When pressed signal to gamepad must be like On/On so that it turns off immidiatly, but since the gamepad can't recive signals it can never tell the led to stay on or "follow" |
| Beverley Stanphill 30.06.2011 |
Originally Posted by BlackJesus
Any ideas? |
| Beverley Stanphill 27.06.2011 |
Originally Posted by BlackJesus
I ran in to some serious problems yesterday tho... Having the 3pdt switches which has on/off functions don't work out quite well. Think about like this, i want to bypass a VST plugin, if i map a button to a bybass function it turns out that i press it the vst goes bypass, i press it again and it releases the switch, and i press it again to turn of the bypass and then i need to press it once more to come back to a state were i press it again the bypass is on again, so basiclly i need to press the switches twice to turn on/off things. That due to the switches are on/off and not on/on. I have no idea how to solve the issue because i need those indication leds to be able to monitor whats going on. I guess a gamepad wont cut it. |
| Joan Kollmorgen 26.06.2011 | I've used a Saitek p380 Gamepad before and run into similar problems. The inside looks the exact same as yours. The problem you |
| Beverley Stanphill 26.06.2011 |
Originally Posted by bartboy
Originally Posted by mikeluv
Originally Posted by extraclassic
Originally Posted by StephanV
Faders would have taken to much space in the box. The leds are "hard" controlled, the switches are actually on/off switches but they work great for displaying midi signals aswell since the midi send note is on during the time the switch is down. I diden't knew either before i tried it out and spent some time on diffrent configs with the soldering on the switch. Finally i got it working!
Originally Posted by deathstarchris
Also the fail of having the pot leds dimmer kinda bums me. Im probably changing the hardware for something better then a gamepad quite soon. Not sure to what tho since i don't wanna go with chips like Arduino, have no programming skills whatsoever so. |
| Rosita Bourdeaux 30.06.2011 | I suppose that could work. I've never used relays but it sounds like what your looking for. Personally I would just go with a Hale UMC32 or something of the sort as my brain. Im not sure what sort of programming would be involved. I feel ya though. Programming and all that stuff is too intense for my taste but I give mad respect for the guys that can hustle that. |
| Beverley Stanphill 30.06.2011 | Another thing that was discussed earlier in the thread i believe was to use relays, im not that familliar with electronics besides basic electronics so to say, never worked with relays. But this one seems to be something that "memorizes the state" when power is removed, this one in combination with a DPDT switch might work? The link could be useful http://www.memotronics.com/product?pid=80 |
| Beverley Stanphill 30.06.2011 | Thanks alot! The issue really is the gamepad pcb, or well, all gamepads. If i'd use a chip like Arduino or any other more high-tech chip it would be programmable. But i just don't have the energy to learn about programming them and so on. There must be some way to solder a DPDT or alike switch to do diffrent things, atleast in my world. When pressed signal to gamepad must be like On/On so that it turns off immidiatly, but since the gamepad can't recive signals it can never tell the led to stay on or "follow" |
| Rosita Bourdeaux 30.06.2011 | So I posted on the TGP community
s (the gear page) and im waiting for some feedback. So its my understanding that your only getting a signal from your switch when it goes from being "Off to On" and not when it goes from being "On to Off" (confusing I know). Im believeing your best bet would just to go with momentary switches as I believe they send signals every time they're pressed. Im not sure how they will interact with your LED's though. I'll get back to you as soon as I find a way to achieve this effect with your current switch |
| Rosita Bourdeaux 30.06.2011 | Nothing really comes to mind. I'd try hitting up some guitar community
s. Most of them have effects pedal sections and those guys are straight gear junkies so one of them are bound to know something that can help you. I'll ask around for you as well. Sorry I can't be more of help. I mod efx pedals as a hobby but that's as far as it goes for me. I've been believeing of doing a similar build to yours so I would like answers as well. |
| Beverley Stanphill 30.06.2011 |
Originally Posted by BlackJesus
Any ideas? |
| Rosita Bourdeaux 30.06.2011 | Have you thought about using momentary switches like this? http://www.pedalpartsplus.com/mm5/me...egory_Code=SWI I would assume it would work better as its not a latch [EDIT]Oh wait I just read that you didn't want to go the momentary route. Deduct cool points from me for not paying attention |
| Elsy Wisely 28.06.2011 | DUDE! Real Sick! BIG UPS |
| Beverley Stanphill 28.06.2011 | does any of you have knowleadge in 3pdt switches? would it be possible to wire a 3pdt switch with 9 poles under it to act as a on/on switch for the data wire from the gamepad which sends the signal and as an on/off for the led connected to it? i believe it's possible, i just don't know how. in my world, there should be a way to wire the data cable so that it works just as a normal momentary switch. |
| Beverley Stanphill 27.06.2011 |
Originally Posted by BlackJesus
I ran in to some serious problems yesterday tho... Having the 3pdt switches which has on/off functions don't work out quite well. Think about like this, i want to bypass a VST plugin, if i map a button to a bybass function it turns out that i press it the vst goes bypass, i press it again and it releases the switch, and i press it again to turn of the bypass and then i need to press it once more to come back to a state were i press it again the bypass is on again, so basiclly i need to press the switches twice to turn on/off things. That due to the switches are on/off and not on/on. I have no idea how to solve the issue because i need those indication leds to be able to monitor whats going on. I guess a gamepad wont cut it. |
| Arcelia Siebeneck 27.06.2011 | that's a really nice finish - great job! |
| Rosita Bourdeaux 26.06.2011 | That is a very clean build!! I would've switched the encoders with a pair of expression pedals on each side so I could have better control but thats just me |
| Neil Malia 26.06.2011 | very nice build man! |
| Adriana Bazzelle 26.06.2011 | Thanks for the info. Great job! |
| Joan Kollmorgen 26.06.2011 | I've used a Saitek p380 Gamepad before and run into similar problems. The inside looks the exact same as yours. The problem you |
| Beverley Stanphill 26.06.2011 |
Originally Posted by bartboy
Originally Posted by mikeluv
Originally Posted by extraclassic
Originally Posted by StephanV
Faders would have taken to much space in the box. The leds are "hard" controlled, the switches are actually on/off switches but they work great for displaying midi signals aswell since the midi send note is on during the time the switch is down. I diden't knew either before i tried it out and spent some time on diffrent configs with the soldering on the switch. Finally i got it working!
Originally Posted by deathstarchris
Also the fail of having the pot leds dimmer kinda bums me. Im probably changing the hardware for something better then a gamepad quite soon. Not sure to what tho since i don't wanna go with chips like Arduino, have no programming skills whatsoever so. |
| Tatum Ansaldo 26.06.2011 | Very nice. |
| Adriana Bazzelle 26.06.2011 | Very cool! Do you like the action? Would you change anything? |
| Pansy Shiveley 26.06.2011 | Looks great! Not sure why one would put rotaries on a midi foot switch though, seems like a highly impractical approach to me. Why not use faders? (Edit: I know that analog effect pedals have them rotaries, but that makes sense because they don't have other controllers or laptops to control the parameters) Are those leds controlled through MIDI btw? Never knew you could do that with a gamepad! |
| Lilliana Perris 26.06.2011 | Wow! Nice finish mate!! |
| Leeanna Ayla 26.06.2011 | Nice |
| Joan Kollmorgen 26.06.2011 | Looks really good. That brushed aluminium look vinyl finishes it off nice and I like the font you chose. |
| Hayden Kiska 25.06.2011 | a little bit cramped for a foot pedal controller tho, especially the top-middle switch. |
| Kesha Orde 25.06.2011 | Very impressed, nice one! |
| Era Roka 25.06.2011 | Nice build pictures!!! Awesome!! |
| Dana Ordinario 24.06.2011 | Awesome job what was the overall price range on something like that? |
| Charline Dye 24.06.2011 | Very nice stomp box! And very nice build pics. Good work! Now post a video of it in use |
| Wallace Ferraro 24.06.2011 | nice and solid |
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