Midi / Error!! Alternate MIDI Max/MSP Controllers

Midi / Error!! /// phulebox2012 \\\ Multi-Effects Unit - playstation controller + MaxMSP

YouTube Uploaded by midierror on Mar 22, 2010

"This is my final year uni project from a few years back. Its a software multi-effects unit I built in MaxMSP. It is controlled using a playstation controller, and is designed to be used while DJing. That said, it can be used with any input device such as a guitar, mic, drum machine, commodore 64, or minidisc player.

It has had changes made to make the screen more functional and user friendly. The 'engine' routing matrix is now hidden and all its settings can be changed using the directions.

Each of the effects can be fed through one another, or used singularly. The analog sticks control four parameters that can be locked to store placement.

At the time this was amazingly difficult to program, and the front end was a full screen. Its looking swish in MaxMSP5 !"

MIDI / error !! /// Xitar \\\ Xbox 360 Rock Band Guitar as Midi Controller

Uploaded by midierror on Jul 7, 2010

"Pronounced "Zitar" this is a Xbox 360 wireless controller sending messages to a hardware synth.

The tune on the intro is: Autologue - Last (Midi/error!! jungle mutation)"

Midi / Error !! /// Walyx \\\ Wacom Tablet + Max MSP - Controls Amen Break pitch and loop points

Uploaded by midierror on Mar 24, 2010

"This is an illustration of what can be done with a wacom graphics tablet and max msp. Using a max external it picks up the x y axis of the pen and converts it to the pitch (x-axis) and loop end (y-axis). It took about 2 minutes to make this patch. . . . .

The tablet has 3 buttons for on/off states and features pressure sensitivity......therefore a total of 9 parameters can be changed using it. Im going to dig a bit deeper with this idea, and see what I can make; particularly in terms of synth playback."

Midi / Error !! /// X-bovst \\\ Xbox Midi Controller for FM VST using Max MSP

Uploaded by midierror on Mar 23, 2010

"I wrote this patch for MaxMSP to control the amazing YMVST synth. As you can hear its a great little vst; based on the old YM2149 chips.....you can get it from here:

http://www.preromanbritain.com/ymvst/

Im not too happy with the way this worked out as its controlled mainly by buttons......but im sure someone might appreciate this.

I have also written a patch to control an Astation synth using a Playstation controller......but that is currently getting an overhaul.

respect to gareth morris for a wicked peice o kit !"

More: https://www.youtube.com/user/midierror

LE STRUM - MIDI Chord Controller

Published on Jan 13, 2016 midierror

"A unique control surface designed by uber-human Jason Hotchkiss. Le Strum functions something like a cross between a Stylophone and an Omnichord.

Available here: https://www.tindie.com/products/midie..."

An interesting side note is that I own an Oberheim Strummer. It might have been the first if not only piece of kit you could use to generate guitar like cords with your synth. The problem with it was that it wasn't super intuitive to use. It didn't have any strum controls but was rather just a desktop box with a button based menu system where you selected what chords you wanted to use. LE STRUM looks like it would not only easily replace it, but can be used more as a physical controller for your synths. Very, very cool.

"A unique control surface that functions something like a cross between a Stylophone and an Omnichord. Comes FULLY CONSTRUCTED!

Connect LE STRUM to your MIDI synthesizer or computer running synth software, hold down a combination of buttons to select a chord, then use the stylus to play MIDI notes by touching the contact pads on the top right of the board. As the name suggests, you can strum across chords using the stylus, providing an unique and expressive MIDI controller.

LE STRUM's 36 chord buttons give you immediate access to 84 different chords (maj, min, dom7, maj7, min7, aug, dim for 12 root notes). You can also play sus4, add6 and add9 chord variations. It is great for learning about chord progressions and can be a helpful songwriting tool.

LE STRUM has several performance modes which are accessed by holding the MODE button while pressing one of the top row of chord buttons:

Mode+C : Basic mode - Stacked triads mapped across all 16 pads
Mode+D : Guitar strum mode - 6-string guitar open chords used (maj/min/7)
Mode+E : Guitar sustain mode - as above, but chord held after buttons released
Mode+F : Organ buttons - As Basic mode but chord triad plays on MIDI channel 2 as soon as button is pressed
Mode+G : Organ buttons with additions - as above but with sus4/add6/add9 options
Mode+A : Organ buttons with retrig - as above but chord buttons retrigger
Mode+B : Load User Patch
Mode+Bm : Save User Patch
Mode+B7 : MIDI Panic - All notes off
Mode+Strum Pad: Set MIDI velocity (16 levels)

User patch can combine settings for: play on make/break, damp on make/break, guitar voicing /stacked triads, additional guitar octave, enable added 4/6/9 notes, enable guitar chord bass notes, keep chord selection after chord button release, common note sustain on chord change, map chromatic/diatonic/pentatonic scale to pads, enable organ buttons on midi channel 2

LE STRUM has a special 6 string guitar mode, which knows basic major, minor and seven open chord fingerings for guitar. It can be used to lay down strummed guitar MIDI tracks without a MIDI guitar, and in a more convincing way that you could get from a keyboard. It's more than a toy, yessiree!

Designed for hackability (e.g. solder wires to the provided holes on the pads to make proper "strings" to pluck)
Transmits on MIDI Channel 1 for stylus activity and MIDI Channel 2 for Chord Buttons.
Output is to a standard MIDI 5-pin DIN socket.
A PP3 battery is required
Size 98mm x 75mm x 45mm (incl MIDI socket) Weight approx 120g with battery

An optional stand is available, please contact me for more information.

Please note that synthesizer hardware or software is required to make sound. LE STRUM is a MIDI controller and does not make any sound by itself!"

Note: I created a new midierror channel label for midierror moving forward. You can find previous posts by doing s a search on midierror. The creator of LE STRUM is Jason Hotchkiss.

midierror Fundraising for Youth Music with new EP

midierror who has been featured here on MATRIXSYNTH numerous times, has a new fundraiser EP out to benefit Youth Music. The following are some details on the project:

"midierror has been going without alcohol for the whole of 2016 in order to raise money for Youth Music, who fund valuable workshops with youngsters who would otherwise have no access to musical expression. From organising, running and evaluating music workshops - he cannot emphasise enough the incredible impact that these music sessions can have on young peoples lives.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/midi-error

But he has raised a pitiful amount of money so far! So he decided to create an EP featuring four tracks which he's enjoyed making and playing live over the past year. Described as dark and sort of cinematic, he says they loosely based around the idea of the human race moving out into space. Expect to hear some electronica, jungle and idm..BUT if those aren’t to your taste there is a secret, more poppy bonus track for people the rest of you!

https://midierror.bandcamp.com/

The EP has four tracks and a bonus chemical brothers cover, with Emma Harrop on vocals. Please name your own price (above £2), and give generously!"

The Deluxe Chipshop by midierror

"Welcome to midi error’s Deluxe ChipShop! A unique collection of over 1000 samples recorded from the Commodore 64, Atari ST, Original Gameboy and Pocket Operator Arcade!

Get it here

Re-released and remastered, this expanded deluxe version features the all original content, plus loads more from the archives and some brand new additions!

The Deluxe Chipshop comes with 590MB of sounds, recorded, prepared and organised for instant deep-fried retro goodness. Feast upon a huge number of One Shots, Loops and Multi Samples, created using original chiptune hardware running CynthCart, MESSIAH, Retroskoi, Nanoloop, LSDJ and the Atari Sound Effects Generator and more!

Step inside the ChipShop to see midierror cooking up over 700 one hit samples including Synths, Leads, Chords, Basses and Arps to fry-up some solid melodies, including 308 Drum Hits, with Cymbals, Snares, Rides, Kicks, Hats, Percussion and Toms neatly organised to bring big beats to the street. In excess of 190 sound effects are included with 31 white noise samples and 16 digital vocal samples to mix things up.

There are over 130 Loops to shake up the plaice, with Drum Loops, Synth Loops, Combo Loops, Percussion Loops and FX Loops to start throwing in the deep fat fryer. Each one has been key-labelled and comes at 120, 140 and 175 BPM.

You’ll hear why the Commodore 64 SID chip is so legendary, with its warm and punchy sound - alongside the Atari ST YM2149 Chip, delivering a cleaner, more digital tone and the DMG Gameboy sound chip pumping out warm lows and ASMR inducing highs! This Deluxe Chipshop now features the Teenage Engineering Pocket Operator Arcade, a faithful modern-day Chiptune machine, which delivers a frantic pace to the proceedings!

This gigantic collection has been organised for ease of use, with all files categorised, named and optimised to aid your workflow - ensuring you’ll find chiptune magic to inspire Electro, Synthwave, House, Techno, Drum & Bass, Electronica, Cinematic productions.

There are more freebies on the horizon, follow midierror on twitter for the latest announcements - and check out his youtube and soundcloud channels for other musical adventures!"

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Midi/Error!! FOG Effect Box + Nintendo Gameboy & DIY Ring Modulator

Published on Mar 31, 2015 midierror

"Originally a toy voice-changer megaphone. Now enclosed in a VHS box, and fitted with input/output sockets."

I created a new Midi/Error!! label for these moving forward. Midi/Error!! has been featured on the site before primarily for his mods to existing gear and circuit bending. A search on his YouTube handle midierror will bring up previous posts. Scroll down past this post to get to them.

Update:

DIY Ring Modulator

Published on Mar 31, 2015

"Very simple ring modulator made with 2 x transformers and 4 x diodes. Check the internet for schematics, there are loads about!"

FM SYNTHS [Sample Pack] FREE DOWNLOAD by midierror

Download here:
rekkerd.org/midi-error-releases…synths-sample-pack/
www.audiobombs.com/items/1091/fmsynths

"Created on 3 classic FM synths (Tx81z, fb01 and dx7/tx816), midierror resurrects the sounds of the 1980s before contorting their descent into the sound systems of 2015. This pack contains all you need to beef-up your sound; with hard, evil synth tones, grizzly bass hits and twisted sound fx.

Containing in excess of 200 Oneshot sounds, FM Synths has over 150 loops; featuring FM lead elements, backing rhythmns and modulated FX at tempos to suit the modern electronic artist. Also included are over 100 FM Drum Hits and 13 Multi-Sampled instuments recorded over 5 octaves, enabling you to play the synth patches as they were originally.

Each of the sounds have been recorded direct from the hardware, with no processing or after effects - making them mean, clean and raw. Modulated loops have been recorded with live parameter changes for a living, organic quality.

Oneshots:
152 x Synth
124 x FX
51 x Bass

Loops
87 Drum Loops @ 90, 120, 140 175BPM
73 Modulated Synth Loops @ 90, 120, 140 175BPM
40 x Synth Loops @140bpm

Drum Hits:
14 x Cymbals
23 x Glitches
32 x Kicks
28 x Perc
23 x Snares
16 x Toms

Multi-Samples
13 x Multisampled Synth Sounds (217 individual samples)

All samples are 48000Hz, 24-Bit Wave files."

Cynthcart and DIY Paddle for Commodore 64

Published on Apr 17, 2014 midierror·68 videos

"I take a look at Cynthcart, showing the effectiveness of the DIY homebrew paddle box for filter/pulsewidth/lfo/pitch changes.

My tutorial on making the box:
http://midierror.blogspot.co.uk/2014/...

Cynthcart homepage:
http://www.qotile.net/cynthcart.html

MSSIAH - C64 sequencer and synth:
http://www.8bitventures.com/mssiah/

RetroSkoi synth:
http://rgcd.bigcartel.com/product/gre..."

midierror Yamaha FB01 Editor Setup

Published on Apr 6, 2015 midierror

"Quick vid on setting up the editor. Get the FB01 receiving MIDI on Channel 1 from your DAW, then open the editor. Select the MIDI device it will receive on and press power.

Ensure the FB01 is set to receive all, and make sure both system and instrument channels are set to 1."

Guru Software Editors for Hardware Synths

Novation A-Station editor for Renoise

YouTube Published on Aug 31, 2012 by midierror

"Guru is a Renoise tool for editing sounds on external hardware synths via MIDI. It provides a user interface for editing the parameters of the synth, and lets you store them as patches.

Guru currently supports the following hardware: Roland JX-8P and MKS-70, Roland Juno 1, Juno 2 and MKS-50, Roland Juno 106, Novation A-station, Electrix MOFX, Korg Poly-800 with Hawk-800 mod, Meeblip SE and Micro, Yamaha DX200, Yamaha DX7, Yamaha TX81Z, Novation Drumstation, Korg DW8000, DSI Tetra.

http://www.renoise.com/tools/guru"

Sync Tab for ARPIE

Published on Sep 13, 2017 midierror

"A neat device to sync your pulse clock devices to the ARPIE and an external clock. Works with Pocket Operators, Monotribes, Volcas and more!"

The synchtab for arpie was introduced in 2015. Note it's spelled both synchtab with an h as you can see here, and synctab minus the h here where you can order one.

Setting up your Sync Tab

Published on Sep 13, 2017

"This video shows how to set up your Sync Tab and ARPIE with external Pulse clock devices! Works with Pocket Operators, Monotribes, Volcas and more!"

SUPER SMASH BUTTON - Arcade Audio Gate

Published on Apr 25, 2019 midierror

"The Super Smash Button is an audio gate controlled by an arcade button! It works with anything you plug into it - synths, drum machines, radios, vocals, effects and more.

Available from Tindie here.

The Super Smash Button is an audio gate which allows you to pass any signal at the bash of the big arcade button! Trigger musical elements, vocals, synths, noise and drones through it for rhythmic stutters, jittered melodies and chopped up beats.

It works incredibly well with drones, circuit bent keyboards and weird effects machines - bringing a new dimension rhythm and melody combined. Plug in a radio or play some foley recordings for randomly accessed nuggets of sound to add unpredictability and serendipitous synchronicity to the proceedings.

It has a toggle switch to allow the signal to pass completely, for when your Track and Field skills have come a cropper. Use external effects after the pedal to expand its impact - a delay or loop pedal is the ideal output for an innovative way of making new textures, tones and soundscapes.

This is a hand-made, hard-wearing device in a strong aluminum enclosure, with a tried-and-tested arcade button for years of trigger finger raising. It ships from the UK with either Green, Blue or Yellow buttons and four rubber feet to grip to and protect your surfaces.

The Super Smash Button is 111mm x 31mm (47mm including switch) x 60mm and weights around 150g."

MadLab ScuttleBut - Melodic Tones [No Talking]

Published on Mar 24, 2020 midierror

"More messing woith the ScuttleBut, this time with some softer, mellow tones. The Scuttlebut is a super small DIY electronics synth you can make ourself.

Get the ScuttleBut on Tindie here: https://www.tindie.com/products/madla...


Running through some delicious Valhalla Delay https://valhalladsp.com"

"Scuttlebut is a simple noise generator with a built-in mini sequencer. It's an experiment in minimalism to see how much could be squeezed from a simple 8-pin 8-bit microcontroller with minimal audio circuitry. It's easy to build - designed in fact for a soldering workshop for beginners - and only uses through-hole components.

The user controls are a couple of rotary presets, a pair of pushbuttons, a touch pad and a light sensor. The presets control a pair of oscillators and the pushbuttons select waveforms (sine, triangle, sawtooth etc.) and modulation (frequency, amplitude, phase etc.). The touch pad activates the light sensor which then further modulates the sound.

Includes a record mode in which a sequence of different sounds can be recorded and then looped back.


Supplied as a kit of PCB and components. Power input is via a 9V PP3 battery snap and audio output is mono through a 3.5mm jack socket."

CHIPSHOP [Sample Pack] FREE DOWNLOAD!!

Published on Sep 24, 2014 midierror

"A free sample pack crammed with over 800 individual samples and 70+ Loops. All recorded direct from C64, AtariSt and Nintendo Gameboy.

https://soundcloud.com/midi-error/chi...

The pack contains 844 samples:

Gameboy [Nanoloop, LSDJ]
91 x Bass, Synth, Lead, Perc and SFX Hits
117 x Sampeld Drum Hits

SID [Cynthcart, Retroskoi]
61 x Bass, Lead and SFX Hits

YM2149 [Various]
36 x Bass Hits
48 x Custom FX
124 Drum Hits
145 x Multi-samples [5 Instruments over 5 octaves]
29 x White Noise Hits
29 x Sampled Hits
110 x SFX Hits
54 x Synth Hits

and

70 x Loops [22 Full Loops and 48 Drum/Synth Loops]"

Warp Factory vs TR505

Published on May 24, 2015 midierror

"Sounds of the Roland TR505 ran through the formant filter on the Electrix Warp Factory Vocodertron. Controls are: Gender, Q, Order, Pitchshift and Noise. There is also a freeze function which holds the current sound - similar to granular synthesis."

Powertran Transcendent 2000 Overview & Demo by Midi/Error!!

Published on Aug 28, 2015 midierror

"A look at the features of the Transcendent 2000 synthesizer, designed by Tim Orr and used most notably by Martin Hannet and Joy Division."

Powertran Transcendent 2000 [ demo ]

Published on Aug 28, 2015

"Messing about with the Transcendent 2000 through a Lexicon reverb/delay unit."

Arturia PolyBrute - Polyphonic Minibrute

Published on Apr 1, 2016 midierror

"Minibrute owners should know you can change the Arp mode to a sequencer using SYSEX..but what you may not know is that another command gives the minibrute 3 note polyphony.

You can find the Sequencer / Arpeggiator SYSEX information from the beginning of the video here here http://hackabrute.yusynth.net/index_e..."

What is interesting about this is the Minibrute is a single oscillator analog monophonic synth with sub oscillator so you wouldn't think this is possible. The single oscillator does support three simultaneous waveforms, saw, pulse, and triangle. I'm curious what it's doing. Divide down paraphony, somehow playing each waveform separately? An easy way to test that would be to see if the waveform controls for one wave-shape affects all notes or just one.

ARPIE - MIDI Arpeggiator [Main Features]

Published on Sep 25, 2015 midierror

"The ARPIE is a harware arpeggiator designed by Jason Hotchkiss. It has an insane amount of features as covered in the ARPIE online manual http://six4pix.com/arpie/manual.html

Currently available in kit form, it is soon to be available as a finished product. Watch this space!

These are some of the main ones."

Retroskoi for Commodore 64 Overview

Published on May 9, 2014 midierror·67 videos

"A look at Retroskoi+, a 2 Oscillator Monosynth for the C64.

More info: http://www.rgcd.co.uk/2012/07/greenrunnerredrunnerretroskoi-c64-2012.html

Watch the trailer for this cart http://vimeo.com/45277415

Buy Retroskoi http://rgcd.bigcartel.com/product/greenrunner-redrunner-retroskoi-commodore-64"

Creating a new Retroskoi channel label for these. Currently there is one previous post.

Transcendent Powertran 2000 PCB

via midierror

"I have re-drawn the PCB for the above synth so it is readable. Many of the online scans have blurred characters, and are spread over a number of images."

New PC-2 Clone - Analog Percussion Synthesizer from midierror

Published on Dec 20, 2016 midierror

"A little demo of the analog Percussion Synth from sxityfourpixels! Available as a kit here: https://www.tindie.com/products/hotch...

Triggered by a built in Piezo, or by external CV. Space on the PCB for mods...and a eurorack version on the way!"

Details:

"A clone of the Boss PC-2 / Amdek PCK-100 for bleeps and bloops galore!


PCLONE2 is a recreation of the (now rare) PC-2 percussion synthesizer which was made by Boss during the 1980s (and also released in DIY kit form under the Amdek brand name as the PCK-100)

The PCLONE2 kit is based on the original schematic (with a couple of changes due to the scarcity of some now obsolete components).

The kit includes all the parts neccessary for the build; printed circuit board, electronic components, wire for internal connections, potentiometers, knobs, switches, sockets, fitting screws etc. It includes a custom designed, laser-cut, case (made from 3mm acrylic sheet with 5mm acrylic side cheeks) and a laser etched acrylic laminate fascia.

Assembly by soldering is required! I would describe this as an intermediate complexity kit for experienced solderers, if you are a novice I would recommend getting some experience on simpler kits before you build this one.

This is a completely analog synthesizer with a single VCO. There is a pitch sweep function, a decay envelope and an LFO with rate, depth and wave shape (triangle/square) control. Unusually for a percussion synth there is no noise source, but you'll soon realise this isn't your typical percussion synth!

Sounds are triggered by an input pulse (5V-9V works fine) or by tapping on a piezo sensor which is mounted behind a pad on the front panel.

There are three unconnected 3.5mm sockets labelled CV1, CV2, CV3. These, together with a prototyping area on the PCB, are to make the box easily mod-able. I will be documenting some simple mods I have already found (including a pitch CV input using a single resistor), and plan to get a growing list of mods together.

The box has the following controls:

TRIG LEVEL - Sets the sensitivity of the trigger input. The voice circuit responds differently depending on the intensity of the trigger pulse (this is especially nice when tapping it with a finger). The TRIG LEVEL knob controls this response.

PITCH - Sets the basic pitch of the oscillator. This works alongside the SWEEP controls.

DECAY - Controls the decay of the volume envelope (so how long the sound takes to fade out after it is triggered) and also controls the sweep time. Sweep, pitch and decay interact in ways that reward experimentation.

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