USB MIDI Footcontroller

[swinginguitar]

I've used a Behringer FCB1010 for many years, with the main caveat being it's very large and requires a power cable. I'm musing over something small enough to put in a laptop bag (for controlling modeling software) that would run off of bus power and connect directly via USB. A few questions:

1) i thought about rehousing the FCB (doesn't solve the USB requirement, but...) - I've seen on the Net that some have done it. Anyone here have any thoughts on the complexity of such a project?

2) The Logidy 3 button job looks nice, but it is *very* small and I could use a few more buttons....any experience? would it make any sense to use 2 of them simultaneously?

3) what about rehousing something like a Korg Nanokontrol or AKAI LPD8 into a box with momentary footswitches and expression pedal input patched where a pot was? added benefit of software editor

4) i could roll my own using a ready-to-go USB-MIDI chip...thoughts? If I used something like this: http://www.altmustech.com/au-123.html, would it be a matter of hooking the UART pins from a PIC to the MIDI data pins of the chip and sending over midi message bytes at the given baud rate in response to switch actions?

[earthtonesaudio]

To make your decision easier, I think you should pick option 3. The hard part is done, you just need to make it more foot-friendly. Probably only involves tacking wires onto the pcb and running them up to panel-mount switches (same with the pots).

To make your decision harder, you could check out OSC.

[rullywowr]

Fwiw, I modded my fcb1010 to run on "phantom" power thru the midi cable. Pins 1 and 5 aren't used and allows you to put an adapter at the rack.

[Processaurus]

That would be cool to chop off the two giant expression pedals on the FCB1010!

[swinginguitar]

'nother question: is it possible to grab the data stream from the USB pins and rout it to a MIDI DIN connector without having chip/code sitting in between?

IOW, just tying the appropriate pins together...or is there too much "other junk" in the USB stream?

[slacker]

There will be too much other junk.

[tacromx]

might be worth considering......

http://philaudio.wordpress.com/projects/phi-t/phi-t-control/

[scuzzphut]

Another option would be to re-house an old game controller - analog and digital signals converted to usb for you - usb powered - cheap as chips

PRO - you probably have one lying around

CON - you would need MIDIYoke or similar running in the background

[heuermh]

Sorry to be following up on an old topic; I built my own USB MIDI footcontroller for $16 + parts with a Teensy 2.0 chip.  Details here

http://forum.loopyapp.com/discussion/comment/2119

Unfortunately the attached photos have gone missing.

[G. Hoffman]

What's your budget?  Because I love my Liquid Foot+ 12+.  Individual LCD screens for each button, so everything is always labeled correctly, VERY powerful and extremely versatile.  Also, kind of a chore to program, but when you're done, it's worth it.  Only problem is, it runs almost a grand.


Gabriel

[pruttelherrie]

That would be cool to chop off the two giant expression pedals on the FCB1010!

Done that (as well as repainting):



Since you also saw off the power socket when you do that, I added a standard external power plug and added the option of phantom power over MIDI:


Behind the tape is the SD slot for a builtin mp3 sampleplayer, connected to the OUT jacks.

Since then I've built a few 'simple' MIDI pedals:





Same options for power (phantom or direct), accepts AC and DC, polarity-agnostic. Soft-switches rom Tayda, I tend to like them a lot even though I already had two duds out of some 30 switches. 10mm diffuse RGB LEDs, normally they're green so I can see where they are on stage, active=red. There's a bit of smart programming in the AVR, the pedal is a bit more than just Program Change 01-04, but I'll have to make a small video to explain that I think.

If there's interest I can put up the project files: eagle schem and layout as well as the AVR program.

I made a few more of these cases for other purposes as well, such as this gate/loopswitcher/mixer/booster/EQ pedal:

4) i could roll my own using a ready-to-go USB-MIDI chip...thoughts? If I used something like this: http://www.altmustech.com/au-123.html, would it be a matter of hooking the UART pins from a PIC to the MIDI data pins of the chip and sending over midi message bytes at the given baud rate in response to switch actions?

If you don't want to go the way I did, you could get one of those cheap Arduino Nano clones from China, hook up switches, LEDs and the MIDI out and off you go!
Programming is a breeze.

[Ice-9]

Since then I've built a few 'simple' MIDI pedals:

Sorry a bit OT but,
I've been looking for an enclosure just like that recently for a similar project , can you remember where you got it from or maybe you made it yourself ? Thanks

[pruttelherrie]

I've been looking for an enclosure just like that recently for a similar project , can you remember where you got it from or maybe you made it yourself ? Thanks

I made it myself out of 1.5mm aluminium...

[Ice-9]

Thanks, I just knew you were going to say you made it yourself, Dang. I was looking for a place to buy something similar.

[pruttelherrie]

Ok, now that I re-read your original post (realizing you're looking for USB-MIDI, not DIN-MIDI), you shouldn't go with the arduino nano but with the arduino micro with an atmega32u4:

I'm musing over something small enough to put in a laptop bag (for controlling modeling software) that would run off of bus power and connect directly via USB.

The Micro is still programmable over USB while it's configured as an USB-HID device.
http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardMicro

Still pretty cheap on ePay, for example http://www.ebay.com/itm/310634777706

Thanks, I just knew you were going to say you made it yourself, Dang. I was looking for a place to buy something similar.

Well, it's not toooo difficult to make these yourself. Just a bit of handywork!
By the way, should you find something similar for sale, please let us know