Newbie wanna build a "analog console" midi controller

Tips & Tricks
1

First poster here and this seems like a cool place:) I really hope you guys can help me.

Cause I have no idea about electronics.

I know this will really take some time to understand but I am truly willing to learn and invest time in this.

The problem is that I dont know where to begin. This is all completely greek to me.. And english is not my first language either so that does not make it easier either.

Could somebody point me to the MOST basic way to learn this? Or a really basic way to learn about electronics.

Maybe I could build something from old tv’s or junk lying around to get an understanding of this?

I REALLY wanna learn this, but it is hard when I have no basic understanding. I work as a musician and composer but I am really a geek at heart:)lol.

Hope someone could help. I would be so thankfull!

-J

2

hello there

everybody has to start some where have you got a soldering iron can you solder?? i would suggest this is the real starting point

regards kris

ps sorry if your a bit more advanced than this

3

hello there

everybody has to start some where have you got a soldering iron can you solder?? i would suggest this is the real starting point

regards kris

ps sorry if your a bit more advanced than this

I can solder. Not to good but I manage:)

What is greek to me is electronics in general. When I open up my novation nocturn controller I dont understand anything..

Is there a kit that has EVERY part I need so I can learn as I go. That would maybe be the easiest?

Very basic tutorials/threads etc?

As I said my goal is to build a mixer with 8(maybe 4) motorized faders. And a separate channel strip to would work for the track selected. Of course I need transport etc too.

In one way it would be an extended mackie control.

My vision is to make it very much like an analog mixer. Maybe even have an analog monitor section on it.

Looks is essencial! I want it to be the main interface in my studio and workflow.

To be realistic I realize I need some help here. Maybe someone would be kind enough to write a couple of pm’s with me and explain how complicated my build would be. And how much help I would need.

Thank you so much for all replys. If I’m not at the right section of the forum I apologize. Please place my thread where it should be!

-J

Edit.

Lol, just saw that my thread had been moved. Thanks:)

4

Maybe someone would be kind enough to write a couple of pm’s with me and explain how complicated my build would be.

That is most likely not going to happen for various reasons. It takes a lot of time to essentially rehash the info that’s already there and just needs to be read by you. “I know nothing, what do I need?” typically doesn’t get you a lot of useful answers. Show that you at least try to understand and do your part, ask more specific questions and you’ll certainly get a lot of support here.

For starters, dig through ucapps.de and find out which box you actually want to build.

5

That is most likely not going to happen for various reasons. It takes a lot of time to essentially rehash the info that’s already there and just needs to be read by you. “I know nothing, what do I need?” typically doesn’t get you a lot of useful answers. Show that you at least try to understand and do your part, ask more specific questions and you’ll certainly get a lot of support here.

For starters, dig through ucapps.de and find out which box you actually want to build.

I am not in any way asking anyone to do any of the hard work for me. I am simply asking for the best, basic and easy way to start.

You write that I have to at least try to understand and do my part and that is exactly what I’m doing. I am not trying to say “I know nothing, what do I need”.

I think this is really hard and try to find a way to start.

And you gyus must surely know how. You didn’t always know how to this I guess.

Hope to get replys that helps me ubderstand this better!

And I am of course searching the forum and internet trying to wrap my head around this.

And I am not trying to build a box. As I described I wanna build an “analog like mixer” that looks and works like an old school mixer.

But I have to do an easy build first I think. Just to get a understanding how this works.

Peace!

-J

6

I am not trying to say “I know nothing, what do I need”.

No to be harsh or anything, but it kinda is the gist of your first post :blink:

Maybe we just fail in seeing your real problem, and as such have a hard time giving you the answers you want to hear. Nils already gave you the link for the most important midibox-related website, http;//www.ucapps.de

I learn something from this community every day, because i read and try to comprehend, experiment and learns a lot from my mistakes too. Many members inhere have spent countless years doing so to reach their level of expertice… don’t expect that ‘a few PMs’ can get you up and running in no time… :logik:

Instead of “I want to know everything. Tell me something general so i can get the bigger picture”, you could maybe use smarter tactics; read about the boxes, select one you think that you can manage to build/use/understand/learn from. This will give you something concrete to ask and debate + you will definitely learn a lot during the build process.

7

No to be harsh or anything, but it kinda is the gist of your first post :blink:

Maybe we just fail in seeing your real problem, and as such have a hard time giving you the answers you want to hear. Nils already gave you the link for the most important midibox-related website, http;//www.ucapps.de

I learn something from this community every day, because i read and try to comprehend, experiment and learns a lot from my mistakes too. Many members inhere have spent countless years doing so to reach their level of expertice… don’t expect that ‘a few PMs’ can get you up and running in no time… :logik:

Instead of “I want to know everything. Tell me something general so i can get the bigger picture”, you could maybe use smarter tactics; read about the boxes, select one you think that you can manage to build/use/understand/learn from. This will give you something concrete to ask and debate + you will definitely learn a lot during the build process.

I’m starting to realize you have to have a basic understanding to get help on this forum.

I try to read threads and understand but it’s all greek to me.

Maybe a “starting section” would be a good idea on this forum.

I almost get the feeling that it’s “illegal” to ask questions if I have not spent a loooong time searching the forums

I am simply asking for the best place/thread/website/manual/video to get started with. Because now I dont understand anything because I no reference to any of the terms.

If you think my questions are stupid and you dont have an answer or tip. Just dont reply to it.

-J

8

I almost get the feeling that it’s “illegal” to ask questions if I have not spent a loooong time searching the forums

But… what questions are you asking?

I am simply asking for the best place/thread/website/manual/video to get started with.

Oh :slight_smile: if that is your question then we can easily answer - we did 2 times already. Now, go to http://www.ucapps.de and read there.

So now you know where to start :thumbsup:

9

But… what questions are you asking?

Oh :slight_smile: if that is your question then we can easily answer - we did 2 times already. Now, go to http://www.ucapps.de and read there.

So now you know where to start :thumbsup:

Very funny. It’s always sad when you meet communitys that are not interested in helping just making fun of beginners.

I you cant see my problem flemming just dont reply. Your replys are of no help at all. So please dont.

Hope someone here that has been in my shoes can give some good tips. Maybe a thread that made you understand a lot?

Would be awesome!

And if you are like flemming and have nothing constructive to say please dont reply. I am trying to learn and not argue with anyone.

Are there a learners kit with a manual or something around?

That would be perfect!

-J

10

Many of us here spend a lot of our time helping beginners (we were all beginners once) but you must understand that many people join this community with big ideas of building a DIY MIDI controller with tons of faders and lots of buttons and encoders and ask us how to do it so the standard response until the “newbie” shows at least some commitment on their part by reading www.ucapps.de and wiki.midibox.org tends to be to read as much as they can on those sites and then come back with specific questions.

What you are talking about doesn’t sound like it can be achieved using any of the ‘standard’ midibox projects apart from possibly MIDIboxmixer in which case it is probably going to require a reasonable skill in electronics and C/assembly programming. I would suggest that you try building one of the standard projects listed under MBHP projects on www.ucapps.de first. Take a note of what modules are required (CORE, AIN etc etc) and then visit http://www.avishowtech.com and order the kits for the modules and build them.

Sorry but I don’t know of a basic intro to electronics website as there were no websites when I was studying electronics at college :slight_smile:

Cheers

Phil

11

Very funny. It’s always sad when you meet communitys that are not interested in helping just making fun of beginners.

I you cant see my problem flemming just dont reply. Your replys are of no help at all. So please dont.

How am i not helping? You asked for a place to read - you got the link for the website that is actually the main source http://www.ucapps.de

Hope someone here that has been in my shoes can give some good tips. Maybe a thread that made you understand a lot?

Would be awesome!

Why does it HAVE to be a thread? Go to the website we linked to in the former posts http://www.ucapps.de

And if you are like flemming and have nothing constructive to say please dont reply. I am trying to learn and not argue with anyone.

If you don’t want to argue it maybe is a bad idea to get personal like this? You asked for something to read and learn from! we gave you a link. You did not bother to read, but would rather put the blame on me :slight_smile: Looking from here it seems exactly like you want to argue rather than learn anything!

Are there a learners kit with a manual or something around?

That would be perfect!

Just try to go to that website and read about the boxes http://www.ucapps.de

You ask to get a quick recap of electronics in general, a full industry, with educations that take many years. I was not joking when i wrote: “I learn something from this community every day, because i read and try to comprehend, experiment and learns a lot from my mistakes too. Many members inhere have spent countless years doing so to reach their level of expertice… don’t expect that ‘a few PMs’ can get you up and running in no time”…

Now, please go to http://www.ucapps.de where you can read everything you ever want to know about midiboxes

12

How am i not helping? You asked for a place to read - you got the link for the website that is actually the main source http://www.ucapps.de

Why does it HAVE to be a thread? Go to the website we linked to in the former posts http://www.ucapps.de

If you don’t want to argue it maybe is a bad idea to get personal like this? You asked for something to read and learn from! we gave you a link. You did not bother to read, but would rather put the blame on me :slight_smile: Looking from here it seems exactly like you want to argue rather than learn anything!

Just try to go to that website and read about the boxes http://www.ucapps.de

You ask to get a quick recap of electronics in general, a full industry, with educations that take many years. I was not joking when i wrote: “I learn something from this community every day, because i read and try to comprehend, experiment and learns a lot from my mistakes too. Many members inhere have spent countless years doing so to reach their level of expertice… don’t expect that ‘a few PMs’ can get you up and running in no time”…

Now, please go to http://www.ucapps.de where you can read everything you ever want to know about midiboxes

Omg flemming. I’m not doing anything personal. Please stop beeing so passive aggresive with all the smileys and that stuff.

Just to search trough a forum when you dont know where to begin is hard as shit.

I’m just asking for a place to start. You wont give me that so please stop replying to this thread.

Thanks for the response philetaylor. Nice to feel some friendlyness here.

I know that the console consept it waaay beyond the first thing I could build.

I realize what you’re saying about newbies wanna build a castle before dog house. And that is as I said not my intention.

As I have worked as a musician and composer the last years I haven’t done to much nerding.

So I worry a little that the overwhelming information about this may be to much for me.

Whats VERY basic for many here is completely greek to me. I feel like a quarterback just entering the chess club lol.

Well well, it was nice that you were friendly Philetaylor.

It seems like there isn’t anything as basic as I would wish.

We’ll see.

-J

13

I’m just asking for a place to start. You wont give me that so please stop replying to this thread.

I did, nils did and so did phil!

14

I know this’ll seem even more passive aggressive but I’ll try to explain once more. This is a DIY community. Which means you’ll actually have to do stuff yourself. For starters get a grasp of how midibox concept works, what modules exist, what they do and how you can combine them to build whatever it is you want to build. The best place to do that is http://www.ucapps.de.

You see, everyone around here helps other for free in their own spare time, which they might well spend building their own projects. So the least you can do is to try to do what you can to help us reduce the amount of time we need to spend. And that works best if you ask precise questions.

I REALLY wanna learn this, but it is hard when I have no basic understanding.

That’s the right mindset for sure and it’s a lot of information for sure. That’s why you need to read read read and then come back with more detailed questions.

So read this and the things directly linked from it and this. That should give you enough input to figure out what you actually want to do.

15

Also, at first you don’t have to understand every detail.

You only need a general understanding of what can be done.

How to do it exactly, is hard to answer, if you don’t know what you want to build.

So, get a rough overview, then decide what to build.

Your “audio mixer”-idea is, as philetaylor said, possible but not for beginners.

If you want a midicontroller with faders instead, have a look at MidiBox64.

It is quite simple and could be upgraded to a MidiBox LC later.

16

I have a pretty basic level of experience myself, although I have learned quite a lot in my 2-3 years here. I would suggest you go buy and complete the Music From Outer Space kit called the Weird Sound Generator. This is an easy first project, plus it will give you a musical instrument. It will also get you better acquainted with circuit diagrams (which you will need to know to design/build a mixer), different parts (which you will need again), and how audio “flows” around a functioning device.

That said, I think this is a friendly community but you do not realize the good advice you have already been given. The fact that everyone is repeatedly trying to respond to you is because of their good intentions, but you do not see that.

17

I did, nils did and so did phil!

Phil helped.

Also, at first you don’t have to understand every detail.

You only need a general understanding of what can be done.

How to do it exactly, is hard to answer, if you don’t know what you want to build.

So, get a rough overview, then decide what to build.

Your “audio mixer”-idea is, as philetaylor said, possible but not for beginners.

If you want a midicontroller with faders instead, have a look at MidiBox64.

It is quite simple and could be upgraded to a MidiBox LC later.

Thank you so much. Your reply was very usefull to me. Very good to know I dont have to know every detail:)

I have a pretty basic level of experience myself, although I have learned quite a lot in my 2-3 years here. I would suggest you go buy and complete the Music From Outer Space kit called the Weird Sound Generator. This is an easy first project, plus it will give you a musical instrument. It will also get you better acquainted with circuit diagrams (which you will need to know to design/build a mixer), different parts (which you will need again), and how audio “flows” around a functioning device.

That said, I think this is a friendly community but you do not realize the good advice you have already been given. The fact that everyone is repeatedly trying to respond to you is because of their good intentions, but you do not see that.

Wow thanks. Exactly what I needed.

I’m starting to feel that this is a friendly community. But I felt at the first the help was so general that I did not know where to begin.

This is much better, thanks:)

-J

18

welcome aboard and have lots of fun, that´s at least what i had (and still have) when i was new here just a few months ago :wink:

19

my first build. i had no idea about anything back then… it´ll work.

http://www.home-wrecker.com/multiface.html