Stand-alone midi mod wheel?
July 28, 2004 9:04 PM Subscribe
Is there such a thing as a stand-alone midi mod wheel?
Been looking for it online, can't find it. Does it exist? I envision it sitting on top of a wheel-lacking midi controller keyboard, in between the kbd and the little box with all the patches in it, passing the midi data stream along without changing anything but the Mod Wheel value.
I know this isn't exactly a subject for debate or an opportunity to share meaningful experiences, but I figure Ask Mefi is a slick way to slurp knowledge from the heads of strangers. So I'm exploiting that.
Been looking for it online, can't find it. Does it exist? I envision it sitting on top of a wheel-lacking midi controller keyboard, in between the kbd and the little box with all the patches in it, passing the midi data stream along without changing anything but the Mod Wheel value.
I know this isn't exactly a subject for debate or an opportunity to share meaningful experiences, but I figure Ask Mefi is a slick way to slurp knowledge from the heads of strangers. So I'm exploiting that.
There are a few standalone midi breath controllers, and I'll bet something like this this, would work with a wheel instead.
The Yamaha BC3A that this thing is supposed be used for uses a simple 2 connection plug for it's input, seems like it might be an easy hack to use a wheel.
posted by milovoo at 9:25 PM on July 28, 2004
The Yamaha BC3A that this thing is supposed be used for uses a simple 2 connection plug for it's input, seems like it might be an easy hack to use a wheel.
posted by milovoo at 9:25 PM on July 28, 2004
Response by poster: That robotspeak page has a box that takes a pedal input that looks like it could add the mod wheel variable & merge it into the datastream... that's pretty close to perfect (thanks!), but if anyone knows of something even closer to my description, I remain all ears.
posted by damehex at 10:31 PM on July 28, 2004
posted by damehex at 10:31 PM on July 28, 2004
Check out some kits from PAIA. There are a couple kits that would work, possibly something more exciting than jost a modwheel. They've been around for decades.
posted by Goofyy at 11:09 PM on July 28, 2004
posted by Goofyy at 11:09 PM on July 28, 2004
Does it have to be a wheel? Your average local Guitar Center stocks CV "expression pedals"; you could try plugging one of these into the "pedal controller" listed on milovoo's link (it's about three quarters of the way down).
Actually, depending on how much of a gearhead you are, an expression pedal controller is basically just a 50 kOhm potentiometer inside a case designed to be stepped on. You could build a sort of modwheelish equivalent by wiring such a pot to a 1/4" stereo jack inside a little plastic box and slapping a great big knob on top...
What are you going to be driving with this modwheel, anyway? And where did you find a keyboard without one?
Come to think of it, for the amount of money you'll be spending on any piece of electronics capable of solving this problem, you might as well just buy a plain ol' MIDI controller keyboard (which will certainly include a mod wheel already) and plug it into whatever you're using for your sound module. The M-Audio Keystation runs for a cool $99 new, and I'm sure you could pick one up for half that on eBay.
posted by Mars Saxman at 8:44 AM on July 29, 2004
Actually, depending on how much of a gearhead you are, an expression pedal controller is basically just a 50 kOhm potentiometer inside a case designed to be stepped on. You could build a sort of modwheelish equivalent by wiring such a pot to a 1/4" stereo jack inside a little plastic box and slapping a great big knob on top...
What are you going to be driving with this modwheel, anyway? And where did you find a keyboard without one?
Come to think of it, for the amount of money you'll be spending on any piece of electronics capable of solving this problem, you might as well just buy a plain ol' MIDI controller keyboard (which will certainly include a mod wheel already) and plug it into whatever you're using for your sound module. The M-Audio Keystation runs for a cool $99 new, and I'm sure you could pick one up for half that on eBay.
posted by Mars Saxman at 8:44 AM on July 29, 2004
I have one of these M-Audio Oxygen 8 - and love it...
The feel is a little cheap (but fine) - and the knobs all map to software programs pretty easily...
Plus it's small.
posted by mildred-pitt at 12:38 PM on July 29, 2004
The feel is a little cheap (but fine) - and the knobs all map to software programs pretty easily...
Plus it's small.
posted by mildred-pitt at 12:38 PM on July 29, 2004
Response by poster: It's for my keyboardist, who just replaced his old controller with a new one that has great action on the keys but no mod wheel (since it's meant to be a dedicated piano sim). He uses it to control a Roland JV1010, and there's really only one sound that NEEDS the mod wheel value manipulated mid-note: an organ patch that mods for a Leslie effect. He is seriously considering getting a little crappo controller with standard mod wheel just for his organ sound, but I'm aiming for a solution that minimizes the amount of gear he totes and the onstage sprawl.
Liking the foot-pedal and merge box solution more & more.
posted by damehex at 3:54 PM on July 29, 2004
Liking the foot-pedal and merge box solution more & more.
posted by damehex at 3:54 PM on July 29, 2004
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Kwantsar at 9:23 PM on July 28, 2004