Minimal Controller w Technics Pitch

[chrisa23]

Technics pitch control feels like a precision instrument while CDJs feel like a cheap toy... I noticed Technics pitch controls are available as parts and started pondering if I could build some kind of minimal controller with a real pitch control in it... Maybe add a couple of arcade buttons for start/cue and some nudge buttons... Someone pointed out the livid midi brains to me as one way to build something like this... Was curious what anyone else thought about this idea... Feel free to run with it DJ Tech Tools...

MinimalController.jpg

[chrisa23]

So this is something I'm actually looking to do... I have a spare raw pitch control... No pcb board to connect straight to main board and not sure if I need it... No idea right now what any of the pins take power wise or output...

Does anyone have any insight into converting a Technics pitch control to either MIDI or an HID signal? Issues I might run into? What kind of ADC might work for this if one of the off the shelf MIDI converters won't? How to not waste a fortune and a boatload of time?

I have a feeling that even with a 14 bit MIDI resolution the pitch fader will not have high enough resolution to be as accurate as I'd like... Not even sure the MIDI brains out there allow a 14bit control resolution...

I'm guessing I need to bypass MIDI... This isn't a big deal on the software side, since I was just going to make my own simple multi deck player in Max MSP and skip Traktor... Just run straight from the computer into my eventual Rane MP2015... Not worrying about sync makes a software DJ player super simple...

Any help is greatly appreciated...

[chrisa23]

I've been told the part used in a Technics for pitch is logarithmic and I should use a different fader that's linear but has a similar feel...

[mrdorianjames]

Overcoming technics logarithmic fade should be easy if your using max/msp.
https://cycling74.com/forums/topic/logarithmic-scale/


You could use a teensy which has HID and midi. I have a freeduino that had HID as well.

[chrisa23]

Thanks, the Teensy look very interesting... My biggest concern/unknown right now is how high of an ADC resolution will be enough... Teensy seems to be max usable of 13 bits... I'm not sure how much I need, but I'm guessing 16-20 bit is probably going to be the range needed... I'd hate to build something and not have it be sensitive enough...

[mrdorianjames]

A separate ADC might be in order to get that kind of resolution. I'm not really sure. I will look around. If you figure this out please make a tutorial. I'd be interested in seeing how it comes together.

[mrdorianjames]

Ads1252?
Ltc2440?

[mrdorianjames]

http://djvandraken.blogspot.com/2010...4-bit.html?m=1

Check this out. A 14bit resolution might work well enough.

[chrisa23]

That's an interesting article... It def might... as long as the underlying ADC gives out 14 usable bits... I'm really hoping I can go that route..

I found out I have a friend that works at Livid and am going to try and go talk to some engineers there... Forgot they were in Austin, and I moved to Austin from Chicago 5 months ago...

[mrdorianjames]

http://www.adafruit.com/product/1085
Theoretically, This seems like an easy solution.