DIY - Standalone D-Beam?

Started by Slackjaw, February 16, 2010, 11:38:11 AM

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Slackjaw

Is there a standalone D-Beam or other manufacturer that makes a infrared midi controller?  Maybe I'm searching on the wrong words, but all I seem to find are Roland stuff with it built in (not standalone) or home-built stuff.

Anyone?
My Rig: Brian Moore i2.13 > Guitar Rig 4 and Roland GR-09 > Ableton Live 8 Suite > Alesis  MasterControl > Little Dot 1+ > Allesandro MS-1 Headphones > My Head > My Soul

agaskins

Not exactly what your looking for, but I just happened to be on this site:
http://www.doepfer.de/home_e.htm

They have various controls like x-y sticks, ribon controllers, etc... and they sell the boards you connect them with MIDI I/O. I'm pretty sure the D-Beam wouldn't be that hard to make with this stuff and some photocells/infrared diodes.

Sorry I don't have any thing better, but you might enjoy the gadgets on that site, haha.

Elantric

#2
http://vipre.uws.edu.au/tiem/?tag=infrared



AudioCubes
March 30th, 2009JonNo comments
Bert Schiettecatte

AudioCubes are a modular live performance instrument that let you shape sound, create music and perform live through hands-on interaction with wireless intelligent objects.

AudioCubes offer new ways to interact with your existing audio software, beyond what is possible with classic knob boxes and trigger pads. They can be used for simple filter sweeps as well as infinitely complex setups in which the musical information they generate will depend on how the objects interact with each other and with their user.

Multiple users' AudioCubes talk to each other wirelessly without complicated setup. High-speed, high-resolution, better-than-MIDI sensor technology makes sure even the most subtle performance gestures are captured.




Categories: AudioCubesTags: infrared, MIDI, TIEM_Survey, USB
Blue Air
September 22nd, 2008JonNo comments
Jeffrey Stolet

Blue Air is an infrared MIDI controller that measures distance. Continuous controller information is produced by movement an object or a performer's hand vertically above the infrared eye located on the top panel of Blue Air. MIDI data produced by Blue Air are fast and tightly packed together. The typical time between blocks of MIDI datum is 5 milliseconds. The tremendous volume of data being sent is often best managed by MIDI manipulation software such as MAX by Cycling '74. Blue Air is fast, accurate, stable, rugged, and simple to use.

Categories: Blue AirTags: infrared, MIDI, TIEM_Survey
Airstick
August 22nd, 2008JonNo comments
Ivan Franco
David Palma: electronics support

The AirStick is a controller that detects the positioning of a hand using an arrangement of eight infrared (IR) sensors.

Ivan Franco writes —
"Some controllers are based on gesture mapping: music controllers that respond to body articulations performed "in the air", without any physical contact between a player and the instrument's body. AirStick is played "in the air", in a Theremin style. It is composed of an array of infrared proximity sensors, which allow the mapping of the position of any interfering obstacle inside a bi-dimensional zone. This controller sends both x and y control data to various real-time synthesis algorithms."























YouTube video of Ivan Franco performing at Sonicscope festival 2007.



Slackjaw

So basically nothing but homebrew gear.  I guess I was wishful thinking a manufactured device for like $129 or whatever.  I think a Roland branded device with a D-Beam, ribbon, and maybe a few endless encoders would be totally sweet.
My Rig: Brian Moore i2.13 > Guitar Rig 4 and Roland GR-09 > Ableton Live 8 Suite > Alesis  MasterControl > Little Dot 1+ > Allesandro MS-1 Headphones > My Head > My Soul

Elantric

#4
Roland purchased the world rights to the infrared "D-Beam" from a small start up company about 10 years ago, and now at this time, other companies must license the tech from Roland.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-Beam



The Waveidea CME Bitstream 3x MIDI Controller used to have a D-Beam, but this was removed on units built after 2006

http://www.waveidea.com/en/company/news.php

"Infrared controller has been replaced by a ribbon controller (A Roland D-Beam patent exists. In order to avoid any problem with Roland, we have decided to replace this infrared by a ribbon controller)"


bob e

The Alesis Air Synth is pretty much an X-Y D-Beam unit (as far as I understand it).  I have one but haven't used it in a few years.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Mar03/articles/alesisairsynth.asp


Slackjaw

Quote from: bob e on February 17, 2010, 04:19:13 AM
The Alesis Air Synth is pretty much an X-Y D-Beam unit (as far as I understand it).  I have one but haven't used it in a few years.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Mar03/articles/alesisairsynth.asp



This is close...but it's a self-contained "synth" versus a MIDI controller.  Pretty neat though.  I might look around for one just for fun.
My Rig: Brian Moore i2.13 > Guitar Rig 4 and Roland GR-09 > Ableton Live 8 Suite > Alesis  MasterControl > Little Dot 1+ > Allesandro MS-1 Headphones > My Head > My Soul

Slackjaw

Quote from: admsustainiac on February 16, 2010, 11:07:28 PM
Could locate a used MC-505


This has strong potential for me.  Thanks.  Gonna need to have one!
My Rig: Brian Moore i2.13 > Guitar Rig 4 and Roland GR-09 > Ableton Live 8 Suite > Alesis  MasterControl > Little Dot 1+ > Allesandro MS-1 Headphones > My Head > My Soul

admin

- although still NOT a MIDI controller -  old Alesis AirFX is a better match (Adrian Belew uses one)



vanceg

Man...I posted about 8 paragraphs on this topic late last night, replete with an absurdly long story about working with the pre-roland D-Beams and a mention that some folks have hacked Air FX to have MIDI output....where did that posting go? Gone.... bizarre....

admin

I would have loved to read it!

Don Juan de Marco

I'm also looking for something like this... But what I have in mind is a GK3A with D-BEAM so we can still use D-BEAM even we're far from the VG-99 coz D-BEAM has a wide variety of use aside from just being a whammy or pitch controller...  Does anyone know anyone who can manufacture something like that? Or is it possible?

vanceg

Quote from: Don Juan de Marco on February 22, 2010, 04:02:14 PM
I'm also looking for something like this... But what I have in mind is a GK3A with D-BEAM so we can still use D-BEAM even we're far from the VG-99 coz D-BEAM has a wide variety of use aside from just being a whammy or pitch controller...  Does anyone know anyone who can manufacture something like that? Or is it possible?

Sure - you can get a distance sensor and attach it to a board which will convert the signal to MIDI.  There are even a few of these sensor to MIDI kits that work wirelessly.  You can put ribbon strips, buttons, pressure sensitive pads, distance detectors, accelerometers...pretty much anything you want on your guitar.

This one is wireless:  http://infusionsystems.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/98
And this connects through USB...so you'd need a USB cable to your gutiar...it's also a lot bigger: http://www.lividinstruments.com/hardware_builder.php

Both require you to build it yourslef.  Nobody seems to want to build a pre-made d-beam like device out of concern over Roland's IP on the technology.....

Elantric

http://mike.verdone.ca/wiitomidi/

This could interface too - but needs a "Wii -Remote" and a Mac OSX machine somewhere in your rig.

Elantric

QuoteIs there a standalone D-Beam or other manufacturer that makes a infrared midi controller?  Maybe I'm searching on the wrong words, but all I seem to find are Roland stuff with it built in (not standalone) or home-built stuff.


Standalone MIDI expression pedal...
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=14679.msg105137#msg105137

TKR-Works - USB MIDI Hub for Foot Pedal and Expression Pedal Pt.

(Add Raspberry Pi + USB <> MIDI Cable ( USB <> MIDI  )
http://atelier.tkrworks.net/controller3431?lang=en



This controller has a distance measurement sensor(possible to sense
the distance from 10cm to 80cm) and a switch. And it's possible to
connect three foot pedal(like a boss fs-5u) and an expression pedal
(like a line ex-1).

The D-Beam distance measurement sensor and the expression pedal outputs
midi control change and others outputs MIDI note number.

If you want to buy it, please contact us(info[at]tkrworks.net). We can
sell only one controller for 26250JPY(included tax, not included an
external pedal).


Threeleggedyoyo


Frankster

I just ordered an ultrasonic transducer off ebay, I'll do some Arduino magic next week and report back. Doesn't look too difficult, just change the serial rate to 31250 and send MIDI controller messages instead of distance measurements ...

http://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/Ping?from=Tutorial.UltrasoundSensor

FreeTime

Sharp GP2Y0A21

Sharp GP2Y0A41SK0F for shorter range.

I just paid a bit over $25 for one up here in Canada from an outfit in Calgary, these guys do mailorder:

https://www.pololu.com/product/2464

Frankster

I paid £1.80, about $3 US.

I'm guessing the D-beam uses ultrasound, if so then that's probably twice what Roland are paying per ultrasound transducer.

Frankster

Well, it's a start I guess ...



Frankster

Not got time to work on this now. Needs to track last message sent, check if it matches current message then send last note off/new note on if there's no match. Then I'll see about using it on continuous controllers and it should make a pretty useful D-Beam copy.



MusicOverGear

I visited my friend's elementary school music classroom, where he has some d-beam type controllers for Reason that let disabled kids play instruments without having to muster the same level of dexterity you need for guitars and recorders and whatnot. He told me how much the Reason setup cost with the controllers and all, and my very first thought was that it shouldn't have cost over $1k with all the hardware and software.

Arduino has:
many types of distance/proximity sensors
midi library
USB host shield
lots of existing code - someone may very well have already done this exact project

anyway I would look at Arduino myself

Elantric

Most hackers know an old motion sensing security light from a hardware store or Goodwill shelf is a good source for the D-Beam IR detector

admin

#24
FingerTaps MidAir IOS MIDI Controller







https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/midair/id481944352?mt=8

Description
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Check out the demo video at YouTube:


Front-Facing Camera required

MidAir is optimized for the iPhone 4S and iPad 2. Improved detection for the iPhone 4 coming soon.

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