hey guys, I work in a recording studio and i would like to make a midi mixing board however there is a problem. many of the midi mixing faders cheaply available are very low resolution (255 steps usually) and this is just not good enough.
I'm thinking something more like a 10 bit+ resolution with at least 5 thousand steps.
the problem with this is that the midi protocol, as far as i know doesn't have this possibility but there are certain pieces of hardware (that cost a pretty penny) that do have this resolution.
hopefully some one who has a little more knowledge on the subject than myself could give me a hand here.
I would also love to have them automation able if at all possible but we can worry about this later.
You question is quite vague.
MIDI messages for CC messages are restricted to a range of 127 not 255 like you said. That is 7 bits.
However you can use two CC messages and combine their values to give you 14 bit control. These are normally labled MSB and LSB for most and least significant bits. Sometimes called course and fine. So you simpy split the control number into two and use normal CC messages.
If these are physical faders then the internal A/D converter on most of the Arduinos is only 10 bits. The Due has a 12 bit A/D but nothing has a 14 bit A/D. If you want 14 bits then you will have to use an external A/D.
I assume you are passing these MIDI messages to something that can fade to 14 bits?
You will then need to have a five 8 channel multiplexers to switch the 40 channels into 5 analogue inputs.
You will need good construction techniques using at least strip board but probably a properly laid out PCB, solder-less bread board will not cut it.
I worry you will spend a lot of money and not get what you want.
What audio program are you looking to interface this controller with? There are only two available MIDI options these days with most DAWs, HUI and Motor mix. The unfortunate part of what you are looking to do here, is that both of these protocols only product low resolution MIDI, there's no way to "upgrade" the resolution. Motor mix does provide higher resolution for faders over HUI, but I can't see or feel the difference, personally.
You can design and implement a high resolution fader, but your audio software will only respond to 7-bit midi.
Here is the developers info for the motor mix protocol...
ibanman555:
What audio program are you looking to interface this controller with? There are only two available MIDI options these days with most DAWs, HUI and Motor mix. The unfortunate part of what you are looking to do here, is that both of these protocols only product low resolution MIDI, there's no way to "upgrade" the resolution. Motor mix does provide higher resolution for faders over HUI, but I can't see or feel the difference, personally.
ive never understood how they get the highres, im starting to get it now though.
as for not noticing, I usually work on 100,000 dollar mixing boards and have been doing it for years, my ears can sense .1 DB of sound level difference. so i would be able to tell if the stepping is too much.
If these are physical faders then the internal A/D converter on most of the Arduinos is only 10 bits. The Due has a 12 bit A/D but nothing has a 14 bit A/D. If you want 14 bits then you will have to use an external A/D.
I assume you are passing these MIDI messages to something that can fade to 14 bits?
You will then need to have a five 8 channel multiplexers to switch the 40 channels into 5 analogue inputs.
You will need good construction techniques using at least strip board but probably a properly laid out PCB, solder-less bread board will not cut it.
I worry you will spend a lot of money and not get what you want.
well thats why im asking questions here, ive been prospecting if i can even do this. avid has some faders like what i want but it costs around 1000 dollars for 5 of them.
I was uncertain of arduino possibilitys but then i see things like this around
prehaps something like this would work, i dont know thats why im here lol.
well couldnt i just plug that into my computer and skip the arduino? also you were mentioning multiplexors. i dont know how to use them, but would that be an option?
Artist Mix and other Avid control surfaces utilize the EUCON and ethernet protocols, which is closed to the public and not available to construct custom interfaces. I too use Pro Tools and it is the most difficult DAW to work with using custom or third party control surfaces.
ibanman555:
Artist Mix and other Avid control surfaces utilize the EUCON and ethernet protocols, which is closed to the public and not available to construct custom interfaces. I too use Pro Tools and it is the most difficult DAW to work with using custom or third party control surfaces.
well its starting to make sence that all their stuff works great and everyone elses dont....
those avid guys just do what ever they can to get as much money as they can out of you.
one day it would be sweet if some one made an open source daw.
on a side note. is there anyway to "hack" into these closed protocols?
Hahaha not yet my friend. I'm not savvy enough yet to get there but it will happen over time. You're correct that Avid sucks the life out of people to use their equipment, that's how they make their money.
There is an open source DAW called Reaper. Check it out
oh ive tried reaper. but it sucks... also supposedly protools bought eucon so.... funny enough reaper doesnt have it.... which kind of defeats the purpose....