I was thinking the other day about my lack of midi keyboard, when it struck me that I DO have a keyboard. It's just that it's attached to my accordion.
I had the idea that perhaps if I could somehow attach some velocity sensitive trigger pads to the underside of the keys, I could turn my accordion into a midi controller. Does anyone here have any ideas on where to learn how to do that?
I had the idea that perhaps if I could somehow attach some velocity sensitive trigger pads to the underside of the keys, I could turn my accordion into a midi controller. Does anyone here have any ideas on where to learn how to do that?
You could just get a MIDI accordion...
They either make or used to make contact kits and the small controller board so you could add MIDI send to things like acoustic pianos and to organs. Velocity is usually sensed by a pair of contacts, the computer then creates a velocity number from the timing difference between their closures. SOme systems use two contacts that close one after the other for each key. Then others use a break/make double throw blade contact.
It takes more than contacts to make MIDI. You will need a CPU of some sort programmed to interpret switch closures and create note number information to send out the MIDI port.
One short cut to that is to get the cheapest most basic little personal keyboard that has MIDI - the sort of thing Casio and Yamaha make to sell at Best Buy and K-Mart. The kind of thing you find at yard sales for $5. Take the control board from that, and maybe even strip the key contact assembly and adapt it to the squeeze box.
They either make or used to make contact kits and the small controller board so you could add MIDI send to things like acoustic pianos and to organs. Velocity is usually sensed by a pair of contacts, the computer then creates a velocity number from the timing difference between their closures. SOme systems use two contacts that close one after the other for each key. Then others use a break/make double throw blade contact.
It takes more than contacts to make MIDI. You will need a CPU of some sort programmed to interpret switch closures and create note number information to send out the MIDI port.
One short cut to that is to get the cheapest most basic little personal keyboard that has MIDI - the sort of thing Casio and Yamaha make to sell at Best Buy and K-Mart. The kind of thing you find at yard sales for $5. Take the control board from that, and maybe even strip the key contact assembly and adapt it to the squeeze box.
And if I had 2 grand I would, but alass, I am poor.
I have since researched more on the matter, and am looking into getting some of these pads. I think this is going to be a long term project. Are there any sites/blogs where people have perhaps pictures of the building prosess?
I have since researched more on the matter, and am looking into getting some of these pads. I think this is going to be a long term project. Are there any sites/blogs where people have perhaps pictures of the building prosess?
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