MOTM

The list seems to be running fine, just not a lot of new posts. I have 
insomnia tonight so here is my 3:30am response.

I have been quite due to building my second (lower) wood cabinet for my 
MOTM. Details include: Poplar Hardwood from Home depot ($60 total) with pine 
mounting rails and hand drilled holes for brass machine screw inserts. 2 
rows of 20u that is slanted ever so slightly on the front panel. My cabinet 
is 10" wide at the top (which is really 9.5" or so) and 12" at the bottom. I 
left a 4.5" vertical base to the cabinet to possibly mount my Kenton Pro-4 
and 1u breakout panel smack dab in the middle of the front. I don't have a 
jig saw so this will be added later if it looks like it needs it for balance 
of image after the cabinet is full of modules. The extra space at the bottom 
of the cabinet also puts the bottom of the lowest row at the top of my 
controller keyboard. This brings my MOTM to 80u and I will actually have 60u 
full now. Don't know where I'll keep putting these modules after this 
cabinet. Maybe I will make an even lower row with keyboard stand/garage type 
thing and sturdy legs and support system for 5 rows of 20u and the modules 
themsleves all leaning ever-forward in their wood homes.
Only time will tell with this I guess. The first coat of stain is on and a 
second cometh in the morning. Poplar with Provincial Minwax stain and the 
rub on poly Hendry and Bradley use. Looks easy enough. Anything I should 
look out for guys?

Controller: As you know I recently built the 2 different joystick modules 
and I have been thinking about the controller thing for a while since. Big 
question is does anybody have a source for ribbon controller ribbons or even 
clues where to start? I would reslly like a simple one of these along the 
left side of my planned controller. Also on there I want the following:

2 or more joysticks with selectable polarity and range per axis (just like 
my panel mounted jobby. Due to the joysticks available with no center-return 
function I think 2 will stay either or as far as polarity and not be able to 
sweep into negative is positive is selected. Maybe 4 joysticks on the panel, 
2 like this an 2 bi-polar with same type of range pot set up. No polarity 
switch for the bi-polar ones.

VU Meter, Mouser used to sell a (15v)-(0)-(+15v) DC model for a pretty 
penny. Would be great to patch into this and see what happening with 
voltages. Anybody ever used one of those automatic voltage LED displays that 
uses red read-out to display voltage (like an alarm clock style letters) I 
see these but have no experience with them and think it would be neat to 
have the VU meter on the front of the controller to be digital red read-out 
with a + or - on the display to indicate polarity. Maybe the response time 
would be more accurate over a moving coil vu?

Ribbon Controller: Ribbons ribbon ribbons, whos got the ribbons? Will be an 
easy design if we can just find the ribbons. Range pot and threshold pot for 
the gate out?

Sliders: 4 or 8 mixer-like sliders that have a range pot and polarity switch 
at the bottom of each or are bipolar with center detents. Below each slider 
could also be a gate button so you can set up the controller to fire 4 
pre-determined "notes". A COOL feature here would be to have some sort of 
sequencer thing going on where an external clock would cycle through the 
four sliders obviously forward. Would be a fun mini sequencer type effect 
and cool for performance. Have a gate dependant start/stop jack so you can 
turn this thing on/off with the MOTM pedal interface while playing live. 
Throw down the sequenced whammy with your super ultimate controller module.

Gate buttons: As said above I want one for each slider. Maybe add a "Hold" 
switch and jack out with 5v constantly. Could also use to fm LFO's and VCO's 
for higher range too.

Another cool thing all together would be a dual LFO module with each LFO 
rate controlled by a separate joystick axis. Fun bender for sure. Anyways 
sorry for the 3am rant but I needed to get it out. What do you guys think? 
Lets meet in the middle and screen a panel so we can all build little custom 
wood boxes to mount it to. Ciao'

Thomas White

>From: "sucrosemusic" <sucrosemusic@...>
>To: motm@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [motm] List Slugishness
>Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 03:59:30 -0000
>
>Is it just me, or is the list running really goofy-like?
>
>We should establish an alternate mailing list/discussion group in
>case yahoo.com folds.  Any suggestions?
>




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----- Original Message -----

From: thomas white <djthomaswhite@...>
and the rub on poly Hendry and Bradley use. Looks
easy enough. Anything I should look out for guys?

--LH--
Very runny -- like water.  I use 3 or more coats applied
sparingly.  I apply with a rag.  Watch out for lint and
other stray particles.  Great stuff.  Almost impossible to
get a run.

--TW--
VU Meter, Mouser used to sell a (15v)-(0)-(+15v) DC model for a pretty
penny. Would be great to patch into this and see what happening with
voltages. Anybody ever used one of those automatic voltage LED displays that
uses red read-out to display voltage (like an alarm clock style letters) I
see these but have no experience with them and think it would be neat to
have the VU meter on the front of the controller to be digital red read-out
with a + or - on the display to indicate polarity. Maybe the response time
would be more accurate over a moving coil vu?

--LH--
I have been playing with this in a couple of ways.

1. I like analog meters.  Instead of a hard to find expensive center
off meter, I was considering a 0-15 VDC meter. Use a op amp
circuit that returns the always positive value and let LEDs indicate
polarity -- maybe a bi-color.

There would be either two input jacks (one AC and one DC) or a
switch for AC / DC.  For metering the AC side, the signal would
again be always positive for the meter, but the gain of the amp would
be set to provide a constant number that displays the peak-to-peak
AC value since that is what we normally use for discussing the size
of these signals.

2 - Something similar using the bar/dot LED driver chips instead of the
analog meter.  Faster response time, but maybe not near as cool looking.
Takes less space.  I think you could get two monitor channels on a 1U
panel.  Analog meters would take 2U panel. Each channel should have an
IN jack and a parallel THRU jack so you can monitor in service voltages
without using a mult.

--TW--
Ribbon Controller: Ribbons ribbon ribbons, whos got the ribbons? Will be an
easy design if we can just find the ribbons. Range pot and threshold pot for
the gate out?

--LH--
ah... the robbons.  I looked into the tactile and pressure stuff.  Looks
like
you need a uP to read it.  Too much for my small brain.  I did actually
purchase some material for my my ribbon prototype (which I have had
zero time to work on).  It is a very finely woven copper mesh tape about
1" wide and very thin and flexible.  It reminds me of the mesh feel on my
MicroMoog.  This conductive mesh would ride above my resistive element.
and could be pressed down at any point.  I am stuggling with the mechanical
issues of how to attach the mesh (it does have adhesive on one side) so that
it can spring back up after pressing. I have some things that work, but
nothing I consider reliable over the long term.
Any thoughts?  Opinions?  Ideas?

Larry

> 1. I like analog meters.

I've been thinking of a 3-LED array on some modules, like an LFO.  I know I
could use a single bipolar LED, but 3 of them look neater...

1 for positive
1 for 0
1 for negative

So, the LEDs would light up in the appropriate sequence as the LFO runs...

Then again, a meter would be pretty cool as well with "0" reading straight
up and swinging left/right of +/- values. What's it going to do when you run
the LFO up into audio ranges though?


> Ribbon Controller: Ribbons ribbon ribbons, whos got the ribbons?

I'm still struggling with a VC "left-hand controller" section. I'm trying to
work out a design with a joystick with attenuators (+ or - on any axis), two
wheels, like the trusty MiniMoog and a small ribbon, maybe 6 inches long in
front of the wheels. Having trouble locating a ribbon source though. Maybe
just a resistive element of some sort instead? Haven't researched that
enough yet.

Anybody looked at http://infusionsystems.com/products/slide.html ?
Wondering if that could be used for Control Voltages. Looks interesting.
I've got a email into them asking questions.


Maybe I'm gonna have to spring for an Analogue Systems "French Connection"
if I can find enough money:
http://www.analoguesystems.co.uk/Reviews/fconnection_review.htm


Les Mizzell

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Vanna, honey! When you stand sideways,
they can't see the letters!"
-- Alf
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In a message dated 3/26/02 5:50:36 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
jlarryh@... writes:

>  I did actually
> purchase some material for my my ribbon prototype (which I have had
> zero time to work on).  It is a very finely woven copper mesh tape about
> 1" wide and very thin and flexible.  It reminds me of the mesh feel on my
> MicroMoog.  This conductive mesh would ride above my resistive element.
> and could be pressed down at any point.  I am stuggling with the mechanical
> issues of how to attach the mesh (it does have adhesive on one side) so that
> it can spring back up after pressing. I have some things that work, but
> nothing I consider reliable over the long term.
> Any thoughts?  Opinions?  Ideas?

What is this "conductive mesh" that you mention? I'd like to see this. What 
is the maximum length of the mesh? How are you making the resistive element? 
I remember Moe giving us (me) a rather good description of the mechanics of 
his old Moog ribbon. As I recall, the ribbon was suspended above the 
resistive strip by a spring mechanism.

Glad you're still thinking of it!
JB