As far as the value, well, that's a subjective thing anyway. For someone who wants a command station as intended, there is no value to this. For someone who wants glitchy mangling beyond what the machine is already capable of, then it's worth more. For myself, the unpredictability of circuit bent devices (which is the selling point for those who are into them) is kind of a turn off...I'm a control freak (which is why I'm loving my xl-7!).
Anyway, back to your point. The MM1 module IS connected with a DB-25 cable, because it is connecting to the added circuitry. The whole circuit bending over midi is pretty crazy. Essentially, you are sending signals to the synth boards that it isn't quite sure what to do with. Again, not my thing so I don't really know the details of it, or specifically how it works. I imagine the choice to use DB-25 rather than a midi cable would prevent you from accidentally plugging it into something that could be seriously damaged. I know some people into circuit bending are more concerned about that than others. Some people I've met definitely take a "burn fast and bright" approach to their gear.
Anyway, neat bit of kit. I'd like to know more about exactly what he's doing with these, and how he's doing them. Anyone here know much about circuit bending?
josh
---------[ Received Mail Content ]----------
Subject : Re: [xl7] WHAT?!? Circuit bent MP-7
Date : Wed, 12 May 2010 22:14:32 +1200 (NZST)
From : Atom Smasher
To : xl7@yahoogroups.com
On Wed, 12 May 2010, joeyjoejoemagee wrote:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKIDokPVqvc
=============
i'm highly suspicious. knobs on a command station doesn't mean that the
command station is bent; only that knobs have been added. i think the
knobs are controlling a box that sits next to the command station... in
which case, why not put the knobs on the other box? it seems like they've
drilled holes in a command station to mount knobs for their home-made
effects box... this should only *decrease* the value of both units, since
they become partially useless without each other.
if that's not the case, i'd be interested in hearing a rebuttal.
also, they refer to their module as being an "mm1 midi module", but the
picture shows something that looks like a DB-25 connector, not MIDI...
this implies that the knobs are just connected to their kit with long
wires... further limiting usefulness and flexibility because it requires
both units to get functionality from their unit[1]. a better approach
would be putting all knobs on their unit, and then using it with *any*
synth.
maybe their knobs are also wired "in parallel" with the command station's
knobs... in which case it would again be better to keep all knobs on their
unit and send MIDI to the command station to represent knob movements.
i've got nothing against garage mods, but this one seems like it's not
being represented accurately. i'd stay away based on lack of details, and
what i can infer from their info isn't looking good.
no thanks...
1) loose or beak the command station, and either you loose the knobs to
control their box or you're stuck with a very big and heavy control
surface. loose or break their box and you're left with a command station
that has a lot of useless knobs.
--
...atom
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