Hello.

I am creating a midi controller to control EQs, I am creating it for shaack massive-passive emulation, but it is adaptable to every EQs (ProQ3, Kirchoff,..).


It is a 9 band, 1 LP, 1 HP eq, with the possibility of constant recall of values.

You don't have to re-tweak each time you change instance, and you can do most mixing process "physically" with hand (including changing instances).

BUT : It is only for FL Studio users.


Here is the front layer (not the final one).




The desing will be close to a true analog EQ (massive passive, buzz audio REQ, SPL PQ..), with metal plate and wood work, the simple is the best.

Front will be something like this :



Dimensions of front will be something around a 4U format.

I want the design (electronics and casing) to be very reliable (will be hand made with wood work).

I also I want it to fit on a desktop and be pretty on it, something like the formfactor of the SSL UF8:



I am currently in prototyping state. I will post my progress here if some may be interested.

For now it is only for FL studio users.

I already made a midi controller for sylenth1 named "the Sylence".


I am creating it for myself, but I wan't to know if some of you may be interested in having something like that, to know to commercialize it or not, or your feelings about it !

 

I'm not an FL User, but I commend you for your ingenuity!

 

If its going to be exclosuive to FL, you may as well write the software drivers and UI, print a 3d prototype, and pitch it to Image-Line. Manufacturing enclosures is expensive, and tuning the driver to your potentiometer for smooth midi resolution is a task you should get funding and engineering help with.

 

Sounds useful, and fun.

Why is it FL exclusive though?

 

although it is sad that this will be just for FL... if this was somewhat scaleable in production, i think it could be sold really good (alongside the sylence, to which i found the guide)...

 

There might be a significant interest for this if it wasn't FL exclusive.

 

@Zzup
I have a few Questions and I built a controller myself as you can see in the attachment.
so i know some stuff - a little bit..
and your sylenth controller looks great too.

but.why is it FL only ?
Why not standard Midi ? and if it is Midi why is it FL only ? I dont get it.

if it would be std. midi it can be used with every DAW and can control external hardware as well.

next question.
do think you will integrate a next and prev or bank button ?
so the user can switch to the next 9 controll btn ?
and why 9 bands ?
... if you use a multiply of 4 you will have fewer problems, with multiplexing etc..

if you use Midi and integrate Midi ch switches - the user can have your controller controlling
multiple EQs and other Synths and Hardware aka external Gear...
on multiple channels in his chains....

 

Last edited: Jun 19, 2023

I thought it was Pro Tools exclusive.

Good luck.

 

First of all, I have to say how impressed I am to see your ingenuity and energy...

About being interested, personally I would me more interested by Synth controllers than effects ones.
May be you could add a poll at the beginning of this thread? If you dont know how to do it, PM me I'll help you.

 

If that is your creation and write-up at instructables-youtube vid (TheLowerFloor-Hexagon-Records), kudos to you!!!! That is a fine looking piece of gear you built.

 

I was thinking the same thing, but then it got me wondering. Of the midi controllers i have, why not grab an eq and see if I can emulate it.

The Akai Midimix is synced up with Ableton and works perfectly. I just set it up with Pro Q

 

@iswingwood @mk_96 @Ariel Gonzalez @masterheavy
Totaly agree.

Other DAW can receive MIDI, but FL studio is the only one to have the midi scripting feature to auto affect / scan / "inject python" and give user access to read / write private internal values of the DAW and the VSTs used. Also Bitwig (with JAVA) and Tracktion might be compatible, for now only FL is concerned.

Also, it may be good as I want it to be done by hands, by little batch. This may improve quality and reliability of the stuff I sell and keep proximity with customer.

This midi controller is using absolute rotary encoder. So, no physically fixed values like potentiometers or sliders.

I choose 9 band because my initial target was SCHAACK emulation. After all I will keep this as you can do enough stuff with a 9 band EQ. At worst, you add an other instance to get extra 9 bands or if you are using it with ProQ3 you add band with your mouse.
I want the design to be the simplest and direct as possible, no menu or settings, just direct mixing.

In fact, I want the exact inverse. Something that stay in place for the tedious task of EQ mixing, with "one knob per task".



@Olymoon I made an other thread 1 or 2 year ago on the forum here about it. I think next I will redo my Sylenth1 midi controller for a V2 whthout the misconceptions I made.

@grounder Yes, thank you a lot.

@Sylenth.Will.Fall Thank you. Concerning The Akai Midimix, I have it and want the exact inverse lol. Something sturdy, with a design fixed by the use of a VST, something that have a strong look (like the Shadow Hills..)!

I think to demonstrate better the way I see the controller is to do one and do video about it.

I will post my progress here, but I post most of the stuff about audio / nerd / midi tech I do on my instagram here.

 

I wish more VSTi's had controllers like this.

 

Well, it takes a lot of time to engineer and produce.

I am also not doing it other than for myself because nobody is interested in buying a midi controller at 1500/2000€ price point. Everybody wants his plastic novation/behringer/akai controller under 200€.

 

It's more or less same effort into building an analog synth.

There's a saying "if you want things done properly do it yourself"

 

I think this is a pretty cool project, and wish you all the best. I hope you are able to create what you want to build.

I can say that you are right... most people will want something that is plastic (or at least something very light, like aluminum), something with a small footprint, light, and cheap - yet not "cheap quality". Most people aren't going to want a big bulky or heavy device taking up a lot of desktop space, or something that is pretty expensive, especially with a fairly specific purpose. That's just the reality.

You are doing this for your own sake though, which is great. Build what interests you. Anyone else that is interested in it would be an added bonus, but I'd guess that this wouldn't really be a money making thing unless you produced something small/light and cheap. Just saying. I don't believe that is your goal though.

Anyways, like I said, I think this is a pretty neat project, and I hope you build it! Best of luck.

 

Hello,

Just posting my work on this project for those intersted.

Here is the look of the pre-prototype :

Here is the color palette of final product :

Here is a side view of the components and layout (led ring, mechanical switch, optical encoder):






If you have any suggestion or question for the final design, don't hesitate ;)


Zzup

 

And here is the layout of the features of the EQ !

 

If you code the Device with Python it should be also useable in Ableton with some changes like the Akai Fire does with a custom script. By the Way your Sylenth1 Controller looks really nice.

 

I will. The hardware is coded in C. But to work with FL Studio (my DAW target) it need python script on computer.

I did not knew you can do that with Ableton, if yes thats a good news, but I am skeptical as I think Python script for fire in ableton are proprietary, no ?

Thank you.