It all started with the MIDIBox I built back in 2003.
I needed a physical controller for some freeware drum machines running on a Windows-laptop, and decided to build one myself, as the MIDI controller market was still in its infancy. I stumbled upon Thorsten Klose's uCApps site that offered schematics and software for the DIY MIDIBox Hardware Platform (midibox.org) to control music software with rotary knobs and push buttons.
Out of curiosity I decided to build a MIDIbox64 based on a core module for the PIC18F452 microcontroller. I planned with all the features I could dream of: 30 potentiometers (6 channels), 24 channel pushbuttons, illuminated transport control, LCD, jogwheel (ALPS SRGPHJ3200), joystick, 4 foot switch connectors and MIDI merge functionality. The PCBs could be ordered on a site in the forum, and I ordered the aluminium frontplate at Schaeffer Apparatebau. Although I had some basic soldering experience, it was my first proper microcontroller project, and it took me many months to finish it – but it turned out great!
How does it influence my music?
Musically, many things worked very well from the beginning on – even on stage next to my drum kit – such as switching effects, triggering drum machine patterns, controlling parameters, most of it using the chanel strips and foot controllers. But I never used the joystick and jog controls – the box was simply too clumsy to be a handy DAW controller. There are two tracks on my first album mad scientist drummer where I used the box heavily: in fr–05 you can hear a lot of the possible modulation with. The song was recorded in two takes: first, a groovy drum solo, and then I overdubbed one take of drum machine and drum processing with the help of the MIDIbox.
On Dithering the grain, I experimented with open source software ChucK for audio processing and the inspiring Freewheeling for live looping:
Conclusion
The story of the MIDIBox ends in 2024. I dismantled the box after over 10 years without use, of course not without taking some last photos and a final sanity check (lots of jitter from scratchy pots, otherwise it worked fine). It was such a fun time!