Awesome Open Source DJ Mixer/MIDI Controller

09Jul08

Send to a Friend | Feed for this Entry | Filed under: DJ, MIDI Controllers, Mixers

Aurora is an awesome open source usb powered multichannel mixer in a typical DJ form factor. Aurora is designed to easily integrate with your favorite midi compatible software.

The device features two linear channel faders, a single a/b crossfader and eight backlit buttons.T wenty four backlit knobs allow you to control effects.

Aurora, unlike most midi controllers, also looks pretty awesome, with controllable ambient lighting.

Here’s a video of the Aurora mixer in use:

Details, including source code, Gerber files, manuals and more, are available at the Aurora site.

via Hackaday

Tags: Aurora Mixer, DIY project, dj mixer, MIDI Controllers, open source, synth DIY

7361Comments2008-07-09+12%3A57%3A37synthhead to “Awesome Open Source DJ Mixer/MIDI Controller”

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1 kent on Jul 9th, 2008 said:

Interesting thing, undoubtably. There are a few drawbacks, obviously.

1. Needing PD or Max a virtual midi driver to actually get controller data into a program. You can already buy — sometimes quite cheaply — midi DJ controllers. Given that there’s a USB driver that creates a ‘virtual serial port’, it’s not a stretch to move the data-to-midi process into the driver.

2. Open can’t compete with commodity, without some specific features beyond Openness. All this gives you over e.g. a M-Audio X-Session is the blinkenlights. I’m all for Open, but I’m not going to go Open for political reasons if it just makes my life more complicated.

But good on them for putting the work in. Maybe they can partner with a commodity-scale manufacturer, write a proper driver, and rule the world.

Just as an aside, as a computer musician, any time someone says ‘you just need these Max/PD objects to interface with this’ I read it as ‘I’m a big fat Max dweeb, and I can’t be arsed to do thing properly.’ That might be unfair. But really, either you’re a big fat Max/PD dweeb, or it’s nothing but an huge incomprehensible pain in the ass that gets in the way of actually making music.
2 MisterCharlie on Jul 9th, 2008 said:

I don’t really understand that MAX/PD thing or the bitchin’ about MIDI, I prefer programming dead simple hardware MIDI stuff. It’s compatible with everything or almost… an to those who complain you can’t send over big stuff with MIDI, what do you wanna send? 7bit data is FAR enough for music control applications.

if you want to control lights on this thing, use USB as a full duplex MIDI interface and use 3 Control channels to control RGB.

Design is really slick tho, reminds me I should illum the knobs on my WIP controller…
3 elaine jameson on Jul 9th, 2008 said:

Kent - the fact that it is open source means that anybody should be able to hack this thing to make it simpler, doesn’t it?

The place this sort of thing beats commodity mixers is when you want to come up something really unique. You could wire the controls into something bizarre, without having to reinvent the wheel.
4 kent on Jul 10th, 2008 said:

Elaine — “You could wire the controls into something bizarre, without having to reinvent the wheel.”

The same can be said for any bog-standard MIDI controller.

I understand and applaud these guys for doing what they did but they have not yet done what a real company does — productize. The difference between something that’s cool and works, and something that is a viable product, is a lot of refinement to make it idiot proof, testing, and documentation. That is the real expensive part of making something and in some cases it dwarfs the cost of physical manufacturing.

I’ll be watching this as it evolves, though. Maybe it will come in at the right price point, and the software will mature. The thing about open-ness, in this context, is that it would be best served by a company trying to make money out of it. The world is littered with open source stuff that never gets properly finished.
5 Tim Davila on Jul 20th, 2008 said:

VERY good device!! i like it,.. but just by OSC via PD or max MSP to get it working??

Wait for arduino controled MIDI devices…. this will be revolutionary just wait and see!!! some hacker guys together with me are on the run to make this work ASAP.
MIDI devices with at least 64 parameters to map. We can hook up to 64×8, pretty insane (imagine a MIDI SSL console!!!) .Map on your favorite sequencer software via MIDI, directly plug and play, no pain, no pages but a lot of knobs , faders and push buttons to play with. We are thinking in a version with USB connection too, so we don’t need a external power supply.

And the best of all you will have the ability to ask for a 100% personalized device with the components you want, in the case (box), and with the layout you want. just to good for producers and MIDI addicts, if everything go good in the end of this year we can release the first units to sell… all in a open source platform. this first units will NOT be personalized, will be made with good components but not the top notch ones, and will be available at good prices..
its a very new project .. but all the concepts had been prooved to work on pratice.. so its just a matter of time to make this on this low budget we have….
when we have more infos and stuff will let you know!

all the best and keep up the good work!!
long life MIDI

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