This is a demo of the Stray Technologies oneString open source ribbon controller. It’s a ribbon controller that will be available both as a DIY kit and as a completed unit.
Developer Wil Lindsay describes the oneString as an ‘electronic folk-instrument’.
Features:
- The oneString controller is an affordable, easy to construct open-source USB MIDI ribbon controller for musicians looking for a new means of expression.
- USB Powered, allowing for only one cable.
- Uses a standard MIDI signal over USB, allowing compatibility with almost all music software packages. (ANYTHING that takes keyboard input: Reason, reNoise, Energy XT, Ableton, FL Studio, Max-MSP, PureData)
- Uses free and open-source drivers to allow the most economical cross-platform (WIN, OSX, LINUX) solution.
- Uses a minimum of parts, making it cheap and allowing for simple build instruction that even a beginner builder can finish in a day.
- Body construction based on simple parts, allowing for everyone to easily make cool unique instruments without a wood-shop or plastics prototyping shop at their disposal.
- Uses Arduino firmware allowing for augmentation and support from the open-source community.
Lindsay is funding oneString as a KickStarter project. PCBs will be available starting at $20, basic DIY kits $45, full kits for $100 and complete ribbon controllers for $150. See the site for details.
I was excited until I realized it was USB Midi only. I would love to have a nice cheapish ribbon controller for my analog gear…
I have bought and built a Mini YM Synth from Wil in the past, and am totally happy with it.
The only problem I have was that he used java to program a little application that translates the midi to from the host to something the synth can understand and Apple keeps on messing up Java so I had lots of problems. Of course this is not Wil’s fault, it’s the stupid Apple policies regarding Java.
Anyway, as far as I get it this one should be able to run without a “translating” application in the middle, so I’m really looking forward to this one!
The Midi 5-pin hardware adds more cost, and may be a later add-on here. For now, I went with the most affordable design possible. If you really want 5-pin MIDI check out the awesome “Coagula” ribbon controller project. Much more expensive, but really nice open-source work.
papernoise:
Check out “Hairless MIDI” another great open source project by Angus Gratton that can replace KIT_MIDI on OSX.
And, it’s not JAVA! I’ve tested it with the YM and LOVE it.