Cheap Solution for DAW automation hardware (sliders)

[LunarKitten]

Hello,

I am looking for a cheap solution for hardware to do automation in my DAW.

In this video they have built a box with 5 sliders for about 15 bucks:

Click this text to see the (youtube)video.

They use it for various system functions. Has anyone built something like this and got it to work in their DAW? Are there resources how to get something like this working in a daw online?

I also have read that you can use a gaming controller in your DAW. Is that true?

[vurt]

I also have read that you can use a gaming controller in your DAW. Is that true?

yes, search for game controller to midi.
you can use other game peripherals too, if they have standard usb connectors.
such as the motion sensor, or guitar rig guitar.

have fun.

[BertKoor]

I used the joystick port on my SoundBlaster:

It facilitates two analog joysticks. Each joystick is two buttons and two potmeters.
I had a defunct 4-channel mixer which I converted to a controller. There was software which converted joystick readouts to midi messages.
I think the special 15-pin connectors plus cables costed as much as a second-hand midi controller.

This was far before USB when technology was much simpler.

[thecontrolcentre]

Behringer BCR2000 with 32 rotary controls & 20 assignable buttons, or BCF2000 with 20 assignable buttons & 8 automated faders (if you can find a good one secondhsnd)



or perhaps AKAI Professional MIDImix

[Uncle E]

In this video they have built a box with 5 sliders for about 15 bucks:

How many encoders can be plugged into that processor? Is 5 the max? Would be fun to build a rotary mixer with giant knobs like the old Universal Audio 610 console.

[LunarKitten]

I also have read that you can use a gaming controller in your DAW. Is that true?

yes, search for game controller to midi.
you can use other game peripherals too, if they have standard usb connectors.
such as the motion sensor, or guitar rig guitar.

have fun.

Great! Thank you.

I used the joystick port on my SoundBlaster:

It facilitates two analog joysticks. Each joystick is two buttons and two potmeters.
I had a defunct 4-channel mixer which I converted to a controller. There was software which converted joystick readouts to midi messages.

I hope to find software who does that for a gaming controller then. The DIY project with the sliders would be nice as well, but the intended purposes is not use for DAWs but other functions of the windows operation system. Theoretically it should be possible to use it as a daw controller.

I think the special 15-pin connectors plus cables costed as much as a second-hand midi controller.

Okay, I don't have a mixer anyway.

This was far before USB when technology was much simpler.

Oh I see.

Behringer BCR2000 with 32 rotary controls & 20 assignable buttons, or BCF2000 with 20 assignable buttons & 8 automated faders (if you can find a good one secondhsnd)

They no longer sell those.

or perhaps AKAI Professional MIDImix

It is nice, but a bit much, and the faders are a bit short. Thanks for the tip anyways, it's good to know whats available.

How many encoders can be plugged into that processor? Is 5 the max? Would be fun to build a rotary mixer with giant knobs like the old Universal Audio 610 console.

Hello Uncle E, I hope you are doing well.

I have seen examples of these kinds of units with 6 faders or potiometers. If you plan on going for it, please keep me updated.

[BertKoor]

In this video they have built a box with 5 sliders for about 15 bucks:

How many encoders can be plugged into that processor? Is 5 the max? Would be fun to build a rotary mixer with giant knobs like the old Universal Audio 610 console.

They fitted the box with an Arduino Nano, which has 8 pins for analog inputs. If you add a multiplexer of your own, the sky is the limit.
Rotary encoders send out digital signals already. I don't know how that exactly works in detail.

[sprnva]

The faders are probably too short for your needs, but have to at least mention the Korg nanokontrol.

The LaunchControl XL from Novation has bigger faders but it's also more expensive.

[whyterabbyt]

The DIY project with the sliders would be nice as well, but the intended purposes is not use for DAWs but other functions of the windows operation system. Theoretically it should be possible to use it as a daw controller.

Theoretically, yes, but you'd be better off looking at a project where the code specifically sends MIDI.

I posted fairly recently in a thread about MIDI joysticks, the links are still relevant...

viewtopic.php?p=8840578#p8840578

[Nameerf]

https://www.musiconerd.com/this-is-how- ... yours-too/

If you wanted to delve into DIY - this guy has all the info you'd need to make a controller. Has lots of youtube tutorials too.

[Uncle E]

That Minimoog controller!

[GaryG]

I built a controller based around a teensylc a few years back, had eight pots and eight buttons I think. Worked fine, sending out midi CC signals which I then mapped to whatever in my DAW.

Shortcomings were my programming; plenty of code examples out there which do the job but lack any of the refinement that a ready made controller can have. If you want to use it with Live and have device selectors or switchable banks etc but don't want to put the hours (days...) in writing the code then you may be best of saving for a Novation etc. Also the MIDI output was a little erratic, if you swept a knob too quickly then it may not reach zero before you reach the end stop (for instance). All fixable in code if you're up for it.

So, yeah, perfectly do able but needs some effort unless you're happy with bare bones performance imo.

[LunarKitten]

I was suprised to see that a controller could be built for around 15 bucks. Unfortunatly it is not designed to work with midi (as far as I understand). Unfortunatly I can't tinker with the software side of things. If there is not a solution ready made I unfortunatly won't be able to make it work.

Thanks for the infromation.