Diy Hardware X0X-Style Step Sequencer

Renoise Tool Development
1

Hello people

I have discussed this idea before in one of the forums here, and after looking more into it I have decided to make reality of it.

So I’m about to build a retro-designed hardware x0x-style step sequencer for renoise (and other DAW that can/will support it, but renoise is what i use and I dont know of the other DAW:s integration support). Working name is Step brother.

It will have a nice late-70:s look, I think the 808 will be closest. I have digged around for the right kinda buttons (the 808 ones) and found them.

It will have 16 808-like steps (times 4 = 64) and a 303-like keyboard, and the idea is to use it both for step sequencing drums and synths.

I have chosen to make it less rather than more, meaning you won’t be able to contol everything in renoise, like volume and other commands. Instead you use it as a complement as a part of composing or for playing live.

I guess in the very beginning I thought of making a stand-alone sequencer, but that would be stupid when you have a great DAW in the computer, and all I want is a cooler interface.

The hardware will be an Arduino, with a Centipede shield for controlling all the buttons/leds and the spikenzielabs serial-MIDI converter, maybe just lab cards + disances + glue for mounting buttons. Right now I’m thinking about a case with wooden sides, and I will try to print+glue the front panel layout.

So far so good. Then there is the renoise part of it. I need to know how to make that integration. Is it possible with just duplex?

A simple example:

When I select a track in renoise I want it to be reflected in the HW-sequencer, so for example the buttonled for each step that has a note value is lit. Is this possible? What kind of message would this be from renoise? CC?

When I press a step on the HW-sequencer that is lit, the renoise step is cleared and the led is turned off.

And of course it gets more and more complex, maybe I want to select tracks and instruments from the HW-sequencer, drum editing differs a lot from synth editing, and so on, but I think I got it worked out in my head.

Thanks for helping out a noob!

Regards
Fredrik

2

Have you seen Cie’s Lua step sequencer? It recently acquired very capable MIDI mapping. Click here for more info.

Maybe it’s a good partner for your hardware project?

3

Yeah, I saw it before!

Yes, of course contribution and collaboration is welcome, if more people are interested in building a similar device we can help each other out, and if someone wants to help out with the renoise/duplex/LUA part that’s great.

I will post scetches of my interface design and functionality ideas when they are more clear. Maybe put up a site/blog (suggestions on how and where are appreciated)

4

Hi Frederik, would love to see that Hardware come true :) Do you want to build it for yourself only or also for other interested people?

Regarding my StepSequencer Lauflicht, the second case (pressing button on Hardware to set/erase note in Renoise) is already implemented. This is done via Midi CC messages of type ‘switch’, though simple values from 0-127 are also working (values <=64 means then off, >64 on) which you can determine in the RenoiseMidiMapping dialog.
I am currently working on the first case, the reflection of the notes of each track in the Hardware. I think it is the other way round then, sending a MidiCC which reflects the current state of the step (note set/not set) from Renoise to the hardware. Currently I can not test it properly because I do not have hardware with LEDs. Maybe I can afford the launchpad soon. Btw Ableton has released a “Midi how-to for programmers” for the launchpad, maybe it is helpful for you in some way: report download
Above answers are only affecting the Lauflicht Sequencer, regarding Duplex maybe danoise can help you with further info.

5

Yes, Duplex also has a XOX-style step sequencer, and basically it’s the same approach: toggle notes on and off, flip through lines and tracks. Originally made by Daxton as a launchpad step sequencer, it now supports any type of controller with enough buttons, so you could build a virtual control surface in Duplex and use it to prototype the hardware.

But how are you planning on using the keyboard? For entering notes using “edit-step”, realtime recording or something else?
I’m asking because this Duplex step sequencer has a feature where you hold button(s) to adjust note pitch and volume. Since a keyboard is capable of both, I’ve considered adding keyboard as an additional input method - and this would seem to work very well with a device like yours: press a key to set the base-note/volume, press a key while holding some buttons to adjust their values. And while we’re at it, why should key pressure/velocity always control volume? Volume is not always useful, so the ability to remap to some other parameter like sample offset seems like a useful thing.

6

Hey guys

Cool, lots of ideas and opportunities! Hope we can collaborate.

My main plan is to build one for myself, but also to make it accessible as a DIY project, with parts list, code and instructions. Maybe if there is interest, some parts could be manufactured and sold to DIY:ers.

I have ideas for how to use the steps and notes in conjuction, I will get back and explain everything when I have the time, but in short; synth notes have to be monophonic and drums polyphonic (columns in the track). In drum mode, you first select a drum (note on the keyboard C = bassdrum etc) to see at what positions it is, but the synth is the other way, you press the step to see what note is there.

Later!
F

7

any news on your project?

8

Yo!

Been busy with real-life-stuff. Good that you poke me once in a while.

I got most parts figured out. I have come to realise I need to start a blog for this. Started looking for a nice minimalistic neutral but nice wp theme, but found nothing I liked. Any suggestions appreciated. Can I use some project hosting place? Or maybe something timpler, live Tumblr?

9

looking forward to reading your blog!

10

Just to give an update which might interest you as well. In the meantime I have bought a Launchpad and the reflection of steps to the hardware is solved. A lit LED on the Launchpad reflects a set note in the step-sequencer plugin (=note in track), and each row of the Launchpad reflects one track. When you hit a button on the Launchpad the note is changed, and if you change a note in Renoise, the button-led is changed. So the two questions above can be answered with yes. ;) The message format for turning on/off LEDs is normal midi message, please see the above manual for details.

11

Great to hear, i’ve made some progress as well. Started buying components and a blog is coming up!

12

Yo!

Check this out: Introducing Step Brother

:slight_smile: