Axoloti Control

#5

Scribble strips: this will drive the cost and size up too much in my opinion. Cheap Chinese displays from ebay, that is not a reliable source for production. I've had nokia 3310 displays that came with scratches and warped circuit boards. My mind is quite set on a single 128x64 graphical display. That allows 6 lines of text, showing name+value of 4 encoders + header/footer.
Using Axoloti Control standalone without Axoloti Core is certainly considered, that requires little more extra than a usb socket and firmware.

#6

The displays wouldn't need to be populated, as they're not essential for usage. They could just be provided for and then populated by the owner.

Could you please make a video demonstrating the Control as it's implemented now, perhaps a screencast of the emulation in Patcher? I'm super curious about it.

M.

#7

But it would add a lot of constraints to the design.
Sorry no time to create a screencast of control now, and its implementation is incomplete.

#8

Hi Y'all,

I'm planning on saving up some cash and buying multiple Axolotis to build into channel strips on my DIY analog mixer. For this it would be quite nice if one Control could control multiple Cores- will that be possible when it comes out?

#9

Just received my Axoloti Core and love it! My hope was to build a standalone drum machine with display, rotary encoders, 16 step sequencer button/led but it won't be possible with the limited GPIO. I saw the page for the Axoloti Control and was wondering what stage development was at? Instead of banging my head against the wall trying to figure out how to implement these features, I will just wait for the Control to be released if that's likely to be any time soon.

#10

I think it will take a while for the Axoloti Control to be released.

If you want to build a standalone drum machine, you could use two LKM1638 boards chained together. These will give you a 16-step sequencer with LEDs + a 7-segment display for text, and they only use 4 GPIO ports, so you'll have plenty of ports available for potentiometers.

I've just started working on some objects, but it will take some time for these to be finished. Documentation for the boards can be found in this topic: https://sebiik.github.io/community.axoloti.com.backup/t/connecting-the-lkm1638-board/1242

#11

Wow, thanks for responding, that's excellent! I'll be keeping a close eye on that thread and will contribute if I can. Really glad I purchased you're book by the way. It really made the learning curve a lot smoother.

#12

I was thinking more to the tune of DIN MIDI for other synths (like the Shruthi etc.). A nice layered controller with banks of encoders and an LCD, all that open source, boy oh boy would that be nice.

#13

Well just a thought, but it would be nice if a control supports optional switching between multiple Axolotis, Some patches take that much CPU that it might nessecary to have a second or third instance to apply effects.

#14

Any updates on the progress of this project?

I’d really like to see this released (though I do think it would benefit from a nice graphical RGB oled, instead of the LCD).

a|x

#15

Just took a look at the prototype:

Looks good to me - please don't overthink it (as in delaying it much more...). I'd be happy to get what I see there :slight_smile:

#16

I've seen the two following prototypes last year and I can say it changed a lot. Basically you have all the functions as seen here but in a different arrangement and waaaay smaller, propably it will be the size of the axoloti board so that you can stack them on top of each other.

#17

Even better! Got any links to pictures?

#18

Interesting. I actually quite like the arrangement pictured above. I don’t know the exact dimensions, but it looks like it might fit very nicely in a Pactec PT-10 box, which would make a nice housing for a stand-alone Axoloti synth.

Not so much, if it was more “wide-screen”, like the Axoloti itself.

a|x

#19

last version (I’ve seen) is actually a bit bigger than Axoloti, same length but about 1.5 times the width.
It’s really a great design, you can tell Johannes has been through quite a few revisons.

That said , it may have changed again , and I’ve no idea how close it is to production.

#20

Do you mean it’s squarer that the Axoloti, like the earlier prototype pictured?

a|x

#21

its 16.5 x 8.5cm... don't know about the above prototype.
I only mention , because indeed a previous prototype was exactly the same size as the axo, so wanted to say that later prototypes are quite different.
... but its quite possible its changed again, and its for Johannes to release details once he has found the form factor he is happy with, and of course, can produce at a price he wants.

#22

I discussed about the Axoloti with some french fellow synth enthusiasts.
Many are very interested by the Axoloti but they are waiting for a kit with an enclosure and a few controls like the Shruti from Mutable Instruments used to be.

#23

It’s a very different beast to the Shruth-1, so I think they’ll be waiting a long time....

a|x

#24

I have a Mouser cart permanently ready to order: 15 pots, 5 buttons, a small project box.
That's all you need ... or even forget the pots and buttons and use almost any midi controller (but I'm keen on the analog resolution for the pots). But I keep re-designing my plans.:grin:maybe just 8 pots and then some rotary switches with resistors, or maybe some encoders too? How about some slider pots? Maybe some pressure sensors? Or a ribbon pot? :wink: then again, I could put a teensy in the box too, or a second axoloti, and redesign again.

However now that it sounds like we might hear something soon about an official controller, I'm in deeper limbo!

Whatever about the ease/fun/indecision of building your own control interface, the advantage of a Johannes designed controller with whatever proprietary tricks/GUI element he might have in mind is a very attractive proposition.

However the real bonus of the release of such an "official standard controller" is that it will propel the axoloti to greater popularity and community-learning. Organelle's standard UI has had a lot to do with driving its growth by putting a frame on the open-ended nature of PureData : its UI limitations mean users can exchange patches that can be loaded and work the same way for everyone.

Can't wait to see what Johannes has in mind.