Finally Starting My Console

I have finally had time while on a short vacation, to start tackling the console to go with the CODM I'm working on.

My goal is to have a five manual instrument, with a complete set of controls. I am either going to go the cheap route and use lighted pushbuttons...or splurge and use Syndyne SAMs for the stops. I am saving up currently for 5 swell shoes, as well; four for expression and one for crescendo.

For pistons, I am using 16mm lighted momentary pushbuttons. I plan to have six divisionals and six generals per manual, however the top manual (pictured) has only generals as it is primarily for percussion or trumpet en chamade use, didn't make a lot of sense to have divisional pistons there. The green one in the picture is a placeholder...eventually it will be the cancel piston, on the Choir manual.

The wood is red oak, though I need to put end caps or veneer on the end of the key cheeks. Aside from cutting the pieces to length, I am doing the dados and rabbits by hand, chiseling the wood.



If people are interested, I will continue to post here as I progress. It'll be slow...and my speed is limited by my budget.

Yes, please share us the progress with your project. By the way, what kind of keyboards are you using? How is the MIDI connection?
Thanks,
Luis

The keyboards are the beds out of M-Audio Keystation 61es units. I am not using the M-Audio MIDI circuitry, but am substituting in an MRG1 unit from midi-hardware.com - though I see they no longer offer those. I may wind up having to supplement with another MIDI controller in order to get all the stop controls, since 5 keyboards, plus pedal, plus stops and pistons adds up to 500+ switches to be converted to MIDI.

At some point, I'll be getting an output module (or two) in order to handle outputs for the lights...and if I do use SAMs, current boosters to handle the magnets.

So what style is it going to be, classical or theatre?

~Scott

Adam,

Nice start!! You got me beat as my startup didn't include thumb-pistons as I started of a Studio 610 midi controller IN the case (still is; along with the 3 others as I have yet to strip them down for keycheels). Thanks for posting - always good to share ideas with others... please keep posting pix of your project!!

Thanks,
Mark

I am not using the M-Audio MIDI circuitry, but am substituting in an MRG1 unit from midi-hardware.com -

Hello. Please, why didn´t you use the original -and ready to use- MIDI circuitry of M-Áudio keyboard?

So what style is it going to be, classical or theatre?

~Scott

The console itself will be classical, especially since I feel like it's easier to construct. On the CODM I am including some percussion from the Paramount 310 on the fifth manual (Glockenspiel, Chrysoglott, and Harp). This division also includes a Rossignol and Zimbelstern from some European classical organs.

I am not above putting a 'Theatre' division into the CODM, intended to be played on its own...hrm...of course, without second touch it wouldn't be perfect, but you never know.

Hello. Please, why didn´t you use the original -and ready to use- MIDI circuitry of M-Áudio keyboard?

I don't say mine is the best way, but this is my reasoning:
I'm want to standardize on a single MIDI input (albeit on multiple MIDI channels); in doing this I feel like I can centralize the key inputs, expression, pedal input, and stop controls through the same controller. Admittedly, if that controller fails the entire instrument will be out of service, but at the same time I have the ability to replace one card that will be centrally located and accessible.

I have also read, though not tested, that the M-Audio circuitry does not work 100% properly when its potentiometers are removed - I could leave them loose, but I don't want to leave components which I won't use hooked up, and while I can use them as expression controlls

Doing it this way will also take me from 6 (5 keyboards individually, pedals and stops) USB inputs down to 1, 2 at the most.

Hopefully that explains my thought process. The elegance of a single control system appeals to me, I guess.

Adam,

Nice start!! You got me beat as my startup didn't include thumb-pistons as I started of a Studio 610 midi controller IN the case (still is; along with the 3 others as I have yet to strip them down for keycheels). Thanks for posting - always good to share ideas with others... please keep posting pix of your project!!

Thanks,
Mark

Thanks Mark! To my mind the thumb pistons will be very useful as I will have the keyboards and pistons working long before I get all the stops in place, so I can have some fun using the presets. I hope to order another Keystation soon and start breaking it down...though I need to break out the soldering iron for the wiring too.

An alternative to the big plastic lighted tabs, but not as expensive as SAMs, are these wood tabs with LED indicators.

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=13283

I think they look really good.

Good luck with your project.
Mike

Oh, those are beautiful - and the price is very reasonable. Definitely going to keep those in mind as I go forward. Thanks for the tip Mike!

Why have you selected that keyboard?

Price, primarily. I can get the M-Audio Keystation 61es for about $50 + shipping regularly and easily. Inside, is, I believe, a Fatar semi-weighted keybed. The waterfall style is not desirable for the console, but my Dremel and some sandpaper makes short work of that.

Since I need five of these, the price just works for me. I can do without tracker-action feel; while I have played a well-maintained tracker organ, the semi-weighted feel will suit me fine for anything I want to do.

More progress has been made on this project! It's taken awhile, but I've been working on it, and things are continuing to move along.

I started out purchasing a second Keystation 61es and dry-fitting the keycheeks and framing for a 2-manual stack. Then I opted to set up the framing for the third manual as well.

Got the two manuals all fitted together pretty well:

I decided that the piston rails needed felt on the bottom for that professional look, so I finished them first using Formby's Tung Oil Finish. I'm pretty pleased with how that turned out. Still have to drill out the bottom-most piston rail. That one will have 14 piston holes (probably not many for those who have large organs at their disposal, but I consider it substantial). There will be 56 pistons total, 6 divisionals per manual, 6 generals per manual. Fifth manual has only generals, and there will be a stop and cancel on the choir piston rail.

With the felt applied, I tested it all out together, for the fifth manual only. Need to buy more felt! I like the gentle glow of the reflection of the keys. I did find that the keys tend to hit the top of the rail...so I felted that as well. It strikes the rail right at the end of key travel, so with felt it feels more natural and doesn't interfere with closing the circuit to produce the sound.


Then, I discovered an oversight on my part. The Keystation 61es keybed has all of the key matrix diodes backwards from what my own MIDI controller is looking for.

So...I opted rather than reprogramming the controller, which would have meant buying a programming keypad, to reverse all the diodes. On the bright side, since the keybed has two diodes per key - there are two switch contacts per key, one of which activates slightly earlier during a keypress -I needed to reverse only the diode I choose to use. So, I have a lot of spare diodes. Here's a picture of this in progress:



Finished this swap on the fifth manual. Since the controller is looking for an 8x8 matrix of 64 keys, I have wired in three additional 'keys' to handle three general pistons. These go to the lighted pushbuttons shown in the top picture. White for pistons, green for cancel, and yellow (latching) for 'set'. All generals will be wired to the same controller inputs. So, the fifth and fourth manuals extra 'keys' will handle all general pistons. Saves me some inputs!

Putting it all together this afternoon, I have three working generals and one working manual! It's a start...and I have another manual to start reversing diodes. Also need some more shrink tubing...

Thanks for reading!

Wow that looks like a lot of work. Why did you not use the encoders on the ES61s?

Thomas

I would have, had I known when I started what I know now! I liked the idea of using a central MIDI controller for all stops, couplers, and keys. If I had realized the modifications needed to the keybed, I would have retained the M-Audio circuitry. I might still for the remaining three keybeds I have yet to purchase, assuming they all play nice with what I have built so far.

Lesson learned - never throw anything away until you're sure you won't need it!

Hello Adam: perhaps you might get some ideas from these past topics on (1) ES61 potentiometer and (2) giving a touch of elegance, given your talent to disassemble keyboards (and to assemble, hopefully )

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=12869

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=12476

Luis