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Pedal Board Contact Options

Building organ consoles for use with Hauptwerk, adding MIDI to existing consoles, obtaining parts, ...
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johnh

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Re: Pedal Board Contact Options

PostMon Mar 06, 2017 12:23 am

dw154515 wrote:I have two (make that 3 :shock: ) other pedalboards in the garage - 2 Allen's that have these contacts, and one old Wurlitzer - but off hand I don't know what the contacts are on the Wurlitzer. Do these things have much trouble with oxidation or dirt/grime?


There have been reports that this style of contact doesn't work well with the small voltages and currents present in 3.3 or 5 volt MIDI encoders. Some folks have used a 'contact wetting' circuit to increase the current flow to help keep the contacts clean. The MIDI Boutique encoders I use have the option to use 12 volts and I've done several this way without issues. Should problems arise it's pretty straight-forward to hit the wires with contact cleaner.

And how do these work? I'm assuming 1 or 2 wires for common and the rest are tied together?


Yes, here's a picture from my write-up on converting an Allen pedalbord:

Image

(full write-up here: Allen pedalboard MIDIfication)

---john.
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profeluisegarcia

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Re: Pedal Board Contact Options

PostMon Mar 06, 2017 9:47 am

dw154515 wrote:CONS:
- NOISY! Yeah, the clicking is quite obtrusive b


The white color microswitches I have used in my projects are completely noiseless
Regards,
Luis
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dw154515

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Re: Pedal Board Contact Options

PostMon Mar 06, 2017 4:30 pm

You have referenced them but haven't mention a brand or where you got them..... I'd be curious to see them.
Drew A. Worthen
Master of Music in Composition - Butler University
http://www.drewworthen.com
Director of Music & Website Admin - Greenwood UMC
http://www.greenwoodumc.org
Design Engineer - American Sound and Electronics - Indy
https://americansound.cc/
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thomas690

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Re: Pedal Board Contact Options

PostMon Mar 06, 2017 10:01 pm

I developed very high-end kind of digital contact based on Hall Effect IC's.
They are very easy to fit and also they are designed to provide Velocity data to the MIDI system.
The problem is more complex than could be written here, but everyone can contact me on my mail
tomasznowak690@gmail.com
I can provide all information about this solution.
T
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tomaszartur

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Re: Pedal Board Contact Options

PostSun May 21, 2017 4:40 pm

A friend of mine will midify my pedal board as soon as I get all the parts.
I'm trying to get some from Roman Sowa and also some from eBay.
Can I get those below or there are somewhere better ones?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10pcs-Mini-Mi ... SwU-pXsrPL

Perhaps I could use them also for my pulling out/pushing in drawstops?

Tom
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murph

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Re: Pedal Board Contact Options

PostSun May 21, 2017 5:42 pm

The long lever versions are easier for pedalboards:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5pcs-KW7-9-Lo ... 2288821410

The ones you mention can be used for draw-knobs, with creative woodwork.
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profeluisegarcia

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Re: Pedal Board Contact Options

PostMon May 22, 2017 12:40 am

murph wrote:The long lever versions are easier for pedalboards:
.


Why? It does not seem to be enough room to fix these long levers in the pedalboard :?:
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Organorak

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Re: Pedal Board Contact Options

PostMon May 22, 2017 12:30 pm

I use reed switches where the pedalboard is detachable and is applied close up to the reeds. It is a pain frankly as over time misalignment slowly sets in and I have to remove the pedalboard and realign everything maybe once a year.

Were I doing this again I think I would actually have both magnets and reed switches attached to the pedalboard, and run a multicore cable back to the MIDI convertor, using a multicontact plug en route so that the whole pedalboard and reed installation can be detached if necessary.
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murph

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Re: Pedal Board Contact Options

PostMon May 22, 2017 6:42 pm

profeluisegarcia wrote:
murph wrote:The long lever versions are easier for pedalboards:
.


Why? It does not seem to be enough room to fix these long levers in the pedalboard :?:



The longer levers have a lot more "spring" in them, along with about 14mm travel. When the point you want the note to sound is considerably above the 2-3mm travel that the swithches in the original web link have. This is important, (unless you like keeping your full weight on the pedals, in which case, fine..........)
If the switches are mounted pretty much 10mm under the previous pedal (when fully down), at an angle of 30-40, degrees, the lever will be just under the pusher of the next pedal and will give contact at about half depression. The long levers allow them to be bent easily to refine the switching point, hence easily regulating the "action", while allowing them to bend a bit with excessive travel (these micro-switches are specifically designed for this type of "over exertion")

The roller levers don't allow any of this.
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organtechnology

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Re: Pedal Board Contact Options

PostMon May 22, 2017 9:33 pm

I was just told today that the lever switches are supposed to go in the middle of the pedal board where the travel is less.

With all the trouble I have had with the adjustment of Microswitches™ and magnetic reed switch/magnets, I now think optical is the way to go Nick has some nice designs and printed circuit boards all ready to go too.

Later,

Thomas
Complete Hauptwerk™ systems using real wood consoles, PC Sound Engines, Dante Audio for Home or Church. info (at) organtechnology.com http://www.organtechnology.com
Authorized Hauptwerk; Milan Digital Audio and Lavender Audio reseller.
USA and Canada shipments only.
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dw154515

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Re: Pedal Board Contact Options

PostSat May 27, 2017 9:24 pm

The micro switches have been working for a couple of months now with ZERO issues. I always practice at home under headphones, so I am blissfully unaware of the clicking - even at soft dynamics.

For my home use, they will suffice. I have been away from the forums for a while, so I didn't realize this thread had picked back up again.

Thanks everyone for the feedback.
Drew A. Worthen
Master of Music in Composition - Butler University
http://www.drewworthen.com
Director of Music & Website Admin - Greenwood UMC
http://www.greenwoodumc.org
Design Engineer - American Sound and Electronics - Indy
https://americansound.cc/
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TheOrganDoc

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Re: Pedal Board Contact Options

PostSun May 28, 2017 1:35 pm

Hello Thomas,
Six years ago I designed a set of IR-Optical Switch P C Boards, and today they are still playing as perfect as the day I finished adjusting them. "I am utilizing Pairs of them on my Pedals", the first of each of them, is for Keying, and the second ones are paralleled through 32 Silicon Diodes, then connected through an NPN transistor, that triggers the Sustain Pedal of My Steinway grand Sample set !
This is very effective except when Heeling and Toeing :roll: , or Pedaling with two feet !
(That I don't do !!!!!)

Both my Keyboards are utilizing a different design of them, as I was able to find Optos, that are narrow enough to mount two of them under each of my Keys,at different
I use these for Second touch now, with hope in the future that I can use them for Touch control of my Steinway Grand Sample Set, that Has 24 levels of touch control, by Midi !
These devices are Perfection, for Keying an Organ, you can actually feel the positivity when playing the organ !
BTW, I installed hundreds of Mag.-Reeds years ago, and I did get them to perform well, after Months of experimentation. I wound up using a 90 degree twisted steel shield at the back of each key to prevent interaction !
I would never use the glass encapsulated reeds, ever again ! The plastic encapsulated ones seem to be a bit easier device to work with. :?

Some have utilized Hall effect switches, but they are only capable of switching minuscule currents, so they usually require Op-Amps (or Comparitors) to provide usable switching output, and can provide for Touch control, with dual op-amps for each key !
For simplicity and Reliability, I don't think anyone can go wrong with utilizing "IR-Op-Switches !
Mel,
RSVP, TheOrganDoc@Yah--.com, if you would like any further info. best wishes.



organtechnology wrote:I was just told today that the lever switches are supposed to go in the middle of the pedal board where the travel is less.

With all the trouble I have had with the adjustment of Microswitches™ and magnetic reed switch/magnets, I now think optical is the way to go Nick has some nice designs and printed circuit boards all ready to go too.

Later,

Thomas
Mel..............TheOrganDoc...............
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Chris Filby

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Re: Pedal Board Contact Options

PostTue Jan 23, 2018 11:36 am

murph wrote:The long lever versions are easier for pedalboards:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5pcs-KW7-9-Lo ... 2288821410

The ones you mention can be used for draw-knobs, with creative woodwork.


Hi murph,

I am looking to convert a pedalboard I have just acquired... it has no existing contacts so I am looking at reed switches or similar..

Would you recommend these micro switches? are they quiet??

How/wherewould I go about attaching these and wiring them up... and what would you recommend I use as a midi board?

Sorry for all the questions - looking forward to the project, but more-so to playing the end result!

kind regards

Chris
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IainStinson

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Re: Pedal Board Contact Options

PostTue Jan 23, 2018 12:24 pm

You might find this "harness" of some interest.
Image..

http://midiboutique.com/accessories/csh32p. It comes in different configurations.

I've had good experience of Midi Boutique encoders and decoders: their service is very good.


Iain
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jamouatt

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Re: Pedal Board Contact Options

PostTue Jan 23, 2018 2:07 pm

I use the Midi Boutique hall switching system as well with great success but with my set up I changed the magnets to a ring type from E-Magnets UK type Ring Magnets
EP338A-0050 15mm dia x 2mmA x 3mm dia c/sunk hole NORTH N42 - NiCuNi plate.

I have the Hall PCB mounted under the pedals and these magnets keep the pedals well clear of contact with the PCB.

John
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