Everyone knows the situation. You have an interesting Synthesizer, drum machine… (hardware or software), enough features but only few knobs to change these very cool functions. Many compact devices doesn’t include a knob per function but a deep menu. A good example are synths like the Waldorf Blofeld or the vintage Yamaha DX7. Even if these instruments sound very good and unique, I lose the desire to play with them because the direct access to the sound manipulation parameters is missing. This also applies to many software synthesizers. They have a massive amount of feature, you have insane sound possibilities but the haptic feedback is missing.
Bastl Instruments, the developer gang from Brno which is known for fancy and clever products have today presented a possible answer to this problem. 60 knobs is actually a normal MIDI controller with pre-mapped parameters for the excellent LXR digital drum machine from Sonic Potion but it can significantly do more. During the development, the Bastl Instruments guys thought further and have also opnend the controller for all other MIDI enabled devices. Beside this, it can also handle control protocols such as NRPN or SysEx.
An obstacle for many who read this is certainly not the price of 158€ (VAT excluded) but the fact that it is only available as a DIY kit. Nonetheless I find this release of the Bastl Instruments crew as very successful because a large MIDI controller with enough knobs has been simply missing on the music market. There are certainly alternatives from Novation, KORG and other company but they don’t offer so many knobs for such an interesting price.
If you are good in soldering and looking for a MIDI controller with enough knobs then the 60KNOBS is certainly an interesting product.
Overview
60Knobs might look like a shuttle´s control panel but in it´s core it is a midi-controller, designed specifically for the Sonic Potion’s LXR drum machine. On top of that it is capable of controlling any device with midi input and external parameter control possibility. Also it can handle some more tricky and less common control protocols such as NRPN or SysEx.
60Knobs is available only as a DIY kit, so you have to build it on your own using your very own hands and stuff. It comes with preflashed microcontroller containing the firmware with a factory preset for the LXR so you can start making dope beats right away.
Features
- 60 controller pots independently customizable through the editor;
- MIDI messages supported: CC (Control Change), NRPN (Non-Registered Parameter Number), DX7 (Yamaha sysEx DX7);
- Button for MIDI DUMP current value of each knob;
- MIDI IN and OUT DIN connector;
- 5 user customizable presets;
- Indication LED shows setting changes
- FTDI connector for firmware flashing (hacker friendly!)
More informations here: Bastl Instruments 60KNOBS
Any Idea if this will work with the non standard NRPN implementation in the Alesis Micron and Akai Miniak (the so called negative NRPNs)?
I know that you can work with any MIDI CC devices and NRPN’s but if it work with negative I don’t know. Better contact the Bastl crew to get more informations about this. Cheers Tom