anyone ever build a Midi MALLET CONTROLLER?

i would really like a good mallet controller (midi) to play mallet samples

the usual suspects MalletKat /xylosynth must be the Sh!t but obviously cost a fortune.

do anyone if building such a device DIY is possible or in fact possible or a non-DIY-expert?

or would the whole thing be very very complicate and in the end not cheaper than the official models anyway?

There was a good thread not too long ago about building drum triggers and how one of us diyers built them on the cheap.  I would imagine you could apply the same techniques to build what you need or hit ebay and find a mallet kat. I have seen them on there before going for  reasonable prices.

;D what a bad sentence:

"do anyone if building such a device DIY is possible or in fact possible or a non-DIY-expert?"


i will search for that thread.. but at first try i didnt anything

but i imagine using those piezo? rather cheap drum triggers in combination with a simple midi-trigger device wich is capable of realistic velocity pressure, combined with real wodden mallet blocks shouldnt be too complicate... at least not the electronic part

i think there is some importance to proper isolate the blocks/triggers to prevent crosstalk...

but i think this should be possible or not too much $ !?

for how much did you see the malletkats?

i am in europe btw

bump      i really wanna do this


could someone hook me up with what parts i will need etc?

i am germany if it matters... i think all this midi piezo trgger stuff is quite cheap no?

anyone?


i plan to go in the xylosynth direction:
http://www.wernick.net/

with wooden blocks etc

-where to get all the parts the cheapest way? the midi-brain,piezo`s etc and is there a shematic, or do i need one?

I think the malletkat uses a resitive membrane rather than a piezo pickup, which they claim makes it more responsive & less prone to crosstalk.

I built some keys for my simmons midi trigger interface, but since the simmons only had 8 inputs I had to program the key in software.  They keys were made from mdf with a piezo pickup glued on the back, connected directly to the trigger interface.  It worked quite well, although omly having 8 notes !!

I have developed a couple pieces of hardware which I have applied for patents on.

One utilizing piezo technology in a pseudo trigger/instrument..... kind of like electrifying the guitar....
I'll keep it under wraps for now, as it looks like I will very soon have major distribution!

Piezos are cheap.

I bought something like 30 of them for $10 on ebay... without leads.

You need to have very good solder in order for your leads to stay put.
And you also have to be careful not to get too hot when soldering.
And the surface needs to be prepped very well.
I also saw that there is a special surface prep/flux available for this application that works much better than standard flux.
(I'll be using that in the production models)

So, go over to ebay and buy some piezo's,
bust out the iron and some wire,
get some 1/4' TS jacks for single zone, and TRS for dual zone,
And get to it!

You'll need a brain module.... so I'd recommend a roland or alesis.
You can get DM5's pretty cheap now and they are decent.

The velocity can be adjusted via the brain.

You can also change the characteristics of the piezo/trigger itself depending on how you mount/encase it.

i.e., double sided foam tape - how many layers- where it's positioned under the trigger surface (Mallets), distance between zones in dual config, etc....

I've also experimented with different coatings, like epoxy, plasticote, rubber dipping, vinyl, etc

All of these things will dramatically effect the characteristic of the trigger

interesting.. PM´d you

well but i feel the usual drum trigger modules have far to little inputs.. usually 12 at max.... i have more pads with my mpc wich i could use ...but thats something different than playing with mallets of course

Well, you could try to find something with more ins.... not sure if there is anything.

Or you could use two brains, one on each MIDI IN of your MPC (Per your PM)
Then, using each in on each brain as dual zone, using one zone per mallet, you could essentially have 48
Or use one brain, and one zone per mallet, for 24..........

Assuming you can assign particular samples/notes per zone as upposed to strictly per channel....?

Not sure if they're set up that way.....

i see

interesting point

using both midi`s of the mpc would be a hassle as i have it synced with logic and would be forced to constantly reconnect stuff..

the Audiofire12 midi is sadly unusable! so i have the mpc connected to my controller keyboard and that one via usb to the mac.



iam not sure if i understnad your points completly

MANUAL re-assigning should be possible i assume, but i am not sure if that would be a one-time set up or must be done for each new sample instrument, wich would be pita..


so you say with one 12ch. brain connected to ONE MPC midi IN/OUT i could run 24 mallet piezo`s ?

Yes IF:

If each of the 12 are dual zone, and you can assign each zone it's own sampl/note/pitch/whatever it may be, if the zones trigger independantly.

You'd have to try