• Important Note

    The 60 Works site is up for reference, but is not actively being maintained.

  • The EQ Kit

    25th January 2012

    This page complements the following video:

     

    Click here to download a parts list and instruction guide (800KB pdf).

     

    30 Comments

    January 26, 2012 7:46 pm

    Hale Micro Build Video | 60 Works

    [...] The build video went through a number of iterations, and eventually morphed into what you see here. Instead of simply presenting a build, I went for a more instructional style, with a complementary website here. [...]

    January 27, 2012 9:55 am

    Bouw zelf je midi-controller. – homerecording.be forum

    [...] je midi-controller. Via Musicradar.com: 60 Works Build Video: Parametric Equalizer – YouTube The EQ Kit | 60 Works __________________ Stop the loudness war: http://www.dynamicrange.de/. |ASUS P5K Intel Q6600 [...]

    January 28, 2012 2:10 pm

    60 Works video shows how to build a custom controller

    [...] also created a complimentary web page with a written guide and other resources for building custom [...]

    January 30, 2012 4:27 am

    Tushae Thomas (@https://twitter.com/#!/TheRealTushae)

    What I would love to see next is a flying fader MIDI controller.

    January 30 2012 06:26 am

    Dave Cross

    That's also been on my mind! It's a big project though, because you need to create a feedback system to ensure the faders both send and receive data from your MIDI software. No promises for a DIY solution anytime soon, but it's definitely something I'm moving towards.

    January 30, 2012 5:38 am

    MIDI Controller selber bauen – Video Tutorial für Einsteiger.

    [...] Links: 60 Works – The EQ Kit [...]

    April 11, 2012 9:53 am

    Matt Buzzbie

    I love this idea! Just what I’ve been looking for. Wondering though, when you recall an EQ plugin that you already set a parameter for (say a high shelf at +4 at 10khz) will the knobs know where those setting are when you return to this plugin? Or do you just have to turn the knob to get it to catch again and enter a new setting? Would an infinite variable pot be better for this or would you need the “feedback system” that you mention in the previous comment for this to work?

    Thanks!

    I’m am going to build one of these.

    April 11 2012 10:01 am

    Dave Cross

    Some DAWs and DJ Programs have a feature called "soft takeover," where it waits for the knob to arrive at the same parameter in software.

    This prevents the software from jumping the moment you move the knob, which is necessary, but ugly in performance (or ear-splitting in the studio).

    If your DAW supports it, an infinite pot (tech name: rotary encoder) set to communicate in a "relative" fashion would mitigate this. If you wanted some kind of fancy ring of LEDs, you'd need that bi-directional business.

    Compared to traditional knobs and sliders, rotary encoders have very little support in the DIY/OEM MIDI electronics world. The article I mention above references a few manufacturers.

    April 12, 2012 9:49 am

    Matt Buzzbie

    Thanks so much!

    June 3, 2012 1:40 pm

    Anonymous

    [...] [...]

    July 28, 2012 12:46 am

    Derek

    How much did it cost to build this?

    July 28 2012 10:54 am

    Dave Cross

    Not including tools, you're looking at about $300-$350 worth of parts.

    August 19, 2012 10:56 pm

    60 Works Build Video uses UMC32 to create a Parametric Equalizer | Hale Microsystems llc

    [...] Read more about Dave Cross’ build video in his blog located at http://blog.60works.com/eqkit [...]

    October 20, 2012 3:43 am

    Rob (@http://www.twitter.com/boyatheart)

    HI, this looks really cool. Would it be possible to do this for a foot controller consisting of footswitches instead of pots and to control CC messages?

    Also would this particular device work well with HUI (for use with Protools)?

    Thanks.

    October 20, 2012 10:55 am

    Dave Cross (@60works)

    Hi Rob, yes foot switches are achievable as well.

    Using one “pull-down” resistor, you could have the foot switch toggle from sending a cc value of 0 and 127.

    Using a series of resistors, you could have some fancy circuit to have foot switches send specific cc values _between_ 0 and 127. (Using a software MIDI translation layer like Max or Bome’s MIDI Translator, you could achieve much of this without resistors.)

    Speaking of software translation, that’s pretty much required to achieve HUI protocol compatibility. That would be quite a large project, though.

    Mammothelectronics.com carries a number of components specifically for DIY stompboxes, including foot switches.

    December 16, 2012 5:03 am

    Henry WESTHEAD

    Hi David,

    Your video got me very excited because I really wanted to build my own midi pedal board to be able to activate ableton live tracks with my feet. My only problem is I can’t find any online stores which sells either the umc32 or umc32+ anywhere. It often says that the product is retired…
    Would you happen to know a place where I could order it from? I’m in Europe btw… :/

    Once again thank you for your easy to understand video.

    Henry

    December 16 2012 22:33 pm

    Dave Cross

    Hi Henry,

    You should be able to buy it directly from the creator here:

    http://www.halemicro.com/wp/products/

    I'm pretty sure he offers international shipping terms.

    Best of luck, please let me know if that doesn't work.

    -Dave

    February 13, 2013 11:48 pm

    Austin (@Twitter ID)

    Beginning a DIY Midi controller project and came across your video tutorial. Very well put together and wanted to read the full thing, and think I have a clear idea of how to assemble what I want. I just wanted to thank you for the site and I will email pics in if I complete a controller.

    - Austin

    February 14 2013 20:20 pm

    Dave Cross

    Hi Austin, best of luck with your project! I'm very happy to have been of assistance.

    February 17, 2013 5:19 pm

    Arturo Vieyra

    Hello David, thanks for the tutorial it was very useful for me, I am building a controller for my guitar so I can loop while I’m playing, It’s like a “foot pedal midi controller” I’m stuck, i have the brain and it works fine, but the reason i can’t go further is because i don’t know how the scenes work, like in any midi controller. The whole concept of my controller is to have scenes like five or six. ¿Can you help me with these? It would meaning a lot for me, and I am so excited to finish it and play my music with it.

    Thank you very much for passing the knowledge!

    Greetings from México :)

    February 24 2013 07:48 am

    Dave Cross

    Hi Arturo - I think what you're asking for is "banks" so the controller can send different messages. The easiest way to do this would be to program a "sub-layer" of MIDI control with a program like Bome's MIDI Translator: http://www.bome.com/products/miditranslator

    This software would have to run on your laptop the entire time.

    There are other ways to accomplish this, but I believe something like Bomes would be the easiest.

    June 20, 2013 8:30 am

    Yannis Zografakis

    Hallo David!!Hey this a very good tutorial it helps me allot!!!!Can you help me with these please? I am try to build a controller for the Minimoog softwear(mini v from Arturia and Monark from N.I)
    Can i connect the keyboard with the pitch wheel and modulation wheel and the octave up and down buttons also to the UMC32+M???if no how is passibol to make??
    Best thanks

    Yannis

    June 27 2013 20:34 pm

    Dave Cross

    The UMC doesn't have a MIDI IN or MIDI THRU built in. It's best role is to control knobs, buttons and sliders on a VST.

    If you want to control pitch, modulation and keys, you can hook up a standard keyboard MIDI controller to the same computer, and assign them both to manipulate the same VST. That'd be the best way to combine custom controls with industry standard keys.

    August 6, 2013 9:38 am

    Los controladores DJ MIDI para este 2013

    [...] clubs.Haztelo tu mismo¡Que mejor que hacerte tu propio controlador! Sí, se puede hacer. En el blog de 60works encontrarás las instrucciones para hacerte un controlador tu mismo. Una pasada si eres un manitas, [...]

    August 6, 2013 9:53 am

    Ser DJ con un Mac: los controladores de 2013 | DaleGas

    [...] mejor que hacerte tu propio controlador! Sí, se puede hacer. En el blog de 60works encontrarás las instrucciones para hacerte un controlador tu mismo. Una pasada si eres un manitas, [...]

    September 17, 2013 8:30 am

    I Made A MIDI Controller. It’s Called The Boomawang | Hoketronics – Mike Hochanadel

    [...] just how I made my very first MIDI Controller.  It was way back in early 2012 that I found this tasty article from 60works about building your own MIDI Controller.  I took that instruction set and flexed my creative juices [...]

    October 21, 2013 9:12 am

    Chris (@Twitter ID)

    Great video. I am getting ready to build a midi foot controller for my guitar rig, but I am running into a bit of an issue. Maybe you can help. I want my controller to have 18 program change buttons (to switch between presets), 1 bank up, 1 bank down. Here’s where it gets tricky as hell. I want it to have a built in tuner and integrate a 5″ (or so) TFT display that I can edit to reflect things like Channel, preset name, etc, AND integrate into the chromatic tuner.

    October 22 2013 13:12 pm

    Dave Cross

    Hi Chris, this would be a massive undertaking. You'd basically need to build an operating system for the display. This would take months and months of programming, not including any time/effort building the foot controller itself.

    Unless you really need a custom design, I'd suggest an alternative off-the-shelf solution.

    December 15, 2013 3:31 am

    Troels

    Hi. Where did you get the knobs for the pots? I have some of these already but they were bought back in the 70s (not by me) and i would love to find some more.
    Thanks!

    January 11 2014 09:12 am

    Dave Cross

    I bought them directly from Hale Micro dot com.

    It appears they're out of stock, but stores like Mammoth Electronics dot com may have what you need.

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