You are looking at the first prototype of a Transfader.
Well… technically this is the second prototype. The first one caught fire while I was using it and burnt my fingers.
Anyway… this device is basically an Arduino, with custom firmware that makes the computer think it’s a Human Interface Device. (Thanks to the Dimitri for developing the HIDuino firmware, as well as helping me iron out some bugs!)
Plugged into the Arduino are…
- An LED controller
- 8 LEDs
- A simple push-button switch
- A 50mm touchstrip
The LEDs visualise MIDI input from the software running on my computer (Native Instrument’s Traktor), the touchstrip sends data, just like a regular knob or fader, and the switch lets me, uh… switch stuff. With a little programming magic, I managed to get the protype flashing it’s LEDs one-by-one, in time to Deck A’s BPM. The touchstrip also controls the filter on Deck A. Not a bad start…
A little more programming and I can now use the switch to sync the LEDs to the track’s bars, and flip the functionality of the touch strip so that it crossfades the bass-lines of Deck A & B. I call this… The Bassfader.
I’ll post the breadboard schematic and code for this prototype in a few days, along with a video of it in action so you can see (and hear) it working for yourselves. In the mean time, let me know if you have any ideas for functionality you’d like me to investigate…
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