Circuitbenders Forum

Circuitbenders Forum => Drum machines => Circuitbending discussion => circuitbenders.co.uk CB55 - DIY Boss DR55. => Topic started by: Dr808 on April 11, 2018, 09:07:13 PM

Title: Best MIDI to Trigger interface for CB55?
Post by: Dr808 on April 11, 2018, 09:07:13 PM
Guys, this is my first post, I signed up looking for some help triggering the CB55 sounds.
I was hoping to find a simple interface I could build, but it seems there aren't many about.

Does anyone have any suggestions for an interface that doesn't require me to learn how to program? I have a lot of analogue electronics experience, but I have zero experience with programming. 

Any suggestions?
Title: Re: Best MIDI to Trigger interface for CB55?
Post by: zorius on July 20, 2018, 09:41:33 PM
Hi,
I haven't tried yet, but I've found this: http://dspsynth.eu/files/uMIDI2CVplus%20manual%20v1.0.pdf
It can trigger 4 drum sounds.
I think this one is the best, and cheapest and easiest.
But first, I must be sure, if I can buy all the parts for the cb-55.
The 2sc945 is tricky, someone said 2n 3904 is good, but must replace the position of legs 2-3.
And yet I also find a few more parts hard to get, like the dsg/jfet, inductor and a few film capacitor (at first I don't want to buy from other countries...)
Title: Re: Best MIDI to Trigger interface for CB55?
Post by: Jaytee on September 28, 2018, 04:43:45 PM
The arduino-based midi to trigger interface I did (just a few posts down in this forum) was created with absolute beginners in mind. No programming experience necessary, all the code is written already. You do need a computer that can run the arduino IDE, but this is barely more difficult than starting up Word or Excel.

MIDI is a digital language, so you’re not gonna get around using digital parts. You can buy a premade MIDI-to-trigger device, or you may find some kind of DIY project that uses preprogrammed chips, but honestly, those are overkill in this situation. MIDI-to-trigger is seriously just about the simplest code imaginable, and paying someone to “write” that code and install it on a chip feels ridiculous to me. Trust me, you are capable of this. Let me know if you have issues.
Title: Re: Best MIDI to Trigger interface for CB55?
Post by: zorius on October 29, 2018, 05:01:42 PM
I found an even better method: the Midimuso CV-12!
Has 6 gates, and costs less than £20.00.
Haven't tried it yet, but seems ok.
Title: Re: Best MIDI to Trigger interface for CB55?
Post by: kragg on February 21, 2019, 02:17:07 PM
I found an even better method: the Midimuso CV-12!
Has 6 gates, and costs less than £20.00.
Haven't tried it yet, but seems ok.
Did anyone tried it in the end ?
Title: Re: Best MIDI to Trigger interface for CB55?
Post by: zorius on February 26, 2019, 07:32:57 AM
Yepp, I did 8)

Bought just the pcb + ics, nothing else special there in components.
You know what? Even I was surprised. It has lots of outputs, and for first read, a very difficult manual.
But. I built it, plugged them together, set the channel, played the given notes in ableton, and all of them worked perfectly, immediately! Awesome solution! And no programming, no anything at all , everything is plug and play. And I think, you can use it to control more synths at the same time, on different channels.
Absolutely advised!
Title: Re: Best MIDI to Trigger interface for CB55?
Post by: kragg on February 26, 2019, 09:01:27 AM
Thank you for your answer, it's good to know : i ended up buying it, too ;)