Specialwaves has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund production of their Mine modular MIDI controller – a system that lets you design and configure custom music controllers.
Mine is a modular MIDI controller, consisting of a case and a collection of control modules, including: pad, 2 buttons, pot, encoder, fader and blank.
Each module is made with a body of polymeric material that protects and covers the electronic components. The module is connected to the motherboard through small connectors under the module. These connectors enable the transfer of information between the individual interface modules and the motherboard of Mine.
Each module can be placed both in horizontal and vertical positions allowing for more flexibility of its use. For example, a fader can be placed in a vertical position in order to adjust volume of a channel or in a horizontal position and used as the cross-fader.
When inserting the modules, these are automatically blocked thanks to the two clips on the chassis, which are inserted into the slots on the motherboard. The modules become stable once inserted within the case and to remove them two special extractors have to be used to extract the clip.
Two designs are available: Mine and Mine S.
- Mine consists of a matrix of 8 rows × 8 columns, that allows the insertion of a maximum of 64 modules;
- Mine S is a matrix of 8 rows × 4 columns and it can accommodate up to 32 modules.
Pricing and Availability
The Mine S is available to project backers starting at €215 (about $231), while the larger Mine controller is available to backers for €420 (about $452).
Good idea. It would be nice if they added a joystick module, or a traditional pitch bend wheel.
They do mention in their future controllers section plans for a touch strip, a motorized fader, so I imagine a spring loaded pitch lever would be doable– but you’d be relying on them to deliver that– and with no guarantee.
The premise of this product is that it is better to spend on a product that has the number and type and layout of controls you need, rather than buying one that is fixed. There is something to be said for that. And the ability to position sliders horizontally or vertically is clever, too.
But even this controller misses what I would like to see which is a MIDI control surface with maybe 4 foot controller inputs and 4 foot switch inputs. I think this box could handle the external switch thing, but it isn’t clear if it could read a general expression pedal with some yet-to-be-developed module.
That would be a handy (footy?) addition. Essentially a CV+Gate to MIDI module.
but no midi ports…
does it support 14 bit (high resolution) midi?
I had dreamed of something like this for a long long time. But with so many different MIDI controllers on the market these days, plus iPad apps that let you design any surface you can imagine, it’s hard to be excited about this. The prices are pretty incredible for what they’re offering.
I immediately looked if I could build a 64 encoder system. Does not look like it is a standard package. Then I costed what it would cost me to make it, and it looks like over $1000 by my estimate. Nice, but that is out of reach for my budget.
no midi port, no sale.
i can’t believe they left that out.
Interesting idea. But I think the way the modules clip into the board is a design flaw. Those little plastic clips eventually break. Maybe you need to investigate magnetic pieces instead. Only then would I consider buying this.