Tutorials on using Livid instruments new builder DIY midi controller products. The tutorials show you how to start connecting boards together and to the main brain board.
Livid instruments DIY modular builder boards
At the start of March Livid instruments, creator of the livid block and ohm 64 controllers, released their new line of modular DIY build your own midi controller kits. The idea is to allow the user to create thier own custom midi controller using high quality parts and without the need to press your own PCB boards or have a high technical skill. The boards were designed to be user friendly and easy to build.
Livid instruments builder brain board
The builder series of boards revolves around a central “brain” board with separate fader, knob, buttons, breakout and talkback LED boards.
On paper the brain loops quite flexible and open extensive expansion. The spec of the main brain board is as follows…
• USB Powered
• Class-compliant no drivers needed
• MIDI in and out jacks
• 16 direct wire digital button contacts (support up to 64 contacts with a diode matrix, and 179 with a diode matrix and support chips)
• 64 direct wire analog inputs
• 14 direct wire LED’s (support for 48 LED’s with a matrix)
• Programmable MIDI settings with a software editor via USB
• Dimensions 3.5″ x 4.5″
• OEM and quantity discounts available
Livid Push board
These push boards are for touch buttons similar to the ones on the OHM64, livid block, apc40 or launchpad. They also double up as an LED board, standalone or with buttons.
4×4 button board small
Dimensions: 3.25″(w) X 3.25″(w)
$12
4×4 button board medium
Dimensions: 4″(w) X 4″(w)
$12
Turn board
The turn board is for pentometers or knobs for most people. They support .1″ pin spacing thru hole pentometers meaning they will work with most 9mm pentometers. Availible in 4×4 or single pot boards.
4×4 turn board
Dimensions: 4″(w) X 4″(h)
$12
Slide board
The slide boards are for adding faders. They support most 60 mm faders and are availible in 1×4 boards. Livids own high quality faders will work with these boards.
1×4 slide board
Dimensions: 4″(w) X 4″(h)
$12
Breakout board
The breakout board is for connecting all the individual boards together and to the main brain board. Livid has included the abilty to add screw terminals so you can quickly remove and add connections.
Break out board
Dimensions: 6.5″(w) X 3.5″(h)
$12
Livid have supplied quite a lot of support for the boards, so people who are new to the DIY thing can learn as they go along. Theres video tutorials, a wiki and schemetics.
Check it all out here at livids site
Livid Block NE front
Livid block NE top
Livid creators of the Block & Ohm64 controllers have teamed up with Nova musik to create a cool new block paint job. The new block has an all black enclosure with black anodized aluminum faceplate and green LED’s.
The block NE is limited edition, costs $399 (USD) and is availible from Nova musik.
Heres a video showing what the LED’s look like.
Livid block
This week Livid announced they were releasing a new open source midi controller called Block. The block has 64 back lit LED buttons in an 8 by 8 grid, an extra 7 buttons for other functions, 8 knobs and two faders. All of the buttons, knobs and faders are freely assignable and not locked to anything but more about that later.
The block is plug and play compliant, meaning no drivers and is USB powered so no dragging round extra power leads or losing power at a gig. The USB port is at the back of the unit too so there’s nothing to stop you putting other units next to it. The block has bi directional midi, which basically means it can receive and send midi data. So when you change something in the software you see the controller react and visa versa.
The block is released on the 1st of November but can be pre ordered now and will cost $399.
Livid block back
The Livid block is made from beautifully crafted and stained lightweight wood with an anodized aluminium faceplate. The units are made and assembled in the USA, Texas to be exact, so there not mass produced like other companies.
The block is 10.25″ by 10.25″ and is 1.5″ high making it portable and compact. It weighs in at 1.36 kg which is very light for a controller. These properties make this a good contender for live use, especially as it looks great too.
Livid block front
All of the block’s buttons, knobs and faders are fully assignable and not stuck to say just Ableton Live. Block will work with anything that will except midi learn, i.e. max/msp, synths, plugins and DAW’s.
Behind all this flexibilty is the software called blockEditor. Blockeditor will alow the user to create their own grid matrix’s and means the block is completely custimisable unlike the APC40 at the moment (roll on MaxLive).
BlockEditor is open source which means it can be modified and developed outside of the conpanys original intentions. This is likely to see the block be used for all sorts of carzy things which is definetly exciting.
Could this be a more affordable option over a monome? After all it does have knobs and a slider which is a plus over a monome and is completely custumisable. That said you could also go for the Novation Launchpad, although it’s missing some knobs. I can’t help but feeling this new matrix controller war is having a great effect on the monome by bringing it into the spot light and cementing it’s rep as the daady of matrix controllers. Hope so.
