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Some clever chap called Robert Jarvis has come up with a way to create a 5$ DIY drum pad for Ableton Live/Max for Live.

The thing works by taking the keystrokes sent out from a small silicon calculator and converts them into midi signals.

Download the patch here.

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Videos showing the iPad controlling serato scratch live using the touchOSC app for iPad. Not the best video quality.

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With all the buzz thats flying around the iPad recently it’s no surprise that an app like Midipad has been developed. Midipad, still in beta stages, allows you to use the iPad as a touchscreen midi controller for music. More details as they come.

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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.

Casing, size, wieght and craftmanship

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

Open source software

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.

Monome on the cheap?

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.

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