david fabre

Thanks for sharing these ideas. I would be happy to hear more about this solution. What is the current status ? have you shared somewhere photos and/or design files ?

Apart from this, I'm also progressing on the simpler step-zero project of a breath controller. At the end it will be a "drone controller" including 8 notes, 6 control changes (including breath sensor and a joystick) and 4 buttons allowing to change the settings (including dynamic changes of note assignments). The concept works on the breadboard, on which I have a prototype with 4 notes and the breath sensor. The next step is to solder a small PCB card for the breath sensor module... I cannot go any farther on the breadboard, because the pressure sensor is so small that it gets off the board each time I touch the much heavier plastic tube. I have an appointment next week with a guy in the local Fablab for an initiation to soldering. more news soon

Updates on my project : Reflexion is progressing, and very importantly I've got in touch with a colleague of my university, Emmanuel Rio, who is designing his own digital accordion. Not simply a midi controller, but a whole synthesizer, already quite advanced, based on ESP32. quite impressive ! Among many interesting ideas, he showed me that he designed a keyboard with shifted buttons, allowing to use an array of standard cherry switches with at the upper end an array of buttons with smaller spacings. He used this for the left-hand-side of his keyboard, where the button spacings are comparable to those of a concertina. Below a 3D-design picture that he kindly shared with me. I find the idea very smart, and I'm wondering if someone has already tried this to design a concertina keyboard ?

RAc : Yes, I guess at some point I'll have to upgrade to another card, Due, Leonardo or Teensy. But I decided to start with UNO as I read everywhere it is the best way to start. Also, the starter's kit is fun and I expect to embark my kid on some projects ! I'm not sure exactly what is UART, but as far as I've seen, wiring a DIN connector on a UNO is straightforward. See there (in french) https://www.aranacorp.com/fr/creer-un-controleur-midi-avec-arduino/ For my next projects, although it seems outdated, I'll definitely keep the DIN connectors. For me one of the charms of MIDI is allowing to plug together instruments of various generations. I will love to play my old Roland D20 with a concertina keyboard ! caj : Just received the pressure sensor, news soon !

That's cool if we are working on similar projects and we can exchange ! Indeed I saw this video and other projects from the same guy. I like his overall philosophy, but as far as I understand you have to buy his KLICK Kit and then only have to follow the directives. This is not the approach I want to follow, I prefer to take ideas at various places and combine them together to have my own design. For the breath controller, I will rather take inspiration from this one : https://www.hackster.io/costis/arduino-breath-controller-for-cheap-usb-midi-fe3a8f I'm not sure I'll keep the baby nasal aspirator (not even sure how it is supposed to be used, no video provided) and I'll have to adapt to DIN-Midi instead of USB-midi because I'm starting with Arduino UNO which does not have USB interface. I have ordered the pressure sensor, midi connector and other pieces and expect to advance on this next week. I'll keep you informed. Meanwhile I'm having fun with the starter's guide easy projects. This morning I learned how to blink 3 LEDs. Cool

Thanks, I added link to your video as well as a few others. My first reaction was "the bellows is terrible, how can that sound ??" until i realized that with a distance sensor it does not need to be airtight !

Hello RAc, Thanks for your message and for the proposal of sharing infos ! I'll be watching for the development of your project and may ask you for infos in due time. I have just compiled a list of resources and added your project. If you have a video or any other online material I will add links.

For my own perusal and for the community, I list here a number of related projects which I have identified. If I have miss some, please help me complete the list ! A/ DIY projects 1/ Steven Schulteis, "A very basic USB-MIDI 30-button Anglo concertina.". Github (with software) Youtube video. Steven also designed a very attractive Terrarium Synth pedal . 2/ Howard Mitchel "Meillionen Midi concertina" . 40 buttons, close to the design of Steven, as far as I understand they worked together. Youtube video 3/ Xcott Craver "Caj" . "Load cell concertina" with apparent buttons illuminated by leds. Thread on c.net. Video on youtube I guess this one will inspire my 1.0 ! 4/ Danny Chapman "Ratface" Bandon.ino Thread on c.net. Youtube video. 5/ RAc designed an instrument using light distance sensors. Thread on c.net. Youtube video (early prototype) 6/ Pierre Banwarth designed several prototypes of midi concertinas and midi accordinas. Github repo (with arduino s/w) . Development journal (in french) Video (prototype V 0) 7/ Łukasz Martynowicz has an ongoing (?) project, discussed in this Thread on c.net. B/ Commercial projects 1/ Concertina Nova project. Currently developing a midi english, as far as I understand they expect to release it in 2025. First facebook page (Germany). Second Facebook page (Vietnam) They are mostly communicating through a Facebook group (I just joined !). 2/ Jordan D. Petkov From Midiboutique sells midi encoders for various keyboards. PDF document with many details describing midi conversion of an english concertina. 3/ Roy Whiteley of Accordion Magic is building midi instruments by converting vintage instruments. Video Paul Hardy own one. Web page 4/ Wim Wakker used to build such converted instruments as well. No more listed on his website. Jody Kruskal used to own one. Michael Eskin also owns one, and demonstrates it on this Youtube video

Hello all ! I've been thinking for years about having a midi instrument, both for quiet practices and for exploring new possibilities (new sounds, new button layouts, ...) I had the idea of using a load sensor to replace the bellows to significantly reduce the complexity and cost, and coming back here I saw the idea has already been carried out, and it works. So the decision is made : in 2025 I start my own midi Anglo concertina project ! Looking at resources and discussions on c.net and elsewhere, I can see that I will have to face a number of issues, both mechanical (which buttons tu use, how to mount and calibrate the load sensor, ...), electronic (how to wire the buttons, matrix and/or multiplexers, ...) and software (latency, spurious notes at bellows reversal, ...). Fortunately, I see the way has been paved and several persons have shared their experience, including software on Github, this will be very precious. The software part should be the easy part for me, but for the rest I'll have to learn a lot. I can access a 3D printer and a PCB printer but I have never used this. Overall, very challenging ! My main instrument being a Wheatstone 40 buttons, my goal will be an instrument with at least as much, possibly up to 56 (including control buttons). However, I think I will proceed in two steps, starting by a simpler version 1.0 with only 30 buttons, closely following existing designs. And to start, I have ordered the Arduino starter's kit, and should receive it tomorrow. I think my very first project will be a breath controller, or possibly a multi-controller combining breath sensor, joystick, expression pedal and switch pedals. See you soon there and happy new year !

Hello ! Thanks for asking news. Alas not much more to say on this one. I showed it to Emmanuel Pariselle, the french expert on concertinas, and he said me "good luck" for the renovation. He said that tuning such beasts is a mess ! I'm still considering to start the work with the valves but no time right now. If you want so share photos of yours, I'd be happy to see them !

Happy Concertina day to all and thanks for sharing all this great music ! To celebrate the date I recorded this song (from french singer Barbara) on my Lachenal Bb/F. Hope you enjoy ! The posting is also in memory of my mother who loved this song, and who would have been 74 on this february 6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRDx5bAPLb8

Hello, Audacity does the job. It also allows to transpose to a different key and many other things. And it is free !

Hi again (and best wishes !) So my christmas present arrived.... Here are a few more photos of the inside of the "bandonion". The condition of the instrument is not that bad : the bellows are airtight, all buttons are operational, all notes are working (except for a few reeds which don't respond), and it seems well tuned to 440. It has zinc plates (my brother who is working in chemical analyses confirmed this). A few pearl incrustations are missing, apart from this the outside appearance is not that bad considering the presumed age. I think changing the leather valves, cleaning the reeds and a little cosmetic care could turn it into a decently playable instrument. I'm not sure if I will keep it or resell it (the layout is still a nightmare to me). Help for identification of the maker, date and valuation is still appreciated ! As far as I could understand, the name "bandonion" is associated to old instruments made by the Band company (from the family of the inventor Heinrich Band).

Hello Luke and all, My christmas present has been an old "Bandonion" with 52 buttons (104 voices). I wanted to have a try at the bandoneon because the layout has always been a puzzle to me and I wanted to see if I could understand it... after several hours it remains a puzzle ! I'm not sure if I'll keep it or resell it, but meanwhile I transcribed the layout. Here it is ! https://anglopiano.com/?_90_dBhGiEDLch_150_jiYZtxuwWW._60_AdGHIijkLcfA_150_JjmMntouvv._30_BeegHIJjklgJ_150_lkrPMlONpoSq._50_eCklmNOKFf_160_LLknNmPOqpTsVU._530_KKRRqQsrUTwVQS&title=Bandonion 104 voices

I'll tell you soon ... just ordered it as my christmas present, and should receive it next week. Best wishes !