MIDI Scancontroller

MIDI Scan Controller Connectors (click picture to enlarge)

MIDIscan is an open-source project based on the Arduino framework; a populated board can be obtained via the KeyboardPartner shop. An Arduino Bootloader and a standard firmware ist installed.

Please note: Configuration is performed either via our MenuPanel (if present) or by recompiling the Arduino source code using PlatformIO or the Arduino IDE. Do not order this board when you are not familiar with arduino or you do not own a HX3 MenuPanel. However, board may be ordered with specific settings pre-installed (use "remarks" in order form or send us an email). This service has a 10€ surcharge.

Further information, PCB files and the complete source code can be found on our GitHub repository: https://github.com/keyboardpartner/MIDI-Scancontroller

Please note that the ATmega328 runs on 20 MHz here, so set Arduino IDE settings accordingly.

Features

Up to two Fatar or Pulse-6105 keyboards (with velocity sensitivity) or our Scan61/ScanStrip16 Scan Boards can be connected; additionally, a pedal (Scan16 or Bass25 board) is supported. MIDI Scan Controller also supports a menu system , 16 freely assignable buttons/switches (optional Panel16-I2C or Extend16 board), as well as analog controls assignable to any CCs (optional Drawbar, ANX8, or PTX4 boards). For Fatar keyboards, a FatarScan1 or FatarScan2 board is required; our keyboards from Pulse are already equipped with a compatible scan interface. The scan board used can be selected in the device’s menu (when using the MenuPanel) or via re-compiling the firmware.

MIDI Scan Controlles handles up to 16 assignable buttons (I2C Bus connector) and 16 assignable analog controller inputs (MPX Bus connector). Assignments are done in menu system or by pre-defining constants in source code.

MenuPanel

A KeyboardPartner MenuPanel (any version will do) may be used for configuration.

A KeyboardPartner MenuPanel (see HX3.7_Installation_Manual#MenuPanel) is supported; any version will do. User interface is similar to HX3 system with rotary encoder and up/down buttons. The MenuPanel can be removed after all settings have been made, they are saved in internal non-volatile memory. Connect the MenuPanel before powering on.

The menu system is somewhat simpler than the HX3 menu system; it consists of main menus (like button assignment or keybed settings) and corresponding sub menus. Press the encoder button to enter a submenu or to save a parameter. Sub menus can be leaved through a dedicated "Exit" entry. The up/down buttons will scroll through available menus. Parameter changes with encoder knob are immediate, but knob has to be pressed to save them permanently.

Dimensions: 82 mm x 52 mm x 22 mm, weight 38 g

Connectors

MIDI Scan Controller Connectors
Connector	Function
PL13	USB connector for power supply and flash programming via Arduino IDE bootloader
PL14	Swell pedal analog input (assignable)
PL6	optional power supply (otherwise by USB connector)
PL10	MPX bus, to analog controllers like PTX4, ANX8, DBX9 (assignable)
PL3	I2C bus, to MenuPanel / Preset16 / Panel16 I2S / Extend16 (assignable switches/buttons)
PL4	to FatarScan1-63, FatarScan2 boards
PL5	to all 4014-based scan boards (Scan61, ScanStrip16, Bass25)
PL9	ISP connector for factory programming (do not use)
PL15	Assignable footswitch input
PL12, PL7	MIDI Output
PL11, PL8	MIDI Input

Up to 16 analog inputs are scanned from MPX bus. If more are present, these are ignored. Analog inputs count from 0 (for first control of first device in MPX chain) to 15.

Please note: Scanning of digital inputs (Extend16, Preset16, Panel16 I2C) is disabled in firmware as it slows down scanning speed (for velocity resolution) significantly. You may activate it by un-commenting #define PANEL16 in main.cpp (re-compilation with Arduino IDE needed). However, board may be ordered with activated I2C button inputs (use "remarks" in order form or send us an email).

Menu Entries

The menu system is somewhat simpler than the HX3 menu system; it consists of main menus (like button assignment or keybed settings) and corresponding sub menus. Press the encoder button to enter a submenu or to save a parameter. Sub menus can be leaved through a dedicated "Exit" entry. The up/down buttons will scroll through available menus. Parameter changes with encoder knob are immediate, but knob has to be pressed to save the parameter permanently. A menu entry value of -1 means "Off/Disabled".

MIDI Scan Controller Menu
Menu	Function
Upper Channel	Set MIDI Channel for upper manual (Fatar or Scan61)
Lower Channel	Set MIDI Channel for lower manual (Fatar or Scan61)
Pedal Channel	Set MIDI Channel for pedal (Bass25 or Scan61)
Swell Ena/CC	Set MIDI CC for swell pedal input (-1 for unused)
Pitchwheel Pot	Set MIDI CC for pitch wheel potentiometer input (-1 for unused)
Keyboard	Enters submenu for keyboard settings (see table below)
Pot Assign	Enters submenu to assign MIDI CCs for potentiometers in MPX chain
Button Assign	Enters submenu to assign a CC, program or note value for button inputs connected to I2C bus
Button Mode	Enters submenu for button mode (see table below) for buttons connected to I2C bus

Keyboard Submenu

Keyboard Submenu
Menu	Function
Kbd Driver	Selects keyboard driver for hardware (ScanStrip16/Scan61, FatarScan1-61, FatarScan2, Pulse 6105 or none)
Velocity Min	Set s minimal MIDI velocity for Fatar and Pulse keybeds. Very slow key velocity is limited to this minimal MIDI velocity value.
Velocity Max Adj	Adjusts calculated MIDI max. velocity for Fatar and Pulse keybeds. Adjust to personal taste.
Velocity Slope	Sets slope factor for 1/t speed calculation of MIDI velocity. Adjust to personal taste.

Button Mode Submenu

Button Mode Entries
Value	Function
Send CC Value	Button sends assigned CC value with on/off state
Send CC Evt	Button sends a single event of assigned CC value with on state (MIDI value = 127)
Send Prg Ch	Button sends a MIDI program change (program is value assigned in Button Assign menu)
Send Note	Button sends a MIDI note when pressed (note is value assigned in Button Assign menu)