Demo videos of the MidyAX (AXE-FX + BCR2000 + VGA Screen Display)

[PALYGAP]

The main objective of the MidyAX project is to provide physical Knobs and Buttons (BCR2000) to set/tweak the tone of the AXE-FX. It’s a bit like having access to the usual Pots on an AMP or StompBox but with a more parameters and all the power of the AXE-FX at your fingertips. Hopefully the MidyAX can make it easier to use the AXE-FX in the home studio and in live set-up.

Here’s a YouTube playlist that contains a set of videos that demo the MidyAX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQZIhimd_wA&index=2&list=PLLjjXmrdzbKLERhk9cjYmd2QhsVMbLdEq. Most will focus on one aspect of the MidyAX. And there is a general project overview MidyAX - Main idea and a demo of how to use it for a « tone quest » : MidyAX from LeafONICs - Tone Tweaking the AXE-FX

I have been running the project for more than two years. After a good six month break (due to project fatigue and moving to a new place) I have managed to finish what I wanted to put in the project.

I’m putting the demos out because I would like to hear from you guys (and gals) on how you feel about the MidyAX and the new features I have recently included (Customization, QuickAccess Control Pages).

I initially thought of making the MidyAx into a product but the technical choices I made two years ago are a bit outdated. I might continue with the project and maybe move it on a more suitable and recent harware (like the Raspberry Pi or the Beagle Board Black) but that will depend on the feedbacks I get.

For the people interested with what went on and what is going on with the MidyAX project there's the NEWS thread - News of the MidyAX project (Using the BCR2000 to pilot the AXE-FX) and the initial thread is here - Preview of the MidyAX - A new tool to enhance the AXE-FX experience



RIGHT, in these videos I might ACTUALLY sound like a « Control Freak » but I swear I’m not … but who knows … :roll


Looking forward to hear from you.

Eric


P.S. The MidyAX project is now OPEN SOURCE - see MidyAX on GitHub

 

[SommonE]

Interesting enough, but for the love of God dust that poor Axe off. Haha.

 

[dgzieg]

I'd really like to see this go forward, with updated hardware as you suggested. I actually bought a used BCR2000 in anticipation. I've got no skills of use, but would put some money into the pool to help this get off the ground. Thanks for your efforts so far, and I hope down the line you get something for all the work you've put in and your willingness to tackle such a project.

 

[GreatGreen]

Being able to dedicate a bunch of individual physical knobs to a bunch of individual parameters like you have on real amps is pretty much the one and only advantage real amps have over the Axe-Fx.

I'd be all about a finished version of this product in a self contained, rack-ready format.

 

[PALYGAP]

Interesting enough, but for the love of God dust that poor Axe off. Haha.

Got so involved with the project and making the video that I did not notice the dust. There must be a Low Angle Light effect though, cause my BCR2000 and my AXE-FX don't look that dusty. Anyway I'll give it a bit of a clean.

I'd really like to see this go forward, with updated hardware as you suggested. I actually bought a used BCR2000 in anticipation. I've got no skills of use, but would put some money into the pool to help this get off the ground. Thanks for your efforts so far, and I hope down the line you get something for all the work you've put in and your willingness to tackle such a project.

Thanks for the support. Cool idea to buy the BCR2000. I am not sure to move on to the new hardware. But if I was to do it, I think i could reuse quite a bit of the current program. The benefits would be much faster MIDI communication with the AXE-FX and the BCR2000 (by going USB) and better and faster graphics. I see what the response is. Anyway I should carry on the project even if there ain't so much interest but maybe on the side of a new project.

Being able to dedicate a bunch of individual physical knobs to a bunch of individual parameters like you have on real amps is pretty much the one and only advantage real amps have over the Axe-Fx.

I'd be all about a finished version of this product in a self contained, rack-ready format.

I've already had feedbacks on this kind of 1U or 2U rack need. But that not what I intended to build. If you are into building one such unit here's a place to check : MIDIbox NG User Manual --- Hardware Options. The thing with building a rack-ready product is that most likely there will be a similar display to the AXE-FX LCD and I wanted to be able to have at least a 15" display. Thanks for the feedback anyway.

 

[lauke-lux]

Absolutely amazing, would like to have time available to work with such a powerfull tool !
IMHO it's absolutely a must for "sound explorers" and genious from the conceptual point of view, as well from the work you invested for this. If I understood well, 200€ for the Midyax + 230 for the BCR, which really is an accessible price for the proposed functionnality.
Just to be able to use this easily and for tweaking, how does one know what knob on the BCR is affected to which parameter ? Would it be possible, instead of the BCR, to use a touch-screen so that the parameters names can be automatically visualised on the user interface when changing screen or effect/amp-block ? (supposing such functionnalité is not provided within Axe Edit. I don't know as I don't have a touch screen at home). In that case the customer that does have a touch screen would only need to buy the Midiyax.
How would you implement FW updates in that case ?
Great great job. Congratulations.

 

[PALYGAP]

Thanks a lot lauke-lux for this very positive feedback. It sheers me up.

Absolutely amazing, would like to have time available to work with such a powerfull tool ! IMHO it's absolutely a must for "sound explorers" and genious from the conceptual point of view,

Well I can't disagree with you since I am making this projcet, but the iPad tools like AXE for Lemur and AxePad are quite good too for that purpose .. and AXE-EDIT. One benefit of the MidyAX compared to the other tool is to have lots of knobs and buttons.

as well from the work you invested for this.

A lot and lot of work indeed. It allowed me to get into digital electronics and programming. I discovered the ARDUINO, BCR2000 and uVGA worlds. So I learned a lot but the project would have run must faster if I had already « been in the business »

If I understood well, 200€ for the Midyax + 230 for the BCR, which really is an accessible price for the proposed functionnality.

I initially though of making a product out of the MidyAX but a lot of « computer on a card » have come out since I made the original hardware choice (ARDUINO MEGA). Now I am moving the project to small LINUX boards like the Raspberry Pi (35 $) or the BeableBoard Black (53 $). They are much cheaper.
By the way the BCR2000 sells for around 150 euros.

Just to be able to use this easily and for tweaking, how does one know what knob on the BCR is affected to which parameter ?

The parameter are displayed on the VGA screen : Label + value + unit and the number of the BCR2000 encoder they are mapped to. That why stuck numbers on the BCR2000 under each encoder.

Would it be possible, instead of the BCR, to use a touch-screen so that the parameters names can be automatically visualised on the user interface when changing screen or effect/amp-block ? (supposing such functionnalité is not provided within Axe Edit. I don't know as I don't have a touch screen at home). In that case the customer that does have a touch screen would only need to buy the Midiyax.

Not planning to use touch screens for now.

How would you implement FW updates in that case ?

Through the ARDUINO IDE and via the USB connection of the ARDUINO MEGA

Right now, there does seem to be that many AXE-FX user interested in the MidyAX. I actually got more interest when I posted the initial Preview Video.

One funny thing is the the Video on the « customization of the QuickAccess Pages » (MidyAX - QuickAccess Page Customization) has been watched only twice.:cry To me, it was something very important that I wanted to add nearly from the beginning of the project (2 and a half year ago) and I tought it could be very useful for most users. Oh well, I must have got it wrong. The video on MidyAX - Control Pages Customization has been watched 7 times. much better:roll

I should do a special FRENCH version of the demo video (in one shot) soon … well might be just now since I have a bit of time.

 

[PALYGAP]

and the French version is out. Youpie !!! I'am sure you've all been expecting it.

 

[iNX]

Really nice job

 

[zenaxe]

Ugh. I'd rather just use a laptop and a usb over midi controller with knobs and map it. Much simpler, all off the shelf, etc. Absolutely no need/use for a custom box like that, looks like a ton of work for almost no payoff. IMHO.

 

[PALYGAP]

Thanks iNX for the support.

Ugh. I'd rather just use a laptop and a usb over midi controller with knobs and map it. Much simpler, all off the shelf, etc. Absolutely no need/use for a custom box like that, looks like a ton of work for almost no payoff. IMHO.

I like your this kind of feedback. The advantage with it: is that I know who I am dealing with.

Anyway I'll try to answer. First of all when I started the project I had an AXE-FX ULTRA with no USB (and the II had not even come out).

"use a laptop and a usb over midi controller with knobs and map it" : well to map to the AXE-FX parameter you need to have an AXE-FX SYSEX to MIDI translator. The idea of the MidyAX goes a bit beyond just a simple mapping and a simple translator. Although some people would likely be happy with controlling just a few parameters. At one point, I had feedbacks that a 1U or 2U units (with say 10 to 20 knobs) would be more useful to them.

Initially, I choose a hardware that could do MIDI through DIN connectors and also aimed at it being self-contained in one box. I also wanted to get rid of the mouse/pointer and just use knobs and buttons.

Using the laptop is one possibility (see mTroll project with FootSwitch).

I have recently pointed to the that fact the Hardware scene for electronic cards with microcontrollers/microprocessors had changed a lot over the last two year and that I am now trying to move the project to say the Raspberry Pi or the BeagleBoard Black ... and maybe it will work with most hardware with LINUX on it. So it could be a laptop too.

Anyway running the project up to this point, with maybe not the best suitable hardware choice (now that a lot of better options are around), has still allowed me to built a software that can make better use of the BCR2000 and allow for a more complex mapping that just using a MIDI control surface straight out of the box.

In term of pay-off there was quite a bit for me (can't speak for others):
- learned quite a lot an ARDUINO and Electronics
- got back into progamming
- learned a few programing environnement
- managed to carry forward an idea that I though was not too bad
and what's most rewarding some guys though it was a good idea too.