Thum Club Forums

Search Sort Posts:  Oldest to newest Newest to oldest

09-05-2006, 10:21 PM A12Learn Joined on 09-05-2006 Posts 15 Is anyone interested in making a PC keyboard a Thummer demo/learning tool? After looking at the B-tar design, and the underlying Max/MSP platform (a cool patform for mapping the computer to sound) (see: http://www.music.mcgill.ca/~benjamin/btar3000/ ), I suspect that it would not be hard to adapt it to a Thummer layout. Is anyone interested in working with me? It would be one heck of a lot easier for me to show my musician friends what an advance this layout is. They stare blankly when I describe it. However one minute trying out the Janko keyboard layout from http://monxmood.free.fr/roche/roche.html really helped. Also it would give us a way to learn whilst waiting for production of the thing.    Report

09-10-2006, 1:20 AM mark Joined on 09-09-2006 Posts 3 Re: Is anyone interested in making a PC keyboard a Thummer demo/learning tool? What language? I'm okay with java and php. I know, it's horrible. you'd think a guy who can use regular expressions could code C++, but no... I'll write the help file and do some graphic design, maybe? not right now but i should be able to. look, to be honest i find the janko layout more interesting because I think spatially... but... just let people customise, that's my philosophy. B-tar's a bit sucky as it is    Report

11-19-2006, 3:19 PM A12Learn Joined on 09-05-2006 Posts 15 Re: Is anyone interested in making a PC keyboard a Thummer demo/learning tool? Success! I have written a prototype, written in the Max/Msp (see www.cycling74.com) language/sound processing environment. It's very informative, if not yet great. Details to follow. A1.    Report

11-22-2006, 1:41 PM AlwaysLearning Joined on 07-10-2006 Posts 2 Re: Is anyone interested in making a PC keyboard a Thummer demo/learning tool? I've practiced with the Thummer layout on a PC keyboard. (Thus far it only plays 2 notes at a time)  Conclusion after 1.2 hours of getting used to it:  thus far it is a better layout - I was faster playing it (a song in Eb) after 2 sessions than a regular piano, and could modulate to/from E easily. (caveat: I've only perhaps spent 20 hours lifetime learning the piano)    Report

01-31-2007, 12:52 AM Beta Tester Admin Joined on 10-13-2006 Posts 6 Re: Is anyone interested in making a PC keyboard a Thummer demo/learning tool? A12Learn, Could you email me with your progress? andrew@thumtronics.com Thanks    Report

02-02-2007, 12:13 AM A12Learn Joined on 09-05-2006 Posts 15 Re: Is anyone interested in making a PC keyboard a Thummer demo/learning tool? Hi, I had a decent amount of success with the software I wrote. It's not perfect, it only allows 2 notes, sometimes 3 notes at a time likely due to keyboard electronics limitations, and I didn't have the time to program a work-around using inference to deduce when the third key was still being held down - probably could have been done. Since no-one offered to beta-test, I didn't package it up to be user-friendly. The software was a success, however. I was able it play most of my last season's choir's repertoire, including the key-changes, with relative ease. It also is faster to play than a "normal" layout. I showed the "Thumfield" layout to a master music educator, and he was impressed - would have bought 1 for himself, and several for this students on the spot. The trial was such a success that I decided to build my own jammer, and have been industriously adapting/inventing ways to do this from old keyboards. My "ZipEx" jammer keyboard is getting there - I finished carving the last key today. I, time permitting, would love to create a web-page/blog detailing and picturing how to build a jammer. Suggestions anyone? The software is written in Max/MSP, and my 1-month trial of the platform expired. Since it's $500, I've elected to wait until my ZipEx jammer is ready for testing - before purchasing Max/MSP, perhaps this week-end or next. Wish me luck - I hope I can get all the keys to work evenly.    Report

02-27-2008, 11:52 PM harmono Joined on 02-27-2008 Posts 1 Re: Is anyone interested in making a PC keyboard a Thummer demo/learning tool? Actually I'm starting to make an application that lets you use template to assign keys on the keyboard to pitches. That way I can try various key layouts etc. I was starting with a guitar like layout, because it's difficult to remember the layouts, and the typwriter keys don't lend themselves to playing like a piano (if only they had at least 12 keys to a row). I was going to do this in Visual Basic 6.0 using Prashant's midi controller. I have already done some experimenting with a mouse interface. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cirhDe2CvQ  I'll check out that software you were talking about. I have messed with the flash demo version, and it was interesting.  I found it difficult to play blues style, but apparently you can use the controllers for pitch bend.  So if I get a chance I might get started on this. Maybe you could send me some code once I've installed the software to get me going. Email me at 8583565813@grandcentral.com    Report

Thum Club Forum... » ThumMusic » ThumMusic Softw... » Re: Is anyone interested in making a PC keyboard a Thummer demo/learning tool?

(please select) Forums Home |- Search Forums |- Active Topics |- Unanswered Posts User Options |- Sign In |- Join this community |- Forgot Password ThumMusic |- ThumMusic General |- ThumMusic Theory |- ThumMusic Software Thummer |- Thummer Software |- Thummer Hardware Thumtronics |- Investment