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Eurorack Knob Idea

(mitxela.com)
312 points po | 1 comments | 25 Apr 25 13:19 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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smj-edison ◴[25 Apr 25 20:37 UTC] No.43798283[source]▶
Tangential idea, but I've wondered if it would be possible to make synthesizers a lot cheaper by only having a couple rotary encoders. You could have hundreds of parameters on the panel, but each parameter would just be a neopixel LED and button. You could link the rotary encoder with a parameter by pressing it and the parameters' button at the same time. Certainly not as nice as a dedicated knob for each, but you'd also get an interface that is ~$40 instead of ~$600...
replies(4): >>43798511 #>>43798928 #>>43799419 #>>43803317 #
1. sigy ◴[25 Apr 25 21:59 UTC] No.43798928[source]▶
The physical interface is an intrinsic part of the design of any eurorack module, including artistic elements. If you actually use these, then you quickly tire of menu diving for simple options, and only modules that do very particular things make it worth the bother. For everything else, the layout must be accessible, memorable, understandable, and not too crowded. And it helps if the visual of the thing conjures up memories of how it sounds or what it does.