GONICH - a simple (Arduino) digital pedal switcher!

loylo · Post by **loylo** » 30 Dec 2013, 10:11

Nice christmas gift, Andrej, Thanks!
I stay tuned!

andrej · Post by **andrej** » 07 Jan 2014, 09:58

Does anyone have an idea how to (easily) draw a shitload of wires connecting boards?

my idea was curves in photoshop (and then stroke), but that's so much work! the board renders i'm using are from proteus (i CAN render into vector programs). Illustrator? Corel Draw? Something simpler?

Oh, I've done most of the work, now it's mostly docs (and different board configurations, loop numbers, stereo, separate boxes, channel switcher, and a big MIDI surprise).

flyin*v · Post by **flyin*v** » 07 Jan 2014, 15:23

Hey Andrej, I've used Illustrator to draw up signal flow schematics for an Arduino looper I've built in the vein of the Octa-Switch going the DIP switch route. Lots of wires, 8 wires each for 8 DIP switches, you get the idea. I can send you an Illustrator EPS file if you'd like to see if it's what you're trying to achieve. I'm pretty proficient in Illustrator, so I find it fairly easy to do vector work in there.

andrej · Post by **andrej** » 07 Jan 2014, 16:21

i guess I'll have to look into Illustrator, just for a bit.

are there any tutorials you'd recommend?

flyin*v · Post by **flyin*v** » 07 Jan 2014, 18:02

You could check out

http://www.instantshift.com/2009/03/19/ ... tutorials/

lessons 3, 8, 13, and 17 contain some basic line and shape info that might help

Attached is a screen grab, is this similar to what you need to do?

andrej · Post by **andrej** » 07 Jan 2014, 18:22

yes, that's pretty much it. i just need to draw off-board wiring (footswitches, leds and inter-board wiring) for the project. i was thinking of some more curvy wires, but this would still do. i'll try and keep everything vector-based, since i can render vector layouts in proteus. in the end, it will be all saved as a pdf, and I'm thinking about including the design files.

oh, and which version of Illustrator is the best? i'm asking because i hate photoshop post-cs3, the interface is retarded and it killed the workflow for me.

flyin*v · Post by **flyin*v** » 07 Jan 2014, 19:25

Even if you grab the Pencil tool in Illustrator and draw squigley freehand lines they'll still be vector. Stroke weight, color, position, etc. will remain editable after the fact, so if at the last minute you decide to change the color coding on all your wires it's pretty easy. And don't forget to use layers if things get complicated, it will make it much easier to go in and manipulate specific elements and lock others.

I have CS4, CS5, CS5.5, and CS6 on my machine, and to tell you the truth, I still work in Photoshop and Illustrator CS4 and InDesign CS5 most of the time, unless I'm provided with a file that forces me to a higher version. Unless you're specifically using a feature added to a later version, they're all pretty powerful apps. It's a drag migrating all your plugins and customized workspaces to gain a couple features you may not even use every time there's an update.

andrej · Post by **andrej** » 07 Jan 2014, 21:15

thanks for advice!

announcing a new (optional) feature, because who gives a fuck (30 lines of code):

there will be 2 ports for 2 expression pedals (any value will work), outputting Midi CC messages on CC channels of your choice. the resolution is 10bit (1024 steps) and you it outputs double precision (dual CC) CC messages, for improved precision (not really the intended 14bit, but surely enough for your wah/volume/whammy needs). you can also use it with old midi equipment which supports only single channel 7-bit CCs (128 steps, might be a bit clicky for wah).

this way, you'll be able to control your whammy IV from your Gonich, or any other MIDI digital effect (racks, racks, racks). I also plan to make a really small 'midi wah pot' and a 'midi volume pot' with digital pots, so you can make your wahs, volumes and univibes in normal guitar enclosures and then control them from gonich via midi. i'll also add volume presets to that 'midi volume pedal', so you can put it at the end of your chain and control the whole 'preset' volume of your gonich preset, ideal for stacking dirt pedals. neat, innit?

loylo · Post by **loylo** » 05 Feb 2014, 09:37

Hi Andrej!

How do your work and your blog progress?
Thanks!

andrej · Post by **andrej** » 05 Feb 2014, 10:57

The blog is done.
Right now, I'm kinda learning about Illustrator (drawing Tele wirings for practice, with concentric pots and stuff) and looking for ad-money options on WordPress. I may even make a full website.
As for Gonich, there are some different boards to be drawn (other relay types, other jack types, 4 combinations).

There are also different concerns:
do the relays need to be powered from a different supply
how to make it splittable into 2 devices (footswitch one and relay switching one), so that the midi connectors and the power supply are in the relay part
how to do phantom midi for amp switching

but don't worry, i'm working on it every day, for at least a bit.

loylo · Post by **loylo** » 05 Feb 2014, 13:27

I'm not worried.

I wish you courage!

Wlat · Post by **Wlat** » 23 Feb 2014, 21:08

Hi! I'm new to this thread and just wanted to say this all looks extremely promising! Especially the intention of adding expression pedals; this will make the project almost exactly what I was looking for and have been struggling with to build myself.
Thanks for sharing so far! Awesome!

andrej · Post by **andrej** » 23 Feb 2014, 21:33

Just to be clear: the project is active. My university duties are getting in the way a bit, but it will be done soon. I've spent much time making the device future-proof when it comes to hardware, so I'll be able to add entirely new functions and modes just by changing the code - you won't ever have to pay for the whole device again. This version will be out soon, but I'm already thinking about adding many new functions with the same hardware.

Wlat · Post by **Wlat** » 24 Feb 2014, 07:24

andrej wrote:Does anyone have an idea how to (easily) draw a shitload of wires connecting boards?

my idea was curves in photoshop (and then stroke), but that's so much work! the board renders i'm using are from proteus (i CAN render into vector programs). Illustrator? Corel Draw? Something simpler?

Oh, I've done most of the work, now it's mostly docs (and different board configurations, loop numbers, stereo, separate boxes, channel switcher, and a big MIDI surprise).

I always use Microsoft Visio for wire drawing. It's extremely easy and, if you want to, you can have the wires connected to the shapes so you can move the shapes around and the wires stay connected.

Can I ask you how you make the double sided PCB's? Do you order them or make them yourself?

Good luck with your university work. I noticed you're studying Computer Science? Nice! I've done the same, though it has been quite a while. Your project has inspired me to do some C programming again after quite a few years; thank you for that! Hvala!
Greetings from the Netherlands.

vincentehlen · Post by **vincentehlen** » 24 Feb 2014, 16:48

Can I ask you how you make the double sided PCB's?

Hi fellow-Dutchman,

Check out the pcb-prototyping-service from Itead for some quality double-side pcb's. The prices are decent and from production to delivery to Holland takes about 3 weeks.

I added some pictures of the board I ordered from them for my version of the V2 Gonich looper wich I'm currently building.

Groeten vanuit Nederland

andrej · Post by **andrej** » 25 Feb 2014, 19:01

Some work done today...

Oh, and if you are wondering, i kinda mastered Illustrator well enough for my uses: here's an interesting tele wiring (OC) on my blog:
https://andrejsdiystuff.wordpress.com/2 ... tone-pots/

Wlat · Post by **Wlat** » 25 Feb 2014, 20:34

vincentehlen wrote:
Can I ask you how you make the double sided PCB's?
Hi fellow-Dutchman,

Check out the pcb-prototyping-service from Itead for some quality double-side pcb's. The prices are decent and from production to delivery to Holland takes about 3 weeks.

I added some pictures of the board I ordered from them for my version of the V2 Gonich looper wich I'm currently building.

Groeten vanuit Nederland

Oh hi there!
I checked Itead Studio. They indeed look like fine quality! It appears they only do batches?
I'm not a professional; strictly hobby... I only make FX for myself, so I can't afford a whole batch.

Groeten uit Hoorn

vincentehlen · Post by **vincentehlen** » 25 Feb 2014, 22:22

In the prototype service you can small amounts. Starting at 9,90 Dollar for 10pcs 50x50mm.
I order all of my fx/amp-pcb's from them, at those prices it isn't worth etching at home.

andrej · Post by **andrej** » 06 Mar 2014, 11:17

If you're wondering what's with the delay, it's mainly my perfectionism.

I found it a bit illogical for loop count and footswitch count to be directly related. That's why I've decided to give a unified footswitch layout for any number of loops. Then, I thought of all these crazy features and I'm implementing them right now:

the new layout is:

Code: Select all

                          Display      Func3 Func4
    Func1   Func2      BankUp  BankDn   Mode
L8        L7     L6  L5      L4       L3    L2  L1

As you can see - the bottom two rows form a keyboard. Why? Because it doubles as a Moog Tausrus-like foot controller!
The display is now 2-digit and displays info in hexadecimal. I'll make a 3-digit optional version for displaying normal, base-10 numbers

Preset mode:

L1-L8 are presets
BankUp and BankDn are for changing banks
Mode is for changing to Pedalboard mode
Func1, Func2, Func3 and Func4 are Midi-note-ons assigned for the current preset, so you'll be able to use a midi-to-tap tempo box (midi-to-momentary footswitch), a midi channel switcher, tap-tempo on a digital fx, ramp on a leslie sim, a looper, etc...
Func3 longpress switches to keyboard mode - lower octave
Func4 longpress switches to keyboard mode - upper octave

Pedalboard/config mode:

Mode short-press discards the changes and returns to Preset mode
Mode long-press saves the changes and returns to Preset mode
BankUp / Down change submodes (indicated by 3 leds to the left of the display):
the first sub modes are Loops 1-8, Loops 9-16,... - L1-L8 switch the loops on and off. Func keys work as in Preset mode
MidiNote - L1-L8 send midi note on messages (NOT SAVE, JUST SEND) - various uses, but primarily to control my midi channel switcher from the pedalboard; Func keys work as in Preset mode
Config mode: Func 1-4, L1-L3 choose what to edit with L7 (down) and L8 (up); for Funcs it's note-on number of the func keys; for L1-L2 it's CC number of exp_jack1 and exp_jack1; these are all preset related; L3 is for global (non-preset-related) midi channel of the switcher part

Keyboard mode:

L1-L8, func1-func2, bankUp, bankDn and mode are midi keys (Note on); you can see they're arranged in a keyboard-like fashion
Func4 changes the octave
Func5 exits to Preset mode
Func4 longpress enters the edit sub-mode, where parameters are edited by L7 and L8 and Mode saves (longpress) or discards (shortpress) settings:
L1-L4 select what to edit: L1 and L2 select exp_jack1 and exp_jack2 CC numbers for the keyboard mode; L3 selects keyboard-mode-only midi channel, L4 selects the octave of the lower octave (the upper octave is just an octave above it), L5 selects the velocity of notes

Wlat · Post by **Wlat** » 06 Mar 2014, 13:29

Awesome work!
Be carefull not to kill the project by continuously adding more feaures though...