JCB

JCB is an eight-sided, MPE-compliant MIDI controller that functions through the utilization of ribbon sensors, FSR’s, potentiometers, and switches.

Regarding the right side of the controller, it is comprised of three long soft potentiometers for oscillator pitch shifting. Additionally, these three strips are individually placed upon force sensitive resistors for oscillator amplitude control.

The left side of the controller contains six shorter soft potentiometers for effects control. Additionally, the middle section’s potentiometers serve as another area for continuous controller assignments. The switches act as latching mechanisms for the oscillators, allowing the user to free their hand during the interaction.

Middleware programming was handled with MaxMSP, where notes and continuous controller assignments can be modified. It must be noted that the device can be played in both a vertical and horizontal orientation (when set on a flat surface after removing the back panel).

While the utilization of FSR’s, potentiometers, ribbon sensors, and latching switches are not foreign to MIDI controllers, the physical orientation of this device might be considered innovative. Users find themselves playing the instrument with larger arm movements, perhaps promoting more nuanced manipulations.

Additionally, this controller positions the user to select a root note for each oscillator, creating a constraint that could be viewed as a benefit within the composition/sound-design process.

While I was not present during this particular demo session (as this controller floated around Los Angeles while I resided in NYC), I was told that a peer musician connected the controller to a MIDI-to-CV converter. Thereafter, they utilized JCB to control a hardware synthesizer. This particular setup has led to thoughts of CV integration within future iterations (long term goal).