I’ve been searching for the “perfect” controller since making the transition from vinyl to digital a year ago and so far nothing has come close to providing the kind of control I desire, so I’ve decided to design and build my own.

After months of research, scrapped plans and much confusion  I thankfully came across the MIDIBOX project created by Thorsten Klose. These guys had been making MIDI instruments for years, before Traktor and Serato even existed and because MIDI is a tried and tested standard, one completely integrated into most Music Production/DJ packages it was a perfect place to start.

The MIDIBox website is full of information on various types of related projects, including Synthesisers and Controllers. It has a regularly updated Wiki as well as a really good forum with knowledgeable and friendly hobbyists who seem to be more than happy answering Noobish questions to help you on your way. You should spend a lot of time on here, looking at the Wiki, reading other peoples posts and asking your own questions before you consider making your own.

I’ve tried out a few controllers in the past, but currently have the Allen & Heath XOne:1D which I use with Traktor Pro (download my MIDI Map here). Unlike most of the other controllers on the market, that are usually meant to replace your mixer and turntables, the 1D is made to complement  your existing setup, sitting either side of your mixer, which I feel is a natural progression from the traditional turntable setup.

Controller 2D Mockup

I wanted to keep the same dimensions as the 1D, but with a new layout that would give you complete control over 4 decks, effects, looping and global options without having to compromise on usability.

After numerous designs I came up with the layout on the right and later the 3D concept at the top. The bottom half of the units will control four decks, with 8 cue points and transport buttons for each. Middle left you have general options and a row of filters; right is a whole section for loops and the top section will handle effects, including PS3 thumb sticks for X/Y control of multiple parameters. I will go into more detail of all the functions in the future as there are too many to list in this post, but hopefully you should get a good idea by enlarging the image to the right.

The project is currently in it’s early stages and I will be documenting each step along the way to its completion in the hope that it will provide some useful information for anyone wanting to design and create their own controller. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section below.