03 / Design & build
Custom controllers
We study how your show works, shape the design with you, then build, program and test a controller around your needs.
Explore the process
Design the instrument you need
Launching a sound, riding an effect, mixing a set and stopping playback are different gestures. The controls, their feel and their position should reflect that. A custom controller gives those actions a physical layout shaped around the way you play.
We develop the surface and its behaviour together: what your hands need to reach, what you need to see, and how the controller talks to your instruments and live session. The enclosure, electronics and programming all serve that same design.
Discuss your controller
The layout has a purpose
Different actions, different controls
Repeated channel strips keep the same gesture in the same place for each part of the mix. A separate performance area brings effects, loops and transport together.
Control grouping, spacing, colour and labels are part of the instrument. We work through them with you so the important actions are easy to find while you perform.
From an idea to a working instrument
How we build your controller
The physical design and the programming develop together, with your performance guiding the decisions.
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Understand the way you play
We go through your show and current setup with you. What do you trigger, adjust or switch while playing? What takes too many actions? Which functions need to be available immediately, and what information do you need back from the system?
The brief A map of the actions, destinations and feedback the controller needs to handle.
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Choose and arrange the controls
We choose buttons, knobs, encoders and faders according to the gesture each function needs. Related actions are grouped together; spacing and reach are checked against your playing position. Labels, colours, lights and any display are considered alongside the controls they explain.
The surface A layout that makes the relationship between your hands, the controls and the show clear.
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Develop the shape and prototype
The enclosure takes shape around the layout: dimensions, panel angle, mounting, connector positions and room for the electronics. We review the design with you. Where a design needs hands-on validation, a mock-up or working prototype lets us check the feel and revise it before committing to the finished build.
The design review The physical format and control layout checked together, with changes made while they are still practical.
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Build the enclosure and electronics
We bring the enclosure, panels, controls and electronics into one assembly. Component choice, wiring, power and external connections are matched to the agreed design and the rig it will join. Internal access and the practicalities of connecting, mounting and transporting the controller are part of the build.
The hardware A physical controller assembled around the agreed controls, format and connections.
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Program what every gesture does
We define the behaviour behind the surface: MIDI assignments, value ranges, momentary or toggle actions, banks and feedback where needed. Firmware and the mappings in your live setup are developed together. A light or display needs to communicate a useful state, and each control needs to produce the intended result in the receiving system.
The integration Controls and feedback mapped to the instruments, software and functions you actually use.
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Play it, refine it and take it on stage
We check the controls individually, then use the controller with the intended show setup. Rehearsal reveals awkward reaches, unclear feedback and behaviour that needs adjusting. Startup and reconnection are checked too. The handover covers the connections, mappings and configuration needed to use and look after the finished controller.
The handover A controller tested with its intended setup, with its operation and configuration explained.
Your controller
Show us what you want to do
A sketch, a video of your current setup or a list of actions is a useful start. Tell us what you want to control, where you will play it, what needs to fit around it and when you need it.
We’ll work through the design, development and testing scope with you, then establish the build approach, budget and schedule for your project.
Plan your custom controller