DIY footswitch for Ableton Live frees up your hands, makes you dangerous onstage
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted April 9th 2009 1:32PM
posted April 9th 2009 1:32PM
When Ableton forum member AlexMC came across plans for a no-fuss, no-muss USB foot controller for the company's world-renowned music app, he liked what he saw -- but not so much that he couldn't make a few changes his own self. By adding a sturdy wooden case, a 30 degree pitch to the top of the thing, some extra buttons, and some razzle-dazzle (that'll cost you extra) he now has a device that sports twenty buttons and a bank switch (making for forty unique outputs total), useful for things like play / record on individual tracks, stop / fade, and of course, everybody's favorite -- tap tempo. The best part? He built this bad boy for ten bucks! The excruciating step-by-step plans and photos (including circuit diagrams and all that jazz) are yours when you hit the read link below -- and you'll be mashing up Katy Perry and the Cure live on stage, while jamming along on your keytar, in no time. But please, don't mash-up Katy Perry and the Cure.
very cool. i think i'd stagger the buttons.
I really like the DIY musical approach here...Heck, most of my synths are DIY...but I'd like to point out to anyone that doesn't want to DIY, you can just get a midi foot board.
AlexMC = hero !
Great job.
Umm... whoever is claiming this only costs $10 is obviously missing something. Just the 21 DPDT switches would cost more than that... considering they sell for around $2-4 each. Nonetheless pretty cool controller, although I think it would have been better with a lower pitch (15 or 20 degrees) and staggered switches.
He said the final product cost 40 pounds... I'm not sure where the $10 figure came in - maybe that was just for the prototype he made.
Yea... 10 bucks is not right... iono where Engadget got that number from...
Maybe the british pound is doing even worse than when I last checked.
Okay, that's better. Too bad, because I would love to find switches that cheap for the stomp boxes I make...
I wish fewer pedals used buttons like that. They're tough to hit when I'm playing barefoot. A better approach would be spring-loaded pedals like on Boss stompboxes.
So did he tear up some of his hardwood floor to make that box?
Hardwood? That's Pergo my friend.
box? there's a box in that photo? I thought it was one of those things where you have to stare at the screen for awhile before it shows up.
When you see it you'll shit bricks.
web2.oh. Thats Quite the Photo.
This is sweet but I have a hard time figuring out how to use Live G as it is. I bought a GNX4 for the recording functions, but this is endless. Especially when dealing with loops and Midi stuff. You could be a one man band with this thing and sound like 10 people.
BEHOLD!
TREMBLE at the power of leftover modular flooring components!
(Just don't get it wet.)
nice! this is really cool, I can be playing guitar and trigger events like a pro! :)
pretty nice, i used an fcb1010 for a while with life it has 10 buttons to press w/ feet (or hands on a desk)
"The best part? He built this bad boy for ten bucks! "
No Engadget he didn't read the original story again, try getting someone else to read over your work before posting.
Thats a bit steep for floor pedals... (steep as in angle, not price)
I want to see the part of his wooden floor he ripped up to make that box.