This one is inspired by my experiences with the band and the DJ-Set and...well...you know why =-). Anyway, for already quite a long time I am looking for a way to read out the BPM information from Torq (any DJ-Software) in order to trigger Ableton with that. The aim is to have those things running synchronyzed without my interaction.
I had the DJM800 from Pioneer lying around here for a few days (yes...the one with the MIDI-Clock output) but it wasn't that good since the BPM detection is a little dull and inaccurate. Furthermore it is a little too expensive.
Just to have it said: of course I tried to get the BPM values by reading them out of the software - this would be the best approach but i failed due to the weird interface-programming of all the programs i took a look at.
I guess it will work with some software some time but at the moment I am preferring Torq from M-Audio and the current Version (1.04) is miles away from sending anything to the outside world (besides music, of course).
But there's hope....
My mixer (Behringer DJX700) has a rather precise BPM-detection. First in form of a 3 digit display, second in form of a blinking (green) LED
'Gonna take this.
In order to give it an overall non-destructive touch I want to get hold of the blinking LED without attacking the insides of the mixer. My plan is to use a phototransistor for detection and drive a MIDI-Controller with its signal. the MIDI event is then used to trigger the 'Tap' button within Ableton.
This is my mixer. The LED is situated in the upper right corner (belowe the Displays, above 'Beat Assist').
Since it's rather complicated to place the phototransistor exactly over the LED I made a funnel out of aluminium foil and duct-taped it over the LED.
Don't get puzzled, there are two circuits on the breadboard...
The circuit's output is connected to the footswitch-input of my BCR2000 Midi-Controller. This device is also providing the current for the circuit which is basically only short-circuited.
The circuit diagram is simple as can be. The transistors are BC107B and were only taken because they were lying around over here. The phototransistor is a BPX81. Overall the circuit costs about 3€. That's quite okay.
And what comes out looks like this:
Please don't wonder: the video is without sound because the result turned out to be ....complete bullsh*t. The BPM recognition of the mixer is rather terrible. The tapped speed within Ableton changes all the time from 127 to 135 BPM (using a constant, simple 4-bar loop). Tapping manually leads to far better results.
If only I had asked our apprentice before since he had a little more experience with the mixer....
