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what's the best way to do this?
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Re: installing midi on a tonewheel organ
Yaers ago I did a MIDI conversion on a Hammond chop based on an H-series. The reason was I had an H-series chop and the big benefit was extra contacts available. The H-series had additional contacts and busbars for the mixtures and one for percussion keying. I cut the extra busbar into eight-note groups and wired in the scanning circuitry. Goff I believe uses this method but on standard consoles. (you have to give up a drawbar)
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The advantage of using existing contacts is there is no change in the feel of the keyboard. Other methods are to add a new set of contacts under the keys. This is less envasive but perhaps harder due to lack of space, lack of quality low profile contacts, and the change in feel of the original keyboards. There may be contacts available that I'm not aware of so it would certainly be worth looking into.</p>
You also need to determine if you need velocity or not. A non-velocity keyboard would be simpler of course. For velocity, internally, you can create a BREAK/MAKE system with existing contacts. Externally a regular MAKE/MAKE system would work.</p>
Keith Emerson had velocity MIDI one the upper manual and non-velocity on the lower manual of his C-3. (1992)</p>
I have been looking into using a Hammond SuperB for a MIDI controller.
</p> Super B Project
One of the issues with this is the keyboards are lighter than a B-3 and are the diving board type. Also, the layout of percussion buttons and vibrato buttons is different. The feel is different but certainly closer than regular keyboards. I recently came into a B-3 that was damaged by Hurricane Ike. The thought had crossed my mind of taking this and making a MIDI controller out of it having the exact feel of a B-3. Reality is however, if there is a way to restore it as a B-3, it would have much more value and my little MIDI concept may have to take a back seat. Oh well...
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George
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Re: installing midi on a tonewheel organ
the reason i ask is i found a video of an a-100 with midi on one of the manuals, i guess using the contacts and encoder from a casio keyboard. the encoder was placed on the bottom shelf in the cabinet. i can't seem to find this video anymore because it's original purpose was for an ebay sale that has now ended, and the video must have been pulled off of youtube.
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Re: installing midi on a tonewheel organ
I saw it. He clearly stated that the contacts were placed under the keyboard and that it DID make the action feel different.</p>
George
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Re: installing midi on a tonewheel organ
I do hope it is NOT a no - no to resurrect this thread a year later, but I AM working on this concept for my H 262, and have a few questions.</p>
First, you say it changes the touch, to install under-the keyboard,the new connects... *How MUCH did it seem to change the "feel" on any you have seen... Was it REAL serious?</p>
Also .., would it be more to the point and more sensible to do just ONE manual, as I simply want to add some midi sounds to my Hammond sounds.</p>
If any will consider an answer here, I would be very pleased!</p>
John (ellll)
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Re: installing midi on a tonewheel organ
One way to construct this could possibly be by using reed switches w small magnets alternatively using optical sensors. None of them would destroy the feeling of the keyboard. In the first case it would be important to find good magnets to get a consistent and proper operation and in the latter there might be some risk of problems with dirt & dust over time. Reed switches I guess would be much more difficult to use in a velocity sensitive setup with any precission, while optical device would be much easier.
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