LE Strum Is A DIY MIDI Controller That Simulates Strummed Chords

In this video from Olivier Ozoux, we get a demo of the LE STRUM, a DIY MIDI controller that triggers MIDI notes in a strum-like fashion – similar to what you’d hear from a Omnichord or Stylophone.

From information provided from the product website,

Connect LE STRUM to your MIDI synthesizer or computer running synth software, hold down a combination of buttons to select a chord, then use the “stylus” to play MIDI notes by touching the contact pads on the top right of the board. As the name suggests, you can “strum” across chords using the stylus, providing an unique and expressive MIDI controller.

LE STRUM has several performance modes which are accessed by holding the MODE button while pressing one of the top row of chord buttons:

• Mode+C : Basic mode – Stacked triads mapped across all 16 pads
• Mode+D : Guitar strum mode – 6-string guitar open chords used (maj/min/7)
• Mode+E : Guitar sustain mode – as above, but chord held after buttons released
• Mode+F : Organ buttons – As Basic mode but chord triad plays on MIDI channel 2 as soon as button is pressed
• Mode+G : Organ buttons with additions – as above but with sus4/add6/add9 options
• Mode+A : Organ buttons with retrig – as above but chord buttons retrigger
• Mode+B : Load User Patch
• Mode+Bm : Save User Patch
• Mode+B7 : MIDI Panic – All notes off
• Mode+Strum Pad: Set MIDI velocity (16 levels)

Specifications

• Kit contains PCB and all components and hardware required to build LE STRUM
• Soldering is needed to assemble the kit
• A PP3 battery is required (not included)
• Integrated ON/OFF switch and power LED
• 4mm banana plug stylus with keepy-hole in PCB
• Designed for hackability (e.g. solder wires to the provided holes on the pads to make proper “strings” to pluck)
• Transmits on MIDI Channel 1 for stylus activity and MIDI Channel 2 for Chord Buttons.
• Output is to a standard MIDI 5-pin DIN socket.
• Size 98mm x 75mm x 45mm (incl MIDI socket)
• Weight approx 120g with battery
• OPEN SOURCE hardware design
• OPEN SOURCE firmware for PIC16F1825 microcontroller.
• Firmware source code (SourceBoost C) and compiled HEX images available on GitHub (A PICKit2 or equivalent programmer is required if you want to load alternative or updated firmware on to the chip)

LE Strum is currently priced at $59 and you can visit the product website to learn more about what it’s capable of.

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