The Perfect 25-Cent Controller Stand
Most smaller MIDI controllers are low profile, allowing them to slip easily into your bag but are too low to use with turntables and mixers. This makes using small controllers along with standard DJ gear slightly awkward. Those of us who are on the taller side also suffer from controllers that are too far away and not at playing height. The solution for both problems? A few pieces of gear that are already in your bag + a very simple 25-cent investment that will raise up most small MIDI controllers to a playable height without adding any weight to your bag.
4-CORNER SOLUTION
DVS users of Serato Scratch and Traktor Scratch suffer from this problem more than anyone. They need to have their control surfaces at the same height as the turntable/mixer or it’s very hard to access in a pinch. The Solution? Use something that is already in your bag — a needle box — to raise up the controller. The only thing you need: 4 sticky feet, placed on the 4 corners of both top and bottom of your box. This will keep everything firmly in place and at the perfect playing height. The box sticks to the booth, and your controller stays glued to the box, allowing some fierce button banging without any slippage.
WON’T IT SLIP?
We thought you might ask — so I shot a little video of our good friend Solomon trying out his new 25-cent stand using the Midi-Fighter and Serato Scratch. Download the Midi-Mapping he uses if you’re interested in trying it out.
WORKS WITH SOUND CARDS TOO!
Dont have a Needle box in your bag? Chances are you also have a sound card or Serato box in there. Just add some rubber feet to the top and you’re set.
Larger controllers work too. Just use a slightly larger sound card or needle box, and they will stay put as well.
March 11th, 2010 at 8:46 pm Quote
wonderful post, as always.
can’t wait to start using a midifighter with my dvs setup!
March 11th, 2010 at 10:12 pm Quote
damn, if I only had 25 cents!
March 12th, 2010 at 1:44 am Quote
I thought those rubber feet was a lego peice, so i was thinking DAMN EAN seriously?! haha
March 12th, 2010 at 2:07 am Quote
Yea thats a really good idea…
March 12th, 2010 at 3:32 am Quote
I mostly use cardboard or styrofoam pieces from packaging.
Well, stuff like that: http://www.recycle-eh.com/Styrofoambox.JPG
Its lightweight to transport, it’s really easy to get in every shape and size, or to cut, and you can put everything on it (occasionally I even use them as backup-laptop-stands).
And the big plus is – I don’t have to give a damn even if it gets dripping wet with sticky drinks, just throw them away.
March 12th, 2010 at 5:04 am Quote
I made my own personal stand for my VCI 100 that looks pretty pro. I got a piece of pink styrofoam and then got some leather type vinyl and made a custon slip cover for the styrofoam. So now its up to height and looks great! For my midifighter I use the foam that came in the box when I ordered it.
March 12th, 2010 at 5:34 am Quote
A box? I hardley call that a solution. It’s more like a make shift temp fix isn’t it? The article is reffering to a 25 cent “stand”. A box or spacer to raise your gear is not in my opinion a stand. Furthermore the 4 sticky feet ‘investment’ in not something you can find within your gear at a moments notice; you actually have to go buy them. The raised box setup doesn’t look like a ’stand’. IMO .
BC
March 12th, 2010 at 6:05 am Quote
LOVE IT! =)
It’s amazing how you can make a whole post about just 4 sticky rubber pads that actualy makes for some good reading.
March 12th, 2010 at 11:15 am Quote
I’ve got the collected works of jack london for this purpose
March 12th, 2010 at 11:23 am Quote
Running out of things to write about Mr. Golden?
March 12th, 2010 at 12:57 pm Quote
hardly- we have a lot to write about. Fridays are lighter posts, where we post non-complicated stuff. This is a very simple but super useful tip that can help out anyone that plays out regularly. No one wants to carry an extra stand for a small controller, so this allows you to use the gear already in your bag as a stand/riser.
Perhaps this was obvious to others but it was not obvious to me until someone showed it to me so I thought I would share with others who might not have thought of it.
@ Bcondemi- Sure, Techincally its a riser but Stand looks much nicer in my title :)
@ FDRk- Thanks!
@Subvert, – Foam is good too. But the idea of this piece was to re-use equipment that you already in the bag so no new gear is required.
March 12th, 2010 at 1:38 pm Quote
this post really sucked. i’m sorry.
March 12th, 2010 at 1:44 pm Quote
Yeah why didn’t you post something on the djm-2000 this post was pretty worthless
March 12th, 2010 at 2:07 pm Quote
chill on the hater-aide kidz.
March 12th, 2010 at 3:19 pm Quote
how do you mapp the loops in traktor. it doesnt give me the option to set the 1/32, 1/16, etc …
March 12th, 2010 at 4:32 pm Quote
Got mine a top two old videotapes (Blade Runner. The Original AND The Director’s Cut) in the home studio. :) Just a temp fix until I get the thing assembled with the extra knobs/buttons in it’s new case…
March 12th, 2010 at 6:31 pm Quote
Midi Mapping link not working
March 12th, 2010 at 8:52 pm Quote
hmmmm midi fighter and serato heh heh
March 12th, 2010 at 10:29 pm Quote
HAHAHHA hater aide is right man… come on now. U no how much stuff i got in my bag..u think i want to carry more… Good call Ean. I mean i would love to see somethin about the new american audio controller but hey… where else are u goin to find a web site like this.
O Yeah could have swore I saw something about u guys hiring writers….. hmmmmmm
March 13th, 2010 at 12:57 am Quote
not my favorite post, but still enjoy reading it as always… whats with all the haters? go hate somewhere else. if u dont like it, then stfu and move on.
March 13th, 2010 at 5:16 am Quote
I recon this is not a loop…
It’s probably an effect “macro” (multiple functions for one button)
1. Activate the effect bank set with beatmasher tool in chain mode (hold).
2. Use direct control for the effect value and select a wanted value that fits either 1/32 or 1/16…
Happy hunting. ;)
March 13th, 2010 at 5:20 am Quote
Crap.. Just realized you where asking for setup in Serato. :) Never mind.
Tough… The same setup might work in traktor. Set loop parameter and loop active… But then again I’ve never mapped in Serato.
Solution: Get Traktor. ;)
March 13th, 2010 at 7:04 am Quote
i think some people are becoming complascent arses.maybe they have started really interesting debates or posted good/useful stuff on the forums but if they haven’t i don’t think they deserve to critisize what your posting ean as the only reason they came to this site in the first place was because of what you’ve done so far.don’t start questioning anything you would normally do mate as i wouldn’t want this site to lose the uniqueness that you created here and so many like minded dudes and dudettes on the forums are keeping alive.so if said people aren’t contributing thats no problem but don’t dictate how it should be done just stop reading when you realize it doesn’t interest you and move on.(why bother typing a comment??)
March 13th, 2010 at 7:12 am Quote
oh and you looked a bit too tired in the last vid ean…………and your hair was a bit long………..and that cabinet in the background looked a bit dusty to me!!!.damn that hater aide is good!
March 13th, 2010 at 7:34 am Quote
Great article,I liked it cause i always had to be anxious about my stand…But i have a question Ean;which are the tracks being mixed on the video?
March 13th, 2010 at 8:04 am Quote
i would rather read about the djm2000 somewhere else.£3000 means for me its a definate no but if i was interested,before shelling that money out i would be stupid if i didn’t go to a dealer and get my hands dirty with it first(regardless of the 100’s of vids that will be available to watch).unless its got something grounbreaking going on with it for techheads then no clutter on this site.ironic that the post asking for this was dictating what was wheat and what was chaff.
March 13th, 2010 at 8:06 am Quote
@dj vicks^
March 13th, 2010 at 8:27 am Quote
dictating????i sound like a knobhead sometimes:)
March 13th, 2010 at 2:03 pm Quote
thanks fdrk :)
March 17th, 2010 at 1:01 pm Quote
The track was Technotronic- Pump up the Jam.
And what is the problem people? This is simple, effective, cheap, and to the point. Those little plastic critters are also useful for decoupling your proximity monitors FYI.
March 18th, 2010 at 9:52 am Quote
At home, where my studio desk is a bit lower than I would like. I use the boxes my VCI-300 and Maschine controllers came in and some books from my D&D collection. :)
March 18th, 2010 at 11:01 am Quote
is there a mapping for samples also? i would like a mapping of cue points n samples
March 26th, 2010 at 9:32 am Quote
My method!
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs474.snc3/25971_378456747126_565302126_4112553_1516920_n.jpg
cheers DJ TT your literally amazing.
March 28th, 2010 at 4:26 am Quote
On my vci-100se there are 2 stripes of velcro on the button. Also on top of my soundcard to hold both together. Works perfect.
March 29th, 2010 at 7:50 pm Quote
The download for the midi mapping just gave me some game. Can some one help me out with that?
March 31st, 2010 at 8:04 am Quote
I use this flexible styrafoam peice of packing.I forget exactly where I got it but it was free and works perfect for my Maschine.