Opto Hihat Controller with Infrared Phototransistor-It Works

[tobykea]

Hi all, just for some info I managed to finally get my Optical Hihat controller working tonight with SUperior Drummer.

Two problems sorted:

1) Synthex 2.8 Version of Megadrum has a 100Ohm resistor feeding the USB power to Pin 3 of the Pedal Jack. This reduces the available voltage feeding the Opto Hihat circuit so I removed it whih gave me more headroom. Was seeing around 3.7V supply whilst this resistor was in now up at 4.8V once I shorted it out. It provides a form of short circuit protection and offers a little noise immunity when plugging the Hihat controller circuit in. Not having it there means you may see some power cycles so I suggest if you do remove it plu the controller in first before applyin USB power.

2) Using cardboard or similar material for the vane that cuts the path of light doesn't work well. I couldn't get my midi levels to go below ~70 which made it impossible for me to get a fully closed Hihat sound with Superior drummer. I tried all sorts of config changes, messed aound with Superior drummer, followed all the set up info about Hihats with Megadrum and Superior drummer but got nowhere.

I decided to see if metal as a vane material had an effect on the midi low levels with my setup. Sure enough, using aluminium strip or a piece of baked bean can lid certainly works and gets the low level down to around 30. I now get fully closed Hihat sounds so Happy days..

Give it a try and see if it works for you.

Cheers,

Toby

[chrishopf]

Hi Toby,

do you have building instruction and some photos of your optical controller? I have to build also one for my sons E-Drums

Regards
Christian

[tobykea]

But.....If you want the Rolls-Royce of Hihat controller circuits, use a Hall Effect device with strong Neobydium (possibly spelt wrong..) button magnets.

This arrangement is by far the most elegant and easy to get operating type of them all.

No moving parts, no funny oscillations in the response and no need to have the Hihat itself move up and down on the Hihat stand which when doing splashes and chicks can also trigger the main Hihat piezo...Something you don't want when doing chicks and splashes.

Cheers,

Toby

[everson]

Agreed. I built one of those hall effect hihats. Very cheap, very easy.