Tindie

LE STRUM - MIDI Strummed Chord Controller Kit

An unique MIDI control surface that functions something like a cross between a Stylophone and an Omnichord.

(31 Reviews)

Designed by hotchk155 (Brighton, United Kingdom)
Questions? Contact Seller

LE STRUM - MIDI Strummed Chord Controller Kit 1

LE STRUM - MIDI Strummed Chord Controller Kit 2

LE STRUM - MIDI Strummed Chord Controller Kit 3

LE STRUM - MIDI Strummed Chord Controller Kit 4

LE STRUM - MIDI Strummed Chord Controller Kit 5

An unique MIDI control surface that functions something like a cross between a Stylophone and an Omnichord.

Voici LE STRUM! 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 touch...

Voici LE STRUM!

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's 36 chord buttons give you immediate access to 84 different chords (maj, min, dom7, maj7, min7, aug, dim for 12 root notes). You can also play sus4, add6 and add9 chord variations (with some limitations). It is great for learning about chord progressions and can be a helpful songwriting tool

LE STRUM has a special 6 string guitar mode, which knows basic major, minor and seven open chord fingerings for guitar. It can be used to lay down strummed guitar MIDI tracks without a MIDI guitar, and in a more convincing way that you could get from a keyboard. It's more than a toy, yessiree!

LE STRUM is a unique and fun controller which works great with huge pads and delay effects to create swirls of lush chordy goodness by simply pressing a few buttons. Turn on, tune in, strum out. You could even introduce LE STRUM to cousin ARPIE for some chord arpeggiation fun!

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)

User patch can combine settings for: play on make/break, damp on make/break, guitar voicing /stacked triads, additional guitar octave, enable added 4/6/9 notes, enable guitar chord bass notes, keep chord selection after chord button release, common note sustain on chord change, map chromatic/diatonic/pentatonic scale to pads, enable organ buttons on midi channel 2

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)

An optional stand is available.

For more information please see here

Please note that synthesizer hardware or software is required to make sound. LE STRUM is a MIDI controller and does not make any sound by itself!

Rates to United States

Shipping Rate	First item	Additional items
Royal Mail: Over 100g: Air Mail Standard (Not Trackable) [LD]	$10.10	$3.63
Royal Mail: Over 100g: Air Mail with Signature required (Tracking depends on destination) [XLD]	$21.36	$3.63

Review Breakdown

Average Ratings

Product: (4.95)

Documentation: (4.75)

Shipping: (4.90)

Communication: (4.80)

Ryan | Jan. 22, 2018

Amazing little device! I love it!

This little leStrum is great, I use it all the time to inject some spontaneity into midi sequences.
Really fun and easy to use. Lots of options and modes so it never gets old.
I have bought several items from Hotchk155.
Such as,
The Arpie with the sync board, great with syncing timing with the volca series by Korg. Also sounds great with the LeStrum.
The Midi Hub, awesome at keeping odd midi devices in bpm sync and great for jam sessions.
And I just ordered the Bananna Split midi expander to send midi sequences to 6 separate devices all controlled from my Synthstrom Deluge.

Can’t say enough good things, makes my life a lot easier!
Thanks again!

Kevin | Dec. 8, 2017

I'm so Happy with my first DIY project Le Strum

Hotchk155 is The Man. Your Awesome Dude. First DIY project and it worked first try. This is a Revolutionary way to play music. I love midi instruments like this one. Truly Unique. Had to order another one.

Bernard | March 6, 2017

Fun build, lovely instrument

What a joy this thing is... Build was straightforward thanks to the detailed instructions. Nice to see a few extra parts just in case. Black PCB is splendid, layout clean and elegant.
Then you plug it in and marvel at the potential of the little instrument. It doesn't skip a beat and offers tons of performance options.
Absolutely recommended if you're looking for yet another way to play your synths.

Rik | Sept. 19, 2016

Deserves more limelight

This little gizmo, just wow!
Well laid out pcb, very good docs, doozy to solder.... and it work brilliantly too!

This thing rocks, it rolls, it arpeggiates and meanders, it begs to be modded, it pleads to be experimented with, brilliant little giant.

Sean | Sept. 1, 2016

Le Strum is awesome!

This kit went together very well. I studied electrical engineering in school, but that knowledge is unnecessary to build this kit. The instructions are very thorough and include pictures to ensure that the polarized components are oriented correctly. The PCB quality is one of best I have seen in a kit after constructing a variety of projects. I would recommend a good soldering iron, as with any project like this, to make sure that the solder flows easily and quickly. The unit functioned properly on the first power-up and did not require any debugging or calibration to get started. the case could be improved to include a bottom panel and rubber feet like those on the Arpie, but for the price point, it's hard to be dissatisfied.