OptoKey Minimoog D contacts now in production

[Kevin Lightner]

This post is an update to my earlier one regarding an optically based Minimoog D keyboard contact replacement product.



Having installed our first OptoKeys prototypes into original Mini models and with no problems found or reported, we've decided to produce our first small run.
All boards and parts are now in stock and assembly has begun.

We plan on immediately assembling 20-25 units.
Orders can pre-paid with a first-come / first served basis for delivery.
Delivery times are right now estimated at 2-5 weeks.

Price with MIDI is $595 USD plus shipping and insurance.
All are sold pre-tested and pre-calibrated.
Full installation instructions with all hardware provided.
1 year limited warranty.

If you'd like to prepay, simply send me a PM on this forum and I will provide a Paypal email address or other methods possible for payment.
If factory installation (me) is desired, include an additional $150 USD and make arrangements with me for shipping your keyboard here.
Please note that we will not install an OptoKey into any action with poor quality bushings.
Additional charges will apply if we install new bushings or perform any repairs.

A MIDI-less version will also be available at a lower, soon-to-be-announced price.
Please write to me in that case and we will inform you of what price has been decided upon ASAP.

Kits are not being generally offered, however certain exceptions may be made if the buyer understands that this is a very complex product and not for beginners or even intermediate builders.
Little support will be offered for these few that are sold as kits.
Even if a kit is provided in special cases, the small all-SMD (surface mount) board will be provided pre-assembled and tested.
The firmware will also arrive pre-programmed and read-protected.

To recap, this is a user or tech installable replacement for the spring and bussbar contacts found in original Minimoog D keyboards.
It uses 44 optical sensors, a high-speed computer and a very accurate 16 bit digital to analog converter.
Each key is scanned over 200 times a second.

There's NO soldering, drilling or special tools required, nor are any modifications required to the main Minimoog electronics.
The device simply plugs into the existing keyboard connector.
The original contact board is removed and the OptoKey boards installed in its place.
No switches or pots needed to add and no batteries or power adaptors required.

Please note that it is highly recommended that a keyboard first be cleaned, lubed and have new rubber bushings installed prior to installation of an OptoKey.
Bushings are available from Archive Sound. http://pw2.netcom.com/~arcsound
Installing both the bushings and an OptoKey at the same time is highly recommended, as it's much easier to install both products together.
We recommend that the chosen Minimoog be in overall good condition before considering installation of an OptoKey.

The OptoKey provides the same exact response as the original contacts did.
The Minimoog will look, feel and play just as it should (like new.)
One can play the famous "Wakeman trill" with no problems whatsoever.

Mono, low note priority response only- just like a Minimoog.
The keys may be slightly smoother and easier to press since they no longer have to pull metal spring contacts across bussbars.
All owners and beta-testers have agreed they greatly prefer this and can play slightly faster and more accurately than they originally could.

Several original Minimoog problems have also been overcome by the addition of an OptoKey too.
No cleaning necessary, no pitch drift, no notes that rise in pitch like sirens and no notes slightly out tune.
The 16 bit digital to analog converter produces perfect semitone pitches for each and every note.
The OptoKey also "remembers" the last note played and by doing this eliminates a common source of Minimoog pitch drift common during long VCA release times or in times of high humidity.

The OptoKey also provides both MIDI IN and MIDI Out.
MIDI Thru is also available upon special order.
High quality metal Switchcraft MIDI connectors are used exclusively.

Like the Minimoog itself, OptoKey MIDI is very simple.
There's no support for the pitch and mod wheels, nor any velocity or aftertouch.
Only the 44 notes of the keyboard are sent or recognized as "note on / note off" MIDI messages.
The OptoKey can not send or receive polyphonic MIDI.
MIDI IN data is pre-filtered for mono, low note priority response, just like a real Minimoog.
If polyphonic MIDI is sent to an OptoKey, it will choose the lowest note of the chord.

There's also a custom option to provide CV and Gate output jacks for use as a modular synth controller or for use by other synths.

Technical specs:
16 bit DAC conversion.
10Mhz RISC processor using non-volatile memory.
On-board regulator and voltage references. Can be powered by most voltages.
Reflective infra-red sensors for detecting key presses.
Low power consumption. Draws approx 50ma @ 10 volts, powered by the Minimoog.
Separate MIDI IN and MIDI OUT channels.
High quality fire-retardant PC boards with full solder mask and silkscreening.
Ultra high quality components throughout.
Full RFI filtering to eliminate any digital bleedthru or emissions.
Socketed CPU can be user-swapped for updates or replacements.
Software can be updated as new features are developed.
Possible new features include alternate triggering and priority modes, keyboard inversion, user selectable MIDI channels with memory, alternate scales and others.
All updates will be free if the old cpu is returned for reprogramming. A $5 charge will otherwise apply. (shipping additional.)

Thanks for allowing me to post this here.
While it IS an ad, this product is definitely on-topic as it's designed solely for Moog Minimoog D synthesizers.
(later versions may be available for Arp Odysseys, 2600s and other synths though.)

Sooo.. if you want one of these critters, please consider sending in a prepayment.
First come, first served.
If all sell out, it will be several more months before new production begins again.
If we are out of stock and a buyer has prepaid, they will have an option for either a refund or waiting for the first of the next production units.

Thank you,
Kevin

[space_nerd]

I'm happy that you finally producing the Optokey - I wish you have success with this!
Sadly no Mini here , but I love the fact that this mod is made with the ultimate respect to the Mini - you may have observed through your job all these years, that many mods are usually ugly and (mainly) clumsy - and for many people (including me) degrate the value of an instrument.
Truly usefull and great!
All the best

[ColorForm2113]

Good to hear Kevin, if I had a mini I'd be all over this. Would this be compatible with the micro?

[Kevin Lightner]

I'm happy that you finally producing the Optokey - I wish you have success with this!
Sadly no Mini here , but I love the fact that this mod is made with the ultimate respect to the Mini - you may have observed through your job all these years, that many mods are usually ugly and (mainly) clumsy - and for many people (including me) degrate the value of an instrument.
Truly usefull and great!
All the best

Thank you very much.
You're very perceptive regarding mods that are often encountered in Minis.
Usually they're performed very poorly. I always hope these same people are better at fixing the brakes on their car.

But I also sympathize with owners who might have had only a Radio Shack available within 100 miles and couldn't foresee Minis later becoming collectible.
Not everyone is a metalworker or tech and the only way to gain experience is through doing.
So it's hard to criticize people that DO and try instead of just dream or talk.
But if *I* had a Ferrari, I wouldn't dare try servicing myself either.
Most valuable objects usually survive their owners, so it us, the later generations that are responsible for keeping the valuables of yesteryear in good condition.

Would this be compatible with the micro?

Right now, no. Sorry.
But it's far easier for me to adapt the design to smaller keyboards like Micros, Pro-Ones, Odys since the hardware can't support much more than 44 keys.
Perhaps a 49 note model for 2600s could be realized, but I've only 5 volts of CV range available so much larger ones are out.

I feel confident I could install a customized unit into a MicroMoog right now without designing a special model.
The Moog's power supply is up to task and there's room inside, even for the MIDI jacks.
One would really have to be in love with their Micro to afford a $595 base price along with fees for the custom work necessary.
Same goes for a Pro-One. Possible now perhaps, but too pricey compared to that keyboard's value.
This is a huge incentive to release as a lower-priced kit or DIY project tho.
(We'd supply the boards and software, you'd supply everything else.)

I do admit going overboard with the quality of the components. It shows in the cost of the parts.
Originally it was designed to be 14 bits, but that just wasn't accurate enough for me.

For example, Roland Jupiter 8s used either a 12 or 14 bit DAC (depending on model) to generate 61 notes of CVs.
With 12 bits - 4096 possible analog values divided by 61 - one only gets 67 possible values per semitone (with most notes falling far out of proper musical range.)
The Opto-Key uses a 16 bit DAC to cover only 44 notes of CVs or over 360,000 possible values per semitone.
That's much easier to exactly choose something like 3.000 volts instead of settling for 2.988v or whatever.

Perhaps it's unnecessary overkill, but I wanted one less source of problems and drift in a Minimoog, not more.
I wanted perfect pitch for every note and no embarrassing keyboard glitches requiring frequent contact cleanings.
Also should these optical contacts ever need cleaning themselves, it's far easier for an owner to perform without hiring a tech.
That saves money and doesn't subject an instrument to downtime, shipping or other possible damage.

[Christopher Winkels]

Never, ever, apologize for overspeccing a component. Too many synths out there have things like mod wheels with audible staircasing because a beancounter said 7 bits of resolution are good enough. Good enough for 1986 perhaps. Not for 2011. So overspec to your heart's content.

Unless, of course, it's something downright wasteful like using "AA" bubinga veneered ply for the bottom panel of a synth that'll never be seen by anyone. Single "A" will suffice.

[dougt]

Great work Kevin. By the way key bushings are a lot cheaper here -

http://www.vintagevibe.com/p-484-synthe ... hings.aspx

[Kevin Lightner]

Thanks, Doug.

I wrote to them for quotes on 500 or more pieces.

Btw, I'm just about done converting a 3 octave Pratt-Read keyboard to have an OptoKey installed.
It should be able to be installed into any Ody or perhaps a ProOne or CAT SRM.
I know Odys and CATs are duophonic and the OptoKey is monophonic, but it would still make a nice mod and would give them MIDI in both directions.

[Kevin Lightner]

Just a quick note that I've successfully been able to add an OptoKey to a 3 octave Arp Ody keyboard.
I'll probably borrow an Ody or Pro-One soon to verify how well it works, fits and all that.

It'll be mono and low priority, but at least it will add MIDI in and MIDI out in addition to increasing the reliability and accuracy of the keyboard.
I've often wanted to play an Ody without it acting like a two voice when played legato or when keys roll over from sloppy playing.
Right now, building a true two voice optical action is just too involved to bother with.
However, aftertouch might be possible too.
I think it would be cool to have aftertouch on an Ody or Pro-One even if it's just for the filter.

I'm still trying to decide if the Opto-Key should be offered as a kit though.
It would be considerably less expensive to afford, but it wouldn't be a kit for beginners at all.
I'd probably have to offer support for a price too and that doesn't thrill me.
Often it's easier to just do things in hardware than it is to write about in text.
Some of the simplest questions can sometimes take pages to answer.

Anyway, I'm finally in production and they're starting to sell.
Long live the Minimoog D!!

[univok]

In my eyes the opto-key is very helpful and fully developed interface that clears a lot of problems with flaky mechanical contacts of the original keyboard.

But IMHO, with the purpose not to modify the mini by soldering, it misses midi2pitchbend/pitchbend2midi, and same with the modulation wheel ? I think both wheels are of great importance. Playing the mini without pitch-bending (and recording it to midi as well) is like driving a car on rails?! Is that kind of expansion beeing planned ? Do I have to build it by myself ?

[Voltor07]

Kevin, this is great news for the community! And for you, as well. $595...isn't that what the Micromoog originally sold for new?

[MC]

$595...isn't that what the Micromoog originally sold for new?

The Micromoog retailed for $795 in 1975 dollars. Adjusting for inflation, the optokey is a bargain.

[Voltor07]

The Micromoog retailed for $795 in 1975 dollars. Adjusting for inflation, the optokey is a bargain.

Well, duh!

[Kevin Lightner]

Few thoughts...

The Mini started out at... I think... at $1495.
It then rose through the years and I think topped out at $1995.
The Micro was either $595 or $695 when introduced, but rose to $795 later and perhaps more.
I don't recall.

The OptoKey was conceived as a solution for the key contacts, not to provide MIDI.
MIDI was an afterthought and more easily supported after the original goal was achieved.

It's true that it's not the end-all to MIDI implementation. I know this.
However I cannot simply modify the design to support pitchbend, modulation or even receiving notes lower than the lowest F on the keyboard.
Other Midi converters can because they were designed to. The OptoKey was not.
For one technical reason, low F on a Mini is zero volts.
Playing incoming lower MIDI notes than that would require negative voltages to be generated and less resolution available across the entire pitch range.

I also understand the price is high.
This is a result of everything being done by one or two people, less buying power (buying in quantity lowers price, but requires more upfront cash) and the desire to have a device that's easily installed and doesn't require any modification to the Mini circuitry.
Nowadays people expect electronics to be cheap, but that isn't possible with small niche products made to exacting quality.
It would take me millions of dollars to make a cel phone just like what's available now, for example.
But you can buy one for under $50.

It should be noted that there's no way an owner can modify an Optokey to support these greater MIDI functions.
Both hardware and software would need to be changed quite a bit.
Yes, the product could be redesigned, but that would take thousands of dollars of even more money.
Since I've sold less than a dozen, the project has not even made a profit yet.
Lowering the price to gain increased sales isn't a realistic possibility.
The same amount of work and parts are necessary on this end and the market is very limited.

Selling them as kits would seem like a great solution at first glance, but there's many valid reasons why that's not done.
They coincide with the facts that Heathkit is out of business, Paia synths were never offered as high quality professional products, there are no TVs built in the US and why Ferraris aren't offered as kits.

[MC]

Oops I was off

Micromoog retail (pulls out vintage price lists)

1975: $695
1977: $795
1978: $895

Anybody want a vintage 1996 price list for (Doni)Moog Modulars?!? I requested a catalog back when they were answering the phone

[Voltor07]

Anybody want a vintage 1996 price list for (Doni)Moog Modulars?!? I requested a catalog back when they were answering the phone

I've never heard of Doni, nor can I find any info online. Who were they?