Big Knob controller in Boing Boing Bazaar

Tristan Shone's "Big Knob" is exactly that: a giant knob for use as a controller in live music performance with a removable detent so it can "click" or turn smoothly. You can buy one in the Makers Market / Boing Boing Bazaar for $225.

This simple device is a heavy-duty CNC machined black anodized knob for use with your expression port on any midi/usb keyboard controller. Simply plug into your expression port and immediately have a 0-128 mappable control knob for use with Ableton Live, Reason, etc.
Currently there are 10 spring loaded detente positions and a hard stop for quantized physical snapping, however by removing the 1-inch chromed steel ball bearing and spring, you can create a smooth position knob controller. The detente disc is made from self-lubricating Delrin which both supports the potentiometer and creates a smooth snap in with the chrome spring loaded ball bearing.
The stainless steel frame is adjustable and clamps onto either your keyboard or table.

Big Knob: $225

Mark Frauenfelder is the founder of Boing Boing and the editor-in-chief of MAKE and Cool Tools. Twitter: @frauenfelder. Come and hear Mark speak at the ALA conference in Chicago on July 1.

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Blaine

Hey guys, just a heads up. Just because a joke is easy to make… doesn’t mean it’s not funny.

he he he… big knob.
pauldavis

How about just $150 for 24 endless rotary controllers that you can “Simply plug into your expression port and immediately have a 0..128 mappable control knob for use with Ableton Live, Reason, etc.” ….

http://www.zzounds.com/item–BEHBCR2000

And if you prefer faders instead:

http://www.zzounds.com/item–BEHBCF2000

I’m no fan of behringer, but these are actually incredibly great little units. You can use them with free software like http://ardour.org/ too.
Grey Devil

I’m not a musician so i have no idea what this sort of stuff usually sells for so i’m speaking out of general ignorance. But holy hell 225 bucks sounds a lot for a knob controller.

Seems rather cool looking, though it’d be nice to see it in a nice enclosure of sorts, unless there’s a good reason it’s set on a bracket looking thing.
synthsis

that absolutely RULES! I’m trying to justify buying one right now, just can’t come up with anything.
NomadEngineer

I want one. I have no idea what I’d do with it. Maybe put it next to a big shiny red button.
radge

$225 seems a bit pricy. I have a big knob and it was free.
EH

Griffin PowerMate: $35

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/powermate/

Granted it’s only about half the diameter.
lorq

Can I use this to play “Tempest”?
Anonymous

i imagine the cost is due to the fact that each is hand-crafted. mmm… hand-crafted knobs…
whisper dog

Tom Dolby used something very much like this on his Sole Inhabitant tour.
wrybread

I’ve gone through a few Griffin Powermates over the years, they’re not what you’d call “industrial quality”.

This button might go well with Big Knob:

http://www.happcontrols.com/pushbuttons/954002xxxxz.htm
rak0ribz

Mark,

I think the correct spelling is “detent.”
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/detent
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/detente
Anonymous

“Currently there are 10 spring loaded detente positions”

I have the same knob, but mine has 11 spring-loaded detente positions. You see… 11… it’s one better.
Anonymous

I had a big knob once. But now I’m old and I don’t always remember where I put things.
Wingo

Oh, man… that big knob is right up my alley. (sorry)

Seriously – DO WANT, but it is a little out of my price range at the moment.
Anonymous

Christ, what a big knob!
sapere_aude

Can you get one that goes to eleven?
Anonymous

I’m having a hard time resisting my own big-knob gag!

(see what I did there!)

Having said that. Hercules Muse is a $40 big knobbed USB device with its own 5.1 sound card built in.
Anonymous

I have no idea what this does or what it’s for.
Anonymous

Totally awesome. I got one and am going to get another to use as bookends.
Anonymous

That knob is kind of big, but not really big. I’ve seen a couple of really big knobs, and they were bigger than that one, bigger than that big knob.
Lady Katey

@ Anon 13:

It’s for knob-tweakers to tweak, while standing hunched over folding table covered with home-made electronics, delay pedals and MANY, MANY wires.

(I had a boyfriend once who took me to many “Noise” “Shows”)