I started off using the Arduinome tutorial/parts list, have made a few deviations though - for starters I'm using an arduino mega rather than regular.. which means I dont need so many shift registers etc.
Here we have the first 4x4 button pad all soldered up, and the 2x16 LCD display running! (After frying my first 2x16 LCD)
When complete the sequencer will be something like:
LCD display
block of 2(h)x4(w) buttons next to the LCD
row of 8 encoders
block of 4(h)x8(w) buttons (aligned with the encoders)
block of 4(h)x2(w) buttons to the left of the main block
The big 4x8 block will display 32 steps at once - the 4x2 - 1 column will be partly used for track selection (aiming for 4 tracks to start with.. upgrade later maybe if it can cope)
the second column will select which row the encoders are editing (yes yes... 4x8 encoders would be nice.. but I can't afford that for now.. one day I'm going to build an epic-sized version of this if it goes well.. 8x16 encoders + 8x16 buttons or something :D)
The reason I want to have this many steps available, even though they can't be fully edited without switching through the encoders - is so that all the looping etc. I mention below can be easily done - It'll be nice to be able to see/push 2 bars worth of steps.
I'm not planning high resolution sequencing, but I'm hoping to implement an 'offset' per step - so that i can make zee funky rhythms. - and maybe a 'roll' function for each step too so that more notes can be jammed in.
Then underneath all that, I'm also considering adding buttons/potentiometers + sliders or possible more encoders, to perform midi controller duty. - more specifically, they will most likely be used to send NRPNs to my ES-1mk2 - the goal is to have individual controls available for every sample part's controls (vol, pitch, cutoff, pan, effect send, roll, reverse )
Sooo.. got an assload more soldering to do, but now it's at a point where I can start programming woo!
I'm going to be using ruin & wesen's MidiDuino library as a basis, but will probably be off the beaten track in no time...
The plan is to have things setup so that I can shift track's sequences individually, setup loops between steps in each track or the whole lot, double speed, half speed, +/- octave, reverse, pingpong mode...
Basically I want it to be a midi sequencer I can perform with
Think of it as something along the lines of a standalone monome, just more targeted at a single use, rather than being sort of a 'blank canvas' type interface.