MIDI Keyboard Workstation

[pmf2000]

The oldest son moved out this past weekend so we now have an empty room. I decided to make a new workstation to host my keyboard and music making gear. It's by no means finished since I need to create a top for it to hold my speakers, monitor, and sound modules. However, I thought it was worth sharing now. I used the Veritas 32 Cabinet Making system from Lee Valley Tools. You can go to my website to get more details about how it was built.

www.responsetolight.com

Mostly this was (useful) exercise to practice using the new jig.

UPDATE: October 14, 2007

I have finished (or largely finished) my MIDI Workstation. Initially I thought that the scale might be off but it looks great in the spot that I designed it for and it so much easier to work on the computer AND play music in this setup.

Joinery consisted of biscuits, dowels, pocket holes, and screws.

As I have already mentioned, I made a boatload of mistakes along the way but I'm pleased with the end result.

[mschrank]

That's really great...it'll be a luxury to have a custom workstation where you can unleash your musical creativity!

[Jeffrey Schronce]

So basically this is dowel assembly jig? Does it handle euro hinge installation as well?

[JR]

Nice looking project!

Oh, and I like the implied tearful "Goodbye, son. Don't let the door hit you in the butt as I take over your room!"

JR

[ragswl4]

Nice looking piece of furniture.

[lrogers]

A very nice AND a very interesting project.

[pmf2000]

You're right

So basically this is dowel assembly jig? Does it handle euro hinge installation as well?

It is a dowel assembly jig that specializes in Euro based cabinet assembly. Here's the link if anyone is interested.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...at=1,180,42311

[Alex Franke]

Cool -- looks like we have a lot in common I really like the idea of being able to tap out a bumping bass line with your left hand while feeding some stock into the band saw behind it with your right.

Here are some other home studio and rack building resources that I've written in case anyone else is interested in a similar project. (Disclosure: Note that my site does include Google ads and Amazon product links.)

• How to Build a Studio Rack - A step-by-step tutorial for building a custom studio keyboard stand and equipment rack on a tight budget with seventh-grade-shop-class skills, and without having to handle any dangerous saw blades.
• All About Racks and Rack Rails - Everything you need to know about racks and rack rails for your home studio or pro audio studio -- especially if you're considering building it yourself.
• Custom DIY Studio Rack & Workstation Tips, Tricks & Ideas - Lots of helpful tips, tricks and ideas you can use when building your own custom studio furniture

Are the shelves 19" racks? Looks like the keyboard might slide out -- does it?

[JoeyGee]

That is a cool cabinet, but the more important question is, what model of ThinkPad is that?

[pmf2000]

It's a small world...

Cool -- looks like we have a lot in common I really like the idea of being able to tap out a bumping bass line with your left hand while feeding some stock into the band saw behind it with your right.

Here are some other home studio and rack building resources that I've written in case anyone else is interested in a similar project. (Disclosure: Note that my site does include Google ads and Amazon product links.)

• How to Build a Studio Rack - A step-by-step tutorial for building a custom studio keyboard stand and equipment rack on a tight budget with seventh-grade-shop-class skills, and without having to handle any dangerous saw blades.
• All About Racks and Rack Rails - Everything you need to know about racks and rack rails for your home studio or pro audio studio -- especially if you're considering building it yourself.
• Custom DIY Studio Rack & Workstation Tips, Tricks & Ideas - Lots of helpful tips, tricks and ideas you can use when building your own custom studio furniture

Are the shelves 19" racks? Looks like the keyboard might slide out -- does it?

Alex,

I actually tried to register on your site! I never could get any of the codes to work. You have some pretty cool plans! The lower cabinets are not 19" but in retrospect I wish I done that (and I half thought before I started building it that I should). The initial plan was to have 19" cabinets on top. I may still do that but they will have a very shallow depth.

The biggest negative factor is the size space I'm going to be putting this in. As with most things, once you've done it you know what to do better next time.

Tim

[pmf2000]

That is a cool cabinet, but the more important question is, what model of ThinkPad is that?

lol...it's old! Mostly I was checking for scale to see how much space I have (not nearly enough as it turns out.

I have a Dell D820 which is what I currently use specifically for music making.

[JoeyGee]

ThinkPads are NEVER too old!!!!! I'm typing this on a TP 600e that was made in 1998. Funny you mention scale, that Dell 820 is a monster (if it's the Latitude, anyway).

Sorry to hijack the thread, that is a pretty cool cabinet.

Joe

[dkerfoot]

I hate to brag, but I am writing this on a T23. Yeah baby, a full 1 MHz PIII running Win2K!

[Alex Franke]

I never could get any of the codes to work.

Codes? You mean the access code for the forum? It's "2001" -- it's how I keep the spambots out.

Yeah, I always come up with better ideas along the way, too -- usually right after I make a cut . (It's part of the reason I set up that forum so that people could share some of those ideas.) That's why I ended up with a more modular designs -- so I could change little bits at a time without having to start all over.

I think your design is great. It looks like you have a very comfortable key height for your keyboard, yet you're not really sacrificing a standard desktop height either. Very clever indeed!

[Uncle Cracker]

That's really great...it'll be a luxury to have a custom workstation where you can unleash your musical creativity!

I tried "unleashing my musical creativity" once... Everybody I know, and some that I don't, asked me to leash it up again, fence it in, and keep it doped into a coma...