The ribbon controller's component part, a development board which provides a MIDI physical interface (5-pin DIN would be easiest), and necessary "glue" between the ribbon controller and the development board. There are lots of development platforms out there with varying levels of available interface pins.

For background on a ribbon part: https://doctroid.wordpress.com/2018/12/22/building-a-ribbon-controller-part-1/

This thread has some ideas: https://llllllll.co/t/reference-of-a-touch-slider-electronic-part/33373/12

Alternatively, you could order the ribbon part from Yamaha (or possibly Full Compass). Here's another 3rd party source for the ribbon part: https://www.keyboardkountry.com/yamaha-motif-es6-es7-es8-xf6-xf7-xf8-xs6-xs7-xs8-ribbon-control-pad/

Optionally, if you don't want to source the connector for the linked Motif ribbon controller - then you could always also get the interface board and utilize it as part of the connectivity between your dev board and the controller: https://www.keyboardkountry.com/yamaha-motif-es-series-rib-ribbon-control-board/

I would probably call Yamaha "24x7" (parts) first: https://www.yamaha24x7.com/customersupport.html

... ebay can be used a source. Buyer beware there, though.

Cheers @Jason

I should be a bit more explanatory.

Daughter is in a STEM course, and one of the tech parts is to do a DIY electronics project.

So no kits permitted, certainly not ordering from Yamaha, that'd be a bit cheating.

They can use things lik Arduino or Raspberry or something like that (are one of these needed for this?).

She's specced all the metal to make a frame, and figured out where to get the stuff the ribbon is to be made of to go in the frame to be the slider, and watched a couple of good videos on how to make a ribbon, and a few other things. But the big mysteries come after that. What is required to make the ribbon talk to the MDDX?

And how can it involve her doing as much work as possible, that's not overtly tedious, but feels productive and effective?

You can only “talk to” a MODX/Montage via MIDI. So she would need to write code that translated whatever electrical signal her ribbon device produces into MIDI (unless you want to open up the synth and attach wires to internal components).

EDIT: Forgot about the 1/4” jacks for FC7 pedals, etc. That’s a whole other way too “talk” to a MODX/Montage. Sometimes I think I know more than I actually do…

You can only “talk to” a MODX/Montage via MIDI. So she would need to write code that translated whatever electrical signal her ribbon device produces into MIDI (unless you want to open up the synth and attach wires to internal components).

Excellent. That's going to fulfil the criteria for another project in a separate class.

She's got a Korg NTS-1 for programming, too. Is there anyway to make a twin plug suitable for its diminutive "MIDI" (MIDI TRS-DIN) in and adapt this to the MODX, too?

Kind of like how the Yamaha expression pedal is used to control the SuperKnob.

So no kits permitted, certainly not ordering from Yamaha, that'd be a bit cheating.

What you would be ordering from Yamaha is the ribbon controller electronics. There is no logic on the component. This is not cheating - but merely a matter of convenience in ordering. The other sources I gave are the same component but taken out of a used keyboard.

I hardly see how ordering this kind of part:

Would be cheating. She's not supposed to fabricate a ribbon controller herself from scratch? Highly doubt it. I think the task is to take components such as this and interface them to a microprocessor and write the code to make it all work.

Any "kit" I suggest is a general purpose microprocessor platform. I gather the assignment suggested Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or similar. Some kind of kit along the lines of:

https://www.electronics-lab.com/top-10-popular-microcontrollers-among-makers/

I was suggesting to use a prefabbed MIDI interface. Which one you get (often called a "shield" in Arduino speak) depends on the microprocessor development board you get.

https://www.adafruit.com/product/4740?gclid=CjwKCAjwj8eJBhA5EiwAg3z0mw9z3qJfuPkXi-o2bTv7Xz_GHRU1AT5Zbp7ns9YTkGtw3XJGrY7jzBoCUUcQAvD_BwE

The above is an example.

I'm NOT suggesting any particular development kit. That is, I assume, part of the assignment. To look at what the requirements of the interfacing components are and find a platform that is able to interface (correct number of digital and/or analog inputs and outputs).

And - the other yamaha board I suggested as optional is merely a connector to connector board. I suggested it because it would be easier to solder to the board and saves from trying to find the correct "ZIF" connector. Or some standard female plugs could be plugged into the more standard connector on the optional board.

When I started this thread, I really didn't even know you could buy parts of premade ribbon controllers.

Daughter has gotten approval to build, in a building kind of way, like this: https://www.instructables.com/Make-a-Ribbon-Controller/

And I'd presumed this was how all DIY ribbon controllers were made. From basics on up.

Assuming this is what she does, is there a way to get something this primitive to talk to the MODX?

TO BE SUPER CLEAR (er)

There is no requirement to use Raspberry, Arduino or any other form of mini PC in this project.

They do all that sort of stuff all the time, anyways.

This particularly odd project is much more about the DIY electronic of base electronics, and the Ribbon Controller idea got approved based on it being the tangible building of a potentiometer, or pot.

In an ideal world, it'd be connected via the 1/4" controller jacks on the back of the MODX. But I have no idea if this is possible, in the way it is for the SuperKnow foot pedals.

Is it?

How could that be done?