Mystrix - Affordable, Wireless, Force Sensitive, Fully Open Sourced Grid Controller

[203Null]

I made a grid controller called Mystrix 203 System.

It is a feature-rich, open-source, and very high-quality grid controller with an in-house OS for a lot of smart features. On top of that, I worked hard to make it into scaled production and made the price very affordable (compared to other small-scale controllers)

I want to build a community around this project. People have already been building a lot of cool apps, features, and even their own hardware based on the project. I think people here will be very interested.

The project is still in its early days but the hardware is very complete. There are still a lot of features that I want it to do and we have a long long way to go.

There’s a new Project Matrix wiki for feature and development (Still a work in progress and I need your feedback) matrix.203.io

[203Null]

I don’t want to make the main post too long, but if you want to know more about it without clicking on the site:

Q: What’s the price?

$149 for Standard, $199 for Pro (Force Sensitive + Underglow)
LImited time 10% off if you sign up the email update.

Additional 10% if sign up for the email newsletter

Ships Worldwide, In Stock in the US.

Q: What feature does it have for users without tinkering?

As OS 2.5, it currently has those features as stock options

Drumpad, Lightshow playing, Customizable note & scale mode, Customizable Computer Control, Configurable Lighting Panel. Virtual Dice, Gamepad Emulation, Reversi Game.

Work features that are work in progress:
Customizable Control Map (Multi-layer control map for MIDI, Keypad, Gamepad output)
Monome Grid Emulation
Note APP Arpeggiator & Chord Mode
Step Sequencer
DAW Integration (Need community with DAW know how to build them)
…

Q: What IO options there is?
USB MIDI, Bluetooth MIDI, TRS MIDI Out (With Adapter). USB HID
USB Serial (For DIY application)
RTP MIDI (Under Dev), 2.4GHz Wireless MIDI (Dongle required, under dev)

CV/Gate in and out (adapter under dev, need a lot more idea from people who do modular stuff)

Current IO Adapter Design Concept 8x CV/Gate In/Out, Midi In, Midi Out, Audio In, Audio out, (If I can figure out how to make a synth engine to use on it) and leftover GPIOs, I’m curious on what’s your idea of what you might wanna use this device for and how much IO would be appropriate.

Q: How Open Source is it?
From Hardware to OS, You can build this device from sketch if you have the money. All are under loose licensing, Documentation is WIP as I just started the WIKI site, but should be done in the next month. You can program the device using C++ with the Matrix OS API and down the road with Python to create easily shareable apps.

There are more Q&A details on the product page as well. If you have more questions, check them out. If you have more questions, please leave a comment or join our discord community 203 Systems

[Strangelov3]

Sick. When are these available?

[203Null]

Available and ready to ship today! I ran the Kickstarted last January and there has been stock since it shipped.

[Strangelov3]

I want to use these with my norns shield as grid emulation. These look so sleek. My neotrellis grid recently crapped out so this is perfect timing.

[203Null]

I will keep you updated once the Monome emu is out!

[Strangelov3]

Much appreciated sir. Are saying there is an emulator that runs on the grid so it’s just plug and play?

I have had factory monome grids in the past and the neotrellis more recently but I can already tell I’m going to prefer the feel of these much more. Very excited!

[203Null]

Ideally, you enter an APP in the Matrix OS, which will reemulate the device as monome grid 64 with plug in play. I was just working on it with the maker of neotrellis and I ran into a few issues so I’m not completely certain how the final thing gonna t work.

Also might be adding wireless linking capability to wireless link multiple devices to form a 128 / 256.

[Strangelov3]

Wow thanks for the info. I’ll be following closely.

[highstandards]

I found this comparison useful.

[Laser]

This does look a great product, for sure.

However the comparison is a little misleading, a little wrong in places (I guess comparison charts often are).

The LP-X has 8 custom pages, also has 8 dedicated pads for instantly switching pages (not sure where the equivalent buttons would be on the Mystrix?)

Don’t think the brightness matters, I have to run mine in 2nd lowest brightness otherwise its too bright.

As for firmware updates, a little unfair to Novation there, they’ve been quietly and steadily improving the MK3 devices since launch, we’ve had Global channel added, Custom Keystrokes, the Launchpad-X had its custom pages doubled from 4 to 8. Hardly 1 minor feature update in 3 years!

It also has poly aftertouch, and can be picked up very cheap 2nd hand now!

Happy for this product to succeed though, the more choice for musicians the better. And if the open-source takes off it could be something special!

[203Null]

You have some good points.

Mystrix has 2 touch bar with 16 hidden buttons on the top surface bezel, in certain applications they can be used.

Brightness matters when it is used in different applications. And on outdoor usage. Like you, most people use it with low low brightness, but at high brightness, it’s for sure very eye catching.

Just to be clear, I love Novation and their products! My favorite thing music related is my Novation Circuit and I’m still using it today (maybe will be replaced by Ableton Move soon). If you saw the page beyond the table, I did gave a lot of credit to Novation and Launchpad.

However, I actually don’t have much experience with Launchpad MK3 familes, my LPX broke randomly like 6 months after I got it day one, so I honestly not paying too much attention to the updates. I had to look it up for when I was writing it. I have updated the comparsion table to give more credit to them! Mystrix FAQ: Why should you buy a Mystrix over other grid controller o – 203 Systems

Mystrix and Launchpad are both great devices on their own right and are not suppose to replace each other. I still recommend Launchpad over Mystrix to a lot people who came and ask me about Mystrix. Launchpad does Ableton integration so well it’s basiclly impossible for me to one up them. Launchpad X also have better poly aftertouch than Mystrix (Since I have to do R&D from scratch myself with a limited budget, is more inline with the old Launchpad Pro with slight more variation than I like)

[Laser]

Great post, refreshing honesty - much appreciated!

Can’t speak for everyone, as I don’t use the Launchpads Ableton integration at all (I only use them in custom mode).

I can give you a bit of feedback in general though (I have quite a few hardware controllers on my control surface area, 5 Launchpads (3 LP-X, 2 MiniMK3), 6 LaunchControl XL’s, 2 LaunchKey MiniMK3’s).

---

STUFF LAUNCHPAD DOESN’T DO THAT I’D LIKE ON MYSTRIX:

Customizable Off AND On colours PER PAD - (Novation all pads share an ON colour, per page). Blinking colours would be great too.

Radio Buttons - (single pad, press to step through different colours, each colour sends a different message, note, CC, PC, also specific CC values on one CC).

PC/NRPN/RPN - be able to send these from pads.

SHIFT FUNCTION - have a shift pad, which could work as a modifier for any pad to give a pad a secondary message.

SHIFT BETWEEN TOGGLE/MOMENTARY - perhaps a SHIFT pad could either allow another pad to send a secondary message OR when held down it will force a momentary pad to act as a toggle (or vice versa). I often want a momentary and a toggle of the same CC, I currently have to use 2 pads for this.

---

STUFF LAUNCHPAD DOES DO THAT I’D LIKE ON MYSTRIX:

Responds to incoming MIDI messages - and light’s up appropriately according to the mappings on the page.

Consistency Across Pages - If pages share a control, and I change that control (either by pressing a pad or via external MIDI, all pages are updated that use that control).

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MY CONCERNS

Build Quality - I know you said your LP-X broke after 6 months, but my experience has been the exact opposite, all my Novation gear still works perfectly, it feels absolutely solid. I’d like this level of build quality on any controllers I buy.

Longevity of App - Would an app be updated over the years to remain compatible with computer OS upgrades etc.

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OTHER THOUGHTS

Currently the Launchpad Mini MK3 and LP-X do not have sequencers. Only the more expensive (and very large) LaunchPad Pro has a sequencer.

I think many people might be interested in the sequencing side for small hardware setups.

Would be great to post some videos here, showing very clearly and simply all of the features. I’d like to see things like changing the pages using the side buttons (how quick and easy is it during performance), how easy is the sequencer to use, which version of Bluetooth does it use, etc.

Thanks for making this, I have a huge amount of respect for smaller companies and teams doing this, it’s extremely valuable to the music community as a whole, and I hope you sell a ton of them, and a community builds around it.

Maximum respect to you all for making it open-source, customizable, and offering replacement parts.

Hope my thoughts helped in some way!

[highstandards]

+1 for NRPN

[Kirz]

it has esp32. people use esp32 microcontrollers to add sequencing functionality to launchpads. Matrix has already one in it.

basically it has that contraptions on the right embedded on the device. so my bet it can nail it.

ESP32 drum sequencer feat. novation launchpad pro - a quick look into a arduino synthesizer project

[203Null]

Sorry for the late reply. It’s a lot of words and good ideas and I have a lot to say about them so I have to find time to reply!

You can try out the customizable control map on edit.203.io! UI is bit scuffed but I will polish it before the final update is released.

Customizable Off AND On colours PER PAD
You can customizable off color right now but I will add on color & try to get action/effect linking to work (So the toggle button will be able to show it’s state)

Radio Buttons
I’m not sure if I understand correctly. Does it mean you press a button to affect what other buttons do? (In which you can do by setting up layer to overlay it )

PC/NRPN/RPN
PC is already in there, I will get NRPN & RPN added! I never used NRPN & RPN but I will give it a try.

SHIFT FUNCTION -
Already there via layer & overlay!

SHIFT BETWEEN TOGGLE/MOMENTARY
I think you can overlay a momentary switch on top of a toggle one. But pressing the momentary will not disengage the LED in the toggle one. I will see what I can do in this case.

Responds to incoming MIDI messages
It would be challenging to implement this in the customizable control map. I will omit it.

Consistency Across Pages
I don’t think I understand this correctly.

Build Quality
Mystrix is pretty solidly built, but there are still some minor issues since we only had one production run like magnets came loose because the adhesive isn’t strong enough for shipping. I like Novation gears. I had countless Launchpad MK2 and Launchpad Pro. I had a few MK2 and a Launchkey 49MK2 with USB port issues, OG Circuit with broken pot & battery cover and I have to smash it to make the keypad not go haywire every time I want to play with it. They are great devices, but they are designed with cost cost-cutting mind. Mystrix is pretty small scale right now and I kind of don’t care about profit margin much at the moment so it’s very nicely built inside out with the best of the components and very careful designs.

Longevity of App
I sure hope I can run this project but I can’t really give you any guarantees. I’m graduating soon and if I can’t get this project into a real business then it development effort from me might just end sometime. But at least it is fully open-sourced and the community is going to be able to pitch in.

Also if record is something that you care about, I’m still servicing and supporting the Mystrix Founder Edition that runs on a complete chipset and with only 100 units made back in 2020. And the firmware technically still supports the first commercially available devices from me. Block 5 Prototype V1.2 back in 2018 (But I haven’t tried it and there were like only 10 units)

Responds to your closing thoughts

My plan for this project is always to start from a point gradually add more features and make it available for more people.

I would love to make a sequencer app for Mystrix OS. I love my OG circuit and my M8 tracker and I would love to do something like that. But making a good sequencer is a huge undertaking since I have zero experience with other trackers and modular synths. (Hack I have never completed a song in anything DAW or groove boxes)

I always want to make a video of the device but I keep getting distracted from making new features and thinking how cool it would be for me to show it haha.

Also an update that you might be interested

I’m closing in on the customizable control map updates, but I do want to reevaluate it based on your and other people’s feedback here.

Annnnd Up Next… Step Sequencer APP

I spent the past few days with my Circuit nerds on how can we one-up Circuit in terms of the sequencer. This is my current design concept Step Sequencer | 203 Systems’

It’s in very early days and it’s not well explained but I’m gonna put it here to gather feedback from people. I will start working on it once Matrix OS 2.6 is released. (And hopefully I can make the IO adapter hardware in time for it as well)

[203Null]

I got him a Mystrix last month. Maybe you will see some cool stuffs from us soon

[Kirz]

Oh that’s super exciting! Can’t wait for mine so I can try to hack it to make it work with my Norns. We’ll catch up on Discord

[203Null]

Showcase of the device by Floyd Steinberg
203 systems Mystrix Pro: An open source MIDI pad controller!

[203Null]

Matrix OS 2.6 early preview is out with a Customizable Control Map.

I’m working on getting RPN/NRPN/Pitchband added into midi action.

I’m not familiar with devices that use RPN/NRPN. Do you need to send it out with value? One stoke? Or toggle?

How it works for note, cc, and pitchband. You will be able to select a mode for the value.

• Persistent: Sends out the message at it’s high state only. Release the key does nothing
• Momentary: Sends out the message at it’s high state, send it out with it’s low state when key is released
• Toggle: First press sent out the message at it’s high state, second press sends out the message at it’s low state. Repeat.
• Aftertouch: Map aftertouch value between the low~high state. (For note type, the low will always be zero)

I’m not sure which of those are applicable to NRPN/RPN. If anyone have their option on it, please let me know!