I bought a $10 label maker for this because half the time I can’t even read my own handwriting.
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I did everything like you do, except this one.
What method do you use to put permanent codes on cables?
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I can’t remember if I read it here or somewhere else but someone suggested putting a little dot of nail polish on each end of a cable which has worked really for me in identifying cables on what input/output they are plugged into. Each cable has its own color which makes it super easy to quickly get a visible representation of routing.
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I use a white paint marker for this. Cheap, and super easy to read when digging through the power brick rat’s nest.
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Not storage solution, but a cabling organization hack that helps me: I label my 5-pin DIN MIDI cables with arrows to show the data flow direction. This tells me at a glance if I’m dealing with MIDI IN or OUT/THRU without having to do weird contortions to read shitty device labels.
Here’s an example:
In this example, the red one is out from my racked Mio XL to the IN of my FA-07, and the black is OUT from the FA-07 to the IN of the Mio XL. I just use my trusty white paint marker, and then my sharpie once the paint dries.
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Not sure this counts but I use this for storage plus my computer keyboard stand. It slides under my desk.
https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/raskog-norrava-trolley-with-lid-black-s79580751/
I use 2 cubbies for cords, and one for music odds n ends.
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I have one of those too, but mine has guitar pedals, tuner, drumsticks, exp/sustain pedals etc. They’re very handy.
My hack: being able to elevate things, particularly desktop synths etc. can be very useful if you’re using a flat table or desk. Especially if they’re behind a keyboard and you have cabling and whatnot.
I know the favoured option seems to be laptop stands and the like, but I found these little shelf units in Ikea that are the perfect size for many modules - Roland Boutiques for example.
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/variera-shelf-insert-white-80136622/
They’re cheap, made of metal, have little holes in the top that are handy for zip ties for stability and have screwholes in the bottom of the leg supports so if you’re not bothered about the top of the desk/table you can have the whole system rock solid.
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i hate dust so i store my cables in huge ziploc bags. they’re organized like this:
- 1/4" TS and TRS
- 1/8" TS and TRS
- MIDI
- USB
- weirdo cables
Those are all in a drawer hidden from sight.
1/8" modular cables are kept out near the modular. long ones are hanging on a little metal doohickey called a Kabelhanger. short ones are in a little bowl.
If I don’t use something often, I keep it in a drawer or box out of sight. If I do use it often, it’s probably already plugged in or kept nearby.
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The stuff I use regularly stays wired up. That’s honestly my biggest hack. If I want to record my guitar amp, route that out of my interface to the Octatrack, then back to Logic it is ready to go. Guitar pedalboard is under the studio desk, wired up.
Microphones are in cases, but the appropriate clips are on mic stands ready to go.
With the core stuff ready to go there really aren’t that many stray cables to worry about. I have a bag with them that i can dig through.
Unused Elektrons are stored vertically on a bookshelf. Octatrack is always out and ready to go.
Unused guitar pedals are in an IKEA shelf/drawer thing. Out of sight, but easy to dig out.
Headphones are on a desk holder. Great invention. Cats are in a perch hanging off the desk.
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Every time you find both ends of the same cable
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Mix of these sticky plastic things that you can write on with a sharpie, and just some white masking tape.
Previously had these expensive cables ties with labels but they were too much of a pain.
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I make a loose loop/knot on the cables that should be connected to midi “O”ut on both machines. Thread the straight one through the loop for “I”n.
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I bought a cheap scrim on Amazon to hide all the standup desk ugliness and cables and random things I like on hand.
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If I understand what you’re asking…which could be a studio hack. All my current favorite bits wired up in a removable lid case. Grab and for jams with friends or clear the desk without detaching anything but the power and octa output cables.
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Just got this from Amazon.de.
Quite excited, clever design (most universally applicable and capable?), nice packaging and presentation, might seem a bit overpriced for what it is though (1.5 coins per piece).
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Here is one previous thread with a handful of ideas:
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