A monome is a hardware controller made up of a grid of backlit buttons that can be utilized for a number of applications, the most common of which is music performance. They are often used to trigger and retrigger samples or sample sets, but can also be used as a generative instrument that runs self-effecting or self-sufficient patterns, or to control effects and envelopes. The name comes from a hardware company named Monome based in the Catskills that makes controllers for electronic music performance and new media. Their first product, the 40h, was an eight-by-eight grid of backlit buttons which connected to a computer using a USB cable and the Open Sound Control (OSC) protocol. Originally developed as an open ended performance interface for electronic music, the device's developers have said "The wonderful thing about this device is that it doesn't do anything really,"^[1]. It is possible to use a monome as an interface for other types of software, from text displays to games.

While the name comes from a specific company, some electronics manufacturers have introduced devices with similar functions into the electronics market, most notably the Yamaha Tenori-On, which was designed by Japanese performer and artist Toshio Iwai, or the multi-touch Lemur Input Device.

It is possible to "hack" less expensive MIDI-based controllers, such as the Novation Launchpad or the Akai APC40, in order for them to function as monomes. This is possible through the use of open source Max/MSP monome emulators such as Monomulator^[2] or Nonome ^[3] which convert MIDI data into OSC protocol. There are also touch screen emulators such as Androidome for Android Devices and haplome which runs on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Devices [edit]

Monome devices usually consist of translucent buttons backlit by LEDs placed in various kinds of boxes or cases depending upon manufacturer, model, or user. Common grids range from 64 (8X8) to 256 (16X16.)

Company [edit]

According to their press release, Monome remains committed to a minimalist philosophy both with regards to design, economic, and ecological production principles.^[4].

From their press release:

Monome's minimalist design philosophy manifests in its production of interface devices that avoid complexity in order to promote greater possible versatility (see Functionality, below). Monome places emphasis on greater accessibility through minimal design, in order to increase the adaptability of the device in terms of software implementation^[5]. The name "Monome" itself derives from the mathematical term monomial, a gesture to the concept of many variables made possible through something that is nevertheless singular or simple in nature.

Monome's production approach emphasizes local and sustainable economies. For example, the materials and services involved in the production of their devices are domestic and often found regionally, enabling relationships with those involved in the production^[6]. In terms of sustainability, for example, all packaging is recyclable. Furthermore, Monome's open source policy uses distributed development for the software used by its devices^[7].

Musician Brian Crabtree created the first Monome device in 2005^[8] after learning of Max/MSP^[6]. Crabtree conceived a device that would use an open grid of buttons in order to allow for greater diversity of functionality over differing musical software applications. Many fellow musicians requested such devices from Crabtree after becoming familiar with the initial device. Crabtree, together with his business partner, Kelli Cain, created an initial run of multiple devices a year later (2006)^[9] as a convenient way to meet the requests of these musicians. The company developed as demand for the device increased.

Functionality [edit]

A monome may be described as a "decoupled grid"^[10]. The device itself only handles simple actions for turning LEDs on/off individually or per column/row, and transmits button push/release signals. The grid of LEDs is therefore "decoupled" from the grid of button push/release signals. This allows for higher level functionalities to be implemented individually in separate, monome-aware applications; e.g. LEDs may display a pattern performed by the software application independently of the button signal which initiated the pattern.

Communication [edit]

Although all monome-aware applications either use OSC or MIDI to use the device, the low level communication between the computer and the device itself is a simple open, binary, serial protocol. There is a slight difference between v1 (model 40h) and v2 (models: 64, 128, 256).

A small helper application is necessary to translate this serial data to other protocols:

• MonomeSerial (for Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows)
• serial-pyio (platform independent)
• ioflow (in development update to serial-pyio for all open hardware devices)

Although platform independent, because written in Python, serial-pyio was written to use Monome devices with GNU/Linux operating systems.

Series [edit]

The original 40h was released on May 1, 2006. 400 units were produced. The new series (sixtyfour, onetwentyeight, and twofiftysix) were introduced starting in September of 2007. These featured redesigned keypads and black walnut enclosures. Kits became available in 2007 which allowed users to assemble their own 40h-compatible devices.^[11]

Releases

• 40h (no longer in production)
  • May 2006; 400 devices
• 40h/se (no longer in production)
  • June 2007; 16 devices
• 40h kit
  • June 2007; 100 devices
  • November 2007; 100 devices
  • September 2009; 100 devices
• two fifty six
  • September 2007; 100 devices
  • August 2008; 100 devices
• one twenty eight
  • December 2007; 100 devices
  • May 2008; 100 devices
  • January 2009; 100 devices
• sixty four
  • January 2008; 100 devices
  • January 2008; 100 additional devices
  • October 2008; 200 devices
  • January 2009; 200 devices
• five twelve
  • April 2010; 10 devices.

Open source development [edit]

An active user community maintains Monome documentation and implementation of the devices through open source software applications.

Documentation [edit]

According to its minimalist and distributed development philosophy, Monome maintains documentation^[12] for the use of its devices on the World Wide Web in the form of a wiki, edited by interested owners and users of Monome devices.

Applications [edit]

The Monome user community creates applications specifically for the Monome. Common programming environments for Monome-specific applications include Max/MSP, PureData, ChucK, and Processing. Developers have begun to use the device for such non-musical purposes as text display and interaction, video-editing and games. Currently, the majority of Monome-specific applications are intended for music-related tasks.

Community [edit]

One of the goals of Monome is the development of a user community as itself a creative catalyst for its members^[6]. The creation and maintenance of a community of users is thereby concomitant with Monome's philosophy of distributed development and sustainability. Through internet user forums the Monome community provides "distributed" technical support, both with regards to the devices themselves and their software implementation.^[13]

See also [edit]

• Daedelus
• Arduinome
• Tenori-on
• Lemur Input Device

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Official website
• Monome Documentation Wiki
• Monome Community Forum
• Monome Group on Vimeo
• Monome Applications

Category:Electronic music instruments Category:Open source hardware

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