The fog is clearing, and I think I can now see how to connect the drawstops to the MIDI system. The first task was to strip out most of the old wires. The old drawstop configuration pulls up from 0V, but the MIDI interface pulls down to 0V, so I want to use sheathed wire for the common connections. This meant de-soldering some bare-wire 0V connections. I hate de-soldering.

Each drawstop has three connections: two inputs (one for each Stop Action Magnet, or SAM for short), and one output (to send a stop on/off message back to the computer). To make it neater, I have built some connectors out of veroboard. My first veroboard work, and I’m moderately pleased with myself. Don’t spoil it for me.

I’m waiting for some more wire (oh my, I have used so much wire) to arrive. Until then I may have to do other things, like tidying the garden and ironing shirts. One of the tell-tale signs of middle age is getting unreasonably excited with one’s purchase of a new iron. Well, I have a new iron, and it’s great. And I don’t care.