Black Friday Modelling Task.
Dev Diary #8
With Black Friday approaching, we were assigned a task to 3D model something that we would like to buy. Whilst I haven't had much time to make music recently, something that has been on my to-buy list for a while now is a MIDI keyboard, specifically a Novation Launchkey so I decided to 3d model it for the task! I felt this was a good choice for the task and for getting more practice at using 3ds Max, as a keyboard is made up of lots of individual pieces (such as buttons and keys) that could be interesting to model.
After having set up the project in 3ds Max, I started by creating a basic rectangle shape and using the move and scale tools to make it the right width, height and length of the keyboard base. After having done this, I created a second rectangle and placed it so that it cut into roughly half of the keyboard base. Using the Boolean and subtract tool, I used the second rectangle to cut out a hole for the keys to go on the keyboard.
With the keyboard base ready, I moved on to creating the keys. Once again, I used the basic shape tool to create long rectangle key shapes and used the Boolean and subtract feature to make the ends stick out a bit like they do on piano keys. I then utilized the Boolean and subtract tool even further to cut out holes for the black keys to go.
To make the black keys, I used the shape tool once again, but this time I also used the convert to mesh tool and move tool to pull the top end corners of the keys back, so they are slightly slanted. I then used the Chauffer tool to smooth out the edge into a slight curve.
After duplicating the keys and placing them into the gap in the keyboard, I began working on the various buttons and sliders of the keyboard's base. For the basic buttons, I simply used the shape, move and scale tools to place and adjust rectangular shapes on to the keyboard.
To create the knobs that would go above the colourful larger buttons, I used the shape tool to create a cylinder before using the edit mesh tool, chauffer tool and smooth tools to create the right shape. For the sliders, I used the Boolean and subtract feature to both cut out the holes in the board, as well as cut out a semi-circle shape from the slider itself. I then duplicated them all and placed them all on to the keyboard.
With all the pieces made and put into place, I re-coloured each object and rendered the scene in order to complete my 3d model of a Novation Launchkey 49!
