>> I'm guessing generating MIDI signals in software is going to be 
>> intractable.
> 
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms711640(VS.85).aspx
> 
> I believe also if you have access to DirectX on your system then 
> DirectMusic offers a higher level interface to the MIDI controller.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd551276(VS.85).aspx

"Warning: This technology is deprecated as is all of DirectMusic."

Gee, thanks for telling us what the recommended alternative is. :-P

I wonder though... I've always thought of writing "fancy" Windows 
programs as intractable, since it requires calling the Win32 API, and 
very few useful programming languages can do this. However, I did 
successfully write a Haskell library that talks to the Windows console 
functions, and it worked fine. I wonder if it's really possible to write 
a Haskell library that does something nontrivial like sending and 
receiving MIDI messages?

>> For one thing, it's going to take some big chunks of solid wood, and a 
>> big iron bolt.
> 
> An M4 or M6 standard steel bolt will do, you're not going to be levering 
> up cars with this thing!

I'm guessing you can't buy that stuff at the local hardware store though.

>> Given how ludicrously expensive actual wood is,
> 
> It's only expensive *after* someone has spent time shaping it and 
> treating it.  Raw wood is pretty cheap, I would imagine that enough for 
> a set of pedals is not going to cost more than fifty quid.  It's up to 
> you how much time you then want to spend shaping and treating it.

Well, I don't have to worry about splinters. ;-) I suspect cutting it to 
a precise shape isn't going to be easy though. Hmm, I'll have a think 
about it.

>> I guess it might not even come out any cheaper than just buying the 
>> one in the shop...
> 
> Oh it will definitely come out at least an order of magnitude cheaper, 
> but of course it's going to take some time and skill on your part...

Indeed.

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