I launched a MIDI controller and IG banned me 48 hours later
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The MIDI controller I wanted didn't exist, so I built it.I: - posted it to reddit, got 50k views, sold a few (including to some big names in the EDM world) - used it in a session with a Wu Tang affiliate (got paid 30 chicken wings, all flats) - got banned from Instagram in 48 hours, right after one of my favorite producers followed my account.Build Details: - 2.0mm 5052 powder coated aluminum body, modeled in fusion, laser cut and bent by sendcutsend - Solid walnut endcaps - SLA keycaps - gateron switches - custom switch matrix pcb - custom c++ firmware - rp2350 mcu - i2c oled display - ec11 encoders connected to a mcp23017Do any of y'all have any advice for promoting a new hardware product, without incurring the wrath of Meta's algorithms?harmonyresearchlabs.com
HN · launched Feb 4, 2026 · 7 upvotes (top 62%) · 0 views
Niche: open-source hardware and maker electronics · 180 launches, 3 in the last 7 days ▼ -73% · Explore this niche →
Category and tags
- Media & entertainment
- Hardware & robotics
- Prosumer
- Not AI
- Hobby / open-source project
More like this: all 180 launches in open-source hardware and maker electronics →
Could you build this?
No A MIDI controller is a physical hardware product requiring electronics engineering, circuit schematic and PCB design, embedded firmware, and physical fabrication.
What it would actually take: Building a custom MIDI controller involves designing a PCB in KiCad, selecting microcontrollers (e.g., RP2040 or Teensy), writing low-latency USB-MIDI firmware in C/C++, CAD modeling an enclosure for 3D printing or CNC machining, and assembling physical hardware switches, potentiometers, and encoders.
Discussion
7 comments analyzed.
Competitors mentioned: Other devices in this category with built-in synth engines and audio cards
Concerns raised: Instagram account suspension/ban unclear, Concerns about being beta tester/early adopter risk, Limited information about product details
Feature requests: Spring-loaded x-y controller, Touchpad x-y controller
Competitors
Other products that read as similar to this one : 238 launches clear the similarity bar, closest 8 shown.
Attention rank: #145 of 239 (itself plus its competitors, highest first, normalized so YC and Product Hunt are compared fairly).
Launched 96 days after the earliest competitor.
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