The invention allows for easy field-customization of floor controllers using techniques that are similar to those applicable to the easy creation of aggregated instruments. The invention further facilitates entirely new manufacturing, marketing, and sales paradigms permitting a broad range of open industry development and commerce, thus making an individual musician's creation of new floor controller arrangements an economically viable sector for both mass manufacturing and the niche cottage industry. New opportunities are provided for the creation of multiple-vendor standardizations, multiple-vendor manufacturing, multiple-vendor competitive features, etc. while offering the music equipment user and music industry as a whole, access to an extensive range of customization and diversification. The principles of the invention thus create a rich environment for floor controllers, their users, their features, their application, and the floor controller market.