Quote:
Originally Posted by TweakHead
theres' a joystick in my novation controller - a remote sl mk2, that is. when I bought it I thought I'd be using the x/y pad on that a lot, but it's so unresponsive that I seem to forget it is there, actually. same thing with the included drum pads. but the joystick is actually pretty handy once you get used to it. I think those wacom pens with touch sensors on them can make great x/y controllers, though. there's people using the wii controllers as well, once saw some software which made it easy to assign stuff, but don't really remember the name of it.
but while I'm at it... I think these manufacturers should be making real good midi controllers, with excelent build quality and good features on them. most of them feel like cheap plastic and some features are misleading, like on the remote SL. as far as synths are concerned, I really like the way the virus is laid out, having access to most features really fast and the knobs feel good as well. but the automap feature was also a good idea, sort like the total integration of the virus, and only recently with the last updates are they catching up to what's been promissed - it actually works great and has a very nice interface nowadays, one can almost forget he's using a software and get lost on a softsynth easilly.
Noticed some of the midi controllers are now trying to be Ableton friendly, with coloured pads and stuff like that. That's cool for some uses, but I'd really like to have nice keyboard action and awsome knobs, maybe ribbon controller, motorised-fadders or at least nice and sturdy ones, and a layout that's thought out to be used with synths mainly. Most of this goes for the synths themselves as well. Now imagine that the next line of the Virus would be thought like this, a standard layout that you're used to, but you could actually load different synths on it from the sofware.
Or another company that would do this. All it takes is computer power inside the controller and a built-in audio interface. And you'd have a midi controller with dsp driven synths that would work in stand-alone for live usage, but more like an open source alternative. Or a platform like Universal Audio for synths. This could be great fun I think. Total Integration would of course just make it even more fun, so if Access has the patent for that and reads this. Could even be a paralel product. You'd have a buyer for something like this here.
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Yes, I have the Novation SL MKII 61 as well (in the "midi controller closet"...LOL) and that joystick/pitch stick is much different from Korg's simple stick-joystick design. I originally was going the ProTools route but ran into problem after problem with that Automap "Wrapper" and AVID/ProTools has the most atrocious customer service, if you call it that, and the M-Audio Fast Track C600 has a KNOWN hardware flaw but get this--even whilst on warranty, AVID was not willing to help even when they ADMIT it's not just a fix with software, hardware rather and refused to replace let alone refund...AHRRG~! So, I am now about to purchase the Presonus Firewire Mobile audio interface that comes with Studio One DAW full version and lots of free software.
Yes, the concept of the Sl MKII seems great but it's build quality is lackluster but will probably not use AutoMap and assign rather, midi cc's or it's also one of few midi controllers you can assign sysex and even nprn's to wherever and is reason I kept it, plus the aftertouch too, and it has two midi outs.
I think ANy midi controller should have at LEAST two midi outs so you are not trapped in just on chain of devices. I know Roland made some large, hammer-action controllers back in the '90's that had like 4 midi out ports. My Korg Kontrol 49 (discontinued) has two midi outs, aftertouch, an x/y vector control joystick (even has template to use with my Wavestation SR because it was also designed to work with Korg's Legacy Collection), plus it actually has all the sliders and knobs with same touch sensativity like Novation AND has 16 pads in a square with three different color coding and everything is assignable to midi cc/sysex being able to make your own templates and save them...however, with all that, Korg chose to go with a cheap feeling action keys....of ALL things to cut corners on, THAT is most idiotic! Korg made the Kontrol 49 before Novation or Akai ever released their VERY similar type controllers. Synth designers need musicians working with the engineers! period! I only keep my Alesis Ion synth because it IS a true monster and very easy to program but again, it has the worst key-action have ever experienced, with anyone whom owns/keeps theirs will all atest too as number one complaint. I keep it because it can sound SO MUCH like classic Moog/Oberheim/ARP synths with it's massive amount of filters and modulation routings.
Access certainly need not provide yet another midi controller amongst the minions out there but would LOVE Access to produce an advanced hardware polyphonic, multitrack sequencer with a solid state drive that could be used with the TI as well, making Ti able to be used say live without having to have a computer in live situation, yet being able to run several "instances" of Ti or ANY softsynth running...we could all come up with feature rich wish lists! I noticed that Korg continues to rerelease their classic synths in iOS for iPad, with their iMonopoly just released. Seems we are at a technology crossroads and it's probably never been a better time for we home studio musicians with so many options to fit anyone's workflow!