Recommend a USB MIDI controller for me?

[namnibor]

Yes, avidly interested. However, my brand new Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 arrived today (USB equiv. to Sapphire Pro 40) and now when my health crap is not interrupting, am furiously putting my new ergonomic set-up back together once my new 9'x13' one inch thick red wool area rug arrives June 5. (Was time for something kinder to my neuropathic feet as I tend to stand a good part of time in my now "U-shaped" hardware configuration that seamlessly integrates to my computer DAW desk at angle in corner with hardware synth racks handily to my right for knob tweaking when indeed setting at large screen with Reaper and easy/fast to stand up and go to various synths with keys integrated) Am using the Virus KB currently as an excellent controller for my Q Rack and XT Rack and the Virus KC is of course to be used as she is intended to.

I went with high speed USB interface because Focusrite has a real handle on using full bandwidth for high track counts and active monitoring with no audible latency rather than replacing the VIA 6308 1694 Firewire Card and then having to more than likely go back into the AMD BIOS and re-configure everything/optimized for audio as it is perfect right now and will be honest, although have all the books and discs for performing all those tweaks, it is not MY strong point in knowledge, yet!

[MBTC]

Let us know how you like the Scarlett.

I didn't have to do too much BIOS tweaking when I got the Saffire running on the new firewire card other than the fact that I just disabled the onboard 1394 port in order to prevent potential confusion between the two in software.

I mostly went a firewire model (A) because I wanted to keep my dedicated USB 3 card clear for potential Virus TI maybe in the future and based on my past experience with TI I figured it might make diagnosing things easier in the future.... i.e. if I run into a problem with audio streaming, latency etc. at least I wouldn't be left to wonder if its a conflict with another USB port or device (B) I can use as a Thunderbolt interface just by using an adapter if I need to in the future. Really would have liked to get an Apollo, but could not justify that much money on the audio interface alone for my needs.

[namnibor]

Originally Posted by MBTC

Let us know how you like the Scarlett.

I didn't have to do too much BIOS tweaking when I got the Saffire running on the new firewire card other than the fact that I just disabled the onboard 1394 port in order to prevent potential confusion between the two in software.

I mostly went a firewire model (A) because I wanted to keep my dedicated USB 3 card clear for potential Virus TI maybe in the future and based on my past experience with TI I figured it might make diagnosing things easier in the future.... i.e. if I run into a problem with audio streaming, latency etc. at least I wouldn't be left to wonder if its a conflict with another USB port or device (B) I can use as a Thunderbolt interface just by using an adapter if I need to in the future. Really would have liked to get an Apollo, but could not justify that much money on the audio interface alone for my needs.

I also have a dedicated USB 3 card with two of those connections for potential future use. Will not be running *anything* on any other USB 2 ports other than a wired keyboard and mouse. It was recommended to ditch the USB wireless mouse and keyboard due to something like that is ALWAYS seeking a connection and to me, eliminating a potential headache was worth the really inexpensive replacement. That recommendation came from Sweetwater Support and although not an absolute, why have a potential need to reboot whilst in middle of creativity because of a stupid wireless mouse and keyboard? My rather large area rug arrives Tuesday and Waldorf Pulse Plus arrives Wednesday. So, I have a bit of chance to take the vacuum in places admittedly does not so much normally go while making some 'mental candy changes' in large living room, where my synth set-up and DAW work area resides at far end, maximizing space. Will certainly give feedback on the Scarlett in a week or so and definitely post some music contributions as well much later in year.

On Topic: Have you looked into any of the Keith McMillian Instruments or LIVID Controllers? At least *someone* is looking way outside the box!!!

[MBTC]

Haven't really looked into any new controllers since getting the MKII... it meets my needs pretty well. When I browse the product lines of those two, I think "hmm... more buttons and knobs... nice... but not sure what I'd use them for".

I have thought seriously about picking up one of these, though:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wm-U4...ature=youtu.be

[namnibor]

VERY cool and funny, was just conversing with guy in Netherlands from DSI Forum on alternate controllers and I mentioned to him I read that Steffan Trippler, when doing some sound design for the DSI MEK, he routed Breath Control very often to one of the two expression pedal inputs for really interesting sounds

[TweakHead]

Interesting stuff! Look at this one! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtvIHMW9EjY

[namnibor]

Originally Posted by TweakHead

Interesting stuff! Look at this one! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtvIHMW9EjY

Very cool! Had seen these in some issue a few years back Keyboard Magazene or on their website when you subscribe for $12. for a whole year of hard copy mag's you get access to ALOT more stuff and there's a great forum there as well--FYI However, I had no idea this company was in Atlanta, GA, USA and will be ordering one after I ask a few questions via email support to them.

On their website, http://vmeter.net/pages/Instructions-Download , they state Cockos Reaper is ENTIRELY supported.....

It looks like if you are just working with software instruments, it's a pretty easy integration whereas with say our Virus or most hardware synths, would need the suggested Kenton Midi Bridge to interface with actual synth then of course since audio output will reflect how you have set it up on their set-up utility, would then be recording whatever you do with the VMeter.

Conversely, since Reaper is entirely supported and Reaper allows audio and midi to be all in same track with both fully editable, this controller should be able to used while recording any hardware synth in Reaper...theoretically.

I am not understanding the need to download something called "Max" and will freely admit still learning and will be forever, but always kind of thought that was just an Ableton Live thing....eduMaCate me...anyone?!!

Very Cool! (BTW, have new 9'x13'x1"thick RED wool area rug down in newly configured work area. Spent yesterday doing a lot and today resting sore back/body, now finally wiring everything up so studio finally finished by mid-next week...health crap can often get in way)

On Topic: I will be picking your brains on some things with Novation Remote SL61MKii Controller, since I think at least Tweakhead has a version of it too, on things maybe not clear or not easily found on Novation Forum firstly. I know there's some support for Reaper and not using vsti's, hardware synths rather, and like Tweakhead, I find this touchpad unfortunately dreadfully unresponsive for my taste and wonder if this VMeter could be configured to work in its stead somehow? Even if it meant not using AutoMap as not really sure I like it for my needs and of course my hardware synths have tons of knobs so will not be assigning those to the Remote, just using it as a pretty good feeling midi controller.

[MBTC]

About the Remote SL MKII, I did finally get all aspects of Automap working properly for me in Cubase and did learn a few tricks along the way thru painfully slow-tech support, but at least everything works the way it's supposed to now.

It looks like Reaper is partially supported for the MKII + Automap but its hard to tell from the Novation page exactly what the differences are or what parts aren't 100%. That's one thing that always irked me about FLStudio, even though most things worked fine with it, it seemed to always be a second class citizen with regard to getting listed as an officially supported host by most HW/SW companies.

[namnibor]

Avid's Pro Tools is even worse in that respect as you say FLstudio is, but that's because Avid seems to be a bit like Apple is in that if it's not "officially tested by Avid it is usually not supported by Avid", which is play of words that if Avid cannot make crap-load of money off of something, it more than likely will not be supported by them and if you try to ask Avid for support regarding something like that they simply will not.
That's why I thought it was really kind of great how Izotope Iris did things when first released in that they firstly made it so it can be used as a stand alone and secondly listed it fully supported by Reaper, but at least last year, RTAS format was not supported (that could have changed by now).

I know these companies are in business to make money and reason I remember back a few years ago was starting to learn Pro Tools MP9 remember reading OFTEN on Avid Forums all kinds of hate towards Reaper AND Reaper Users there and one person whom had been one of the forum's many moderators and was a working studio musician had "defected to Reaper" and when his last post on forum stated all the haters on here have only just a big case of terminal sour grapes because of fact there's other DAW's out there that are not as old that have many features pro Tools users still did not have or just recently partially had. He had also enough of the superiority complex that abounded in talking down to users of FLstudio and the like as if those DAW's were only "toys". He was then BANISHED from the forum!!
All this kind of stuff as well as like you said with Novation stating there may be partial Automap support but do not include in download notes or on their website exactly WHAT IS supported and not, a tad confusing and very reason I will read about something from various sources to find the consistency amongst all the salt.
It also does not exactly help when the likes of Novation seem to keep releasing a brand new controller as if they were yearly subscriptions to magazines and perhaps add Automap features that for instance work best on their now Impulse rather than on the Remote Series. It's maddening all the consumerism and marketing at the expense of just making something really excellent and keep supporting it instead of reinventing the same round wheel each year!!!
Rant over...they should make tranquilizers the shape to fit in PEZ Dispensers!!!!

[MBTC]

Just curious, which features work best on the Impulse series? I looked at those briefly but saw some direct comparison with the remote and I don't think the key bed is the same quality (plus of course the MKII has the stick I wanted, particularly since mod action can be switched to snap back or not).

I would have still been happy with the MKII as a controller even if I never got Automap fully working, but now it's particularly nice because I can just press the mixer button to control tracks with the faders and mute them with the button underneath (very handy).

FLStudio actually did start as kind of a "hobbyist" DAW, a program with a stupid name called Fruity Loops. Of course it's come a long way and is now pretty much as full featured (if not more so) than Cubase/Ableton et al, and used by lots of professionals, but the stigma always seems to remain. I think part of that is because the developers were game developers in a previous life, so they try to make the DAW entertaining through use of silly animations and such. Its really kind of a remarkable piece of software, but the bulk of it is maintained by one guy and I'm not sure that he could accommodate compatibility with every software add-on or hardware controller out there even if he tried. Their policy of "buy once, upgrade free forever" is a great value but also comes with some tradeoffs in terms of features and so forth.