Whatever happened to Novation?

[ollybfocusritenovation]

Focusrite's acquisition initially resulted in a tidying and improving of the existing Novation product range. This meant discontinuing some older products and making the current ones work better, e.g. rewriting drivers, releasing Template Editors and more Templates, redoing the website, updating soft synths, and loads of other things that improve customer support and make the business function properly.

Now most of this has been done, the focus is starting to shift even more towards more innovative products (which is what the company is really about) as you can see with the ReMOTE SL. The SL Range isn't just another controller but has introduced a new kind of MIDI control - Automap - the thing everyone making music has been waiting for. This itself has taken a lot of work to make happen and, as it develops, should help decrease the setup time in the studio, which is an excellent thing in my book.

We also have three new products which will hit the market in a couple of months (sorry, can't say yet exactly what we have planned.) So as you can see we haven't been chilling out on the beach since Focusrite's acquisition of Novation! I understand that people may be keen to see another revolutionary instrument like the Supernova and we haven't forgotten about synthesis!!, but it's a shame to hear anyone claim that Novation has gone downhill when a huge amount of work has gone into the company since Focusrite's acquisition.

[kodama]

You guys are awesome!

One request from me would be to make a high-end controller in the form factor of the Remote LE.

Just a row of knobs (or preferably sliders) along with the joystick, xy pad, midi and expression in, highest quality kb with aftertouch, hopefully in black

I have & love the X-Station, but I don't always want to lug a large controller around, or try to map all my controls to everything.

I more like to use my controller as an instrument than a programming device (just need a few controls for expression).

I LOVE the size of the Remote LE, but would like quality more in line with the X-Station..

Thanks!

[kodama]

Also, as far as automapping...

It seems like people are always using their mouse (trackpad, etc..) to click on thousands of possible controls then adjust the controls.

I wonder why no one ever introduced the idea of a single "Data Entry" slider or pot to adjust the value of the control that has focus?

That way, no matter what parameter (track volume, a synth's cutoff filter, etc..) has focus, you can just keep one hand on the mouse and the other on the Data Entry knob/slider.

[Reubs]

Now most of this has been done, the focus is starting to shift even more towards more innovative products (which is what the company is really about) as you can see with the ReMOTE SL. The SL Range isn't just another controller but has introduced a new kind of MIDI control - Automap - the thing everyone making music has been waiting for. This itself has taken a lot of work to make happen and, as it develops, should help decrease the setup time in the studio, which is an excellent thing in my book.

I just bought a Remote 49 (for a very good price) this week only to find that they are now discontiued, hence the discount, its my first "proper" midi controler and i'm very happy with it, but once i got up and running the advantage of having "auto map" (not having in my case) became immediately apparent, i wonder if anything can be done in this regard.

Apart from the large LCD's and a few extra buttons maybe on the "SL", isn't "auto map" just done though the software OS ?, if so then how about some of this functionality for the older (Remote) through software upgrade, i would be happy to pay for such an upgrade.

Reuben

[Uncle E]

We also have three new products which will hit the market in a couple of months (sorry, can't say yet exactly what we have planned.)

Nice to see you here, Olly. I'm not sure if we've met (perhaps at the AES show?) but our Novation reps have said good things about you.

Anyway, I know you can't talk about it but it'd be fantastic to see you come out with a Mackie Control-type controller with automap. The keyboards are great, I plan to set up a 61-key for myself as soon as they hit the States, but I'm positive our studio customers would appreciate a professional-looking console-style controller with quality motorized-faders & non-terminating knobs. Mackie literally cannot meet the demand for the Mackie Control as it is & you have the technology to produce something far better.

[Uncle E]

It seems like people are always using their mouse (trackpad, etc..) to click on thousands of possible controls then adjust the controls.

I wonder why no one ever introduced the idea of a single "Data Entry" slider or pot to adjust the value of the control that has focus?

That way, no matter what parameter (track volume, a synth's cutoff filter, etc..) has focus, you can just keep one hand on the mouse and the other on the Data Entry knob/slider.

Can't you do that with your mouse scroll wheel? I know that most people wouldn't want to use that crappy wheel for editing but I think you can assign the Griffin Powermate (which is extremely nice) to scroll wheel.

[kodama]

Never tried it

(I always use a trackpad)

BTW - Did anyone notice that audiomidi and Nova Musik have the LE for $99???

Is it discontinued already??

[pdxindy]

Focusrite's acquisition initially resulted in a tidying and improving of the existing Novation product range. This meant discontinuing some older products and making the current ones work better, e.g. rewriting drivers, releasing Template Editors and more Templates, redoing the website, updating soft synths, and loads of other things that improve customer support and make the business function properly.

Now most of this has been done, the focus is starting to shift even more towards more innovative products (which is what the company is really about) as you can see with the ReMOTE SL. The SL Range isn't just another controller but has introduced a new kind of MIDI control - Automap - the thing everyone making music has been waiting for. This itself has taken a lot of work to make happen and, as it develops, should help decrease the setup time in the studio, which is an excellent thing in my book.

Can you please make a version of the ReMOTE SL with poly aftertouch. More soft synths are starting to implement this feature, but no new controllers have it. For the keyboard player, this is perhaps the most expressive controller one can have. As one person put it, imagine a guitar where you could not bend one string without all other strings bending! Channel AT doesn't cut it. There are a lot of people who want to have a controller that fully allows two handed expressive playing! With so many amazing software synths, one full on controller is worth the extra price because it is the connection between the player and the sound.

I am planning on purchasing an SL61 as soon as there is one locally that I can try out. I would happily pay a few hundred dollars more just for poly AT. Plenty other people feel the same way.

[vista]

http://www.thomann.de/de/novation_vstat ... plugin.htm
i think you can buy it from all over the world because its a download version....
this shop is also available in english language

this is the english page:

http://www.thomann.de/thoiw2_novation_v ... dinfo.html

[Algorythm]

they make the best midi controllers hands down.
what else do you want from them?

The Novation midi controllers look fantastic. The New RemoteSL series. One thing I wish is that they would add polyphonic aftertouch then I would buy one for sure. Likely buy the SL 61 anyway.

I Have a K-Station and it's very very good!It has character too, that is something very important in synths. I totally disagree with most people's opinions about novation controllers!They look great, but the quality of LEGO toys is much better from Novation's controllers!I've tried them all and they have a feeling like you are playing with a toy that you bought from a funfair! Their materials aren't equal to what you pay for!As for their famous "automapping", Behringer had a similar feature in BCR2000, since the release of this product before almost 2 years. ...420 euros for Remote SL 25 is so much money!!! and the quality sucks!

[pdxindy]

they make the best midi controllers hands down.
what else do you want from them?

The Novation midi controllers look fantastic. The New RemoteSL series. One thing I wish is that they would add polyphonic aftertouch then I would buy one for sure. Likely buy the SL 61 anyway.

I Have a K-Station and it's very very good!It has character too, that is something very important in synths. I totally disagree with most people's opinions about novation controllers!They look great, but the quality of LEGO toys is much better from Novation's controllers!I've tried them all and they have a feeling like you are playing with a toy that you bought from a funfair! Their materials aren't equal to what you pay for!As for their famous "automapping", Behringer had a similar feature in BCR2000, since the release of this product before almost 2 years. ...420 euros for Remote SL 25 is so much money!!! and the quality sucks!

Well, I'll try it out for sure before buying. I hope you are wrong cause there are very few controllers out that have the sort of features tht interest me. Right now the SL ReMote series is it.

Breath controller input, XY pad, AT, pedal, etc

The Behringer is not a keyboard, and the individual knobs do not have an lcd telling you what the knob controls. I just read their site and they mention nothing like the automapping function of the new ReMotes

[kuniklo]

Well, I'll try it out for sure before buying. I hope you are wrong cause there are very few controllers out that have the sort of features tht interest me. Right now the SL ReMote series is it.

The Novation controllers are excellent. Very solid build, great keyboard action and very easy to configure. I'll be upgrading my remote 49 to an SL as soon as the bigger ones are available.

[Uncle E]

True, the CME & M-Audio Axiom keyboards play better & feel more solid but the SL's are still as good or better than a lot of other controllers out there. In the end, I don't think it's terribly unfair for someone to criticize their build quality but the LCD's & automapping more than make up the difference in my book. I'd like to see Novation come out with something truly professional along the lines of the Mackie Control.

[kuniklo]

True, the CME & M-Audio Axiom keyboards play better & feel more solid .

I haven't tried the CMEs but if Thomas Dolby uses them I'm sure they're good. I have tried an Axiom and they're certainly much better than the old M-Audio stuff but I still prefer the keys on the Novation controllers.

[blortblort]

the download version is only v-station, but the prices are really nice . but software is in usa very cheap i think, had a look to sony acid, this is in germany much more expensive

No, the cheapest I could find V-Station in the states, so far, was $229.00!

cheapest I found (and I've had it for a while...) was Novamusik.com and they've still got it for $99 OEM...
(ya have to scroll down the page a bit though...)
sure it's older...but it's still got a very nice sound...just that there ARE so many nice VA's from which to choose now...and there's definitely some overlap out there in capability and sound; some for less than a hundred bucks...

err....this is what I get for "reading backward"...kodama made mention of this novamusik deal earlier! sorry!