Hola Everybody,
I've been playing my Linnstrument 128 for about 3 months, but I dedicated the first two months to experimenting with it. I've spent quite a deal of time trying out all different tunnings, figuring out how to play scales and chords (albeit very clumsy).
What I found to be best is the fifths Tuning. You can limit yourself to only 7 columns to play scales up and down (3 octaves) without moving your hand horizontally. This has also helped me to find my way around easily because visually the pattern that makes up a scale is more intuitive than the other tunnings.
This tunning also allows the Linnstrument 128 to be easily split into a bass range and a melodic/comping range without losing any useable range. What I did was set the let split's lowest note to the lowest note on an upright bass and set the right split to the highest note a violin can play. With this and the 3+ octave range, means that each split has a greater range than most bowed instruments's fundamental ranges (based on this).
Later on I will try to post either a video or some kind of guide to better explain how I use this tuning and what is the technique I developed for it, in case it is useful for anybody else.
What do you guys think about this? Have you experimented with other tunnings? Which do have you found the best for you?
Saludos,
Gustavo
Fifths Tuning
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- KVRer
- 22 posts since 19 Apr, 2017
Hi Gustavo,
Fifths tuning is probably the only rival to fourths tuning for general performance on the Linnstrument. As a guitarist though, fourths tuning is definitely my preference because I can already visualize everything well in that tuning without having to re-learn the "fretboard." If you already play violin or an instrument that is tuned in 5ths, I could see that being your preference for the same reason.
If you are a pianist or play a non-stringed instrument of any type, experimenting with fourths and fifths for a while until you discover which you prefer seems reasonable.
If you happen to go back to playing in fourths, I made a very extensive chord encyclopedia.
Fifths tuning is probably the only rival to fourths tuning for general performance on the Linnstrument. As a guitarist though, fourths tuning is definitely my preference because I can already visualize everything well in that tuning without having to re-learn the "fretboard." If you already play violin or an instrument that is tuned in 5ths, I could see that being your preference for the same reason.
If you are a pianist or play a non-stringed instrument of any type, experimenting with fourths and fifths for a while until you discover which you prefer seems reasonable.
If you happen to go back to playing in fourths, I made a very extensive chord encyclopedia.
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 23 posts since 21 Apr, 2017
Hi Rouby,
I agree, the only really viable tunings are fourths and fifths. I find fifths better for melodic lines, but fourths better for advanced jazz chords (since many use fourths rather than fifths). But since the learning curve is steep, I agree that if you already know how to play a fourths/fifths instrument, your linnstrument tuning should match that.
Also, a fun thing to do is find different positions for the same chord when in fourths, since it has many repeating notes. I found that sometimes instead of following the isomorphic layout, switching finger positions can be faster than moving your hand.
Perhaps in the future I would rather add another Linnstrument 128 and keep it in fourths, one for each hand and make some kind of V shaped tilted stand to look cool.
I agree, the only really viable tunings are fourths and fifths. I find fifths better for melodic lines, but fourths better for advanced jazz chords (since many use fourths rather than fifths). But since the learning curve is steep, I agree that if you already know how to play a fourths/fifths instrument, your linnstrument tuning should match that.
Also, a fun thing to do is find different positions for the same chord when in fourths, since it has many repeating notes. I found that sometimes instead of following the isomorphic layout, switching finger positions can be faster than moving your hand.
Perhaps in the future I would rather add another Linnstrument 128 and keep it in fourths, one for each hand and make some kind of V shaped tilted stand to look cool.
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- KVRAF
- 2490 posts since 8 Jun, 2010
- Roger Linn Design
Hi Gusbeto,
I'm thinking of adding a mode to allow independent Row Offsets per split, which would permit both 4ths and 5ths and therefore remove the need to buy a second LinnStrument.
I'm thinking of adding a mode to allow independent Row Offsets per split, which would permit both 4ths and 5ths and therefore remove the need to buy a second LinnStrument.
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- KVRAF
- 2490 posts since 8 Jun, 2010
- Roger Linn Design
My wife is a manager at Apple. I can afford to shoot myself in the foot now and again. 
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Straight2Vinyl Straight2Vinyl https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=395170
- KVRist
- 336 posts since 10 Mar, 2017
What would be really interesting to see is a guitar VST mapped to play each string to a specific Linnstrument row. Unless this is already being done.
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- KVRAF
- 2490 posts since 8 Jun, 2010
- Roger Linn Design
It's easy to do. Just select LinnStrument's Channel Per Row mode, in which each row's notes are sent over a separate MIDI channel. Then set a multi-timbral synth so that each channel has the sound you desire.
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 23 posts since 21 Apr, 2017
Interesting! If anything, it would just make it more flexible!Roger_Linn wrote:Hi Gusbeto,
I'm thinking of adding a mode to allow independent Row Offsets per split, which would permit both 4ths and 5ths and therefore remove the need to buy a second LinnStrument.
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Straight2Vinyl Straight2Vinyl https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=395170
- KVRist
- 336 posts since 10 Mar, 2017
Ahh ok. So it's just a matter of a guitar VST eg. Orange Tree products and others to provide a preset that allows channel per string. It would make sense if they had this already as they would likely want to include presets for MIDI guitar controllers.Roger_Linn wrote:It's easy to do. Just select LinnStrument's Channel Per Row mode, in which each row's notes are sent over a separate MIDI channel. Then set a multi-timbral synth so that each channel has the sound you desire.
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- KVRAF
- 2490 posts since 8 Jun, 2010
- Roger Linn Design
If you find out whether the orange tree instrument is multi-timbral and works well, please do post that here.
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Straight2Vinyl Straight2Vinyl https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=395170
- KVRist
- 336 posts since 10 Mar, 2017
Jeremy Cubert has some nice videos of him playing some of the Orange Tree Evolution guitars.
Whenever I get hold of both I'll post my thoughts.
On a side note Orange Tree has a big group sale going on now so anyone who'd like to use the Linnstrument to play guitar parts might want to check it out.
It could potentially take a chunk out of my Linnstrument funds, but at least I'll have plenty of sounds once I get a hold of one.
I'm already dying to try Sample Modeling's Trumpet with it.
Whenever I get hold of both I'll post my thoughts.
On a side note Orange Tree has a big group sale going on now so anyone who'd like to use the Linnstrument to play guitar parts might want to check it out.
It could potentially take a chunk out of my Linnstrument funds, but at least I'll have plenty of sounds once I get a hold of one.
I'm already dying to try Sample Modeling's Trumpet with it.
