Hardware MPE (synths)

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Does Roger Linn Design foresee more MPE-compatible hardware synthesizers on the market in the near future, or is the LinnStrument light years ahead of implementation outside of the software realm?

Perhaps my question is misguided.

Kind regards
Last edited by ARNK on Fri Sep 01, 2017 3:28 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Hi Arnk,
I'm currently aware of 55+ MPE synths, plus any instruments created with MPE enabled in Max/MSP, East West Sounds, Reaktor, a few hardware synths and more all the time, so I'd say it's safe to say that MPE is an increasing trend. Unfortunately hardware synths are always behind software synths because they take so much longer to bring to market, plus buyers of hardware synths tend to care less about being on the cutting edge. But any multi-timbral hardware synth can work as an MPE synth, albeit in a more cumbersome way than the MPE compatibility. I think you're now seeing makers of all synths starting to see people including MPE compatibility as a factor in whether to buy, so I'd say the future may be coming sooner than expected.

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I was hoping Novation's 'Peak' might be the first mass-produced hardware synth to take this brave step, but alas, no (sigh).

Now wouldn't it be something if there were a new LinnDrum 2.0 that harbored a dedicated MPE synth engine and had a USB host port to accommodate the LinnStrument (he says as he stares longingly off into the distance)?

Ah, one can dream (wink)...

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Roger_Linn wrote: I think you're now seeing makers of all synths starting to see people including MPE compatibility as a factor in whether to buy, so I'd say the future may be coming sooner than expected.
That's great to hear! In the meantime, the LS & software options will keep me endlessly inspired. Thanks for chiming in.

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Hi, a small french company called "AUDIOTHINGIES" works on a MPE update for its little desktop synth MICROMONSTA.
It should be a nice, portable and affordable companion for the LS
http://www.audiothingies.com/product/micromonsta/

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theracon wrote:Hi, a small french company called "AUDIOTHINGIES" works on a MPE update for its little desktop synth MICROMONSTA.
It should be a nice, portable and affordable companion for the LS
http://www.audiothingies.com/product/micromonsta/
The hang-up for me is the lack of a USB host port. That's the one detail that makes the controller/synth relationship a bit of a pain at this stage, MPE or otherwise. I mean, in theory it should only require two boxes (LinnStrument and a synth), a single USB cable, and a pair of robust audio outputs... Done. In practice, however, you often need separate power supplies, a MIDI hub, and audio interface, etc., making for a fiddly and often flimsy set-up, especially for live use.

Don't get me wrong, we'll get there, I'm sure... Of course, by the time this MPE protocol really takes hold, it'll probably all be wireless, meaning we'll need an adapter for that too, and still need separate power supplies (smirk).

Anyway, thanks for the heads up on Micromonsta; it definitely looks promising as a portable sound generator for LinnStrument, and at a glance, it seems to be a capable synth for the money. Me though, I'm sticking with an iPad, AniMoog, and the iConnectAudio4+ for now; at least until someone comes up with a truly great hardware synth with as much connectivity... Anyone?

(grin)

Cheers!

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What about just using a midi cable?

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t-IB wrote:What about just using a midi cable?
Well, yes, but that wouldn't power the LinnStrument. And the 128, for instance, doesn't have a dedicated power jack; so again, you'd require two power supplies, a DIN cable, and a USB cable, to accomplish what could ideally be done with one power supply and a USB cable. Not complaining, just saying...

Cheers!

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Ah, I didn't realise the 128 didn't have a power jack - I'm perhaps one of the few who completely ignores USB and, for the most part, computers in general.

I'm possibly repeating myself here but a word on the Oberheim Xpander - for a synth that is almost 35 years old it has polyphonic MPE down to a tee with a bit of fiddling! I'm limited to a maximum of an octave of slides (could do two but would use more than the four modulation slots required for one), but using a multi patch of the same voices, all of which can be tweaked/editted at once if selected in the multi, and assigning a lever and pedal for individual or group modulations I effectively have full MPE control of a vintage synth. Has key pressure, velocity and key release as modulations too.

That's probably a lot of words/detail but if anyone needs a hand getting set up on a Matrix 12 or Xpander hit me up- I think its pretty incredible that such an old synth would be so flexible as to fit with such a modern approach.

Meanwhile I'm looking at the modor NF1/nf1m and Futuresonus Parva in addition to the one mentioned above as future MPE capable purchases.

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FYI-- USB is a power jack. Simply connect the USB cable to a USB power adapter and it does exactly what a power jack does but without any worry about connecting the wrong power supply.

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Roger_Linn wrote:FYI-- USB is a power jack. Simply connect the USB cable to a USB power adapter and it does exactly what a power jack does but without any worry about connecting the wrong power supply.
Understood, but the quandary here was regarding how many cables and power supplies are required to connect the LinnStrument to a hardware synth with no USB host port, not whether or not we can power it via USB. The ideal being an MPE capable hardware synth with a host port on the back, so that all you need is a single power supply for the synth, a single USB cable to connect and power the LinnStrument, and a pair of audio outputs. Like the Parva for instance...

At any rate, it was just a point of discussion, not a question per se.

Cheers!

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https://www.audiothingies.com/product/micromonsta/

The micromonsta now ships with its MPE-capable firmware.
I received mine today, it works as it should.

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Nice sounding synth...

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The Modal 001, 002 and 002R have MPE. The Waldorf Quantum supposedly gets an MPE implementation as well.
Good times ahead!

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HI! Question:
Would the Linnstrument work together in (semi) MPE mode with the Dreadbox Abyss?
The Abyss is a 4 voice analogy poly that supports a midi channel per voice, however i'm not sure if that would work for separate pitch slides per voice.
Anyone any experience with this combo?

https://www.dreadbox-fx.com/abyss/

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