FaderFox UH3

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... w8vGYJxyQo

Any news on this ?

I think it's damn promising, smart and compact controller, would totally buy one if it works with Diva as well (I bet it will !)

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The latest ACE public beta is I think fully compatible. Once it's out I'll send it to Faderfox and they can decide if they want to build it or not.

Diva is a different story. She isn't as simple to control because the layout changes. I think for Diva we'd need a special GUI skin that corresponds with the UH3 design. We've built a proof-of-concept controller for Diva though that shows that it's practically possible to control most of her parameters despite the changes in layout. And of course Synth-Project.de have built one too.

Nevertheless, the real fun starts once I find the time to finish key control. It works phantastic, but it's still a long way to get it to work glitch-free (which is why I'm doing other things atm)

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Urs wrote: Nevertheless, the real fun starts once I find the time to finish key control. It works phantastic, but it's still a long way to get it to work glitch-free (which is why I'm doing other things atm)
I'm cheating at this with a Max(4Live) device, it is fun- very fast and very usable. ([e] I'm also cheating at the 'directions' in ACE - I wound up going for four linked lists, everything is a few keystrokes away and it's always the same sequence to get to a specific module.)


(Not saying this stacks up as a good idea but it comes to mind :hihi:) Mirroring the hardware layout is worthwhile IMHO. For Diva, could a separate view on some kind of simple, virtual LCD work? Visually something consistent between the patch browser and the oscilloscope, windowed away from the gorgeous 'hardware'. If it displayed a more hard-grid, schematic, icon/browser perspective on the modules or pages, fixed knob locations*, could cram in MIDI-map assignment and tweaking ...

This is a bit how Automap looks, I guess, but could be much better since it's not in a separate window, stays visually consistent, and a number of other nits.

*Fixed knobs could maybe be arranged to match hardware controllers? Also I guess this would imply another abstraction from midi-> control, to midi-> virtual-knob -> control.

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Nevertheless, the real fun starts once I find the time to finish key control.
Urs... if you made a more "generic" version, one not based on any specific controller (FaderFox products are nice but they aren't that easily found out in the states), more of us could implement key control on our chinese made, mass market controllers.

Though I am quite frustrated with the eight knobs on my cheesy controller, I just CAN'T buy a larger one until I make some money at this :lol:

If you would find time to make a more universal key control, we sure would appreciate it here in "Guitar Center" Land. :oops:
Retired, Bored and ready to WRECK the JOINT... gonna drop some OLD-STEP, ya'll!!

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Urs wrote:Nevertheless, the real fun starts once I find the time to finish key control. It works phantastic, but it's still a long way to get it to work glitch-free (which is why I'm doing other things atm)
I hope this fun starts as soon as possible! Having real controls rather than a mouse is a revolution, in my view the most important update there can be.

I don't mind if it is tied to a faderfox product, so long as its good quality and doesn't cost too much.

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We'll see...

Atm I'm working on the graphics side of things. I think we also have to wade through a couple of bugs that came up with the latest betas.

I do think the key control thing will be great once it's properly implemented and *linked* to MIDI. You can then use an 8-knob controller almost like the UH3, where the alphanumerical keyboard take sove rthe navigation aspects.

However, the cool thing about the UH3 is that it's also got a little MIDI keyboard built in. That and a laptop make for a cool sound design tool on a bus/train/plane or wherever you are.

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Take your time, Urs... we like the sincere quality and powerful service U-he products provide.

Reviewing FaderFox's website shows most of the products "discontinued" and/or sold out... are you sure the company will be a good choice for the idea?

It costs over $200... and though it has knobs and buttons, it offers little more playability than the keys on my laptop (my current flight option).

However, the market is flooded with items like this:
Image

It has velocity, aftertouch(!), wheels, buttons, 8 knobs... a tad bulky, but at $90... it wins.

Need smaller? This is what they suggest ($80):

Image


... or some combo of these toys ($60 each)

Image

But FaderFox is not even available on Amazon.com... nor any of the popular music store chains (guitar center, sam ash, sweetwater, etc.).

This is one of the benefits of using whatever device suits our needs (or budgets), dumb boxes we can configure as best we can to deal with the POWERFUL software music tools within our laptops. It's exiting to find a useful MIDI controller... especially a cheap one (cheap and small).

Please consider this when choosing what to do about controllers... please help us to succeed with what we can find to use (or suits our fancy). At least until we can build our own :)
Retired, Bored and ready to WRECK the JOINT... gonna drop some OLD-STEP, ya'll!!

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Well, first off, it's not us doing this controller, it's Faderfox. We're not getting any money out of this, nor are we putting any into it (apart from some considerable coding, which we think won't just benefit Faderfox but everyone)

The main thing about FF is the quality of the parts. The encoders just really feel good and they have a good resolution.

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Sorry, but yeah, this doesn't really excite or bring anything new IMO.

If I wanted a "few knobs" to tweak -- there are many many options out there, as others have stated.

The thing is, I don't really give a damn about some *anonymous black knobs* what I really want is a faithful *labelled* reproduction of the actual synth/device we are trying to interact with.

Gotta have some labels at least; else I'll just keep looking at the bloody screen, and then I might as well use the mouse. :x

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I see, Urs... if FaderFox is asking to do this product, FaderFox is just being SMART :)

For a moment I thought this was perhaps your idea... something for those boring train rides across Germany (done that twice... yawn).

All I ask is you consider this powerful implementation of "knob groups" being generalized... so we can all enjoy it.


OzWozEre, to you I suggest Livid instruments, a soldering iron... and a labeling gun! :lol:
Retired, Bored and ready to WRECK the JOINT... gonna drop some OLD-STEP, ya'll!!

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TomTwohy wrote:OzWozEre, to you I suggest Livid instruments, a soldering iron... and a labeling gun! :lol:
Ha! I keep hearing that! :)

I think it's maybe time to get my geek on :hihi: :help:

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TomTwohy wrote:All I ask is you consider this powerful implementation of "knob groups" being generalized... so we can all enjoy it.
It is - we just need to do a proper interface to set them up and a documentation.

We can't/shouldn't do that before the key control thing is finished though.

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OzWozEre wrote:Sorry, but yeah, this doesn't really excite or bring anything new IMO.

If I wanted a "few knobs" to tweak -- there are many many options out there, as others have stated.

The thing is, I don't really give a damn about some *anonymous black knobs* what I really want is a faithful *labelled* reproduction of the actual synth/device we are trying to interact with.

Gotta have some labels at least; else I'll just keep looking at the bloody screen, and then I might as well use the mouse. :x
AFAIK - this really should make something along the lines of the synth-project.de controllers easier to do, if not better. Also the 'heaps and piles of MIDI controllers with lots of masking tape labels' approach :hihi: One the thing you won't see (ever? certainly not ordinarily) is the really low-level consideration of units, via MIDI, in a soft-synth. '7 bits of base-2 scaled by constant = complete parameter control' has, perhaps, overstayed it's welcome in soft-synths ...

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Hmmm.... I still don't really get how this is that much better than MIDI-learning to any other controller. It doesn't make the process of tweaking stuff any faster.

I recently swapped one of my monitors for a big touchscreen one, and with large size plugin windows, it's fun to tweak stuff. And immediate, too.
No searching for the right knob to correspond with the knob on screen. No paging left until the right module is selected, then pressing another button to access the second subpage, then turning the knob. Just touch whatever you want to touch. It's so much quicker!

Embedding doesn't work here, but here's a super-rough vid of the setup :)

http://youtu.be/xGkHeWnBlPc

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Oh a touchscreen... well that IS nice, but tell me... how is it on:

Portability?

Running on USB?

How hard is it to break?

Can ya use it on a train??

Cheap?


I assume it's multi touch, but it just simply isn't for everyone... now is it? These small controllers mean broad-based usability for people all over the globe. Though touch-screens are getting amazingly inexpensive (probably less than $300 for what you have there)... U-he is wise enough to consider the average Joe.

Joe (Joe DJ if you like) wants to use this wherever they can toss their book-bag and dig in to ACE (or other U-he products) with just a few knobs and yet enjoy full signal path control. Just move the green outline to (say) the filter section and off you go.

Simple, portable, fun! Quite Book-bagable.

THAT's what makes it more interesting than the venerable MIDI-learn... run the whole synth simply and easily with 8 knobs and a sprinkle of buttons.

But I tell you... I would love to have a nice tough-screen like in the Video (and a 3.1Gz 32 GIG Ram PC.. a good sound card... and some niiice speakers. Etc.) :D
Retired, Bored and ready to WRECK the JOINT... gonna drop some OLD-STEP, ya'll!!

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