Roger Linn Design

Kalamata Kid · Post by **Kalamata Kid** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 6:32 am

Hello,

The LinnStrument http://www.rogerlinndesign.com/linnstrument.html looks like a real winner. I wish you and the users of the LinnStrument success.

You stated that a “number of creative new features will be created by innovative users and posted on the net for all to use.

My question. Do you have any creative new features that you have developed that will be available when the LinnStrument is released? If so what are they? Does "new features" include a different keyboard arrangement?

I am asking because years ago when I first became aware of the LinnStrument you were showing other types of keyboard arrangements and one with a hexagonal keys. Some of them were more appealing to me than the current one. But then again I may in the end see the wisdom of your decision to use the guitar arrangement.

gbevin · Post by **gbevin** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 7:59 am

Hi Kalamata Kid,

Thanks for your kind and encouraging words!

We have plans for LinnStruments with other physical cell arrangements and will post details about those shortly. Sadly we decided that the initial idea of making the physical cell division layer swappable, was less important than having multi-colored indicators lights. It's really one or the other due to the way the sensor is designed. So to get another cell arrangement, you'll have to use a different LinnStrument. Note that we also have plans for shorter ones that we would be able to price lower than the current 25 column version.

In terms of creative features, we've done a lot in the software over the last few months, much more than initially anticipated. We'll post some demo videos of these soon, but here's a shortlist of some of the things we've added:

a continuously per-note expressive arpeggiator that's very playable (intelligent handling of chord/note transitions)
real-time slide control over the arpeggiator speed
optional low row that can act as a long ribbon controller to control various aspects of playing (sustain, pitch, mod wheel, ...)
external MIDI control over the LEDs and colors
'strum' behavior like on stringed instruments, but with per-note expression (vertically and horizontally - this is a lot of fun)
three MIDI modes: single channel, channel-per-note and channel-per-row
8 horizontal CC faders to directly control synth parameters by sliding
internal tempo with fine control as well as tap tempo
easy-to-use but very detailed calibration routine to make expression on each cell predictable and very precisely tuned for each individual LinnStrument

I'd also like to add that the code has been actively commented, formatted and structured with an open-source release in mind. This took a lot of effort, but will make it much easier for others to customize and contribute back to the firmware.

Obviously this is just v1.0 of the firmware, we're already thinking of other new creative features that will be added in later revisions.

Take care,

Geert

Kalamata Kid · Post by **Kalamata Kid** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 6:00 am

Hello Geert,

Your response was much better that anticipated. I see you have big plans. Ooops, you already have added the items on the list! Wow!

So if the cell is a hexagon then a different LinnStrument (LinnStrumentHEX) will be required. Now in the current square cell version besides the guitar layout can there be other layouts or key arrangements? It seems to me all midi key mapping best be done in the LinnStrument source code (in the firmware) and not done with MFX, VST midi fx, propriety midi fx or other utility residing inside the computer. Is this about right?

One suggestion if you do not mind. To motivate people to submit their new creative code is to offer some incentive. Filter Forge, one that comes to mind give discount to their products to those that submit presets.

gbevin · Post by **gbevin** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 6:17 am

Yes, you can change the key arrangements in the settings. The current square version key arrangements are based on the intervals between the rows. You can choose between the following: +3, +4, +5, +6, +7, +12, no overlap, and guitar (which is +5 with just row 7 being +4). Any setting apart the 'no overlap' one, will just continue chromatically on each row, creating duplicate notes across rows like on stringed instruments. With the 'no overlap' setting, it really is a series of semitones that are sequenced from the bottom row to the higher up one (ie. all 128 MIDI notes). Since the LinnStrument has 200 individual cells, you can realistically even have 'no overlap' in one of the splits, with the other one using another interval if you want, or also 'no overlap' but sent to other MIDI channels, ... it's all up to you. Using the led indicators, you can highlight the tonics in a particular color, and any other intervals in another color, so that you have visual reference points.

Thanks for the suggestion about code contributions. From my experience, for open-source contributions the ratio is really very low even if you give large discounts. Sadly those discounts can only be done up-front and given that Roger Linn Design is a very small shop, it would realistically eat away all of our margins or even cost us money. Since it's a physical product, it costs us quite some money to produce, which makes it very different from software products. The open-source nature is really there are a feature though to give people freedom and not as a way for us to get free code. However, if there are interesting contributions, we will consider folding them back into the main firmware.

Take care,

Geert

gbevin · Post by **gbevin** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 6:37 am

Oh, I just realized I forgot about one other feature we added, and that is 'one handed operation'. We went through all the UI interactions and made sure that you can use them quickly with two hands (hold - interact - release), but also at the same time allow all the features to be accessed with just one hand (toggle - interact - toggle), even though it might be a bit slower to use. This allows musicians to easily integrate the LinnStrument with other gear and have each hand being responsible for different things, but it also allows musicians that lost the ability to use both hand to have a fully functional expressive electronic musical instrument.

Kalamata Kid · Post by **Kalamata Kid** » Mon Sep 22, 2014 1:06 am

gbevin wrote:Yes, you can change the key arrangements in the settings. The current square version key arrangements are based on the intervals between the rows. You can choose between the following: +3, +4, +5, +6, +7, +12, no overlap, and guitar (which is +5 with just row 7 being +4). Any setting apart the 'no overlap' one, will just continue chromatically on each row, creating duplicate notes across rows like on stringed instruments. With the 'no overlap' setting, it really is a series of semitones that are sequenced from the bottom row to the higher up one (ie. all 128 MIDI notes). Since the LinnStrument has 200 individual cells, you can realistically even have 'no overlap' in one of the splits, with the other one using another interval if you want, or also 'no overlap' but sent to other MIDI channels, ... it's all up to you. Using the led indicators, you can highlight the tonics in a particular color, and any other intervals in another color, so that you have visual reference points.

Take care,

Geert

I assume you mean that some control is available on the onboard settings on the LinnStrument. I cannot visualize all the keyboard layouts available to choose from that you mentioned above. Sorry. But what you state above may be what I all looking for in the first place.

I do not think like a guitar player so the current guitar keyboard layout will be difficult for me. If I am in the small minority please forgive my comments and ignore my message. I can deal with it. I know you are small company and understand that making a profit is paramount for your survival. Let me know so I will stop badgering you.

Will you eventually offer a different keyboard layout in the current square key LinnStrument? Not sure what would be an interesting key mapping that a piano keyboard musician would like. But on the other hand why even bother to please a piano keyboard musician? If you have a great key mapping that will be good for making music for the non-guitarist go with it.

gbevin · Post by **gbevin** » Mon Sep 22, 2014 6:52 am

Kalamata Kid wrote:I assume you mean that some control is available on the onboard settings on the LinnStrument. I cannot visualize all the keyboard layouts available to choose from that you mentioned above. Sorry. But what you state above may be what I all looking for in the first place.

If you load the user manual PDF from here: http://www.rogerlinndesign.com/linnstrument.html, you can see that there's a switch in the bottom left corner to activate global settings. From there you can select the row offset by pressing the cell that corresponds to the value printed on the bottom border of the LinnStrument. When I wrote my previous post, I mistakenly said that you can have different layouts for each split, I was wrong about this (should have double-checked). Currently the note layout is globally selected.

Kalamata Kid wrote:I do not think like a guitar player so the current guitar keyboard layout will be difficult for me. If I am in the small minority please forgive my comments and ignore my message. I can deal with it. I know you are small company and understand that making a profit is paramount for your survival. Let me know so I will stop badgering you.

If you go to this page again http://www.rogerlinndesign.com/linnstrument.html, scroll down to "Why a grid? Why not use a piano key layout?". It should give you a visual clue towards the arrangement of one row, then just picture multiple rows like this above each-other, each offset by the interval that you chose. Meaning that the same column on row 1 and on row 2 will the musical interval apart that you selected in the settings.

Kalamata Kid wrote:Will you eventually offer a different keyboard layout in the current square key LinnStrument? Not sure what would be an interesting key mapping that a piano keyboard musician would like. But on the other hand why even bother to please a piano keyboard musician? If you have a great key mapping that will be good for making music for the non-guitarist go with it.

We have brainstormed about a series of different layouts for the square key one, the ones that are accessible seem the most feasible. If we find other ones, they could very well be added in an advanced configuration section later.

thetechnobear · Post by **thetechnobear** » Mon Sep 22, 2014 6:57 am

Kid, go check out Rogers recent interview with sonicstate,
He covers all this ground about different layout options.
( summary yes they are considering. though I guess apply normal caveat on 'future plans' especially for a new product )

I'd say main issue with piano layout, is its not compact, and it's not isomorphic. but of course you may be willing to 'trade' these for familiarity.
Or treat linninstrument as a new instrument and learn the new layout.
( btw all layouts have thier advantages/ disadvantages, none are perfect

IMHO )

emf1123 · Post by **emf1123** » Mon Sep 22, 2014 11:05 pm

Frankly, if you want "piano-ish" layout with linnstrument-ish features, you probably want a Roli Seaboard.

Different strokes for different folks.

Kalamata Kid · Post by **Kalamata Kid** » Wed Sep 24, 2014 3:48 am

Hello,

Let me clarify. I do not want a piano type keyboard laid over ¾” cells nor a new LinnStrument with a piano keyboard layout.

What I would like is that the ¾” squares cell surface on the current LinnStrument layout be mapped to help the non-guitarist. I am hoping that a creative individual solve this problem so to inspire the non-guitarist playing the LinnStrument. A music theoretician and advanced players especially those that have taken the plunge or have interest in alternative master midi keyboards may have something to offer.

In the long run everything that I have said could be meaningless. I am the first to admit it. If it makes sense then consider it. Apparently I am a minority of one and so I understand that not to expect any changes. I had considered earlier and re-enforced above by the technobear “treat linninstrument as a new instrument and learn the new layout” and learn to play it as it is. Maybe I will and maybe down the line I will be back preaching the virtues on the LinnStrument guitar layout!

gbevin · Post by **gbevin** » Wed Sep 24, 2014 6:21 am

I understand your desire, but in reality you can't map piano muscle memory or patterns onto a rectangular grid. Even if you think of a way to lay out the black and white keys, a piano is one long row of keys, while the LinnStrument has 8 parallel rows. If you continue to think linearly about playing notes, a lot of the niceties and advantages of the LinnStrument will be lost to you. However, judging from my Eigenharp experiences, users never seem to have trouble to adapt to a grid layout when they already have a different knowledge. If you fingers are dexterous and you already have hand-eye coordination in place, it should be quite quick to pick up because the layout is fully isomorphic without any exceptions. Once you know what a major third is, it's going to be a major third everywhere, the same goes for other intervals, chords, patterns, ... With your piano skills already in place, in practice I've seen this being picked up surprisingly quickly.

Kalamata Kid · Post by **Kalamata Kid** » Wed Sep 24, 2014 6:45 am

gbevin wrote:I understand your desire, but in reality you can't map piano muscle memory or patterns onto a rectangular grid. Even if you think of a way to lay out the black and white keys, a piano is one long row of keys, while the LinnStrument has 8 parallel rows.

Hello gbevin,

Let me clarify. I do not want a piano type keyboard laid over ¾” cells nor a new LinnStrument with a piano keyboard layout.

Someone may come up with something that allows the non-guitarist to feel more comfortable playing the LinnStrument in the current square 3/4" cells. But then again this may never happen.

gbevin · Post by **gbevin** » Wed Sep 24, 2014 7:56 am

Kalamata Kid wrote:Someone may come up with something that allows the non-guitarist to feel more comfortable playing the LinnStrument in the current square 3/4" cells. But then again this may never happen.

I do understand, but in my experience the current grid layout doesn't create discomfort for existing piano players, it's just another way of thinking that is specific to parallel rows instead of one long single row. I guess you'll have to try one out for yourself once you get the occasion and see how it works out for you. I bet that within 15 minutes you'll be playing chords and melodies, if you already have previous finger dexterity and hand-eye coordination.

FYI, guitar players are also not perfectly comfortable since they're not used to playing horizontally (except for lap-steel and other less common guitar variants). Guitarist are also not used to play notes with both hands (except for tapping and other less common techniques) and usually have both hands working together to produce one set of notes and chords.

Like thetechnobear says, the LinnStrument is a new instrument and has new things to learn, but I guess that its uniqueness is why you're interested in it

sjmarano · Post by **sjmarano** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 2:14 am

Excuse me for jumping in here, but you mentioned in an earlier message that you're going to implement a 'strumming feature' for the LS. Will it be possible for such a strumming feature to work in 'fingerstyle' mode, and as such be able to simulate a lap guitar, or for that matter an ordinary guitar by dedicating a 'column' of cells on one side of the LS to triggering the equivalent of plucking a guitar string?

gbevin · Post by **gbevin** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 6:24 am

sjmarano wrote:Excuse me for jumping in here, but you mentioned in an earlier message that you're going to implement a 'strumming feature' for the LS. Will it be possible for such a strumming feature to work in 'fingerstyle' mode, and as such be able to simulate a lap guitar, or for that matter an ordinary guitar by dedicating a 'column' of cells on one side of the LS to triggering the equivalent of plucking a guitar string?

That is already possible now, activate split mode and set one of the splits in strum mode, this allows you both to strum and to fingerpick while holding cells in the other split.

Roger Linn Design

KVR Audio

Keyboard Arrangement on the LinnStrument