Repurposed tech for VST control surfaces

[runagate]

I've been interested in alternate controllers for ages, but have never tried to use any.

The only ones I've looked into, though, seem to continue the old paradigm of assigning each controller to one or more MIDI CC and after that the controller just acts like any hardware knob or slider, going from a low value to a high one (or visa versa).

What I'd prefer would be ways of controlling the values sent by the controller over its full motion. So, imagine a graphical interface that looks like an envelope with user defined break points. As you move the controller across its full motion, it would derive its output value from that "envelope" curve.

On top of that, I'd love to have the ability to define points across the control envelope where the output would switch to a new MIDI channel and/or CC#.

If you were able to then assign that same controller to multiple MIDI CC outputs, each with its own user defined control envelope . . . well, you could set up all kinds of otherwise impossible realtime changes.

It just seems like the realm of possible features is way beyond what anyone is attempting to implement.

Very true.

It is also true, though, that Usine and a couple of freeware VST plug-ins both have the ability to do exactly what you're describing otherwise I'd actually have to learn how to fully promgram my gear and change control surface presets live. That'd be a freaking nightmare, considering the complexity of all the outboard grear!

Luckily, inside a computer it can change this all on the fly, changing parts with the song parts (something especially Usine excells at) and making playing live actually feasible.

That said I obviously totally agree about the nature of midi gear as it is now being made and think that once visual feedback gets better because it's getting cheaper to include such things it'll actually become sane to use these things.

I think the real thing to look into is user's control of expressivity. Keyboards themselves could become better, but non-keyboards are barely even being made let alone improved with innovative ideas.

There's a reason not every person in a live band is a keyboard player despite it's advantages of access to multiple octaves and chords.

[emdot_ambient]

...Usine and a couple of freeware VST plug-ins both have the ability to do exactly what you're describing...

I was hoping you'd say that...which other freeware VST's you talking about?

[runagate]

...Usine and a couple of freeware VST plug-ins both have the ability to do exactly what you're describing...

I was hoping you'd say that...which other freeware VST's you talking about?

I don't have my VSTs on my laptop, so let me write up a little primer at home and feel free to ungently remind me if you don't hear from me soon.



Control Music Software with a Bluetooth Cell Phone / PDA

Mac only for the script, but the cheap software is Mac or PC. I'm looking into it but wanted to post since I obviously didn't notice it the first time around.

[Shane Sanders]

You're all doing it wrong!

http://calebcoppock.com/Homepage/graphi ... teseq.html

[emdot_ambient]

You're all doing it wrong!
http://calebcoppock.com/Homepage/graphi ... teseq.html

That looks good.









The operative word, of course, being LOOKS.

[Shane Sanders]

I've been toying with the idea of using one of those tiny little battery powered motors to drive a long shaft with very light guitar picks mounted on it. Then mount it on something like a cheap dulcimer with only one string on it. It would have a knob to adjust picking speed and perhaps a little lever/button that would raise it off the string for muting or rests. Haven't really thought it through, but I think with the right bizarro approach, it would be cool, especially with a wah or some other real-time thing happening over it.

edit: then, of course, you'd fret melodies on the one string

[runagate]

Shane, tell me you don't really have that.

Reminds me of that duo from the 90s that played painted-on CDs.

Infinite Response Vax 77: Folding full-sized keyboard to fit in overhead locker

This is the Vax 77 - a MIDI keyboard which folds in half, weighs 25lbs, is made of unobtanium powder coated Magnesium alloy and has two OLED screens (with a rumoured upgrade to a small polytouch screen). It's 77 keys because that's the most they could fit in and still make it small enough (when folded in half) to fit in an overhead locker. But, but, but, there's no price yet, and their site is just a bunch of renders. The most interesting suggestion for synth geeks is that the keyboard will have polyphonic aftertouch - the semi-legendary feature where each key can be pushed harder after the initial attack to control the filter (or whatever) of that individual note. It's the first time any manufacture has offered poly aftertouch for years...

OK, now for the attentive that may have missed this bit:

• a rumoured upgrade to a small polytouch screen
  
  polyphonic aftertouch

The site says they're working on how to best implement pitch bend.

It also says that they're in Austin, TX (that's a semi-automomous region in the USA kind of like Nunavut Province) and you can stop by and molest them with a crazed look in your eyes.

[Liquidclear]

...using one of those tiny little battery powered motors to drive a long shaft with very light guitar picks mounted on it.....

I've thought of nearly the same exact idea. A fretless lap steel type design might work pretty. Would should get a band togther.

[emdot_ambient]

Okay, I've got a new goal in life. Here's my business plan:

1) Win the lottery
2) Start a company to design a true polyphonic aftertouch MIDI controller
3) Sell the controller on an OEM basis to the big/cheap MIDI controller companies
4) Manufacture and sell our own line of controllers, some of which would offer all the bells and whistles (ribbon controller, faders, switches, joystics, X/Y pad, built-in breath controller, real piano keyboard--like Kurzweil's Midiboard--and if possilbe a multi-point touchscreen LCD monitor.
5) Profit


Now I've just got to start buying lottery tickets.

Okay, for traditional piano style keyboards, what I've always wanted is for each key to be velocity sensitive, polyphonic aftertouch, and then also be sensitive to "rocking" and "push/pull". Rocking would be like the motion used by orchestral string players to add vibrato. Push/pull would be would be more like bending a guitar string--pushing the key away from the player, pulling it toward the player.

I envision the key action as having two stages. The first stage would be the "note on" stage that triggers velocity sensitivity data. Press a key and it would travel about the normal distance, then reach a natural stop, or shelf. Rocking and push/pull would be triggered from this "note on" shelf. Applying additional pressure to the key would depress the key through a second stage, but with some (exponential?) resistance. This second stage would trigger polyphonic aftertouch.

Oh, and we might as well add in release velocity sensitivity, too. When you're in fantasyland you might as well be greedy!

[Liquidclear]

Don't forget the 4 octave foot pedals with polyphonic aftertouch as well.

Or how about an electronic Bul Bul Tarang (keyboard sitar/banjo)

[emdot_ambient]

My velocity sensitive pet peeve . . .

The typical things you see velocity being applied to are volume and filter cutoff. And in all cases I know of, it's the faster you play, the louder and/or brighter the sound becomes.

What I'd like to see is some way of setting each controller on a synth to respond uniquely to velocity. For instance, low velocity values INCREASING the attack time of the amplifier/filter envelope, DECREASING the decay time of the amp/filter envelope, and INCREASING the sustain of the amp/filter envelope; while high velocity values would do the opposite...and each of those having independent min/max modulation values.

Seems to me a lot of functions that would effect expressivness could be implemented on the instrument side rather than the controller side.

[emdot_ambient]

Or how about an electronic Bul Bul Tarang (keyboard sitar/banjo)

[Shane Sanders]

My velocity sensitive pet peeve . . .

The typical things you see velocity being applied to are volume and filter cutoff. And in all cases I know of, it's the faster you play, the louder and/or brighter the sound becomes.

What I'd like to see is some way of setting each controller on a synth to respond uniquely to velocity. For instance, low velocity values INCREASING the attack time of the amplifier/filter envelope, DECREASING the decay time of the amp/filter envelope, and INCREASING the sustain of the amp/filter envelope; while high velocity values would do the opposite...and each of those having independent min/max modulation values.

Seems to me a lot of functions that would effect expressivness could be implemented on the instrument side rather than the controller side.

Yeah, that's right on. It would be especially nice on physically modelled make-believe instruments. When my new Ztar finally gets here, the breath controller is going to get a work out, but I'm also shopping for something tiny to put inline to affect other things.

[Liquidclear]

Nice! Appears to be electric not electronic though.

[emdot_ambient]

The more I think of it, release velocity sensitivity would be very useful.

Are there any controllers doing that anymore?

I'd love to see a VST made that is essentially 3 synths in one: an Attack synth, a Sustain synth and a Release synth. Each programmed indepenently. Of course that could be done based on triggering from parts of an envelope...what VSTs can trigger from an envelope? It could certainly be done with just layering different synths, but I'd like to see this kind of thing built into one VST so you don't have to use multiple MIDI tracks or another program like Chainer.