Do You Love Your MIDI Controller?

[Jbravo]

I love mine because it's so basic, nice full size keys and a bunch of assignable knobs nothing else. All the current models look superslick but I feel like the clutter would hold me back, mentally and practically

[BONES]

I have so many it's almost embarrassing. The oldest is a Roland PCR-1, which I haven't used in 15 years, I reckon. Then I have a Line 6 KB37, which still looks great on stage, although I probably haven't used that in 8 or 9 years. I have an NI Maschine Mikro which I've never really used at all (bought it cheaply for the software bundle).

The two I use currently are a KeyStep and Roli Seaboard Block. Both are great. The KeyStep has the most usable aftertouch I've ever come across. Most feel like simple on/off switches but the KeyStep's keys allow you to be subtle with it. It feels extremely well made and is nice and compact but...

... the Roli is on a whole 'nuther level. It's an entirely different experience and it is very addictive. I find the Block a lot easier to play than the Rise 25 I had before it. They keywaves are slightly scalloped, which gives them a little more definition, and because I don't have to stretch my fingers so far, I can hit the keys harder which works better with the squishy surface. It is far and away my favourite controller but I don't love it.

I love my Ultranova, I love my Uno and I love my Analog Keys because of the sounds they make. Controllers make me love my VSTi more but it's hard to be overly fond of the controllers themselves. That's probably because I don't particularly enjoy playing and I am happy to let my sequencer do most of it. I play a few bits and pieces on stage because it feels like I should but it's not something I live for.

[EnGee]

Push 2 is my main controller, I love the integration and the ease of use. The pads are not perfect but that's my only complain.

I have had a bunch of other controllers and all of them had biggest flaws in some other way.

I have never used Push/Push 2 but I'm waiting mine to be ready to pick up (soon I hope ). I don't know what I would feel about it, but mostly I feel I will like it because of the integration with Live.

Other than that, I have currently 4 controllers plugged into my PC:
1. Nektar P4 which I have love/hate feelings for it! The build quality is fine but I hate the feel of its endless knobs and the pads are stiff (9 pads only!). The keys are ok but I hate the Aftertouch because when I hit it strongly, I see the aftertouch msg triggered. I tried to sell it twice but they offered so little money for it, so I decided to keep it. After all, it is Ok midi keyboard. Gets the job done and it is nice to look at and touch. Integration is not so good with Ableton Live (but great with Bitwig, Cubase and Reason).

2. Casio PX-5S. I'm learning Piano on it mostly, but I love it although it is not perfect. It has great pianos and organs. Synth is weak, but can be handy sometimes. The keys are weighted (heavy and big size!). It is flapping a lot when pressed, but the velocity is fantastic, better than any midi controller I have tested. It also have "High Midi" which supports 64000 steps (or something like that) instead of 128. It is supported in Pianoteq but I don't have this software. I use the Normal midi though, but it can be very expressive in playing instruments with sensitive velocity Overall, I like it a lot as a midi controller and digital piano

3. ATOM. It is really nice. Excellent with Studio One and very good with Ableton Live! Bitwig also has a good support to it. It is simple but has good pads. Slightly Maschine 3 has better pads, but overall it is fantastic. I'm using it with Ableton Live and learing finger drumming with it. The only annoying thing is the lights of the pads! They are always on, so I need to unplug the usb cable when going to sleep!

4. Korg nanoKontrol 2. Very simple and lovely controller! It works with all DAWs and I love it when controlling the mixer. But also the transport is nice

Those are mostly will keep them till they break down. I use P4 mainly to play the midi notes and recording, so this is my main controller for most everything! If it breaks down or I want to replace it, I will mostly go with AKAI mpk2 49 or 61.
Not sure I will sell the ATOM, as I like the size of the pads, but I will let Studio One go because I want to focus on Ableton Live.

[Vectorman]

Yeah, I'm fairly satisfied on that front now.

Virus TI61 for general-purpose controller (Nice feel, and finally usable aftertouch I can use expressively and which doesn't require a lot of force to engage).

Yamaha CP5 for piano/electric piano parts (I don't use the on-board modeling-based pianos, don't really care for them, but it feels so nice for controlling sampled pianos that it's helped renew my interest in piano-based composition.)

[tapper mike]

I absolutely love my LinnStrument. Nothing can get even close to it.

..I'll second that! Though my finger joints have a somewhat different opinion, so I don't really play it that often

Try "Slanting" attacking the cells at an angle instead of head on.
https://www.facebook.com/Linnstrument-L ... 384715536/

I spent 8 hours on a video that hand four such lessons and could only get one to play properly when done.

There's another method you should consider as well. "Gripping" cup your fingers like you are gripping a case handle then use the back of the fingers and try lateral wrist rotation and Knuckling down. If you use your thumb you may find "Gripping" really good for chromatic ideas.

[dr_loop]

..I'll second that! Though my finger joints have a somewhat different opinion, so I don't really play it that often

Try "Slanting" attacking the cells at an angle instead of head on.
https://www.facebook.com/Linnstrument-L ... 384715536/
.....
There's another method you should consider as well. "Gripping" cup your fingers like you are gripping a case handle then use the back of the fingers and try lateral wrist rotation and Knuckling down. If you use your thumb you may find "Gripping" really good for chromatic ideas.

...thanks for the tips. They don't help me much though. LinnStruments 5D expression requires - well- 5D forces to be applied and its exactly this *lateral* burdon that is problematic to my finger joints. (Well, to be fair I played Piano & Guitar for more than half a century, so they are a bit 'worn out' anyway). As a relieve I usually have a small cup with olive oil handy to dip my fingers in to make the whole thing -well- a bit more slippery (Don't tell that on the LinnStrument-forum, the internet police (aka 'The Saussage' or something, doesn't like it )

Fortunately the LinnStrument is so versatile that there is a lot to explore even if you take away one of its dimensions

[cryophonik]

Finally starting to love my Komplete Kontrol S61 mk2. The more I dig in and force myself to maximize its capabilities, the more I love it.

[pinki]

Loving my recently arrived Nektar Aura. Early days but the possibilities are profound with regards to one plugin per pad each with automated real time control.

[Jafo]

No. It's a tool; what's to love? What a strange question...

[chk071]

I sometimes tenderly stroke mine... when I go to bed with it...

[Saukar30]

I just sold my Akai MPK261. Mostly it was "OK" but there were just a couple of problems that I couldnt ignore anymore. The feel of the keys ot on my nerves whenever I played with it for over an hour or so (I don't play piano, but I do a lot of composing, tweaking, testing, etc). My hands started to hurt after a while. LOL Maybe I'm just getting old. Also, you can't save any of the programs that you make on the 2 series... there are no editors. You can't move programs around from within the synth and the sysex is a pain to work with. I had the intention of making a MIDI program for each of my synths, & for my DAW and this is counter-intuitive because there are so many editing options on this keyboard.

So, I decided to dumb it down. Way less features in my next MIDI controller but great feeling keys. I'm thinking of getting an older model synth, but I would love some suggestions for a great 61 key (at least) keyboard that has great keybed with at least pitch wheel & mod wheel.

[spacepluk]

yes, at the beginning we didn’t get along but now I really like the KK S61 mk2. I just wish the pitch wheel was faster/lighter but no biggie.

I also have a vpc1 that is really nice. I jump between the two depending on what I’m playing.

[cowby]

been using Nektar P6 for more than 2 years and those knobs were melted about 1 year after use. Luckily the company sent me a set of knobs + sliders free for replacement. The mechanical noise is a bit annoying when pressing the keys. Found Middle C has something wrong which it echo the notes "After touched". Thinking of buying NI Kontrol S61 MK2.

[fairlyclose]

been using Nektar P6 for more than 2 years and those knobs were melted about 1 year after use. Luckily the company sent me a set of knobs + sliders free for replacement. The mechanical noise is a bit annoying when pressing the keys. Found Middle C has something wrong which it echo the notes "After touched". Thinking of buying NI Kontrol S61 MK2.

similar for my Nektar lx49+ the plastic degraded but they sent me new replacements - bit too much of of a hassle to replace the modwheel tho so that is still sticky. But the integration with Studio One and Bitwig is good so I have no great need to replace it. Would probably go a ROLI seaboard block and /or an ATOM if I wanted something else

[zerocrossing]

I love my controllers. It’s more like a constellation of controllers. No one thing gives me what I want.

General Music (GEM) S2: Best feeling keyboard I’ve ever owned and polyphonic aftertouch. I don’t even bother with it’s sounds.
Roli Rise 49. Amazing device... almost perfect, but there are still types of things I prefer a traditional keyboard for.
Expressive E Touché: I love the spring loaded joystick nature of it. Feels like an expensive instrument.
Maschine MK1. Still banging after all these years. Even when I’m not doing drums for it, I’ll load plugins into it and use the knobs.