MIDI Controller testing

[Warmonger]

I'm tired of my Radium 49. Thanks to the slow sampling rate of the knobs and faders, I've hardly used them. Had I known about this problem, I wouldn't have bought this piece of shit.

I made a simple Tracktion project (which I'd post a link to if I had webhosting) that has examples of each of the controller types on the Radium. I think it would be cool if a bunch of people with different controllers do the same.

I chose to do it in Tracktion not just because it's my favorite host, but because the demo is both save and load enabled, with no time restrictions.

Is anyone else interested in this, or is it just me?

[Warmonger]

Update: I think I got my FTP working. Let me know if it's still not working.

[cold c]

Good idea but why not just use a standard MIDI file or a screenshot of the data instead? (as not everyone has Tracktion installed.)

I'd also be interested in comments about the 'feel' of each controller.

Thanks.

[cold c]

Here are the results for a Doepfer pocket control (a few years old).



Type: Potentiometer

Features: 16 knobs, MIDI in merge, MIDI out, DIP switches for settings, 'snapshot', windows only software application for preset management and quick settings changes.

Requires a spare MIDI in and out port on your MIDI interface for ease of operation.

Software is Windows only, no Mac version.

No modern USB type features.

Feel: Good, not heavy or flimsy, relatively smooth, mostly consistent feel between each control. The controls could have been better spaced out.

Reliability: It occasionally emits MIDI data when not being tweaked.

[ollybfocusritenovation]

just buy a novation remote49 you'll have no worries then

[Warmonger]

I guess I kinda forgot about the whole SMF thing. I guess those would work just fine. Then again, it looks like no one is interested, so it doesn't matter anyway.

[cold c]

I'm interested, has anyone got data from a Behringer B-CONTROL ROTARY BCR2000 ?

Thanks.

[cold c]

Here are the results for an Evolution MK149 MIDI keyboard (around 5 years old).



Only the mod wheel can be assigned, no software preset control, no USB.

As you can see, the time resolution of the data output of the controls is poor except on the pitch bend, which improves when used very quickly.

Feel: Cheap, because it was cheap.

Mod wheel feel: Lightweight, loose, relatively smooth, but not wobbly from side to side.

Volume fader feel: Slightly tighter, relatively smooth, short, but it wobbles from side to side.

Pitch bend: Light, plasticy, smooth-ish, fast, clicks in the middle, no side to side wobble.

Reliability: It's old and it works.

[C00kie]

Here are the results for an Evolution MK149 MIDI keyboard (around 5 years old).

It's old and it works.

Yep, that sums it up At least now I know for sure I should not really worry about the data gaps when recording pitch bend movements. Not much one can do then...

But my guess is ANY controller has a restricted sampling rate for CC info. Otherwise the MIDI data stream would congest quickly. And isn't 25 to 30 samples per sec sufficient for most application? Its as fast as motion pictures or TV frames. I never really "heard" hickups, I only "saw" them in Tracktion.

[Sicklecell666]

Radium's resolution sucks. I never use mine either, that's how I got into designing/using semi-random algos as mod sources.

[snooky]

I'm interested, has anyone got data from a Behringer B-CONTROL ROTARY BCR2000 ?

Thanks.

heh, it surley works nice, but how the data looks...that's another story..can't help you tho' ..but it works for me!

[cold c]

At least now I know for sure I should not really worry about the data gaps when recording pitch bend movements. Not much one can do then...

But my guess is ANY controller has a restricted sampling rate for CC info. Otherwise the MIDI data stream would congest quickly. And isn't 25 to 30 samples per sec sufficient for most application? Its as fast as motion pictures or TV frames. I never really "heard" hickups, I only "saw" them in Tracktion.

OC the gaps can be redrawn manually in most hosts but it sort of defeats the point of the live input.

Modern MIDI interfaces should be improved to handle more data, or the actual MIDI devices should have a user selectable data rate.

I'm interested, has anyone got data from a Behringer B-CONTROL ROTARY BCR2000 ?

Thanks.

heh, it surley works nice, but how the data looks...that's another story..can't help you tho' ..but it works for me!

Thanks.

Also some data on the DOEPFER Pocket Dial would be useful if anyone has any, and any other controller.

[Sicklecell666]

So hey, wait a second. Tattoo Artists use potentiometers to control voltage running to our tattoo machines. I've built a few custom power supplies. These controller knobs are just potentiometers than? They should be able to be replaced by ones with finer resolution, no? You have three basic grades of electronics; commercial, industrial, and military..I can't get military grade obviously, but it might be interesting to build a custom high res controller..

hmm..

[bradkvr]

They should be able to be replaced by ones with finer resolution, no?

No. Potentiometers do not have any difference in 'resolution'. The resistive material in a pot is usually deposited on some sort of plastic substrate in a continuous band. In some cases pots are 'wire wound' - a resistive wire wound around a form. These are most often used in situations when the pot must disipate a large amount of power - think of a power soak for a guitar amp - or maybe the power control for a tattoo machine. Wire wound pots might feel like they have different 'resolutions' because of the gauge of the wire used, but it is really just the little 'tap' (I don't recall the poper term) riding in the grooves between the windings.

[Sicklecell666]

Ok, so why then do some clearly perform better than others?