KVR Audio

Shane Sanders · Post by **Shane Sanders** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 12:04 am

In short, discrete functions are the enemy. While it's fine to have a knob that is just assigned to one parameter, it would be much better have a knob that turns to apply changes to one parameter yet allows for you to push down on it a bit while turning it to manipulate the curve of the function (or to invoke something else that would complement the first function).

runagate · Post by **runagate** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 12:07 am

Shane Sanders wrote:In short, discrete functions are the enemy. While it's fine to have a knob that is just assigned to one parameter, it would be much better have a knob that turns to apply changes to one parameter yet allows for you to push down on it a bit while turning it to manipulate the curve of the function (or to invoke something else that would complement the first function).

I couldn't agree more.

This seems like a good place to renew my suggestion that whatever company manages to make midi controllers cheap will lower their porduction costs with the insane influx of orders that it'll be like worth the effort.

emdot_ambient · Post by **emdot_ambient** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 12:07 am

That sounds exactly like what I needed once when playing a "guitar" solo on a DX100. It wasn't really a guitar sound, but I had the lead sound run through some good FX and wanted it to respond like a guitar where I could vary the amount of portamento depending on the speed of the notes--you know, like sliding up and down a guitar neck in response to what you're playing.

What I ended up doing was keeping the DX100 in Edit mode. I don't remember if I had to use the data slider to adjust the portamento time, or whether I was able to use the mod wheel. But with some practice I was able to get the synth to respond quite well. But the old DX line had to be in its special Edit mode to make those kinds of changes.

runagate · Post by **runagate** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 2:36 am

Hahaha!

I just took a trip to Guitar Center with a rapper and ended up proselytizing to the salespeople and giving my email away to 2 people.

VST freeware > overpriced hardware

What cool people.

But how much the world has changed! I would never have even looked in the keyboard room back in the day.

runagate · Post by **runagate** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 8:26 pm

runagate wrote:Hahaha!

I just took a trip to Guitar Center with a rapper and ended up proselytizing to the salespeople and giving my email away to 2 people.

VST freeware > overpriced hardware

What cool people.

But how much the world has changed! I would never have even looked in the keyboard room back in the day.

As an addensum to that: we ended up calling him twice to figure out why Reason was muting channels when played with a Trigger Finger. The more I use Usine, the more jaded I become towards everything else where you can't just do anything you want.

Shane: I've gotten too involved in too many things (surprised?) but by no means has my PM query been forgotten.

frog_jr · Post by **frog_jr** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 6:05 pm

Hey, just thought I'd mention that that "Fang" gamer's keyboard is closing out at Best Buy right now for $6.99 USD (at least at my local Best Buy.) I think it may function similarly to the Nostromo mentioned previously for audio apps. Eventually I'll give it a try as I found one being sold as an "open box" for $4.99 and my resistance failed me.

runagate · Post by **runagate** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:29 pm

frog_jr wrote:Hey, just thought I'd mention that that "Fang" gamer's keyboard is closing out at Best Buy right now for $6.99 USD (at least at my local Best Buy.) I think it may function similarly to the Nostromo mentioned previously for audio apps. Eventually I'll give it a try as I found one being sold as an "open box" for $4.99 and my resistance failed me.

Nice one. Certainly it's worth 7$!

frog_jr · Post by **frog_jr** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:41 pm

runagate wrote:Nice one. Certainly it's worth 7$!

Yeah, I was referring earlier to the posters saying they were using the Belkin Nostromo with Protools for good results. Of course the Nostromo is pretty daggone cheap anyway, but this one appears to be pretty nice. I may report later with my results. It's not really a priority for me though, as I've got my own alternative input device I've been playing with.

disturb · Post by **disturb** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 12:45 am

piezos ?

frog_jr · Post by **frog_jr** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 2:56 am

disturb wrote:piezos ?

Yes, and a Roland PM-16 that it plugs into. And BTW the tape is not duct tape, it's "electrical bundling tape" which leaves virtually no residue and can be moved around again and again.

spuddle · Post by **spuddle** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:36 am

Shane Sanders wrote: 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.

My Z7-s arrived last month! Did you get yours? I'm chuffed with it so far.

http://www.creativebump.com/2007/10/08/ ... k-preview/

spuddle · Post by **spuddle** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 4:09 am

I've been interested in ways to expand the existing keyboard. I know there were attempts in the past to do this, notably; John Allens "Notebender" and ol' Bob's "Eaton-Moog Multiple-Touch-Sensitive Keyboard".

Google Book's is a surprising resource in this manner too, New Digital Musical Instruments: Control And Interaction Beyond the Keyboard makes for some great reading.

I guess if someone mounted a mini Continuum fingerboard to a Ztar body, I'd break down into an uncontrollable fit of passioned embroilment most likely due to that $8000 price tag.

spuddle · Post by **spuddle** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 4:43 am

Interesting (older) projects from MIT Media lab:

http://www.media.mit.edu/resenv/projects.html

Some favorites include:
> The Tribble

> The Ceran Slider (A little lame by today's standards perhaps..)

> The Laser Theremin

Awesome Video (feels like Terminator's gonna bust in at some point.)

runagate · Post by **runagate** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 3:42 pm

Wiiinstrument open source software from Create Digital Music blog

Also Rock Band video game drums used for midi and new monome 40h kits go on sale soon on their news page:

http://createdigitalmusic.com/category/news/

runagate · Post by **runagate** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 8:13 pm

runagate wrote:Wiiinstrument open source software from Create Digital Music blog

Also Rock Band video game drums used for midi and new monome 40h kits go on sale soon on their news page:

http://createdigitalmusic.com/category/news/

As a stand-in for my broken touchscreen I'm gonna get my bandmate a Wiimote today as she claims that she'll "be able to dance around while playing" them.

So be it.

how to use a Wiimote via bluetooth in WindowsXP
Using the software Wiimote for Windows
Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable
and the Bluesoleil Stack with a
compatible bluetooth device

Wiinstrument for Linux

Wiimote swings with OSC via Blender

More MAC OSC Wii

Glove PIE which I use with my P5 data glove works for Wiimote midi on Wondows

Wiimote Max/MSP patch for Mac

Repurposed tech for VST control surfaces