Is the iPad the Future of Virtual Synth Control?

[Naive Teen Idol]

Which is to say, will we finally be able to control all those fancy virtual synth UI's by "moving" the sliders and knobs rather than mousing them? Above all else, this is the thing I'm most interested in.

[Gamma-UT]

It's amazing. Nobody thought of that before. Oh no, wait. They did: http://www.jazzmutant.com/lemur_overview.php

[spaceman]

No

[ericj23]

there is already an automap application for iphone. alas the latency from moving sliders over a wireless network makes it less than ideal. I suppose such timing limitations can be overcome but this must surely be easier for wired controller implementations

[jonnyG]

It's a start, but it kinda depends on the software that gets written for it and how suitable your software of choice is for touch navigation and control (if it relies heavily on hotkey combos then you'll still be needing a keyboard, etc). Still, if it opens the floodgates for decent-sized wireless multi-touch thingers then it can't be a bad thing.

*cues another thirty pages of arguing about the lack of Flash and other stuff that is completely irrelevent for musos*

[zerocrossing]

there is already an automap application for iphone. alas the latency from moving sliders over a wireless network makes it less than ideal. I suppose such timing limitations can be overcome but this must surely be easier for wired controller implementations

Wait... I'm not entirely sure of this but it would be down right stupid for the automap app to use wi-fi and not bluetooth which would give a response similar to something like a bluetooth mouse. No?

All the reviews here seem to mention that there's no noticable latency.

http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/ ... n-automap/

[SolarRainUK]

OP: You can already do all that via TouchOSC, though you'll have to design your own interfaces etc for each synth/daw you want to control. A far more affordable option than the Lemur. Hopefully the developer will make a new version specifically for the iPad to make use of the higher screen size/resolution.

[SolarRainUK]

there is already an automap application for iphone. alas the latency from moving sliders over a wireless network makes it less than ideal. I suppose such timing limitations can be overcome but this must surely be easier for wired controller implementations

I barely noticed the latency over a wi-fi network, it certainly wasn't 'less than ideal'.

[ericj23]

there is already an automap application for iphone. alas the latency from moving sliders over a wireless network makes it less than ideal. I suppose such timing limitations can be overcome but this must surely be easier for wired controller implementations

I barely noticed the latency over a wi-fi network, it certainly wasn't 'less than ideal'.

thats nice. alas i did. the latency was clearly there.

[generalstargazer]

It's amazing. Nobody thought of that before. Oh no, wait. They did: http://www.jazzmutant.com/lemur_overview.php

'

Lemur cost 2000 USD. Think much?

[Naive Teen Idol]

But the point here isn't a TouchOSC/Lemur-like "virtual" controller -- rather the ability to pull up the interface itself, so you have, say, a CS-80V and "pull" the sliders or "turn" knobs. I know an iPhone app exists that kind of does that now -- to see the screen and mouse around w your finger. and TouchOSC let's you create yur own controller maps. But the iPad seems way more suited to giving the player control over already existing user-interfaces w its size.

[Muzik 4 Machines]

i fjazzmutant is brillant enough, theyll sell the lemur OS/app in the app store for 100$ and make 10 times more money than by selling lemurs

[cybertron]

I dont see the point tbh.

I posted a link yesterday-ish which leads to a company which is producing a film like screen overaly which will go on any monitor and provide a multi- touch interface. As a result, its only a matter of time until they catch on, and coders start developing their VST plug-ins to operate with more intuitive touch interfaces locally.

I wouldnt buy an iPad for the OP's proposed purpose

[Gamma-UT]

But the point here isn't a TouchOSC/Lemur-like "virtual" controller -- rather the ability to pull up the interface itself, so you have, say, a CS-80V and "pull" the sliders or "turn" knobs. I know an iPhone app exists that kind of does that now -- to see the screen and mouse around w your finger. and TouchOSC let's you create yur own controller maps. But the iPad seems way more suited to giving the player control over already existing user-interfaces w its size.

That all comes down to how the software interprets the gestures. Safari on the iPhone, among others, lets you zoom in and out using pinching gestures. Or did you mean Jaadu for remote controlling another computer?

If so, then there's no real difference between an iPad and something like a Lenovo tablet. I would expect some interesting applications to be created for the iPad but multitouch and remote control won't be exclusive to it.

[Gamma-UT]

i fjazzmutant is brillant enough, theyll sell the lemur OS/app in the app store for 100$ and make 10 times more money than by selling lemurs

I hope so for their sake. However, there will still be a market for rugged controllers - the iPad (or any other consumer-grade tablet) isn't going to stand up too well to club/gig use.