Do you need Aftertouch?

[mellotronaut]

I value aftertouch and would like a polyAT controller.

[Mitch I.]

Some keyboards though, you have to almost break your fingers to get a response!

I bought a Roland JV-80 20 years ago and used the aftertouch a lot. I soon developed tendinitis and still haven't completely recovered. Needless to say, I don't use aftertouch anymore.

Mitch I.

[himalaya]

Seriously? There must have been something wrong with the aftertouch response in your JV.

Aftertouch is very important for me and the way I play. It's usually used for controlling vibrato in most of my lead patches. I find it a much more natural method than using the mod wheel for vibrato. In arpeggio patches it may control filter envelope amount or LFO rate (for more rhythm variety), etc. For EP it may control tremolo, etc...

Therefore I also worry about this issue as there are midi keyboards which do not support aftertouch, more worryingly, new and expensive keyboards come without it too. Cue Roland Jupiter-50! So the end result is that the user may not benefit from some of the expression available.

[dmbaer]

Some keyboards though, you have to almost break your fingers to get a response!

FVKING ROLAND GRRRRRRRRRRR.

My thoughts exactly. I have a Cakewalk A-500 and an old but very servicable Yamaha KX-88, both of which have aftertouch that requires rather extreme pressure. So, no I don't use it much as such (plus TBH, my keyboard chops are not what they once were).

However, I want some MIDI controller (slider or knob, doesn't matter) that I can map to control the sorts of things aftertouch might routinely be used for. E.g., it's great to map the mod wheel to vibrato level, but it's really nice to have another control to modulate vibrato speed.

OT, but not all that much ... I once read about a MIDI controller that offered lateral touch. You could move your fingers from side to side on the keys, the way a violinist would do on the fingerboard (or whatever it's called) to create vibrato, and MIDI controller messages would be generated. I always thought that was a magnificently inspired conception.

[EvilDragon]

Seriously, if you want a nice aftertouch response, Korg and Kurzweil have it nailed hands down. Better than Yamaha IMHO, but Roland is f**king horrible.

[Gamma-UT]

I value aftertouch and would like a polyAT controller.

I won't part with my VFX simply because it has poly-AT.

[lumcas]

Although I have owned some keyboards with aftertouch (mono) I have never used it much, probably because I am a pianist, so this feels kinda unnatural to me. And rather than a continuous controller it always behaved like an unpredictable on/off switch which turned me off. Nowadays I don't find it of much importance. You can map any CC to a fader or a knob on your controller or iPad and I am used to work this way, Well, polyphonic aftertouch is a whole different story but I have never owned one. Are they still so expensive?

[EvilDragon]

Not only expensive, but rare as well.


Well, I guess you could find an old Ensoniq on the cheap which had poly-AT (SQ-80, VFX, etc.)

[pdxindy]

Although I have owned some keyboards with aftertouch (mono) I have never used it much, probably because I am a pianist, so this feels kinda unnatural to me. And rather than a continuous controller it always behaved like an unpredictable on/off switch which turned me off. Nowadays I don't find it of much importance. You can map any CC to a fader or a knob on your controller or iPad and I am used to work this way, Well, polyphonic aftertouch is a whole different story but I have never owned one. Are they still so expensive?

A good controller is not like an unreliable on/off switch... but a lot of controllers are crap...

[KBSoundSmith]

MIDI aftertouch appears to be on the decline. Most of my presets to date make use of aftertouch... but maybe I should rethink?

Absolutely not, aftertouch is essential. The most expressive patches I've made (and have heard others make) use aftertouch. The problem isn't that aftertouch isn't useful, it's that increasingly awful MIDI products are being made for bedroom "producers" who have never touched a real instrument before (and who then decide to share their "knowledge" in the Music Theory sub-forum).

I was just making a Diva patch, and it always amazes me how expressive it can be made to be when your MIDI controller isn't crippled by design.

[TwoToneshuzz]

Just to add a note that I have the Walddorf Blofeld keyboard version and find the aftertouch quite good enough.

I also have a Korg Wavestation Ex, the aftertouch on that wasn't as good as the Blofelds but it is still decent..

The Problem with Poly aftertouch is that it overloads the midi bandwidth so is dodgy. Otherwise it would be a wonderful tool.

The pricey VAX controller has polyphonic aftertouch. http://www.infiniteresponse.com/vkeybd.html

[Sampleconstruct]

AT is unbeatable when it comes to expressive vibratos and small bends, nothing you could do with the Pitchwheel. Great for synths and sample based instruments.
Also for pads with e.g. the cutoff assigned to AT, when you play live and don't have a free hand for a Midi Controller, AT is the way to go in this case (or a foot controller).

[Sendy]

Aftertouch or "pressure" is just too good and convenient to pass up. It can be a bit jumpy and awkward for wide parameters such as filter sweeps, but mostly I use it for bringing in vibrato or some other nuance of expression, leaving the mod and pitch wheels for more freaky stuff

[hollo]

Aftertouch yes.
Even if your keyboard has no aftertouch, you can still assign a midi knob/slider or use automation to access it.

This!

Good keyboard players using all the available controllers.
On stage they are using one hand to hold a chord and the other
to play solo or another line. Because, unfortunately, not all of us have 3. hand to move the mod wheel or Pitch bender, the aftertouch is a life saver for expressive playing.

Even if solo first come to mind, i was using aftertouch extensively in my pads soundset, for subtle opening the filter, LFO or MSEG speed for animation control etc...

Because of bad, or no aftertouch controllers, i always put the most important things to modwheel or to the Pitch bender, but always find good use of the aftertouch too.


Who don't have aftertouch at all still can benefit from the
fine tuned settings by the DAW automation.

Like i don't have breath controller, but i set a slider to
hear what Howard want to show us with his brilliant presets.

So more controllers, more options, more love

[Axis1~SL61]

AfterTouch is a must for me -- All my hardware MIDI modules receive AT, (unfortunately not all free -- and even a few commercial -- softsynths have it). I would never buy a MIDI controller without AfterTouch. Being from the time when MIDI first appeared, for me lack of AfterTouch is associated with pre-MIDI analog dynosaurs, just as lack of velocity sensitivity was...
+1000 for what others already mentioned about a control function that doesn't require you to take your fingers off the keyboard to add more expression.
Those who never used AT don't know what they are missing. Bend Wheel for pitch bends,Mod Wheel for crazy filter sweeps and AT for vibrato makes for electronic and guitar-like solo sounds that scream, bend and twist in a most organic and expressive manner. The lack of AT contributes to eventual stiffness and mechanical expression (or lack of).