OT: Continuum

[aaron aardvark]

While we're waiting for the future Diva, here is something completely different:

[Ingonator]

Price is "only" 5290$ (around 4000 €)...
http://www.hakenaudio.com/Continuum/hak ... ricia.html

At a shop here in Germany it's 5780€ (!!):
http://www.schneidersladen.de/haken-aud ... -size.html
The smaller one is still 3800€:
http://www.schneidersladen.de/haken-aud ... -size.html

Even if it seems to be an interesting controller for that amount of money i would prefer to get a Korg Kronos X instead.


Ingo

[aaron aardvark]

Yeah, I checked out the price earlier. Too bad it's so expensive.

[Sendy]

I wonder how that works as a controller? It seems to do arbitrary pitch, arbitrary pitch sweeps, etc. And I'm not sure MIDI can really contain something so unlimited, because a synth will be expecting a preset bend range with a maximum of one, two, or if you're very lucky, four octaves and of course, pitchbend is relative, wheras this appears absolute.

Really interesting, though. It seems like you really can program a synth and then play it like a guitar .

I'd better get endorsing so I can save up some pennies

[jdoo]

...or you can pick up a $49 Korg NanoKey, and a $1 iPad app... and play similarly on an iPad. Prices are skewed though - if you don't own an iPad. The sounds from the first video reminded me of a few iPad instruments, so I did a quick search for one of Jordan's demos.. There are probably dozens of similarly sounding patches for iPad instruments.



or 3:30 in this vid:

[3*s]

Is there a legit reason for it being that expensive or are they just price gouging with their patents?

Love that modular. I'm a software guy but there's something enthralling about a giant box of knobs, lights, and cables.

[bk]

I wonder how that works as a controller? It seems to do arbitrary pitch, arbitrary pitch sweeps, etc. And I'm not sure MIDI can really contain something so unlimited, because a synth will be expecting a preset bend range with a maximum of one, two, or if you're very lucky, four octaves and of course, pitchbend is relative, wheras this appears absolute.

I don't believe it works over midi. There is a synth that comes with the controller that takes advantage of the way the controller can be played.

edit: Evidently, this is not correct...nevermind!

[pdxindy]

I wonder how that works as a controller? It seems to do arbitrary pitch, arbitrary pitch sweeps, etc. And I'm not sure MIDI can really contain something so unlimited, because a synth will be expecting a preset bend range with a maximum of one, two, or if you're very lucky, four octaves and of course, pitchbend is relative, wheras this appears absolute.

I don't believe it works over midi. There is a synth that comes with the controller that takes advantage of the way the controller can be played.

The company demo guy (in an online video) controlled both an analogue synth and NI Reaktor with it

[audientronic]

While we're waiting for the future Diva, here is something completely different:

fixed that for you.

[EvilDragon]

I wonder how that works as a controller? It seems to do arbitrary pitch, arbitrary pitch sweeps, etc. And I'm not sure MIDI can really contain something so unlimited, because a synth will be expecting a preset bend range with a maximum of one, two, or if you're very lucky, four octaves and of course, pitchbend is relative, wheras this appears absolute.

Each finger is recognized and sent over its own MIDI channel. Pitch bend is adjustable completely (it's using RPN values to set pitch bend range for each channel, IIRC).

Rudess is using his V-Synth XT for the lead sound he plays on the Continuum.

[Ch00rD]

I wonder how that works as a controller? It seems to do arbitrary pitch, arbitrary pitch sweeps, etc. And I'm not sure MIDI can really contain something so unlimited, because a synth will be expecting a preset bend range with a maximum of one, two, or if you're very lucky, four octaves and of course, pitchbend is relative, wheras this appears absolute.

Each finger is recognized and sent over its own MIDI channel. Pitch bend is adjustable completely (it's using RPN values to set pitch bend range for each channel, IIRC).

Rudess is using his V-Synth XT for the lead sound he plays on the Continuum.

Meh, awesome specs, but still *way* too expensive. I can do all of that for under hundred bucks, probably with much better precision, with a Leap Motion controller. I can get each hand/finger's absolute/relative position/velocity in X, Y, Z dimensions, plus pitch, roll, yaw, etc., all as 14 bit MIDI data - so yeah, MIDI can do plenty "unlimited". And it works just great with the 14 bit control of parameters in u-he's plug-ins.

[EvilDragon]

Yeah, it is expensive. All those materials and hand-built to order definitely costs cash, not to mention it DOES have internal DSP and sound templates (which are prototyped on Kyma)...

Thing is, there's nothing like it that functions quite like it in the world. Leap Motion does not compare, IMO. Can't do pressure-weighted portamento on a Motion, I reckon, since Motion doesn't give you any feedback to your pressure.

[noiseprovesnothing]

I used to work with the inventor, Lippold Hakken. One of the smartest people I've ever known.

[aaron aardvark]

Thank you for the comments people! The iPad app looks tempting for the price. My wife probably won't be happy if I abduct her iPad though.