What are the 'ultimate' VST midi controllers?

[braj]

In my biased opinion the synth part is the closest thing you will get to an Oberheim Xpander in a keyboard form-factor, plus it has so many routing options and mod sources that it is essentially semi modular. Check out some of the experiments on my SQ80 site. Most of them translate well to the SQ8L VST.

Yeah it was just no fun at all to program, not at all. The VST is great sounding, but regarding the original hardware all I really miss is the aftertouch.

Can someone recommend some current midi KB controllers that do polyAT?

[maxmace]

Can someone recommend some current midi KB controllers that do polyAT?

It's too rich for me, but that VAX from Infinite Response looks fantastic.

it was just no fun at all to program

See, I don't get that. I don't know of any other parametric that was easier. There is a button for each module, and no nested pages at all. Keep in mind that it's direct competition was the D50 and the DX7.

I can *imagine* what a big 3 oscillator semi module wavetable synth would look like with a 70-knob interface, but I can't imagine a manufacturer ever making one. Most of the box-o-knob designs were 2-osc with a fixed modulation route.

[george]

iPad + TouchOSC can be bliss

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQGvztVGiJ

[braj]

See, I don't get that.

I just did not like it, did not find it that inspiring it was no fun to me.

[pdxindy]

Can someone recommend some current midi KB controllers that do polyAT?

It's too rich for me, but that VAX from Infinite Response looks fantastic.

I would like to try one and would consider getting it if I really like the feel of it. I am uncomfortable with the folding design. I also do not like the placement of pitchbend on the side and there is no modwheel. It does take 4 pedals and has what sounds like a sophisticated polyAT. For that price I would have to have a good test of it!

[skitchy]

Edit - never mind, found an answer

[charleyhaze]

http://gearstation.com.au/products/prof ... controller

This looks cool!

[biomechanoid]

I recently bought a Nektar Panorama P6, and altho I've not used it extensively yet, so far I'm quite impressed with the host integration it offers… a definite step up from solutions like Novations Automap imo.

http://www.nektartech.com

[pdxindy]

I recently bought a Nektar Panorama P6, and altho I've not used it extensively yet, so far I'm quite impressed with the host integration it offers… a definite step up from solutions like Novations Automap imo.

http://www.nektartech.com

I'm considering the P4... glad to hear your impressions

[danbroad]

I think all plugins, controller manufacturers and DAWs should agree on a 'macro mode' set, whereby every appropriate synth has the usual stuff [ADSR's, filters, PWM, etc] or any synths dedicated macro mode [Massive, Absynth, Alchemy etc] mapped to a standard set. That way, every generic MIDI controller works for something right out of the box.

Right now, we've got a hundred different standards [DAW, plugin etc], and a hundred different solutions [Automap, DAW, M-Audio etc] to overcome them.

It's the plugin/DAW equivalent of the pre-MIDI era.

[beely]

It's the plugin/DAW equivalent of the pre-MIDI era.

+1

Either that, or a good, reasonably priced keyboard synth controller which has a good standard layout of a dual osc synth, filters, envelopes, modulators/LFOs etc, with some displays and controls for extra functionality for oscillators, filters and envelopes.

Something that would work with the most useful set of parameters for most instruments. It's not going to be perfect or get all parameters for everything, but it will be a damn site better than the generic controllers with unlabelled knobs with a not very useful layout etc.