MIDI Controller for a software synth

[roman.i]

I'm seeking to buy a midi controller to control a software synth, like NI Massive, Sylenth1 etc.
But most of them are bound to that old boring idea of providing few macro knobs, maybe some useless pads, and few faders.
Just thought how nice it would be if someone built a desktop style controllers for popular synths.
I mean a controller that looks and feels like Virus TI Desktop/Nord rack/Novation Peak, but for controlling a specific software synth. So we'll get the best of two worlds, and for a studio use it's the same as buying a hardware synth but for a price of controller.
What do you think about this idea?

[whyterabbyt]

You're happy to pay 5 times as much as for a generic controller then?

Dedicated controllers for specific synths have been done, they sell in tiny numbers, at high prices, and nobody seems to have managed to create and sustain a busness doing so.

https://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/gf ... ler-472405

[chk071]

The Roland System-1 is as close as it gets for me: https://www.thomann.de/de/roland_system_1.htm

Pretty pricey though...

In the end, you will always end up with some parameters you can't map. IMO might as well use any generic MIDI keyboard then. Personally, most of the time, I turn the knobs with the mouse anyway.

[roman.i]

You're happy to pay 5 times as much as for a generic controller then?

Dedicated controllers for specific synths have been done, they sell in tiny numbers, at high prices, and nobody seems to have managed to create and sustain a busness doing so.

https://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/gf ... ler-472405

Thanks for the reply, never saw that before, but this software synth isn't so popular.
The idea is to build controllers for popular synths that are widely used.
I don't see why it should cost 5 times as much as for a generic controller.

[chk071]

They ARE very pricey though. Even when you build them yourself. Check this site: http://www.synth-project.de/diva.html

Edit: It used to have prices listed, dunno what happened to that. IIRC, some of his creations cost a few thousands.

[whyterabbyt]

You're happy to pay 5 times as much as for a generic controller then?

Dedicated controllers for specific synths have been done, they sell in tiny numbers, at high prices, and nobody seems to have managed to create and sustain a busness doing so.

https://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/gf ... ler-472405

Thanks for the reply, never saw that before, but this software synth isn't so popular.

Yes it was. It was probably as popular when the controller was built as just about any synth you'd suggest making a controller for now.

The idea is to build controllers for popular synths that are widely used.

Yes, and impOSCar was. Which is why I used this as an example.

I don't see why it should cost 5 times as much as for a generic controller.

Yeah, I knew you wouldnt. Because noone who's ever suggested this (and there have been a lot of them in the past 15-30 years) understands what manufacturing something like this in any quantity would require.

[roman.i]

The Roland System-1 is as close as it gets for me: https://www.thomann.de/de/roland_system_1.htm

Pretty pricey though...

In the end, you will always end up with some parameters you can't map. IMO might as well use any generic MIDI keyboard then. Personally, most of the time, I turn the knobs with the mouse anyway.

I'm talking about a controller that designed for a specific software synth. You don't need to map anything to make it work. The controller developer can work with the software synth developer and add a support for everything. The idea is the controller has full access to all parameters of the synth. So if for example Sylenth1 has a small screen with effects, this is how it should look on the controller maybe plus some additional knob to control internal parameters. Think of a Novation Peak, but the sound engine is in the plugin, and the hardware is only a controller.

[whyterabbyt]

I'm talking about a controller that designed for a specific software synth. You don't need to map anything to make it work.

Unfortunately, that's making assumptions about how plugins work that dont pan out. Plugins dont talk to the outside world at all. They dont see hardware devices, and they dont access them directly. Any 'mapping' they do is mapping of data they get from the host, not a controller.

Its only the host that sees hardware devices. So, yes, you still have to map something to make it work, because the thing that sees and handles MIDI or controller data isnt the plugin.

To change that, you'd need to add very nonstandard stuff to the plugin, stuff that would probably conflict with the host.

(The alternative is hardcoded MIDI mapping within the plugin, and that's not ideal. Plus it rarely fits well with modern plugins.)

[Passing Bye]

I would rather get touch screen, have no real affection towards physical knobs and sliders, but YMMV.

[roman.i]

I would rather get touch screen, have no real affection towards physical knobs and sliders, but YMMV.

Touch screen as a main monitor?

[thecontrolcentre]

https://www.synthtopia.com/content/2011 ... ontroller/

[declassified]

Plugins dont talk to the outside world at all. They dont see hardware devices, and they dont access them directly.

A plug-in can talk directly to the OS, at least on macOS. I haven't tried it on Windows, but would expect it to work there as well. It can check which MIDI hardware is connected, open MIDI inputs and outputs and send/receive MIDI directly from them just like a normal application, without help from the host.

[Passing Bye]

I would rather get touch screen, have no real affection towards physical knobs and sliders, but YMMV.

Touch screen as a main monitor?

As additional one in front of you, something like this:

[Septimon]

Something like this?
https://www.amazona.de/test-soundforce- ... e-repro-1/

[Septimon]

If NI chose to equip the Komplete Keyboards with more knobs and a couple of buttons, I’d pay a lot more