Do You Love Your MIDI Controller?
- KVRian
- 955 posts since 18 Apr, 2006
I use the Digitone keys as my midi controller and I love it. I had been looking for a long time for a 3 octave keyboard with aftertouch with some knobs and a real mod wheel (not touch-based). My biggest issue is space - it needed to fit between my keyboard and my monitor. Well, the Digitone keys is perfect. it fits right between my keyboard and my monitor. The aftertouch is not polyphonic, but that's okay. It has 16 knobs. and most importantly, it works like a dream in Bitwig. I haven't had a lot of luck with getting midi controllers (knobs) to work in Bitwig. I'm sure it was user error, but this is pretty much plug and play. I also like that is has a synth in there to play with, too.
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- KVRer
- 3 posts since 8 May, 2020 from Canada
I recently bought an MPK249. I'm not sure I love it yet but I'm not trained or practiced with a keyboard. I like using it. I have it set up fairly well and I'm glad I bought it but I'm still a little intimidated by the keyboard. I need to practice playing more so that I can get more comfortable playing things at full speed rather than at half speed. I was also very disappointed to find that the two VST synths I was supposed to receive with it where actually 15 day trials rather than full keys but those where icing on the cake rather than the reason I got the MPK.
- KVRAF
- 8823 posts since 6 Jan, 2017 from Outer Space
I absolutely love my LinnStrument. Nothing can get even close to it. Maybe the small version I programmed on to my Sensel, but Sensel has no working support/development...
- KVRAF
- 7745 posts since 13 Jan, 2003 from Darkest Kent, UK
Maybe still in the honeymoon period but I love my arturia microlab. I don't really like encoders so passed on the minilab, would rather have a separate box of knobs (currently being built...).
I've had a few keyboards over the years and found full size keys aren't for me, I just don't seem to have the stretch in my left hand. I really like my korg nanokeys too so tried a cme xkey but found it severely lacking in the velocity sensitivity front, shame as the aftertouch was cool. I've found the microlab a perfect compromise, keys seem to fall naturally under my fingers and feel great.
Edit: for reference, guess it's obvious I'm not a trained pianist or anything, another guitarist bashing in a few chords occasionally.
I've had a few keyboards over the years and found full size keys aren't for me, I just don't seem to have the stretch in my left hand. I really like my korg nanokeys too so tried a cme xkey but found it severely lacking in the velocity sensitivity front, shame as the aftertouch was cool. I've found the microlab a perfect compromise, keys seem to fall naturally under my fingers and feel great.
Edit: for reference, guess it's obvious I'm not a trained pianist or anything, another guitarist bashing in a few chords occasionally.
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Hewitt Huntwork Hewitt Huntwork https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=7460
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 1531 posts since 2 Jun, 2003
Same here! Only I can't play guitar right now because of nerve damage to my hands and feet. So I'm looking around at every MIDI controller under the sun. I bought a Kordbot, which is EXTREMELY nifty, but 99% of the time it only outputs 2 velocities - 127 and 0. So I'm on the hunt for something different. I use Studio One so I'm leaning heavily toward an Atom because of how well they integrate. But I also need a keyboard of some sort because the Atom won't let Presonus users manually determine which pad mode they're in. So if it thinks the instrument you fed it is a drum instrument, you will always be limited to 16 pads with no octave control. Hrmph!
If every KVR member wrote one review a year we'd have 1340 reviews each day!
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- KVRAF
- 35410 posts since 11 Apr, 2010 from Germany
Since I had my M-Audio Oxygen 25 mkII, I've always had kind of a love/hate relationship with my controllers... they all had flaws, but also good sides. I'm pretty happy with my Novation Impulse 49 now though. Had some smaller keyboards in the meantime, but, I got rid of them, because I want to concentrate on a single keyboard, and, I also appreciate the 4 octaves.
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Hewitt Huntwork Hewitt Huntwork https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=7460
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 1531 posts since 2 Jun, 2003
Thanks for sharing that! I didn't know and Sensel is one of the (many) things I was looking at.
If every KVR member wrote one review a year we'd have 1340 reviews each day!
- KVRAF
- 8823 posts since 6 Jan, 2017 from Outer Space
I would love they‘d open source the editor, and firmware. Then we could fix it ourself. There are bugs waiting to be fixed for years...
On the other hand what works isn‘t that bad. Unfortunately I got the useless innovators overlay, and it does the same as no overlay. If I would have known that before... The basic idea is brilliant, and with Max I can go nuts...
On the other hand what works isn‘t that bad. Unfortunately I got the useless innovators overlay, and it does the same as no overlay. If I would have known that before... The basic idea is brilliant, and with Max I can go nuts...
- KVRian
- 722 posts since 19 Sep, 2007 from Germany
I don't love them, because I still not found a really optimal midi controller. I want good 88 light weighted keys with many NOT endless knobs and with really working USB drivers and without much software crap. And the height must be not more than 12 cm, because I want to place it in my table drawerHewitt Huntwork wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 6:42 pm Simple question. I know a concert pianist and an EDM producer have completely different needs. I'm not asking what's best or for whom.
I'm asking you: Do you LOVE your MIDI controller? If so, what is it?
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- KVRAF
- 5818 posts since 9 Jul, 2002 from Helsinki
Yes, I do.
Great feeling and untypical 44-key keybed with actually playable aftertouch, excellent wheels, metal and wood and high end pots. Analog synth included
Great feeling and untypical 44-key keybed with actually playable aftertouch, excellent wheels, metal and wood and high end pots. Analog synth included
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- KVRAF
- 2751 posts since 12 Mar, 2002 from Central NY
I do.....but I generally prefer women.
the secrets to old age: Faster horses, Richer Women, Bigger CPU's
https://soundcloud.com/cristofe-chabot/sets/main
https://soundcloud.com/cristofe-chabot/sets/main
- KVRAF
- 3897 posts since 28 Jan, 2011 from MEXICO
Push 2 is my main controller, I love the integration and the ease of use. The pads are not perfect but that's my only complain.
I have had a bunch of other controllers and all of them had biggest flaws in some other way.
I have had a bunch of other controllers and all of them had biggest flaws in some other way.
dedication to flying
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- KVRAF
- 6800 posts since 20 Jan, 2008
Tj Shredder wrote: ↑Sat May 30, 2020 8:31 am I absolutely love my LinnStrument. Nothing can get even close to it. Maybe the small version I programmed on to my Sensel, but Sensel has no working support/development...
Ditto
Dell Vostro i9 64GB Ram Windows 11 Pro, Cubase, Bitwig, Mixcraft Guitar Pod Go, Linntrument Nektar P1, Novation Launchpad
- KVRAF
- 5140 posts since 22 Jul, 2006 from Tasmania, Australia
my MIDI guitar controller looks like this atm->
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- KVRist
- 82 posts since 5 Apr, 2011
..I'll second that! Though my finger joints have a somewhat different opinion, so I don't really play it that oftenTj Shredder wrote: ↑Sat May 30, 2020 8:31 am I absolutely love my LinnStrument. Nothing can get even close to it.