Erae Touch - All-around MIDI 2.0 controller?

[Pashkuli]

a strawberry isn't a berry, but a tomato is.

and banana is actually a grass, bush as bamboo is
So?

youre going to be busy righting all the world's wrongs.

Not really. Only where I intend to look into.
In our case this is music tech.

[vurt]

you should start with the bloody tremelo arm on guitars

[Pashkuli]

you should start with the bloody tremelo arm on guitars

OFFTOPIC:
Oddly enough, we discuss it currently on Facebook.
Actually it is the intention of CyCfi (Joel) with his new Thor guitar.

[pdxindy]

Not really. Only where I intend to look into.
In our case this is music tech.

And off topic in this thread which is not about midi naming conventions. Basically you keep spamming this thread.

[Tj Shredder]

Could we please stop feeding trolls?

To get back on topic, I received my Erae today. First tests reveal some problems of course. To get correct pitch bends with slide I need to set a sensitivity of 1, which is not the default. Very strange and responsible for the kind of steppy bends. I don’t know yet how to make the keygrid keys smaller. The 4*4 keys are way too big to play it like my LinnStrument. It might be good for finger drumming…
There is so much to explore and the potential is huge…

[BONES]

I'd be really keen to hear how it goes. Even though it's a bit bigger than I'd like, I am quite intrigued by it, it could be great on stage.

[Echoes in the Attic]

Could we please stop feeding trolls?

To get back on topic, I received my Erae today. First tests reveal some problems of course. To get correct pitch bends with slide I need to set a sensitivity of 1, which is not the default. Very strange and responsible for the kind of steppy bends. I don’t know yet how to make the keygrid keys smaller. The 4*4 keys are way too big to play it like my LinnStrument. It might be good for finger drumming…
There is so much to explore and the potential is huge…

Do you mean 4 lights by 4 lights? I was looking at pictures wondering what would be the best set up, and seems like you can at least design your own that could be 3x3? Making it more like linnstrument type grid size? Curious to see what that's like for you.

[Tj Shredder]

2*2 would be about the LinnStrument size, which is perfect to play with all fingers, and I am used to it. My LinStruMini layout of the sensel is a 7*13 grid, which is a tiny bit smaller but doesn’t hurt my muscle memory either…
The standard size of the Erae is only good for finger drumming using one finger per hand. Playing a one handed chord is already too much of a stretch and hurts my hand…
For sure it will be a perfect drum pad, as you can play it with sticks. The customizability is great and actually way better than with the Sensel. To switch layouts is faster than changing overlays on the Sensel, und you get 16…
The touch is a bit softer than the LinnStrument, but seems fine. I need to get used to it… It will never replace my LinnStrument, and its fairly big, which could also be an advantage… (better to fit into hand luggage on flights than the LinnStrument…)
If I find a way to get a 2*2 keygrid, it would also span a full grand range for pitch…

[Pashkuli]

If I find a way to get a 2*2 keygrid, it would also span a full grand range for pitch…

Just make it from the app.

Assigning notes might be a bit more tedious but should be possible... by the looks of it.

[Tj Shredder]

I tried to do it placing single keys in 2*2 size, but after 48 of them, I exceeded a max number… Boomer… I need to get the keygrid with smaller grid sizes… Still don’t know how to change it. There is no useful documentation beside very basic things…
I also have the feeling that the resolution is limited. Maybe it will end as a great customizable drum controller…

[Pashkuli]

Ok, so it seems it is up to 48 virtual keys\pads\areas then. Not that bad... half a grand piano keyboard (4 "octaves").
It is a grid after all.

[pdxindy]

Maybe it will end as a great customizable drum controller…

That is my impression from the one time I tried mine to make sure it turned on and worked. A good drum controller and for special use cases... not to set it up like a Linnstrument or such.

[BONES]

Does anyone feel like sharing their experiences in a bit more depth?

[Kalamata Kid]

I again am considering to get the Arae Touch.
Primarily to use it as a midi keyboard controller.
The Arae grid is 42x24 = 1008 sensors.

Looks like I can get 14 keys across by 4 high.
Total 56 keys. Piano has 52 white keys.
Each key will be 3x4 sensors. Or perhaps 3x3.
I will have some area left over for other buttons or XY pad.

If I use the 3x3 then I can have two 56 keyboards on the Arae each on a different channel.

Does this make sense?

Edit: The Arae can take the place of the qwerty keyboard so it really works well in my studio setup. Click on my signature.

[Tj Shredder]

Does anyone feel like sharing their experiences in a bit more depth?

Finally I found out (or was it a firmware update?) how to get the 2*2 grid for the complete Erae… Its resolution is much less precise than the LinnStrument or Sensel, if you touch adjacent keys, it might not recognize that you used two fingers to play two different notes, instead it interprets it as one inbetween. Its getting easier if you make the y-part bigger. A 2*3 grid works much better. As a LinnStrument like layout (2*2 grid) can span a complete 87 key keyboard with the tritone layout (which I prefer), you can replace a huge keyboard and as you don’t need the upper left corner for that, I could place some key switches there…
Or in another layout, I placed some faders… Its also playable with drum sticks, a MPE drum controller is something - imagine to bend your drum head with pressure… All in all much to explore… A welcome addition to my controller collection…