GForce OB-1

[machinesworking]

Not sure what the button count means here (mine has 19 before I press the modifier button that adds a shift-mode to give another 19). But I also have the sensitivity cranked up and it is no problem for synth knob tweaking with it.

My X/Y motion on the mouse is set to near the highest settings, sometimes merely touching the mouse moves it 1/16" which can mean that you're now turning back to the screen to position the mouse cursor correctly for the mouse wheel to work. It's a minor difference, but I find it easier to use touch screens. Again I have the 27" Raven though and it's not relying on MS touch support, it's using it's own software and V-Control Pro along with UPPD for touch support.

[stoopicus]

So for power use, the best bet is to map one of the buttons to change the mouse DPI. Mine has two buttons right below the scroll wheel that are perfect for this; flick it over, pop it down for detail work, pop it back up. Super simple and intuitive. Great in games for headshots too.

Logitech's software supports this.

If you want a real power-mouse I recommend the G600.

[christian f.]

I bitched about it not being close to my hardware OB-1 before, but I'm getting these very nice and interesting modern sounds out of it very quickly. Highly recommended for anyone producing Detroit and Berlin style underground techno.

[BONES]

In other words my mouse is set to a sensitivity that makes touching the scroll wheel a gamble in it possibly moving off target.

My mouse has four levels of sensitivity I can change on the fly.

Plus the way a touch screen works VS a scroll wheel is just more appealing to me, you touch the parameter on the soft synth and it's activating the click function until you release your finger, so just like without a scroll wheel your finger can roam up/down left/right on the GUI to move the knob or slider.

What annoys me about a touchscreen is that your stupid, fat fingers get in the way and you can't see what you're doing. I remember the first time I got to use Wacom Cintiq, at a big trade show (SIGGRAAPH) - I f**king hated it. It felt like finger-painting, where the mouse gave me a much greater sense of precision. It might not be so bad with music, where you aren't looking at your result on screen but it still feels very imprecise most of the time.

You seem to be very much about the process, how it works and how it feels, but to me that seems like a huge waste of money and time. I'm a minimalist, totally focused on getting through the work with the fewest number of hurdles to jump over. The mouse is there so that's what I use. I have a really good one because it helps me in my profession but I don't even bother installing the app that comes with it so I can customise the zillions of extra buttons it has. Similarly, having to set up a controller is just extra effort that I don't need to make. If we didn't play live, I don't think I'd even have a MIDI controller. I never have one set up when I'm working on an album or EP, it's a needless distraction from getting work done.

[machinesworking]

What annoys me about a touchscreen is that your stupid, fat fingers get in the way and you can't see what you're doing. I remember the first time I got to use Wacom Cintiq, at a big trade show (SIGGRAAPH) - I f**king hated it. It felt like finger-painting, where the mouse gave me a much greater sense of precision. It might not be so bad with music, where you aren't looking at your result on screen but it still feels very imprecise most of the time.

You seem to be very much about the process, how it works and how it feels, but to me that seems like a huge waste of money and time. I'm a minimalist, totally focused on getting through the work with the fewest number of hurdles to jump over. The mouse is there so that's what I use. I have a really good one because it helps me in my profession but I don't even bother installing the app that comes with it so I can customise the zillions of extra buttons it has. Similarly, having to set up a controller is just extra effort that I don't need to make. If we didn't play live, I don't think I'd even have a MIDI controller. I never have one set up when I'm working on an album or EP, it's a needless distraction from getting work done.

Nope I sold the Mackie Control I had for the Slate Raven, largely to save space in the studio. I only expected to use the touch screen for mixing with faders. Like you mention the rest is work for the most part to set up and gets in the way. I did not expect to like using the thing for soft synths, it's just an added bonus. Motorized faders are cool but it takes up too much space.

You're also not a fan of keyboard shortcuts though and that seems just completely counter productive to me on every level. Plus I'm not anti mouse, I use the MX Master 3S and use it quite often. I think what we have here and I've said it before is a difference in approaches. I'm comfortable with video games like Defender and you're a PacMan guy.

[IvyBirds]

You seem to be very much about the process, how it works and how it feels, but to me that seems like a huge waste of money and time.

This you?

Honestly, they are just tools - use what works,

Again both comments are ironic coming from you

[stoopicus]

Again both comments are ironic coming from you

Well, context matters. In this thread, he’s reacting to the phenomenon that since software synths now sound as good or better than hardware, the hardware enjoyers have fallen back to bringing up knob twisting as the primary reason they think hardware is better.

The entire discussion would be obviated by each of us simply not giving a crap about other peoples’ workflows and just basking in the certainty that our own workflow is obviously the best, I mean duh. Of course it is!

[Mr Arkadin]

I bitched about it not being close to my hardware OB-1 before, but I'm getting these very nice and interesting modern sounds out of it very quickly. Highly recommended for anyone producing Detroit and Berlin style underground techno.

Thanks for the update. I didnt like your original comment because you said it sounded like crap. I don't know if it sounds like the original (you're in a better position than most to judge that), but it sure doesn't sound crap.

[BONES]

I'm comfortable with video games like Defender and you're a PacMan guy.

Video games are for children. And I use plenty of keyboard shortcuts, where it makes sense to. But I don't spend hours setting up shortcuts for everything. On stage I don't have a keyboard so I need to know how to do things without.

Again both comments are ironic coming from you

I'm starting to think you don't know what "ironic" means.

[machinesworking]

And I use plenty of keyboard shortcuts, where it makes sense to. But I don't spend hours setting up shortcuts for everything. On stage I don't have a keyboard so I need to know how to do things without.

Why? it's counter productive to not use a laptop if you use soft synths on stage. Laptops have keyboards. In a previous conversation you flatly stated you preferred to not use keyboard shortcuts, and now we know why, because of a self imposed limitation.

I mean if you're not wanting to look like you're using a computer onstage there are multiple solutions that are more or less full fledged DAWs at this point. MPC, Maschine, Push 3, among others.

[Dirtgrain]

Video games are for children.

As opposed to being KVR's most prolific multi-quote post responder? As opposed to old dudes still trying to rock it like they did when they were young? As opposed to collecting VSTs like baseball cards?

[Greenstorm33]

Adults watch people kick and/or throw balls around on TV

[BONES]

Why? it's counter productive to not use a laptop if you use soft synths on stage. Laptops have keyboards.

You're thinking like a Mac user, my laptop's keyboard is detachable and it stays in the bag when I'm setting up on stage.

I mean if you're not wanting to look like you're using a computer onstage there are multiple solutions that are more or less full fledged DAWs at this point.

I want people to see that we are using a computer on stage, which is why this one has pretty, coloured lights, but that doesn't mean I want it to take up too much space on my keyboard stand, nor do I want to be interacting with it more than absolutely necessary during a performance. In fact, at our last gig the f**king thing fell off the stand in the middle of the last f**king song. I just picked it up, plugged it back in and it picked up exactly where it had stopped. (We re-started the song from the beginning, though.) I use the mouse to change songs and that's the only time I touch the mouse/computer on stage. Everything else is done via my MPK controller.

[machinesworking]

You're thinking like a Mac user,

No I'm thinking like someone that wants options if something happens. why put yourself in a position where you can't easily fix a problem just because you can?

I see this all the time and I don't get it at all. People bragging about using closed laptops at gigs, it's 100% an unnecessary risk.

[BONES]

Because problems don't arise. That's the value of rehearsal - 100% confidence in your set-up. Once the set is loaded, I know it will all work and, if it doesn't, having a QWERTY keyboard available isn't going to help, guaranteed. Anyway, it's sitting in a bag somewhere nearby, it's not like I leave it at home.