2022: A Year in Gear (What You've Bought or Want to Buy in 2022)

[elxsound]

I've got a question for everyone here, regarding Midi keyboards...

Please let me know if this is a stupid idea.

I was thinking of buying 2 Arturia keysteps as a temporary replacement for my aging CME UF80 (88 keys). I've mentioned before that a few keys are triggering at the wrong velocity.

What's holding me back from just getting a replacement now is that I'd like to see if NI will make a mkIII of their Kontrol series, but with the merger I'm assuming that could be another year or two.

Anything I'm overlooking for making this work (besides the obvious gap between the two keysteps)?

[vurt]

might feel a bit weird with the extra width? but im not that good at keys anyway...

however, i think it's a great idea for a couple of reasons.
you could do what you are wanting that's one!
but better, imo, when you replace it with the possible mk3 in some years....
you have two cv keyboards, stack them, you've got one running the arp, the other playing lead!!!
a friend comes over, "let's jam!"

there's two additional more fun reasons you should get another!!!

[foosnark]

On the Strega, I was trying to see if I could get the filter with no delay feedback at all, so I ran a DC offset from Blinds into the Decay CV to make it more negative. Instead of killing the feedback it increased the filter resonance...

[elxsound]

On the Strega, I was trying to see if I could get the filter with no delay feedback at all, so I ran a DC offset from Blinds into the Decay CV to make it more negative. Instead of killing the feedback it increased the filter resonance...

What was Absorb set to? That should be the resonance control but it doesn’t surprise me with negative decay affecting resonance as Absorb is also tied to delay but most obviously affects the filter resonance

[WatchTheGuitar]

I've got a question for everyone here, regarding Midi keyboards...

Please let me know if this is a stupid idea.

I was thinking of buying 2 Arturia keysteps as a temporary replacement for my aging CME UF80 (88 keys). I've mentioned before that a few keys are triggering at the wrong velocity.

What's holding me back from just getting a replacement now is that I'd like to see if NI will make a mkIII of their Kontrol series, but with the merger I'm assuming that could be another year or two.

Anything I'm overlooking for making this work (besides the obvious gap between the two keysteps)?

It'd work, but maybe look at the Nektar LX88+. I've got one and it's a very usable cheap 88 key MIDI controller.

[elxsound]

I've got a question for everyone here, regarding Midi keyboards...

Please let me know if this is a stupid idea.

I was thinking of buying 2 Arturia keysteps as a temporary replacement for my aging CME UF80 (88 keys). I've mentioned before that a few keys are triggering at the wrong velocity.

What's holding me back from just getting a replacement now is that I'd like to see if NI will make a mkIII of their Kontrol series, but with the merger I'm assuming that could be another year or two.

Anything I'm overlooking for making this work (besides the obvious gap between the two keysteps)?

It'd work, but maybe look at the Nektar LX88+. I've got one and it's a very usable cheap 88 key MIDI controller.

I think the biggest reasons I’m looking at the 2 keysteps is that I already wanted just one for the modular stuff, and then I was thinking the 2nd hand sale for the extra one (when it becomes extra) would be easy to deal with considering it is small and seems to retain its value (mostly).

[elxsound]

might feel a bit weird with the extra width? but im not that good at keys anyway...

however, i think it's a great idea for a couple of reasons.
you could do what you are wanting that's one!
but better, imo, when you replace it with the possible mk3 in some years....
you have two cv keyboards, stack them, you've got one running the arp, the other playing lead!!!
a friend comes over, "let's jam!"

there's two additional more fun reasons you should get another!!!

I’m not the greatest but I like play. I’m hoping years of conga playing/performing could kick in with getting used to that gap.

[WatchTheGuitar]

I think the biggest reasons I’m looking at the 2 keysteps is that I already wanted just one for the modular stuff, and then I was thinking the 2nd hand sale for the extra one (when it becomes extra) would be easy to deal with considering it is small and seems to retain its value (mostly).

Fair enough, just so long as you realise they aren’t full size keys and they only have just over half the travel of ‘normal’ keyboards, not as bad as an MS-20, but still needs getting used to.

[elxsound]

I think the biggest reasons I’m looking at the 2 keysteps is that I already wanted just one for the modular stuff, and then I was thinking the 2nd hand sale for the extra one (when it becomes extra) would be easy to deal with considering it is small and seems to retain its value (mostly).

Fair enough, just so long as you realise they aren’t full size keys and they only have just over half the travel of ‘normal’ keyboards, not as bad as an MS-20, but still needs getting used to.

Good point. Right now I do well switching from the Roland boutique keyabord which is tiny and back full weighted keys, but I can see needing to relearn key spacing when moving back to a full size keys if I use this setup for a year. Maybe I won’t even make it a year with this setup.

[Vectorman]

I was figuring the rest of this year would be no hardware, just a bit of software & sample libraries here and there. If Oberheim/Sequential really do roll out a new OB-X, though...dammit, it will be tempting. I guess that Music Man bass and that amp head and reactive load that I NEVER use and haven't gotten around to selling yet would cover most of the cost, though.

[cryophonik]

I've got a question for everyone here, regarding Midi keyboards...

Please let me know if this is a stupid idea.

I was thinking of buying 2 Arturia keysteps as a temporary replacement for my aging CME UF80 (88 keys). I've mentioned before that a few keys are triggering at the wrong velocity.

What's holding me back from just getting a replacement now is that I'd like to see if NI will make a mkIII of their Kontrol series, but with the merger I'm assuming that could be another year or two.

Anything I'm overlooking for making this work (besides the obvious gap between the two keysteps)?

Ooh, I don’t know. I’ve got a Keystep Pro and it’s pretty cool for what it does, but it could never replace my KK 61 mk2. For me, that’s mostly because I want full sized keys and a high quality keybed. As for the KK mk3, I’ve pretty much given up on NI and I’ve been tempted to just sell all of their products, except Kontakt. I made a thread a few months ago about what I’d like to see in a mk3, which was mostly focused on hardware synth support, but I doubt NI would ever implement any of it because it wouldn’t directly increase sales of their software.

Anyway, if it was me, I’d just find a secondhand KK mk2 or a Novation Remote, rather than two Keysteps.

[elxsound]

I've got a question for everyone here, regarding Midi keyboards...

Please let me know if this is a stupid idea.

I was thinking of buying 2 Arturia keysteps as a temporary replacement for my aging CME UF80 (88 keys). I've mentioned before that a few keys are triggering at the wrong velocity.

What's holding me back from just getting a replacement now is that I'd like to see if NI will make a mkIII of their Kontrol series, but with the merger I'm assuming that could be another year or two.

Anything I'm overlooking for making this work (besides the obvious gap between the two keysteps)?

Ooh, I don’t know. I’ve got a Keystep Pro and it’s pretty cool for what it does, but it could never replace my KK 61 mk2. For me, that’s mostly because I want full sized keys and a high quality keybed. As for the KK mk3, I’ve pretty much given up on NI and I’ve been tempted to just sell all of their products, except Kontakt. I made a thread a few months ago about what I’d like to see in a mk3, which was mostly focused on hardware synth support, but I doubt NI would ever implement any of it because it wouldn’t directly increase sales of their software.

Anyway, if it was me, I’d just find a secondhand KK mk2 or a Novation Remote, rather than two Keysteps.

I think for now I’ll add one 37 keystep without replacing anything just to see what it feels like. I planned on getting one anyways for it’s portability.
Not having at least 61 keys scares me a bit. The reviews are all over the place for the novation remote and seems due for a refresh too (but also could be a while for them due to many world issues).

I get it with NI. I don’t know where they’re headed before and after this merger. I’m heavily in on Kontakt too. I love GR and Reaktor even though I don’t use Reaktor much since all the hardware goodies.

I find looking for controllers an annoying process. I don’t usually need the extras since I don’t like mapping (and I’ve got Push for most of that). There’s so many trade offs between manufacturers and reviews are always all over the place. Everything seems overdue for a refresh and probably if not for multiple world issues, they likely would have been (IMO).

[WatchTheGuitar]

Cre8audio NiftyKEYZ, the basis for your modular 4-voice dream synth: a powered 112 HP case, a velocity/AT keyboard topped with neat extras.

Cre8audio NiftyKEYZ is available now for $599,99 USD /599,99€ from their official website or retailers.

https://www.synthanatomy.com/2022/04/cr ... synth.html



Seems you get more for your money than with the Korg.

[foosnark]

I just put down a deposit on a MüB Miezo 18, 5 strings, raintree body with ovankgol fretboard.

This is someone else's 6-string they built last summer, with a fancier pickup and electronics and a little bit of inlay on the back for some reason, but it gives the idea.



With standard bass strings it's tuned BEADG an octave above a regular 5-string bass, though it's also supposed to easily drop to ADGCF. And there's always Pitchproof if I really need to play at 30Hz

[ghettosynth]

Cre8audio NiftyKEYZ, the basis for your modular 4-voice dream synth: a powered 112 HP case, a velocity/AT keyboard topped with neat extras.

Cre8audio NiftyKEYZ is available now for $599,99 USD /599,99€ from their official website or retailers.

https://www.synthanatomy.com/2022/04/cr ... synth.html



Seems you get more for your money than with the Korg.

I'd be wary. I have their little cheap case that comes with some modules. They're fun, but cheap and it all feels cheap. I'd wait for end user reviews after they've had it in their hands for six months before spending $600 with them.