Controlling the XY Pads

[Ronnycash]

Hi dear U-he users,

looking for a not so expensive midi controller to control the 4 XY pads.
A controller with 8 faders would be the minimum solution.

At the moment I have 8 knobs on my Prophet REV2 used for this, but that is of course semi-optimal.

What do you use? How do you do it?

Best
Ronald

[aMUSEd]

I use a Roli Lightpad M with this script

https://github.com/jorisroling/axyz-gems

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Depending on whether your host supports OSC, you could create 4 X-Y Pads in TouchOSC and just use a tablet. Or use the virtual MIDI driver to have the OSC messages sent as MIDI.

[pierb]

I use a Roli Lightpad M with this script

https://github.com/jorisroling/axyz-gems

How's the resolution?

I tried the first Lightpad and it was quite bad.

[pierb]

I use the Korg Nanokontrol 2. Works fine although I've always dreamed about a controller with 4 joysticks exactly for this.

I guess any OSC app will work too but I've never tried it. TouchOSC with a tablet, OSCPilot with a touch screen, etc.

[Howard]

Compared with high quality joysticks, touch pads are quite poor performance controllers.IMHO!

[aMUSEd]

I use a Roli Lightpad M with this script

https://github.com/jorisroling/axyz-gems

How's the resolution?

I tried the first Lightpad and it was quite bad.

On a technical level no idea, I assume they are better but not sure how much. For me I'm mostly going for musical gestures and movement, not accuracy, so not so much of a problem. If and when I do need accuracy I use a knob. Used to have a great single joystick device (NUKE controller) but it no longer functions on Big Sur

[pierb]

Compared with high quality joysticks, touch pads are quite poor performance controllers.IMHO!

When an official U-He controller with 4 joysticks?

[Tuskerfort]

For live play I use a Touche, but when designing sounds or playing them into a DAW, the trackpad on the laptop with the audioswift utility generates a couple of xy pads. Neither solution is as comprehensive as eight sliders. I am often doubling up xy pad movements on a single gesture, but they are ergonomic for the left hand.

https://www.kvraudio.com/developer/audioswift

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

U-he should release a 4-Joystick XY hardware controller.

[pdxindy]

U-he should release a 4-Joystick XY hardware controller.

In the meantime, I have the Erae Touch to make 4 big X/Y (+Z) pads...

[Howard]

U-he should release a 4-Joystick XY hardware controller.

In the meantime, I have the Erae Touch to make 4 big X/Y (+Z) pads...

We really should offer a 4 joystick controller... hang the expense!

2D control via any surface is like bending notes using a ribbon controller instead of a sprung bender. BTW the best pitch bender ever made (imho) is the one in the Nonlinear Labs C15.

[MitchK1989]

Compared with high quality joysticks, touch pads are quite poor performance controllers.IMHO!

what do you recommend on the market today as the best controller for zebra et al?

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

We really should offer a 4 joystick controller... hang the expense!

Howard, I'm putting you in charge. Get on it!

[joris.roling]

I use a Roli Lightpad M with this script

https://github.com/jorisroling/axyz-gems

How's the resolution?

I tried the first Lightpad and it was quite bad.

Hi, I'm the author of the mentioned script. I implemented it with optional high-res (14-bit) CCs, and the most subtle movement will be detected by the Roli Lightpad M and reflected in XY Pads.

Enjoy!