Midi controller for software synths

[GeoMan]

Hello, I felt in love with the sound of the novation summit at my local store however the price tag is a bit heavy for me, I've looked at cheaper synths but nothing comes close to what I feel with the summit.

So I thought in the meantime to get the best of both worlds (hardware/software) by purchasing a midi controller capable of handling my favorite soft synth Diva as I juste love getting my hands dirty by touching stuff (much more than mouse & click).

I would like to get the maximum controls on the controller so I don't have to look the screen anymore (even if it takes some time to learn what does what), have you guys ever experienced such a setup and would you have any recommendations ? I'm willing to pay max 300€ for a good controller, any advice would be appreciated.

Many thanks

[vitocorleone123]

Arturia controllers
Or
NI if going into the ecosystem

Everyone is different, but I have hundreds of knobs that could be mapped via midi cc and… I’d rather just use the mouse as it’s easier and less hassle.

I barely use one of the knobs on my Keystep 37.

[Funky40]

Novation Launch Control XL makes for a good, affordable, and easy to add more units, setup.
I use these.

I gave that decission some time and thought.
the height of the housing played a role too in my case.

i do CC map things out !
but only in regards to have good jamm access. And NOT versus the creation of sounds and presets itself.
That´s an illusive idea in my opinion.

personally i use a trackpad rather than a mouse. and i find this to be the trick, respectivly doing the trick.
placed *directly* behind the keys of my masterkeyboard.....which is for me a crucial part of the deal.

good haptics is key

[lfm]

I¨ll tell a little story that might be relevant.

I've been a sucker for Hammond since forever, and ran the NI B4 plugin and wanted more hands on.
Found Evolution UC-33a that have loads of knobs and faders and buttons.
- and what was special was that it had panel overlay fully prepared for B4 and a preset for it too
- no guesswork, all was there to use right out of the box

I tried using this and it just never made it nice enough to continue using it. Just some presets in plugin itself and had to make do with that. The real productivity was blocked.

Then 64 bit plugin became more and more standard and NI did not make a 64 bit version of it, so started looking at hardware.
- at first a Korg CX3 used was ok for a bit
- then a Hammond XK1 used
- and then and finally Hammond XK3c used, which is a keeper and still use that every day

And from then on I went hardware for everything, piano, drums and synths, but the obvious bass and guitars.

It's just something about hardware that appeals in not only hands on knobs per function
- just power up button and sit and play for joy
- or in the case of guitar just grab and play

The lower the threshold to play the more will be done and boost creativity.

Either wait and save up for the Summit or start a journey with something like Sequential Take 5.
- get a used one even and you have your money back later
- if you would like to replace it, I am not so sure you would

There is a lot of headroom with the modulations at hand and you have analog VCO's and filter, then amp section is digital. You will be creative for ever finding new stuff.

So
a) a tip for a controller to get like UC33
b) tip for hardware new or used, even Summit or a Peak(baby version)
c) or save up to a new one

Creativity is a journey anyway...not one mirage of an instrument will do everything....

[thecontrolcentre]

The Novation ReMOTE SL range have a lot of knobs, buttons and sliders. The original (v.1) also has 2 screens & aftertouch. It has great integration with Ableton Live. The keybed is nice too. A second-hand one shouldn't cost you too much. I love mine (have had it for almost 20 years now). Great for controlling software & hardware.

[cryophonik]

The Novation ReMOTE SL range have a lot of knobs, buttons and sliders. The original (v.1) also has 2 screens & aftertouch. It has great integration with Ableton Live. The keybed is nice too. A second-hand one shouldn't cost you too much. I love mine (have had it for almost 20 years now). Great for controlling software & hardware.

Ditto. Best MIDI controller ever made IMO. The only issue with it is that Novation stopped supporting the software editor, so the Mac version won't work on modern Macs. If you have a Windows machine, it still works fine. I'm primarily a Mac user but I have an old Dell laptop stored away in a closet that I pretty much use exclusively for creating a new ReMOTE template whenever I buy a new hardware synth.

[AsPeeXXXVIII]

I was gonna throw in a suggestion for the Korg microKey 37 as it's what I use myself, but it has no controls other than basically the keyboard itself, so...

[ROTMetro]

I would save up and get something with a good keybed. The ones at your price point are going to be rough (not even the weak 'synth action' weighted or whatever it's called). I have a Novation 49SL MKIII and love it (but it's almost twice your limit at $450 for B stock at Thoman). If you use Arturia soft synths then it's worth it to go Arturia as they integrate together nicer. I can't scroll through their presets on my SL. Actually it's a pain on most soft synths to map changing presets (I think you have to go into the template and configure MIDI sending program change). But Arturia to Arturia works really nice.

[vitocorleone123]

Modal synths have keybeds that are better than their price suggests (just as Korg seems to have worse).

Knobs and sliders - it’s a pain to map everything all the time. 1 to 3 knobs and one slider is plenty for me. Plus an expression pedal.

If that’s really your thing, check out NI stuff (and be prepared for it to be outdated faster than you may expect, like Apple stuff).

[rod_zero]

I had the same idea as you and I tried a lot of controllers, not even one was close to have a "hardware experience". Why?

1.- the number of controls, those 8 knobs and 8 sliders most controllers have simply doesn't cut it.
2.- the layout of the controls doesn't look like a synth, so your brain is always trying to figure out what each knob controls.
3.- some have screens now that show the name and value of the parameter controller by the knob, this is a big step forward but you still have to navigate through multiple pages because you only have 8 knobs.

So what came closest was a System 8, which is a hardware synth with lots of controls which maps quite well to Diva. Obviously it can control the Roland plugouts 1:1 but those are not exactly the most modern plugins, their GUI kind of sucks and preset management is horrendous. They do sound good.

So, just save for the summit and you will use it as a midi controller too when you map it to your favorite plugins.

I don't get why manufacturers just make a damn controller that looks like a synth and has 70+ controls, it is ridiculous.

[BBFG#]

That begs the question though... Which Synth should it look like?
Then we get into multiple boutique controllers and the production cost for each company generally can't justify it. I ask the same thing about other keyboard controllers as well. Such as why don't they make a regular production of three octave and/or strap-on keys/percussion controllers? And why is every keyboard a trade off of MIDI functions they choose to implement or ignore? Over the years I've repeatedly asked the different companies about these and their response is almost always, "we don't see a market in it". Yet when some of these are produced for a limited time, they sell out quick and we don't see them for resale very often.
I think they like keeping us searching for something they have no intention of ever giving it to us completely. It keeps us settling for and buying incomplete products.

[rod_zero]

That begs the question though... Which Synth should it look like?
Then we get into multiple boutique controllers and the production cost for each company generally can't justify it. I ask the same thing about other keyboard controllers as well. Such as why don't they make a regular production of three octave and/or strap-on keys/percussion controllers? And why is every keyboard a trade off of MIDI functions they choose to implement or ignore? Over the years I've repeatedly asked the different companies about these and their response is almost always, "we don't see a market in it". Yet when some of these are produced for a limited time, they sell out quick and we don't see them for resale very often.
I think they like keeping us searching for something they have no intention of ever giving it to us completely. It keeps us settling for and buying incomplete products.

What surprises me the most is that Maschine, and Push to a lesser extent, showed that a tightly integrated controller is something people want, but there seems to be a lot of resistance to make the jump to a Proper Synth Controller. Also, Elektron and Access before, made the opposite: hardware-software integration and it has been quite successful, i don't get why they think the opposite would be successful.

I wonder how much it would cost to produce a System 8 without internal engine, I would pay 600-800 for a proper synth controller.

[Uncle E]

I wonder how much it would cost to produce a System 8 without internal engine, I would pay 600-800 for a proper synth controller.

Probably wouldn't cost much different. The hardware for the synth engine isn't the expensive part. FWIW, used JDXA's sell for a little less than used System-8's and are also excellent controllers, plus the internal synth is fantastic.

[eLawnMust]

Awhile back was using my arturia mini-lab but not working as I wished so I tried Tobybear's MIDI Control Center in onscreen manner & it proved much smoother-