How many of you actually use MIDI controllers?

[BoddAH]

What exactly have you got? If I had to prioritise I would say you wanna get 8 knobs integrated for tweaking racked up plugins and devices. You can either use User Remote Scripts or something like Automap with Guille's script. I just got that and am testing it now. If my current gremlins go away and it's not the script, I'll be quite chuffed with it. I also use User Scripts as I mentioned before, and they are reliable. Basically I always use hardware knobs on Instrument Racks' macros. So much easier. I have 4 scripts for the Keyrig, so each can be locked to a different rack, and then I have the Nocturn on top, which I use for Racks and also some unracked plugins.

However if I was doing sound design in something like ACE from scratch, I'd just use a mouse I think, until it was ready to be racked up and then I'd use hardware to twiddle the main parameters.

I always load samples into Sample Auditioner racks, and these are controlled with the Nocturn.

Tutorials on the website.


Sample Auditioner Rack

I basically have the 3 Korg Nanoseries controllers and an iPad with TouchOSC.

I created my own User Scripts for the Korg NanoPad and NanoKontrol to bind pretty much anything that can be bound in a sensible way (Macro controls, Drum Rack Pads, Track Arm, etc.) and even created some Live Templates for the things that can't be assigned in the User Script file (Track Mute and Solo, etc.).

I probably have to give these things some more time. I can see the use of controllers in Live situations but even though my controllers are all set up nice and tight I end up just going mouse and KB most of the time.

[supamonsta]

Things are different for us when it comes to studio VS live duty:

-1) composition : we use the controllers a bit, to record some drum parts that would be too robotic if done with the mouse (breakbeats, "dubstep" riddims...), to tweak the scenes in session while the song is still not arranged, to record some automations in the arrangement... The synths lines are played on the synths keyboards and midi recorded then edited with the mouse, then audio recorded.

so here, only 2-3 controllers are at use.

2) Live shows => we use all our 7 midi controllers (2 livid codes, 2 launchpads, 2 nanokontrols, 1 faderfox LV2), and NEVER touch the mouse after loading our live set.


anyway, if you're good with the mouse, the fact that other people use controllers doesn't mean you should try it more... stick with what is good for you

cheers

[hps909]

i use the microkontol for input of notes and thats about it i have a nocturn and a lpd8 but just couldn't be arsed setting it all up for what i use live for in the studio ..in cubase i use the lpd 8 mapped to QC's and the MK's pads mapped to screen sets and mixer views otherwise it's easier to just grab mouse and kb.. different story when playing out, i use both knob controllers and a korg zero 4 as interface/controller .. for me, in the studio things are more precise rather than immediate .. where as in a live situation the opposite is the way.