Computer MIDI keyboard layout suggestion

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Nokatus
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Computer MIDI keyboard layout suggestion

Post by Nokatus » Wed Aug 10, 2005 5:58 pm

Please use the standard tracker keyboard layout instead of the current one-octave-at-a-time one. The standard mapping has already taken the test of time, and there is really no need to change it for the worse.

The Computer MIDI keyboard (activated with the small musical keyboard icon in the upper right part of the GUI) was a nice addition, especially for those times when you're on the road without a MIDI keyboard and inspiration strikes. However, the feature currently uses a keyboard layout with the C note mapped onto the computer keyboard key "A" instead of "Q" -- the latter being the default practice in tracking software for practically two decades now!

The standard way of mapping is: upper octave, C = "Q", C# = "2", D = "W", D# = "3" ... and so on. Lower octave: C = "Z", C# = "S", D = "X", D# = "D" ... etc.

As you can see, the main benefit of mapping the keys this way is that you can easily fit a key range of two octaves onto the computer keyboard at the same time instead of just one. Not to mention that old timers, who have in their day used trackers quite a bit, have an instinctive feel of jamming with the standard two-octave layout like an actual instrument 8)

(If someone some day produces a velocity sensitive computer keyboard, hook me up :D)

peteman
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Post by peteman » Fri Aug 12, 2005 7:08 am

Agree! :)
This is must for me too.

yannxou
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Location: Barcelona

Post by yannxou » Fri Aug 12, 2005 9:16 am

I agree too. Keep the standards!

Nokatus, I think you should post your request for a sensitive keyboard to these guys: http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/

...heh ! :D

Nokatus
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Post by Nokatus » Sun Aug 14, 2005 8:59 am

That keyboard with every key an independent display unit is... something... very nice 8)

Nokatus
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Post by Nokatus » Sun Jan 01, 2006 4:58 pm

I really feel like *bumping* this thread for the new year :)

The reason is, during the holidays I spontaneously tried to compose some material on my laptop without a MIDI keyboard, and I really really missed the standard computer keyboard notation layout when playing some lines. The way Live currently limits you is plain silly as there has been a much more flexible and universally accepted standard for this stuff for decades now.

It would even be extremely simple to fix this. Please.

Machinate
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Location: Denmark

Post by Machinate » Sun Jan 01, 2006 5:19 pm

just playing the devils advocate here, but there is still something cool about the current arrangement - specifically the octave/velocity buttons. Going crazy on these while playing lets you do some crazy crazy arpeggio stuff on the fly.
mbp 2.66, osx 10.6.8, 8GB ram.

Nokatus
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Post by Nokatus » Sun Jan 01, 2006 5:54 pm

True. Still, there are plenty of free keys left for the octave and velocity controls in the standard two-octave layout, too.

From a musical standpoint, having two octaves (and a bit more) at your fingertips is a huge bonus instead of one C-to-D range at a time. Yeah, I forgot to mention that the highest note you can play using the current Live layout is indeed the upper D. For some reason "P" isn't mapped as D# at all.

Usually, in the actual standard scheme, even when forgetting the whole bottom octave starting from Z (the lower C note) and looking only at the notes starting from Q (the upper C note), the range is wider. Thus, the possibilities of playing the standard layout like an actual instrument are naturally much broader than playing the current Live keyboard layout.
Last edited by Nokatus on Sun Jan 01, 2006 10:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Machinate
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Location: Denmark

Post by Machinate » Sun Jan 01, 2006 6:15 pm

I've definitely missed d# a few times - and on a danish keyboard we æ å ø going to the right from there as well.
mbp 2.66, osx 10.6.8, 8GB ram.

plast-x
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Post by plast-x » Sun Jan 01, 2006 6:43 pm

2 octaves - yes, VERY good idea!
I think that could be done very easily by Ableton.

mr-e
Posts: 344
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2004 7:43 am

Post by mr-e » Mon Jan 02, 2006 1:50 pm

agree , I miss my fasttracker 2 octave keyboard every day i use live , or let the current keyboard at least go up to a high E

Machinate
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Location: Denmark

Post by Machinate » Mon Jan 02, 2006 2:39 pm

have any of you tried this one:
http://www.axxeom.fsnet.co.uk/trollo.htm

? It's a workaround, I know, but it could be useful?
mbp 2.66, osx 10.6.8, 8GB ram.

Nokatus
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Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2005 7:06 am

Re: Computer MIDI keyboard layout suggestion

Post by Nokatus » Sun Nov 13, 2016 7:15 am

Nokatus wrote:the feature currently uses a keyboard layout with the C note mapped onto the computer keyboard key "A" instead of "Q" -- the latter being the default practice in tracking software for practically two decades now!
Ah, make that three decades!

Available as an option yet?

;)

NSU_Spray
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Location: Russia
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Re: Computer MIDI keyboard layout suggestion

Post by NSU_Spray » Sun Nov 27, 2016 10:02 pm

It would be convenient. But there are applications such as Trollo VST, Vanilin MIDI Keyboard, Adbe Mkey and Virtual MIDI Controller.


Trollo VST

Image


Vanilin MIDI Keyboard


Adbe Mkey


Virtual MIDI Controller

Image

cheezewizz
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2023 7:00 am

Re: Computer MIDI keyboard layout suggestion

Post by cheezewizz » Wed Feb 15, 2023 7:00 am

I want this too!!!!!!!!

Nokatus
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Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2005 7:06 am

Re: Computer MIDI keyboard layout suggestion

Post by Nokatus » Wed Aug 23, 2023 6:29 am

Might this be an option incoming in a Live 11 point update, or already present? :)

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