best midi controler

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sloman

best midi controler

Post by sloman » Wed Jun 09, 2004 4:12 pm

Could someone give me some advice on the best midi controler to use with live 3. Etiher oxygen 8 or edirol pcr 30. Much appreciated ta

fugu
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Post by fugu » Thu Jun 10, 2004 3:42 am

for Live v3, i'd say it's kinda useless to have a 'keyboard' controller.. (for Live v4 however , that's an different story. )

If one were to just look at MIDI controllers (regardless of the application), I'd say (based on it's complete command over any and all midi commands including sysex strings) I'd recommend the Peavey PC1600x, it's hands down the most complete controller out there.

That said, for a newbie, with only Live, I'd say the xsession or UC-33e are good controllers, they give the basics and allow decent (but compared to the PC1600x, somewhat incomplete) customization.

Keep in mind tho that a good midi controller will last a heck of a lot longer then any software will. (I got my PC1600 in '95, anyone remember Deck2, and DP2.1 on MacOS 7.5.3 ? .. exactly) Additionally, your midi controller is going to be your primary interface to whatever applications or instruments you are using.. make sure it's something that can grow with you, like a good guitar or any other musical instrument. .


hope this helps,

fugu

muthafunka
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Post by muthafunka » Thu Jun 10, 2004 7:43 am

fugu wrote:for Live v3, i'd say it's kinda useless to have a 'keyboard' controller..
snip
fugu
Useless unless you assign a key range and play your samples up and down the keyboard like a sampler! Damn, a keyboard's a GOOD thing, best combined with a slew of knobs, buttons and sliders...IMHO of course

sloman

thank you

Post by sloman » Thu Jun 10, 2004 11:34 am

Thanks a lot for the advice. I shall return to scratching my head looking into your advice. Thanks again much appreciated.

Guest

Post by Guest » Thu Jun 10, 2004 12:18 pm

I've been using an ozone and it works great

Guest

Post by Guest » Thu Jun 10, 2004 12:47 pm

fugu wrote:for Live v3, i'd say it's kinda useless to have a 'keyboard' controller.. (for Live v4 however , that's an different story. )

If one were to just look at MIDI controllers (regardless of the application), I'd say (based on it's complete command over any and all midi commands including sysex strings) I'd recommend the Peavey PC1600x, it's hands down the most complete controller out there.

That said, for a newbie, with only Live, I'd say the xsession or UC-33e are good controllers, they give the basics and allow decent (but compared to the PC1600x, somewhat incomplete) customization.

Keep in mind tho that a good midi controller will last a heck of a lot longer then any software will. (I got my PC1600 in '95, anyone remember Deck2, and DP2.1 on MacOS 7.5.3 ? .. exactly) Additionally, your midi controller is going to be your primary interface to whatever applications or instruments you are using.. make sure it's something that can grow with you, like a good guitar or any other musical instrument. .


hope this helps,

fugu
you must work for peavey--16 sliders, one rotary controller, and a handful of buttons on the PC1600 are better that 24 knobs, 9 sliders, and more buttons on the uc33e, not to mention the awesome editing software and lower price for the uc33e---wtf? The peavey is wanker compared to the uc33e--give one reason why it is better.

Guest

Post by Guest » Thu Jun 10, 2004 12:48 pm

micrkontrol & PCR50

Soon an X-Session

Both controllers do what they say on the tin (the microkontrol edges it though with the buttons (switch FX on and off on the fly)

mosca

Winterpark
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Post by Winterpark » Thu Jun 10, 2004 1:05 pm

(the microkontrol edges it though with the buttons (switch FX on and off on the fly)


2nd that... microkontrol rules.
-am

DJADD
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Crazy with the MIDI

Post by DJADD » Thu Jun 10, 2004 4:07 pm

If you want to go really nuts, you can try using a MIDI drum controller with Live! I have a TrapKat, which has 24 very responsive playing surfaces, and have been experimenting with mapping the pads to various clips. I set the velocity setting of each clip to 100%, this allows the velocity of each drum pad to work with the clips. You can have some clips set to a quantization, and leave some with no quantization whatsoever, so you can trigger a loop that's quantized, and then do some freeform playing with the other clips.

I currently tie in an X-Session, a Niche Automation Station, a UC-16, and I have a DrumKat and a TrapKat that can work in Reason and Live. I have a MK249C keyboard for Reason.

I can't wait to see how Live ver. 4 handles the unlimited MIDI ins!

http://www.alternatemode.com
¡Manipulating what is, into what shouldn't!
http://www.losminstrelsdeldiablo.com

Guest

Post by Guest » Thu Jun 10, 2004 4:12 pm

Hey I'm just looking for something with just knobs (I use the pads on my 1000) like a Kenton control freak live or spin doctor - are those cool?

fugu
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Post by fugu » Thu Jun 10, 2004 4:46 pm

Anonymous wrote:
fugu wrote:for Live v3, i'd say it's kinda useless to have a 'keyboard' controller.. (for Live v4 however , that's an different story. )

If one were to just look at MIDI controllers (regardless of the application), I'd say (based on it's complete command over any and all midi commands including sysex strings) I'd recommend the Peavey PC1600x, it's hands down the most complete controller out there.

That said, for a newbie, with only Live, I'd say the xsession or UC-33e are good controllers, they give the basics and allow decent (but compared to the PC1600x, somewhat incomplete) customization.

Keep in mind tho that a good midi controller will last a heck of a lot longer then any software will. (I got my PC1600 in '95, anyone remember Deck2, and DP2.1 on MacOS 7.5.3 ? .. exactly) Additionally, your midi controller is going to be your primary interface to whatever applications or instruments you are using.. make sure it's something that can grow with you, like a good guitar or any other musical instrument. .


hope this helps,

fugu
you must work for peavey--16 sliders, one rotary controller, and a handful of buttons on the PC1600 are better that 24 knobs, 9 sliders, and more buttons on the uc33e, not to mention the awesome editing software and lower price for the uc33e---wtf? The peavey is wanker compared to the uc33e--give one reason why it is better.
I have no affiliation with Peavey..
but here goes:
80 byte sysex strings, program changes, remote control of the buttons, 2 footswitches, 100 scenes (that can be sent in their preset's context w/o switching presets) 50 presets, multi note receive to assign a chord to a button, multiple midi maps for remote triggers and multiple pc1600's on a single chain, programmable names for every button and fader, midi filtering, programmable message delay, a complete sysex remote programming implementation, a preset edit buffer, and some other stuff that takes too long to explain to someone who can't tell the difference between a pc1600 and a UC-33..


nothing personal, but there is NO midi controller that can do this except for the peavey pc1600x..


hope this helps,


fugu

daniel

how about m-audio? or motif as a controller for live?

Post by daniel » Thu Jun 10, 2004 7:51 pm

anybody tried one of the little m audio usb keyboards with live?
I was thinking of the one with 49 keys.
Will a motif work as a controller for live?

fugu
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Re: how about m-audio? or motif as a controller for live?

Post by fugu » Thu Jun 10, 2004 8:22 pm

daniel wrote:anybody tried one of the little m audio usb keyboards with live?
I was thinking of the one with 49 keys.
Will a motif work as a controller for live?

as I mentioned earlier, a good midi controller should outlast any and all software by many years, you'll want one that can physically standup to that timeline. ie: metal chassis, and a solid feel over lightweight plastic.

yes, all keyboard based synths should be able to send all their controller's parameters (keys, pitch, mod, knobs, foot pedals, whatever) as raw MIDI, although some programming may be required on the synth. the common term for this is 'Local Control', allowing you to Locally Control the synth (the part that generates sound) form it's own keyboard , or with 'Local Control: OFF', the synth responds to incoming MIDI. Local (to the synth) MIDI is sent via the MIDI out (to trigger another application or device, or to be routed back to trigger the synth)

there is a good deal of information relating to how midi works (it's a 20 y/o standard) available online, i'll suggest googling. it will clear up a lot of questions i see here. .


hope this helps,


fugu


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