Ableton Forum

dancerchris wrote:The 10 switch configuration is poor for footcontrollers. The upper row should be elevated to easily delineate the two rows. Generally when one is using a foot controller you don't use your eyes much so you need to have something to provide tactile feedback.

I agree on that. Its not a general foot switch though, its a flexible foot controller.

We don't know about the built quality yet. Maybe its strong, maybe its not..

@ Ze2be: I had recently ran across the UMI3 as well. Now that's my perfect foot controller. I'm definitely ordering one.

The Soft Step looks good, but I don't need or want x/y or velocity control on my foot controller. Even with the FCB 1010, I feel like I have to take off my shoes to operate it effectively sometimes And my feet are small.

#1thelark wrote:I bet you could do the same with the Wii Balance Board just paint some numbers on it..

LOL! Wii Balance board triggers Live clips while my wife does the work out to my tracks...Muahaahaaa

YMMD

ze2be wrote:We don't know about the built quality yet. Maybe its strong, maybe its not..

The guy in the video said it has a carbon fiber backplate. My Bass neck is very stable, though

You know what, ive never even seen a UM13 before. Thats pretty slick.

somehow it looks very awkward to control, what with all those x/y parameters. Looks to me like barefoot or even hand operation would yield the most predictable reponse. Who knows,, I ll definitely try one out when i can, cos it does look good.

Lazos wrote:The Soft Step looks good, but I don't need or want x/y or velocity control on my foot controller. Even with the FCB 1010, I feel like I have to take off my shoes to operate it effectively sometimes And my feet are small.

My point is that its optional. Look at the soft editor.

Not that you HAVE to use XY directions, but its nice that you can!
Its the very first of a new type of foot controllers. Its fresh, so give it some slack!
And hopefully they do something ergonomic next time..

Didn't think I was being too harsh. Those extra features of x/y control and velocity are cool, I guess, and I realize they are optional. I probably wouldn't use them, so I probably wouldn't pay extra to have them be optional things on my foot controller that I don't use

Lazos wrote:Didn't think I was being too harsh. Those extra features of x/y control and velocity are cool, I guess, and I realize they are optional. I probably wouldn't use them, so I probably wouldn't pay extra to have them be optional things on my foot controller that I don't use

prezactly. 1) make'em vanilla, 2) eight buttons in one row instead of ten in two, 3) sell it for $99, 4) be a billionaire, hang out in The Lounge.

[edit] and no harm in a de-luxe version with the xy etc, but become a billionaire first.

(slaps forehead)

I got it! Its for monkeys!!
Makes sense, doesn't it? Who else in the animal kingdom can operate such a fine tool with its feats?

Got my SoftStep this past Tuesday (11/2/2010)- Rediculously light weight and portable. I'm still trying to get the software figured out though. Coming from the Behringer FCB1010 where you program everything on the device, setting up the SoftStep is a little different since you set it up using the supplied SoftStep software and you need to set the output of the your midi commands to use the software IAC Driver Bus on your Mac (if using a Mac, not sure what to do on Windows). Anyway still trying to get it figure out but it seems to be quite robust.




E.

the lunchpad it nicer and has much more buttons... only drawback ist that its a barefoot controler

SoftStep! I got mine too, on 11/2. It's beautiful!

Well built, many ways to configure it, light, cool looking. As soon as I figure it all out, I'll let you know.

One thing for sure, the software is based on (or uses) Max/MSP, so you know it's going to be developed for many apps as people start using it.

I'm very happy, can ya tell?



Oh, and you can configure it so that only one key will function at a time (the default), for us large-footed users, or you can use multiple keys at once.

This thing is made to be adaptable and to grow.

Oh,oh...you can calibrate the response of each key in all its movements. X-Y can be set you your liking, there is a "slew rate" setting that will slow or speed up the response. The manual talks about how a shorter person can set a different pressure parameter than a taller one. This thing has a lot of capacity to be tailored to the individual user's preferences.

These guys are serious about making a quality unit, hardware and software. I think you'll see a lot of people here getting one (or two).

(I've got Unit #62).

Here's a review in Gearwire:

http://www.gearwire.com/kmi-soft-step-m ... oller.html

3phase wrote:the lunchpad it nicer and has much more buttons... only drawback ist that its a barefoot controler

did you even read anything about the soft step? the two aren't really comparable at all. soft step can do a lot of continuous control. lunchpad does none.


personally, as someone who often uses ableton as a virtual pedal board for my guitar and synths, this is at the top of my wish list right now.



.lm.