Ableton Forum

Doesn’t make it less douchy.

http://www.djtechtools.com/2012/02/27/i ... ighter-3d/

Not a new controller, but new to me. Despite its potential for extreme performance wankery of the highest order I really respect DJ Tech Tools. Spend some time watching their videos and the “digital DJs don’t do shit” traditionalists should STFU. Of course because they can do some amazing shit doesn’t mean they do. It’s just good to see the options.

beats me wrote:Doesn’t make it less douchy.

http://www.djtechtools.com/2012/02/27/i ... ighter-3d/

Not a new controller, but new to me. Despite its potential for extreme performance wankery of the highest order I really respect DJ Tech Tools. Spend some time watching their videos and the “digital DJs don’t do shit” traditionalists should STFU. Of course because they can do some amazing shit doesn’t mean they do. It’s just good to see the options.

What would you do with it?! The 3D part I mean. I guess this means x-y-z controls, so 3 different parameters. Could be cool for something like Panorama 5, but besides that, I honestly don't see the usability boost. And waving around a plastic box with buttons on it, is not my idea of engaging the audience. And why is this not wireless?!

Give me reliable x-y-z control in a glove and I would certainly take a closer look .

But I think this device answers questions, that no one asked.

TomViolenz wrote:

beats me wrote:Doesn’t make it less douchy.

http://www.djtechtools.com/2012/02/27/i ... ighter-3d/

Not a new controller, but new to me. Despite its potential for extreme performance wankery of the highest order I really respect DJ Tech Tools. Spend some time watching their videos and the “digital DJs don’t do shit” traditionalists should STFU. Of course because they can do some amazing shit doesn’t mean they do. It’s just good to see the options.

What would you do with it?! The 3D part I mean. I guess this means x-y-z controls, so 3 different parameters. Could be cool for something like Panorama 5, but besides that, I honestly don't see the usability boost. And waving around a plastic box with buttons on it, is not my idea of engaging the audience. And why is this not wireless?!

Give me reliable x-y-z control in a glove and I would certainly take a closer look .

But I think this device answers questions, that no one asked.

The videos show what you can do with it but I always question how often you would need or want to do that in a performance, but the basic use of the arcade buttons is great for trigger clips/loops/samples, finger drumming, or effects.

DJ Tech Tools has done the heavy lifting with making the controller, but there is always a DIY aspect to the actual programming aspect that I scratch my head about and doesn’t go well with my (lack of) thinking/imagination.

I watched one of their videos on getting the most out of performing with Traktor’s Remix Decks. One technique had a button triggering a sample while also cutting EQ frequencies on the main playing tracks and triggering an effect. Wait, what? Sounded great but how many people actually think of that shit? And that was just for 1 button.

I'd tape it to my ceiling fan

beats me wrote: I watched one of their videos on getting the most out of performing with Traktor’s Remix Decks. One technique had a button triggering a sample while also cutting EQ frequencies on the main playing tracks and triggering an effect. Wait, what? Sounded great but how many people actually think of that shit? And that was just for 1 button.

The buttons are not interesting to me. Its a launchpad with a quarter of the buttons. And what and how you assign something has always been an aspect that's mostly independent from the controller you use.

The 3D aspect could be interesting, but after watching the promotional video I think even more that waving a black plastic box, which you hold with both hands, at your audience, looks utterly idiotic. Way to get rid of a stereotype.

What could be way cool, would be the 3D x-y-z control in an unobtrusive glove. Imagine assigning the x-y-z controls of something like Panorama 5 to this and use it on a quadrophonic system. And then have different sounds on the tracks with Panorama 5 on it.
You could basically throw sounds into the audience, or with two gloves controlling two tracks, juggle with them

The 4 X 4 grid is more like the standard drum controller layout. I can’t watch(find) videos at work but they have another video of somebody performing a song with 2 MIDI Fighters a la MPC style pad banging that’s pretty impressive. I imagine they’re good for skilled finger drummers and nice and compact if you don’t need access to other parameters.

Your glove idea would need a kill switch because your hands are probably the least stationary part of your body when performing and you would be triggering shit the entire performance if it was always on. And I think there are MIDI gloves out there.

beats me wrote:The 4 X 4 grid is more like the standard drum controller layout. I can’t watch(find) videos at work but they have another video of somebody performing a song with 2 MIDI Fighters a la MPC style pad banging that’s pretty impressive. I imagine they’re good for skilled finger drummers and nice and compact if you don’t need access to other parameters.

Your glove idea would need a kill switch because your hands are probably the least stationary part of your body when performing and you would be triggering shit the entire performance if it was always on. And I think there are MIDI gloves out there.

Certainly some sort of on/off would be needed. Best if the same hand which does the sound throwing, could easily enable/disable it and maybe even change tracks that it acts on (presets).

Just a Midi glove, without all the position detection would not allow the use I suggested. If you know of a glove that does that too, I would be interested in a link.

I’m not sure of the capabilities of the current MIDI gloves I’ve seen videos of or if they were just experimental units that aren’t publicly available.

Personally I don’t see myself getting much use out of these 3D space controllers. With the MIDI Fighter 3D I could see tilting it on a tabletop to adjust a filter cutoff because the motion would make sense but it still seems a little awkward.

As a performance controller it can look pretty cool, if you get creative with the 3D mapping then you can bang out some great sounds. The Hot Hand Usb's similar to Midi Fighters usp that is the 3D mapping, but you only get 3 motion sensors, suppose if you wanted a cheap alternative for the glove idea then the Hot Hand may be a solution..

There's a guy called Bandesnaci who uses controllers both for performance and production
Check him at 07:25, he does a set at a uni in Derby and starts scratching with the Midi Fighter, it's pretty sick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtY-Geo ... w&index=37

Check him here for a lush electronic ambient mix using the Push, Launchpad and Hot Hand Usb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtY-Geo ... w&index=37

Cool tip, this video from DJtechtools shows it much better though:
http://www.djtechtools.com/2013/03/27/r ... ontroller/

In your video it looked like he turned it off and on with that quick shake of the hand. That looked too obvious to be smooth on stage. But in the DJtechtools video, that didn't appear to be necessary. One would have to try it out first to know which one it is.

I don't find 150 USD particularly cheap though.
Especially because it seems you can only order it online for now, meaning no trying it out first.

But it's definetely the kind of thing I was talking about.

So, Thanks!

Search youtube and you can find imogen heap using some gloves (I think) if not plenty of other apparati on her body for controlling stuff in Live. There's at least one guy who has a video using the nintendo Powerglove too.

The midi fighter.....eh picking up and waving a box and putting it down a million times sounds lame as a user and as an audience. At least with an iP?? you can strap it to your arm and it's more practical, or a wiimote or joystick like the Nyko PS replica.

shadx312 wrote: The midi fighter.....eh picking up and waving a box and putting it down a million times sounds lame as a user and as an audience. At least with an iP?? you can strap it to your arm and it's more practical, or a wiimote or joystick like the Nyko PS replica.

Absolutely agreed, but check out that ring wiffpiffy linked to and the video on DJtechtools for it in my post. I think this is a good compromise. It's a wireless(!) ring, that you can wear as a ring, or attach to anything really. If you find that blue LED tacky (I know I do), I'm sure it would still work if you would pull an actual (stretchy) glove over it.

I heard the imogen heap thingy was expensive and custom made.

But without the posibility to try that ring out in person, I'm not gonna take the risk of falling for a gimmick for 150 bucks.

beats me wrote: Your glove idea would need a kill switch because your hands are probably the least stationary part of your body when performing and you would be triggering shit the entire performance if it was always on. And I think there are MIDI gloves out there.

*sips beer*

"Oh shit"

I wouldn't call it a gimmick but it's too big and not worth 150 imo. When it looks like an actual ring and is 50$, maybe; it can definitely be very useful, although one gesture I would rule out when using it is bitch-slapping the air.

shadx312 wrote:I wouldn't call it a gimmick but it's too big and not worth 150 imo. When it looks like an actual ring and is 50$, maybe; it can definitely be very useful, although one gesture I would rule out when using it is bitch-slapping the air.

Pretty much my sentiment on form factor and price, the bitch slapping the air thing though, is gonna be part of my routine once that price point is met