#61

I love this thing and I do some beta testing for them. It’s wonderful, so expressive and quite customizable.
The major drawback for me is that it is quite sensitive to power variation that can cause the device to freeze, and then you have to re-flash the firmware. That happened two times in two years. But always 5 minutes before a show.
I’m pretty sure it will be fixed soon if not already fixed on the new ones.

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#62

One big difference between the Roli Seaboard versus the Linnstrument or the Haken Continuum is that it really only has quarter tone resolution. The Continuum is pretty much fully continuous and the Linnstrument is pretty close though more limited by the resolution and data rate of MIDI.

#63

Had a quick look on the webpage, but couldn’t find an answer anywhere, but I guess this only sends out 7-bit MIDI when not using it with the built-in app?

(as in, no OSC or 14-bit MIDI output?)

#64

I use one. I haven’t delved into any of the MIDI modes, just using it for CV to my modular. But, I find it very useful for live performance. I can quickly tweak several parameters at once and have them jump back to zero when I let go.

#65

I emailed Expressive about the MIDI and CV resolution a couple months ago, they said:

The maximum resolution of the CV outputs is 12 bit and Touché is not enable to send 14bit MIDI data for the time being.

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#66

Snap.

Hopefully that’s something that changes.

I guess it’s a trend with “expressive” controllers (same with the Sensory Percussion trigger), where they are built around a walled garden paradigm. Their native app takes hi-res data from the sensor, but the output is just shitty 7-bit MIDI.

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Electronically augmented acoustic instruments
#67

I’m not sure if that is what is happening here, it’s possible that Lié, their VST to host other VSTs, is just interpolating 7-bit MIDI? I don’t have one myself to test. Perhaps someone who has one can put use a MIDI monitor app to figure that out.

#68

7 bit would be utterly useless for pitchbending… even the MIDI spec has pitchbend as 14 bits… that’s nuts.

#69

Damn, this is a bit of a let-down :frowning:

Do they publish the available range when used with Lié? I had a hard time finding that info on their website or in the manual

#70

I’m not sure what the native resolution is, but what @Rodrigo thought is exactly what’s happening:

When you plug the Touche in via usb it shows up as a serial and midi device. The Lie software uses the serial connection and is presumably higher resolution.

I recently got one of these and have a few hours on it. It’s very very fun. I’ve used it with Lie and the demo patches, did some really weird stuff with it sending MIDI to Traktor, now on to modular.

The best review I’ve seen so far is the one from Sound on Sound, and I think the software has a handful of things added since that came out. One feature that’s really cool is being able to set different response curves for each direction, including off/on, and drawing fully custom curves (you can fake midi encoders this way too). There are also a ton of hardware presets.

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#71

Bumping this thread to see if anyone is still currently using one of these?

Is it something that was easy to integrate into your set up or did it end up as a bit of a novelty? Have the build quality and mechanics held up over time?

I am mainly interested in using the CV outs with modular so would be particularly interesting in hearing about anyone doing this. I’m currently working with a (very) modified version of the MN System Cartesian which I put together to be as much of an ‘instrument’ as possible. I’ve always had the Touche on the back of my mind after trying one a couple of years ago and loving the feel of it - I’m wondering if now is the right time to pick one up and add another level of ‘instrument-ness’ to my MN skiff.

#72

Can you post your modulargrid?

#73

I’m also interested in all of the above questions plus midi integration. But yeah how it held over time is interesting now that it’s been out there for a while.

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#74

Currently using this plus a Wogglebug and Morphagene in a 4MS Pod.

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#75

Had mine a year and a half. As others have said, it looks good and feels good. I used it a bit with my Subsequent 37, Reface YC and more recently with my Lyra 8.

I bought it because it could be used “stand alone”, i.e. USB power source and no need for a laptop connection. However, while it’s true that it can be used in this way, to get the best out of it you need to use the software to assign shiftings to MIDI / CV outputs, tweak curves and combinations, name and save patches.

So mostly I don’t use it because I can’t face opening my laptop when I’m trying to make a patch or jam. If there were a way of auto-assigning shiftings to CC (like how you can simply touch and hold a mod destination in the SS37 to assign it to the mod bus without diving into the menu), and some sort of haptic feedback way to tweak curves using the hardware itself then it would see a lot more use from me.

I imagine that if you have a laptop / DAW as part of your music creation process the Touche would be a more compelling prospect. For me, having to separately optimise the controller for each patch I make on the computer takes the fun and inspiration out of it. Just my 2p.

Edit: also to echo what has been said above about the Roli - my friend has a Seaboard, whilst theoretically the Seaboard has the more power and flexibility, the tactile feel and response to me of the Touche is much nicer and more inviting. I think Expressive E really got that right.

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#76

I’ve had a Touché for about 9 months and I use it regularly. It’s pretty firm and like an acoustic instrument you find yourself working out muscles you didn’t use before. I set it to its softest setting at first but the firmness lends itself to percussive strikes. I feel like I’m still learning it.

The CV outs are at a resolution at least higher than I can perceive. I haven’t used the MIDI for anything yet. I intend to at some point. The software seems nice in that you’re able to draw the curves however you like but I never bothered saving a preset since I can just attenuate its signals inside the modular.

My setup might not reflect others’ as it relies pretty heavily on Touché and ribbon controller for an Ondes Martenot-style interface, meaning it fills a real niche in my playing. Only rarely do I use it for much else.

My main gripe with it would mostly be that it’s kinda huge.

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#77

I use a Touché almost solely with a polysynth right now and I like it in that context. I’m still figuring out how to make patch creation less of a pain (there’s some things that bug me that I’m not yet certain aren’t user error), but once you have it dialed in it’s a blast.

been meaning to use it with modular and with norns (controlling softcut!?), but I haven’t made it happen yet.

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#78

@jbowman Thanks very much for the insight! Similarly I don’t usually have or want my laptop running unless I’m recording. How much have you made use of the presets? I was thinking that with my small system I could fairly quickly work out what CV settings suit different modules and build up a bank of presets.

@oot Glad to hear about the CV resolution not being a problem, hadn’t seen anyone mentioning that before. The size and feel of it is definitely what stood out to me when I had a chance to try one, I remember it feeling very natural. Have you posted your modular on here anywhere? Would be interested in taking a look!

#79

FYI I emailed Expressive E about the CV resolution last year, they reported it’s 12-bit.

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#80

I remember talking to these folks at Synthplex a few months ago, and got into some conversations with them as this kind of interface is really interesting. They were very French :slight_smile:

As many have mentioned already, the big downside is their resolution. Everything is being converted digitally into a 12 bit signal… not great, not terrible.

The interesting thing about these folks was that they based their technology on the articulator found on the Ondes Martenot, which is apparently has a very unique feel to use. It’s not like there are factories making Martenots, so, for this reason, I’m very happy that they exist.

Hopefully in future iterations they’ll be able to improve the resolution, and maybe make it possible to access raw values as some kind of HID or serial device rather than via MIDI. I would definitely be a customer. I’d even pay a bit more for it, too.