#222

I’ve been playing with the Sensel Morph and its Thunder overlay for a couple of weeks now. It’s very handy to have an MPE-capable controller I can just tote around and plug in.

It doesn’t play just like I would want it to, not with the Thunder overlay, at least—a note has to be really centered in a pad in order to start. Playing off to the side or between pads you get no note at all, which seems like the wrong decision. And I want to be able to customize the pressure curve. These are higher-level things I can imagine getting around using the raw data, though, and hopefully Sensel will be responsive to feedback (it’s early days).

Most importantly to me, the underlying sensor seems very capable. For the price, I think it’s a great value on a capable platform for experimentation.

There’s a couple videos on my Instagram—looks like embedding them here doesn’t work.

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#223

I just can’t get over the effing Osmose… I still lack for a decent keyboard of any kind, and this one’s really put the hooks in me.

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#224

Yeah I agree, I want to not want it, but at the same time I want to replace my midi keyboard with it instead. The 40% discount is kinda terrible because it feels like really an incentive to impulse buy the damn thing and an impulse buy at 1k is still a big no go for me. But good job on them making a midi keyboard more appealing.

I’d say the biggest thing I see about it when looking at the videos is, all the gestures they show, I already do them on my not MPE keyboards, except they just acheive nothing…

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#225

I know there are a few Haken Continuum users here. I was in the process of ordering a Half-Size, when Haken just announced this:

https://www.hakenaudio.com/slim-continuum

It looks to be an improvement on the current version in a few respects - lighter and slimmer (although I am not sure how the width compares to the original), more processing power build in (query whether the standard processing power was ever a bottleneck for many users?), a small screen on board (I can see that as either a plus or a negative) and encoder (again, not sure how I feel about that, it seems like a departure from the philosophy or the original).

Seems like there is a price increase compared to the current version. Do any Continuumists (Fingerboarders?) want to weigh in on this new version?

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#226

Yep, looks really nice, and I’d be buying one if I hadn’t already got a half-size Continuum.

With the current (unexpanded) Continuum, it’s possible to hit the DSP limits with some of the newer presets, so having the extra power makes sense. The screen, like on the Continuumini will make it easier to switch presets without having a computer or tablet connected (you can do it, it’s just that there’s no visual feedback to know if you’ve got it right!).

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#227

Thanks! really useful to hear positive feedback for the proposed changes from a current user.

I did wonder whether having a screen and encoder would detract from the feel of the Continuum as being in some ways more akin to an acoustic rather than electronic instrument, but it sounds like from your perspective the usefulness of the change outweighs any philosophical quibbles I might have.

#228

Hi Randy - just wondering if you had any inside knowledge as to whether Sensel have addressed (or are planning to address) these playing limitations with the Thunder that you describe? I’m really tempted to pick one up for use with Aalto/Kaivo (prompted by the quasi-endorsement from Madrona)… Thanks.

#229

Periodic reminder for musicians on a budget: If you have an iPhone or iPad, the least expensive mpe controller for you is that and either the GeoShred or ThumbJam app.

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#230

I don’t have any idea about that unfortunately.

I still think it’s a far more playable thing than has ever appeared before in that price range. With the “maker overlay” or whatever they call it you just have the raw xyz data if I’m not mistaken, which would get around the issues with the Thunder pad for now.

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#231

I have one as well, and recently purchased the Buchla Thunder Overlay with the holiday discount, and I really love it. Coming from a Soundplane (hi Randy!), it doesn’t feel nearly as good to the touch, predictably, but it’s still a decent enough experience. The form factor is really convenient to throw into my backpack, and it’s MIDI compliant for a number of my devices without a computer intermediary necessary. Swapping between overlays on the fly is very immediate and satisfying - I’ve never had that experience with a controller of being able to switch between drastically different modalities while in the middle of my workflow with an application, and having everything just adjust seamlessly and instantly. Very cool. I was also surprised that you can’t customize the pressure curves, especially since that’s a major element of what I always did with the Soundplane. Every person is different as far as pressure response preferences go, and even beyond that, every use/application is going to require different responses to be dialed in. I never even considered that it wouldn’t be an option to massage that. Hopefully Sensel is aware of and working on it.

Overall I would recommend it to most people looking for an entry level MPE controller with an astounding number of options and clever features. The Buchla Thunder Overlay is SO well thought out and instantly gratifying in your hands (and surprisingly suited to melodic stuff, given Buchla’s reputation) which I credit to Buchla’s forward-thinking genius more than anything else, but Sensel did a great job of carrying his intentions to the 21st century. The price point is particularly great, and I wouldn’t hesitate to advise people to go with one over, say, Roli lightpad blocks or similarly priced MPE options.

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#232

I suppose it’s worth reiterating here that the Kickstarter is live.

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#233

A MPE controller without portamento seems like such a wasted opportunity. Why even bother?

#234

its a different experience/feel …

one of the best thing about expressive controllers/synths like this, is that you have the expression under each finger - you’re not moving off to a secondary control (PW/MW/Pedal).

whats quite nice about having a non-continuous surface is its easy to locate the notes, and add expression via bend or timbre changes. (I love this on the Eigenharps)

but for sure, continuous is also nice, in a different ways - so you can slide in/out of notes or be completely unquantised. ( love my soundplane for this :slight_smile: )

it’s an area where one size does not fit all… it depends what you like to play, and what feels natural to you.

whats also nice about the Striso is having a built-in synth that is developed specifically for it surface - nice to have things you can take away from the computer.

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#235

From what I recall from a chat with the developer, you can set up the Striso to do a portamento in the same manner as on the continuum, by way of the weighted pressure average between two notes. So far more control than possible with a traditional keyboard.

Edited to add: in fact if you look at the kickstarter video this is shown.

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#236

If the device is polyphonic, I’m curious how it ‘knows’ which notes you want to slide between in that case? For example if you are holding two notes and want to slide to two others at the same time.

#237

I’m assuming that depends on the mode. The continuum is both monophonic (with portamento as mentioned) or polyphonic, depending on the patch. I suppose the Striso is similar?

#238

What I think everyone needs to remember is “MPE” is neither an instrument nor is it even a layout. It’s a protocol for expressivity over midi. As the hundreds / thousands of acoustic instruments created by men over the course of centuries have taught us, there are infinite gestural ways to allow for expressivity, and each of them tend to push us in different directions that are one more possibility to accomplish a lot of variations through sound.

Mpe should definitely not be equated to some sort of lapsteel guitar controller for synth sounds, it would just be a very narrow way to look at it.

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#239

Agree, although

someone should totally make this.

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#240

Totally! I’d go even further and say a pedal steel mpe controller. Per string midi tracking on guitars have come a long way.

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#241

Omg the inventor is INCREDIBLY goofy and charming. The buttons look like gumdrops.

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