ShortScale.org

alot of talk about interfaces, controllers, and keyboards (especially analog synths) on the boards lately.

its probably known by now that im not into the popular virtual analog offerings on the market (ion and microkorg), so let me offer up a competitor that i think may be the winner in the field:



it is not only a VA synth, but its also twice as powerful as the MK, is a MIDI controller with tons of assignable controls including shuttle, faders (for mixing), and rotary encoders, and touchpad/joystick and full size keys, but is ALSO a fucking USB interface!

its only 499USD.



anyway, i thought id quit bitching about the microkorg and maybe try to offer up something positive.

http://turntablelab.com/production_tool ... 17777.html

I don't know man, I have another novation controller and it feels like crap...

suede wrote:I don't know man, I have another novation controller and it feels like crap...

really? i hadn't heard anything negative about them before, but ive never used one personally. ive never seen one in a store, not sure they carry them in US stores.

What makes it twice as powerful?

That sounds so random.

william wrote:

suede wrote:I don't know man, I have another novation controller and it feels like crap...

really? i hadn't heard anything negative about them before, but ive never used one personally. ive never seen one in a store, not sure they carry them in US stores.

they had that particular one at guitar center a couple of months ago...it is very light and the keys feel like shit...

jcyphe wrote:What makes it twice as powerful?

That sounds so random.

sorry, i meant to qualify that in the OG message.

korg- 2 oscillator, 4 voice polyphony

novation- 3 oscillator, 8 voice polyphony

so, lets say, 87% more powerful.

suede wrote:

william wrote:

suede wrote:I don't know man, I have another novation controller and it feels like crap...

really? i hadn't heard anything negative about them before, but ive never used one personally. ive never seen one in a store, not sure they carry them in US stores.

they had that particular one at guitar center a couple of months ago...it is very light and the keys feel like shit...

i cant imagine its worse than the korg, as far as keyboard feel.

are you sure it was the x station 25? ive heard good things about the key feel. alot of novation's controllers look like this one.

not to be incredulous, just making sure we are all on the same page.

william wrote:

suede wrote:

william wrote:
really? i hadn't heard anything negative about them before, but ive never used one personally. ive never seen one in a store, not sure they carry them in US stores.

they had that particular one at guitar center a couple of months ago...it is very light and the keys feel like shit...

i cant imagine its worse than the korg, as far as keyboard feel.

are you sure it was the x station 25? ive heard good things about the key feel. alot of novation's controllers look like this one.

not to be incredulous, just making sure we are all on the same page.

It might have been a different one but it sure looked like that one...

looks pretty cool

i've heard the newer novation stuff is a bit flimsy too. but that was from someone who gigged with synths a lot, and was probably a bit heavy handed.

i've been looking for something that size for a while, i'm actually leaning towards one of the old bass station keyboards, if i can find one at a reasonable price.

2 octaves is alright for a contoller but pretty limited to use as a keyboard/synth.

i think the octave shift function is pretty accessible. depends what you're doing with it i suppose. if you've got sequences going and just tweaking filters and doing little bits and bobs on it, or using it as a second keyboard for little lead lines it'd be fine. it's obviously not going to be a workhorse synth or anything.

looks pretty great! the octave thing is kind of a drag, but like stewart said, aint no thang when you've got the octave shift handy.

i don't care much for the color, i don't know why that particular shade of silver has been reserved for all things midi-controller, but that's just personal preference.

if they added a drum pad area like the akai mpc/mpd stuff, i'd be getting my checkbook out.

MutantParty wrote:looks pretty great! the octave thing is kind of a drag, but like stewart said, aint no thang when you've got the octave shift handy.

i don't care much for the color, i don't know why that particular shade of silver has been reserved for all things midi-controller, but that's just personal preference.

if they added a drum pad area like the akai mpc/mpd stuff, i'd be getting my checkbook out.

that is just a controller, but its one of the best function:$ wise.

also they make bigger ones. if i were in the market for a pure midi controller, this line is what id be looking at.

semi-weighted keyboard? that's quite a good feature for a small controller.

william wrote:

MutantParty wrote:looks pretty great! the octave thing is kind of a drag, but like stewart said, aint no thang when you've got the octave shift handy.

i don't care much for the color, i don't know why that particular shade of silver has been reserved for all things midi-controller, but that's just personal preference.

if they added a drum pad area like the akai mpc/mpd stuff, i'd be getting my checkbook out.

that is just a controller, but its one of the best function:$ wise.

also they make bigger ones. if i were in the market for a pure midi controller, this line is what id be looking at.

the MicroKontrol is pretty good, lots of sliders and trigger pads:

DanHeron wrote:

william wrote:

MutantParty wrote:looks pretty great! the octave thing is kind of a drag, but like stewart said, aint no thang when you've got the octave shift handy.

i don't care much for the color, i don't know why that particular shade of silver has been reserved for all things midi-controller, but that's just personal preference.

if they added a drum pad area like the akai mpc/mpd stuff, i'd be getting my checkbook out.

that is just a controller, but its one of the best function:$ wise.

also they make bigger ones. if i were in the market for a pure midi controller, this line is what id be looking at.

the MicroKontrol is pretty good, lots of sliders and trigger pads:

again, tiny little weiner keys. korg needs to scrap these. also the pads feel wrong on the korg. and no transport controls.

not to shit on it, it is still a neat controller. i just always seem to take issue with korg's design dept.

william wrote:

DanHeron wrote:

william wrote:

that is just a controller, but its one of the best function:$ wise.

also they make bigger ones. if i were in the market for a pure midi controller, this line is what id be looking at.

the MicroKontrol is pretty good, lots of sliders and trigger pads:

again, tiny little weiner keys. korg needs to scrap these. also the pads feel wrong on the korg. and no transport controls.

not to shit on it, it is still a neat controller. i just always seem to take issue with korg's design dept.

+1. although they do have the kontrol49, which has big thick wiener keys. and all the slider business and the mpc pads. FOR A NOMINAL FEE.

MutantParty wrote:

william wrote:

DanHeron wrote: the MicroKontrol is pretty good, lots of sliders and trigger pads:

again, tiny little weiner keys. korg needs to scrap these. also the pads feel wrong on the korg. and no transport controls.

not to shit on it, it is still a neat controller. i just always seem to take issue with korg's design dept.

+1. although they do have the kontrol49, which has big thick wiener keys. and all the slider business and the mpc pads. FOR A NOMINAL FEE.

Just get this one it has everything....it feels great...

suede wrote: Just get this one it has everything....it feels great...

uhm.. that one doesnt have transport keys, or MPC pads, and it has a cross fader for some reason. also, id almost rather have no screen that one of those mKORG style cryptic 8 segment LCD styled ones. also, it has the lame "joystick except you only have up on the x axis and its digital for some reason even though the Y axis is analogue" joystick.

EDIT: edirol makes great shit though. ill bet it does feel really great.