Hello fellow Musicians,
so @npudar asked me to make a post vs. my setup, plus some comments to it, since i once posted a shot in the depth of a thread, and he saw that foto and was triggered… 
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I put my post here under the motto:
How many HW midi controllers is too much ?
My thinking sheme might be contrary of what most of you folks do. - To notes: this is studio use only ! i do the “patch creative with software” thing.
here is foto 1.
This is my old setup. and it represents the minimal setup i would like to have,
but “somehow”, at the same time,(in theory) also my maximum setup i would want to deal with.
Point here: the two Novation Launch controls XL ( LCXL)
point was: originally, i just had one LCXL,
But when i switched over to GP did i quickly had the urge to separate the "FX/“soundmaking controls”, and the “instrument mixing” controls. So, i added another LCXL.
Foto2:
thats where things quickly went, assoon i had my M1mac (more CPU power): so, now with 3x LCXL. Why ?
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left: “soundmaking/FX” /
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middle: “instrument mixing”/all sort of Gainstaging /
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new, at right: additional controls, for example for additional FX like: mixing and controlling ambient Reverbs, or other “additional FX”.
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this setup is perfect for me ! Thats what i need to have !
based on my “separation” thinking sheme. -
It has nothing to do vs. what i think, how many (in numbers) HW CC controls i “really” need to have. Thats NOT the point !
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The point IS: i want to be able to spread out specific type of controls, to the allways same places / and thats my point in the whole, to be told
( since i was asked to post vs. my yetup). Its about: The “separation” thinking sheme approach. -
it helps to come quicker “back in”, when using old patches.
then, a few months back, i added even more controls.
Now, yes, do we reach the level of too much, in my humble opinion.
Foto 3, this is now my actual setup:
so, why adding even more controls ?
beside other things, i wanted to have more faders, and more options to spread out specific controls to “own places” / also would i want to deal with 2 instances of GP, or even 3.
it gives me the options at hand, to spread out HW CC controls of GP instance 2 or 3, to very own places.
i just started to begin to use these two 16 faders CC faderbanks ( ATO n16 / DIY project, sold at thonk.couk ) I´ve not utilised these over months, i really just had first to wrap my head around all this.
one usecase is now for example: to put drums, uTonic, on one faderbank.
another fresh one is, to take my “single note Delay” patches out of my main gigs/Racks, put it on a own GP instance, and put the HW controls on the left ATo faderbank.
So, all in all,
this, “tooo many controls”, is here to help me to keep things clean and less confusing,
versus creating even more confusion, based on having too many HW controls.
Additional fotos:
the whole thing, other views. Not meant as posing but for your information
Since i achived -for my taste- with this setup a better “hands-on access” than with any hardware synth possible.*
To notes: *on this, is the mac Qwrty AND trackpad placement just a major factor ! its the keyelement for me, to make me feel so, as just expressed.
the sequenzer with the many small pads is the qquite new Hapax.
i use it sometimes as a midi looper for piano ( long time not used)( works great on that)
Edit: the mixer on the left is my submixer.
it handles everything ITB, sometimes some grooveboxes or Bassguitar, and gives me the routing options into the PC, or out of it, or roundtrip recording ( out back-in ).
i go with two audio interfaces to the mixer. one just stereo, one 2x stereo ( GP)
i use a M1macmini btw.
