I’m a freshman GP3 user. Pianist/composer type. From time to time my 88 Controller changes (Nord
Grand/FP-90-A88 Roland) but my “2” 25 note controllers (at 11/1 position stay the same.) I have a wonderful “4” SSD ADK Laptop w/ tons of VST’s + INTEGRA7. ( w/ BabyFace Pro) So it all works!
MY GOAL: Keep my hands on the keyboard as much as possible but have a Robust well-built Button/Slider/Knob MIDI controller small box via USB where in the heat of performance ( everything is preprogrammed back to GP3) but easy tactile increment/decrement changes to the next programmed GP3 sound, are done easy and logically. FADERS would be great for Leslie control.
Reccomendations Based on REAL 50 Weeks a year gig experience / in the trenches toughness can anyone give me a solid recommendation on a small unit that does the programming job perfectly, and yet can handle the real time input simply/practically.
I’ve been looking at Midi Fighter, IRig controller, KORG Nano control, Presonus Stuff etc. even ELGATO Stream Controller, Not afraid to spend some money either.
I would love some REAL-WORLD recommendations based upon a this just works as elegantly as GP3 does “Frame Point of View”…
I love my MIDI Fighter Twister. Incredible feel and integration with GP. It’s by far my favorite.
Oddly enough, and not mentioned, but a product by Behringer… X-Touch Mini works very well. With led feedback for rotary settings like the MIDI Fighter Twister.
I tend to go for the controllers with LED lights around encoders instead of motorized faders. I don’t like non-motorized faders because it’s hard to make small adjustments on the fly.
That was very helpful. Thank-You ! I have a friend that wants to buy the BIG white MTF, and sell me his little blk one. They look & appear indestructable.And yes the X-Touch Mini is laid out nicely. I need to revisit that.
In ReGards to the Midi Twister Fighter: It seems you must have your “order and sequence strategy” very well figured out right? ie… What row is what and what bank of 16 goes to “what” etc…
Once again thanks, for healthy clarification once again
KB.
Indeed. I tend to “Standardize” the layout for each Rack/Song. So muscle memory makes me go to a familiar knob for a desired result. Which I think ends up being true with any controller you pick. I can do most all tweaks from one bank of 16 clickable/encoders. So I don’t find myself changing banks. Yet, it’s very easy to do, and banks can be changed via external MIDI program change. Example, when I load GP, it immediately changes my MFT to Bank 2. Bank 1 is Ableton LIve.
Yep! On the X-Touch Mini (for me on the overall GP control) and I compliment it with a Kenton Killamix Mini - definitely one of my favorite small controller.
EnjoyRC;
You read my mind, as I was going to ( but forgot to ask you ) How you actually use it. Now I get it EnjoyRC and it’s much appreciatted. thanks once again. KB
Keyman,
Thank-you for the clarification. The Kenton Killamix Mini controller looks like a beast and quite expensive. So you say “2” X touch Mini’s, Keyman, is that because one would have 16 contiguous buttons/sliders/knobs just ready to go?
Does the killamix do some particular move/gesture than the Berhinger X Touch Mini?
Thanks again for letting me in on your approach. Best KB
I’m wondering why there’s no manufacturer that made a controller with pads/buttons, rotary encoders and small LCDs below each control to show the parameter names. The reason I don’t use my X-Touch Mini that often is because I don’t want to look at the laptop screen and I can’t remember the assignments for every song/Rackspace. I’d love to have a MIDI Fighter or X-Touch Mini that can display what you’re actually editing with each control.
Well okay… there’s no standardized format for transfering parameter names via MIDI. So either the device had support for OSC or there had to be some middleware that translates OSC messages to SysEx.
I already thought of building something like that for myself. 4 endless knobs with LED rings, 4 buttons, 4 faders. 12 LCDs. Or less if two or more controls share one LCD.
A German company I endorse has just announced an interesting modular concept for building controllers, mixers, synths, audio interfaces. I’m looking forward to seeing how these modules will work with GP and how easy it is to customize it. The separate modules can be combined to own needs.
That’s why I bought a Novation SL Mk III when I replaced my secondary keyboard.
Now all I have to do is finish writing a script to get it to display parameter names and such. But it works great through Ableton, Reaper, and Bitwig (where people already made the scripts).
That’s interesting. Do you just can send parameter names or is it possible to send ANY kind of text to be displayed on the screen? (like values and states)
I actually reached out to those guys a few weeks ago (I saw their post on reddit). I suggested that they need to be able to connect those blocks vertically as well as horizontally, otherwise you’re going to end up with an absurdly long row of buttons and knobs if you want to have some significant amount of control.
Maybe… I tried it several times but it didn’t work for me. I missed the haptic feedback. But yeah, in terms of flexibility I guess it’s the best you can have
With the SL mk3 you can display any text you want on the LCD.
My current plan is to set it up as 8 banks of 8 knobs. The text above the knob will show parameter name, the text below (which sits right above 8 buttons) will have the names of the banks. I think thats more parameters than I’ll need.
I could never remember what I put on each knob otherwise. But I’m a hobbyist, not a gigging pro doing similar sets 5 days a week.
I’ve messed around with using OSC on a laptop that I stand up just behind an older control surface. I never actually adjust anything on the laptop screen. Its just a way of showing the changing assignments on the control surface as I change racks.
It works, but I dont have a stable way to mount it.
