abacab

You were typing this while I was updating my post.

Has anyone been able to get velocity to work in this synth? I cannot find any settings for it. Soundspot has added a button for "Velocity/Portamento" in an update since the original release, but it does not appear to have any effect on velocity. The user manual hasn't been updated to cover this feature, either.

No idea. Haven't tried that. But it comes with full support and overlays for Live and Studio One, which I currently have, as well as Cubase and Reaper. But typically I don't usually bother with DAW support using a controller keyboard. I would buy a dedicated control surface, such as Faderport, if I wanted that. I was more interested in Analog Lab control, which is fully integrated, as well as MIDI mapping with other virtual instruments. It even has full CV output, just in case I ever wanted to control a real hardware rack synth. Which I have not found the GAS for yet (as well as the cash). But as an instrument controller, it seems to be everything I had hoped for.

That would be a good choice. I went with Chromaphone first myself, based on a similar line of reasoning. No regrets, and it is excellent!!!

Earlier this year, I finally decided to buy a decent 61-key controller, sturdy and with proper faders and knobs. It wasn't cheap, at over $500, and was out of stock everywhere, so I had it back-ordered for 2 months. But it is likely one of the most well built units I have ever used. Metal framed and heavy, similar to an old school synth keyboard from the 90's. Wheels and everything else just work nice and smooth! Velocity and aftertouch feel accurate (the same keybed as their $2,499 analog synth, MatrixBrute). And the fact that it's fully integrated with Arturia Analog Lab is a big bonus for me! https://www.arturia.com/products/hybrid-synths/keylab-mkii/overview

DeluxeBucks are credits to be applied to future purchases. Pretty sure that I have received some with every purchase that I made at AudioDeluxe, so I'm not exactly sure what's about to expire here. So I got Saurus 3 this weekend for $52.55 using my current DeluxeBucks, and have now received $5.90 more for the next time.

https://www.kvraudio.com/product/true-cowbells-by-vi-labs Free!

That's the route that I went. I already had some DeluxeBucks to spend! No regrets, as Saurus 3 is awesome! Tone2 is has some high quality products. I want them all now, LOL!!! 😁

Using Osmose as a MIDI controller, all options are available, including MPE!

And $1,800 may sound like a lot today, considering the current retail price of cheap mass produced plastic controllers, but I'm pretty sure I paid that much for a Korg workstation back in the mid-90's. So you are getting a lot more for your money today with something like this. If it meets your needs, of course!

This Osmose is intriguing. It's only $1,800, and has an on-board synth, so it's actually a self contained hardware instrument. It can also be used as an MPE controller...

Agreed. I think these MPE controllers would be mostly useful to performers, rather than composers or producers. If all you wanted to do was play and perform live, and not necessarily be productive otherwise, these things should bring great benefit to the player, increasing expression in "real-time", via x-y-z axis. Something that cannot be done on a conventional keyboard. Like this!

I got the Retromod 106 a while back. Nice sounds! The Retromods are basically sample players, with the same user interface controls for all Retromod series instruments, basically the same as the UVI Digital Synsations, or IK Syntronik instruments. All preset machines. You cannot change the oscillators at all, as they are baked into the preset. You have control over the envelopes, filter cutoff, resonance, EQ, and FX, but that's about it. But they are fine if you just need a preset player.

New to Saurus here. Half price, hell yeah! This thing rocks!!! 😁

As has been mentioned, the actual benefit of MPE controllers probably depends on the material or instruments you are trying to mimic. Probably not much use with a virtual piano for example. But when playing samples of non-keyboard instruments, the MPE controllers could really be useful for live performance, or for less post processing of recording sessions, and editing in articulations. These controllers provide a means for expression beyond the 2 dimensional keyboard paradigm (note + velocity). I think Venus Theory nailed it when he explained that MPE allows a keyboard player to have similar expression control over all the notes under their fingers, such as a guitar player would on the fretboard. A guitar player can bend each string in a chord independently, which is something that standard MIDI channel aftertouch or mod wheels cannot accomplish. All the standard MIDI notes are played on a common MIDI channel. With MPE, each MIDI note temporarily gets its own MIDI channel. A 3rd dimension, so to speak. Opens new doors...

Quick question. I like the idea of a fiddle library, but have no idea how a real fiddle is actually played. Even with all the articulations and keyswitches, would it still be very hard to get a realistic fiddle technique out of a VSTi?

99, and counting...

Almost to 100 pages!!!

That definitely looks interesting, but is vastly a different design paradigm from the traditional piano keyboard.

B&H will let you set email alerts for when it's back in stock.

The Morph being demonstrated by Venus Theory

I think you're on track with T-RackS, and if you follow the advice given for AmpliTube, you should be good there as well. So I'm only going to comment on SampleTank... Unless you can somehow get the ST4 MAX crossgrade, you will not get the MAX package via individual Group Buy freebies. Although as freebies go, there are numerous SampleTank 3 instruments, and post ST4 instrument collection releases that you can pickup. But there are 2,000 more instruments, and an additional 160GB of samples in MAX, that are not included in the full ST4!

Insta-EDM, LOL! 🤣 Now, don't get me wrong with my initial reaction, I love electronic music! But something that offers instant gratification, without some effort, is snake oil, IMHO!

And another $7 (with Jam Points) unlocks all of your downloads for another 180 days. Still cheaper than buying another hard drive to archive all those downloads.