Alternative MIDI Controllers for the The Zombie Apocalypse

[Mudfuzz]

I want to start a BFL [BIG FUCKING LIST] of Alternative MIDI Controllers [i.e. non keys and drumpads] and maybe get throw around some ides for non-existent stuff and also opinions on the stuff from anyone that has gotten to use any of them.


Guitar/string based:

yamaha ez eg/ag
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY0epHubjl0[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d93AbW2a5OI[/youtube]

Casio DG-20
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpdq-Anid-U[/youtube]

Misa Digital Guitar
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2eiP12hQQY[/youtube]

You Rock Guitar YRG-1000
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdO3xDd_6L8[/youtube]

Ztar
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JdGwtunxEs[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FjYdxAxwaA[/youtube]


Wind based:

Yamaha EZ-TP
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx6DleCvOG8[/youtube]

Yamaha WX11
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH_w7AW7jPU[/youtube]

Akai EWI
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELeEWOl6Zbg[/youtube]

Eigenharp
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_k3wwTIXgk[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG8n2rCYvnA[/youtube]


Other
Air piano
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aq3BqV36Ves[/youtube]

Lavalamp as MIDI controller
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWuJ_Isci6k[/youtube]

midiGun
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBo-LGyljsw[/youtube]

Zendrum
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsEziytzwC8[/youtube]

Percussa AudioCubes
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxzcUeC2MPI[/youtube]

I know I missed a bunch... so please add!

And...

[Dandolin]

This is all kinds of awesome!

Myself, I got nothing. But I'm gonna move in here for a while; learn some survival strategies.

[Mudfuzz]

Ribbon
DIY MIDI Ribbon Controller (Arduino)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N14iuDcITZo[/youtube]

Deftaudio RC-1
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyhhNXXGIa4[/youtube]

Yuichi Onoue [homemade]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrZ4OxJZ8mU[/youtube]

Doepfer R2M
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZblzFM_WWg[/youtube]

[Derelict78]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek4AnMwhWQk[/youtube]

[kbit]

A few things:
~The lava lamp midi controller is so fucking cool. Some bar should use that kind of technology with large lava lamps everywhere and change the colors and sounds accordingly. I'd go there.
~The music for the air piano is really funny haha. She looks so ridiculous.
~The Eigenharp seems to be pretty practical and have a good amount of control.

[Mudfuzz]

Pickup based

Graph Tech
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXsfwGefzD4[/youtube]

Roland...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp993ZFwykk[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Su3GGs_Y18[/youtube]

Shadow
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzsaZe2zQV4[/youtube]

AXON
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWbNvidjt1c[/youtube]

Godin
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvM8HAcyjJw[/youtube]


Yamaha
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFCyIJ_phW0[/youtube]

B1D


Peavey
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFbzhjXXXAE[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l4Cvkc-fpk[/youtube]

[Mudfuzz]

Audio to MIDI

Peterson
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc8FbTKqgfs[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Knci7bwU2Y[/youtube]

[warwick.hoy]

When I think of Alt Midi Interfaces,....I think Monome.

http://monome.org/devices

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HyrBil2Nz4[/youtube]

I think they are a little pricey though,...and to be honest,...when I think Midi,...my head explodes,...

Little Brain Nuggets for the zombie masses.

[rfurtkamp]

For Roland, add the GK-2 (it's identical to the 3 except not as adjustable in curveature and a 1/8" input instead of a 1/4", get an adapter cable), $50-70 used on the bay.

For actual synth units (since it does nothing alone), the GR-55 for once is very very close to living up to the promise of it all with a properly set up instrument. I've had mine a month and I'm still floored. Easy to tweak, good tracking, can even consistently mistrack it intentionally with terrible technique to make reproduceable ugly sounds. On the easy to tweak front, the effects built in (GT-10 stuff) are effective and don't sound bad generally, especially if thought of in the context of "does it mangle the synth like I want?"

Bonus points for the routing options especially recording since it has USB interface builtin -but doesn't disable the analog outs so you can run it through your existing toys and record a half dozen versions of a track going for mean broke layers.

Not cheap though, unless you consider what I've spent over the years chasing lesser sounds out of a string of analog pedals chained together.

[Mudfuzz]

When I think of Alt Midi Interfaces,....I think Monome.

http://monome.org/devices

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HyrBil2Nz4[/youtube]

I think they are a little pricey though,...and to be honest,...when I think Midi,...my head explodes,...

Little Brain Nuggets for the zombie masses.

Neat!
I love this type of stuff, I don't care about price.... interms of the thread. Everything!

For Roland, add the GK-2 (it's identical to the 3 except not as adjustable in curveature and a 1/8" input instead of a 1/4", get an adapter cable), $50-70 used on the bay.

For actual synth units (since it does nothing alone), the GR-55 for once is very very close to living up to the promise of it all with a properly set up instrument. I've had mine a month and I'm still floored. Easy to tweak, good tracking, can even consistently mistrack it intentionally with terrible technique to make reproduceable ugly sounds. On the easy to tweak front, the effects built in (GT-10 stuff) are effective and don't sound bad generally, especially if thought of in the context of "does it mangle the synth like I want?"

Bonus points for the routing options especially recording since it has USB interface builtin -but doesn't disable the analog outs so you can run it through your existing toys and record a half dozen versions of a track going for mean broke layers.

Not cheap though, unless you consider what I've spent over the years chasing lesser sounds out of a string of analog pedals chained together.

Cools stuff, Yeah I have the GK-2B... got it cheap... tracking on bass is too slow with every unit I have tried [I got the pickup then went around irritating music store dudes ] to be useful to me I can handle the guitar version though.

I just got a EZ-EG for $142, neat little bugger, tried it with my slim phatty, FUNNNNNNNNNN! The wammy bar makes the whole thing worth it, you can do stuff with it you can't with a guitar/pickup or pitch bend on a keyboard [easily] I hate the body, it is small, stratlike and such, it has to go...

[rfurtkamp]

Yea, waiting on a good deal on a GK bass pickup to be a menace to myself and others and see if it's worth a damn on the 55.

[Psyre]

This whole thread scares me! I suck enough as it is using mainstream digital instruments. Don't show me more!!!! I need mechanical stuff

[Mudfuzz]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI7E-ic-2TM[/youtube]

[kbit]

It's really interesting to think how assignable grids like that is almost like taking a mental representation of how someone envisions the organization of music and making it tangible.

[Mudfuzz]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u69O_bU7OfM[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29qKuL7I6l8[/youtube]