[sdiy] modular synth controller

[Rude 66]

hey paul,

actually this wouldn't be a synth, but purely a midi controller. the synth
part would be a vst synth. the idea is you can customize your control
surface to mimick exactly what you see on screen. 4osc/hp-lp-bp filters/3
envelope/3 lfo/s&h/step sequencer? 32osc polysynth? 128 osc additive synth w
128 envelopes? it's all a matter of getting the same ocnfiguration hardware
modules, clicking them together and there you go: custom controller. you
canc even build up a giant 'system' controlling 3 or 4 vsti's at the same
time. maybe add ribbon controllers..touch pads..

the main idea behind it is the right 'feel'. i hate generic midi controllers
with endless rows of knobs, or just 8 or 16 sliders. i'd want a hardware
version of what's on my screen, but one that uses the vst synth as a sound
engine. for me the hardware solutions you see now where you can run vst
synths away from the pc miss the point, because they are just 19" boxes.
same with creamware's noah.  6 knobs? how about 100?

here's an extreme example of what i mean: take the guts out of a dead ppg
wave or prophet 5, and hook up the interface with an internal pc board
running a pro-53 or ppg virtual synth. or mount a Noah inside a dead
minimoog, hook up all the knobs on the outside as midi copntrollers to it
and run the minimoog emulation.

if you could design some kind of expandable midi controller system, that can
be customized per vst-synth, i'd see a lot of potential for that. apart from
the sound, people love analogue synths for their hands-on interface. look at
the success of the alesis ion..

r./


----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Maddox" <P.Maddox at signal.qinetiq.com>
To: "Synth DIY" <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2004 3:06 PM
Subject: Re: Re: [sdiy] Taking a Step
towards - - --((FUTURE-PREDICTIONS))-- - -


> welcome to the world of the 'open synth' system that rainer, I and others
> thrashed out on a list well over a year ago.
> but people don't like it becuase it involves digital stuff.
>
> Paul
>