[sdiy] What do you like in a synth control surface?

[Florian Anwander]

Whether a user interface is good or not, always depends on what you want 
to control with it.  The "one parameter one knob" based interface of a 
DX Programmer is hell, the same concept on a Pro One is heaven. On the 
other hand: Programming the DX7 in a good graphical editor is cool, 
adjusting an standard subtractive synth like the pro one one a computer 
screen is b***sh*t.

I like Rolands interfaces of the mid 70ies era (System 100, SH-5 SH-7): 
Sliders where they give good optical feedback. Rotary pots, where exact 
setting is required. Similar for rotary vs linear switches.

Another thing, that it assumingly same important are the parameter 
dimensions. Also here Roland were masters.
Negative example: the envelope times at the Korg MonoPoly or the Arturia 
Minibrute can be extremely short and extremely long, but as long as you 
are not into ambient music, the interesting range of the potentiometers 
for  the envelope times are in the lowest 10% of the potentiometer 
scale. The rest is not interesting for playing 8th notes in music above 
60bpm. In both cases the problem is, that the maximum time is too long. 
Reducing the capacitor (=env time) makes the user interface much more 
convenient, though you won't reach those two minutes attack times anymore.

Florian

Am 23.02.2015 um 14:07 schrieb Jack Jackson:
> So excluding modular synths, how do you like a hardware synth interface to be?
>
> Preferences such as sliders/rotary pots. slide/rotary/pushbutton+led switches, spacing, colour etc.
>
> Any feedback welcomed.
>
> Best Regards,
> Jack 		 	   		
> _______________________________________________
> Synth-diy mailing list
> Synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
> http://dropmix.xs4all.nl/mailman/listinfo/synth-diy