Best Budget Friendly MIDI Controller Keyboards

Music Radar has put together a great list of what they believe to be the 12 best MIDI controller keyboards under $150. To be honest, I can't say I disagree with any of their recommendations when it comes to this class of controller.

They've done a fantastic job of presenting the reader with a great resource when it comes to making music on a budget. We all know playing MIDI notes with the home row of our keyboard is frustrating, spend a little time with this article plus a few bucks and you'll be tickling the ivories (errr plastics) in no time.

The 12 Best Budget MIDI Controller Keyboards

Kenton MIDI USB Host

Kenton a manufacturer of MIDI equipment from the UK has recently introduced a device which will change the way musicians interface their MIDI equipment with the rest of their gear.  The MIDI USB Host from Kenton allows for the interfacing of standard 5-pin DIN MIDI connection devices with USB MIDI devices. For example; one could directly connect their USB MIDI keyboard to another 5-pin MIDI Device like an old Mackie Control or anything else that doesn't use MIDI thru USB. The MIDI USB Host features a USB Port and both MIDI In & MIDI Out sockets. The MIDI data that's received at the MIDI In port would be sent to the USB port for transfer to your DAW while the MIDI data that's received at the USB port will be sent to the MIDI Out socket. Kenton's MIDI USB Host also has the capabillity to send USB buss power through to your USB MIDI Devices that are connected to the unit. For more information on Kenton and the USB MIDI Host visit Kenton's Website. Thanks for reading & happy geeking!

All the best,

Nick

Madeon Mashup with Novation Launchpad

I first heard of Madeon after one of my partners at the EasyLove Music Blog featured some of his work in a post, I was Immediately taken back by what I can only call extremely enjoyable house music.  Madeon must take cues from fellow Frenchmen Daft Punk because their styles are remarkably similar. That is, Daft Punk & Madeon both seem to invoke similar emotions, for me at least.  Madeon has managed to add his own flair however and it is no doubt the key ingredient that has helped launch him into the spotlight.  He's currently the undisputed champion of young guns in the dance music world and the video that you're about to see below will only add to his credibility within this ever changing scene.  Madeon's Pop Culture mashup video already has over a million views on youtube and it's steadily climbing the hit ladder towards two million.  The video is a single shot of Madeon jamming out to 39 separate samples using his Novation Launchpad and Zero MkII to control and organize the madness.  The end result is a spectacular dance music mashup that must be seen and heard to be believed.  Enjoy! Thanks for reading & happy geeking!



All the best,

Nick

Reason 6 Release Date Announced by Propellerhead

I'm not really a Reason guy but the software carries a lot of weight with some producers and it seems to be the first step for many people entering the DAW world. Taking this into account it seems a post here is especially necessary. Propellerhead has made some additions to the Reason platform that should help it to regain some footing in the production DAW market. A market which is rapidly being consumed by Propellerhead's formidable competitor known as Ableton.

Bordem Cure!!! Tiny Moog Synthesizer FREE Online Emulation

Found this little toy on the interesting yet random & oh so powerful StumbleUpon.com  The musically perfect way to kill some time, as if there isn't enough time wasters on the web, here's another one.  Angry Octopus developed this little baby Moog toy synth for online use whenever you feel so inclined.  If you follow the second link below you can check out his other online synthesizer emulations too. (Yamaha CS01, Korg Monotron, Roland Juno 6, plus more!)  All of the synths are hosted online and free to play around with right from your browser.  They respond to MIDI too, so feel free to jam away on your MIDI keyboard.  Twist some knobs, smash some keys, rock out & have fun! That's what it's all about!



Online Moog Synth

The Other Online Synths

Teenage Engineering OP-1 Synthesizer

I first saw this little beast on Livid's facebook page, the product has since been made more famous, post its appearance in Sweedish House Mafia's video for One. You know that madness in the beginning of the song? That's all from the OP-1. You're intrigued now, might as well keep reading.

The OP-1 is a portable synthesizer that also features MIDI & Teenage Engineering's exclusive "tape" feature. Inside is multiple types of synthesis (8 to be precise) including a form of analog emulation for you tone lovers. Most of you are used to controlling synthesis through the basic ADSR (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release) envelope which is obviously built in to the OP-1. But, the OP-1 also features other types of envelope forms giving you even more control and customization over the sounds you create on the OP-1. Add to this a built in sequencer and sampler for creating drum loops and small samples of program info. The synthesis and drum sampler are all cool enough but, that isn't really what sets the OP-1 apart.

What does make it quite unique is the OP-1's "tape" emulation function. With this little tool you can record and manipulate sounds you've created to the tape function (HD) in real time. It's a 4 track tape recorder that's capable of capturing sound from the built in synth/sampler or from the inputs available with the OP-1's audio interface. A tape machine can in fact be a very cool sounding instrument. The first time I hit play on a 24 track I instantly re-wound the tape to record the sound of the tape starting up. It's truly an epic sound and while the OP-1 obviously isn't a Studer, it does it's best to emulate the effects of one.  There are a ton of unique sounds you can concoct using the tape feature that will surely set your music apart from the masses. There's a small built in mixer so you can easily blend the sounds between the 4 tracks you've built up while jamming on top of the OP-1. The OP-1 connects to your computer via USB and shows up as a storage device. This allows you to easily pull material you've created onto the OP-1 right into your DAW for mixing and placement into your songs. The USB functionality also enables the OP-1 to act as a basic MIDI controller.

The built in audio interface features in's & out's via 3.5mm jacks @ 24bits & 96kbps. The OP-1 also has a small built in speaker so you can jam anywhere, did I mention the unit can be battery powered. Another neat feature of the OP-1 is it's G-Force motion sensor. This allows the user to shake or move the OP-1 complete with an effected audio response from the OP-1. Shake this beast and the sound will in turn shake as well! There is even rumors from Teenage Engineering that you will be able to connect multiple OP-1's for jamming with your friends without wires. That's what I just said, wireless digital jam sessions! The OP-1 might be worth buying just to keep in your glove box for long road trips with people like me who don't shut the hell up.

The OP-1 has gotten incredibly fantastic reviews from the audio world and if it's good enough for Sweedish House Mafia it's certainly good enough for all of us!  You can't buy the OP-1 yet but as soon as you can I'll surely let you all know via ZeSoundSuite!  Check out the video below of the OP-1 in action and for more information on the OP-1 & the company behind it; Teenage Engineering be sure to check out their webstie! 

Dj TechTools Handbuilt MIDI Fighter

Buttons, Good... MIDI Buttons, better... Arcade Style MIDI Buttons, INSANE!  DjTechTools.com is a blog/resource/store for DJ's based around the equipment, techniques & tricks of the Digital DJ world.  Fear not producers, they haven't forgot about you.  Case & Point: The MIDI Fighter.   This piece was originally sold out but, as of October 1st, 2010 DJTechTools.com is now taking orders for this beast once again.

The MIDI Fighter is a hand built, completely customizable MIDI Controller for use with any software that accepts MIDI messages.  The MIDI Fighter features a high quality sturdy frame sporting 16 spring loaded durable & smooth Japanese Sanwa Arcade Buttons & blue LED's.  If you've ever used any type of spring loaded controller button you know how absolutely epic they are for bouncing between cue points, loops and firing samples.  Allen & Heath's Xone DX features 4 tiny spring loaded buttons for memory cues and this was hands down my favorite feature of the controller.  I'm getting all turned on thinking about 16 massive spring loaded buttons to jam on.  The MIDI Fighter isn't some cheap crumby standard MIDI Controller, quite the contrary in fact.

Each one of these controllers is completely hand built and unique from the acrylic base plate up.  DJ TechTool's store allows you to customize your controller in real time on the web and see exactly how it will look before your purchase it.  They can build your controller for you, for an extra $15.00 (a very fair shake I must say, props) or you can have it shipped to you in pieces and you can build it yourself.  No need to worry about soldering either, none is required with their DIY MIDI Fighter kits.  Don't forget that since these are built DIY style in pieces your MIDI Fighter is also completely customizable and ready for an upgrade anytime you feel the urge.  The main board comes with an extra 8 inputs. (4 Analog, 4 Digital)  This means you can add your own controls aside from the Sanwa Buttons (IE: Faders, Knobs, Ribbons etc) thus turning your MIDI Fighter into a truly one of a kind machine.  If you're still skeptical about the whole DIY idea, don't be.  DJ Tech Tools put together a great video to help you out and guide you through the process step by step.  I feel like I could show my 8 year old niece this video, give her the pieces and she could build it.  Plus, think how much better you'll feel about your controller knowing you built it yourself.  That's worth the DIY time right there not to mention you save 15 bucks.

Worried about mapping this controller to your software? You worry to much... no need to trip DJTechTools.com has taken care of that for you too.  At their site they have mappings available for Traktor Pro & Serato Scratch.  Mapping in Ableton is beyond easy and it's also a program that's used in such a variety of ways by each user it's obvious they don't have a map for it.  I know three people who use digital lighting software to control their DMX capable stage lights, I have to say that I think the MIDI Fighter might be the perfect option for those lighting guys looking for a durable controller to orchestrate their light shows with too.

Lets re-cap this thing really quick.  Hand Built, High Performance/Quality, DIY Option, Customizable, Upgradable, Supported, Versatile MIDI Controller.  It also has quite the community of passionate and dedicated digital geeks standing behind it to ensure you're never left in the dark if you have questions regarding the MIDI Fighter.  What are you waiting for? Go buy one! Even I must admit that I had given up on spending money on DJ/Production equipment so I could save up for more engineering based analog gear but I think I'll be breaking that little pact with myself to grab one of these before they're sold out again.  For more information regarding the MIDI Fighter check out the video below and visit DjTechTools.com.



Best,

Nick

Ableton and Serato Have Finally Released The Bridge

We've all heard the rumors and seen the epic Rane Mixer but it's hard to be stoked on something until it's really here and in front of your face. Well my friends, The Bridge is finally here! Ableton and Serato got together to smash up the best of both worlds when it comes to live electronic music performance, and I must say, I think they've hit the mark.

The Bridge was released on Septemeber 22nd and is available for Ableton Suite & Live users. Since it's so new to the market a lot of infromation isn't available yet but will surely trickle onto the net as more users put The Bridge to work. In order to use The Bridge you need to have Ableton Live/Suite 8.2 or above and Serato Scratch Live 2.1.1 or above. Support for Serato's Itch is also in the works and will no doubt be available here in the near future.

Essentially The Bridge gives your Ableton productions DJ Turntable style control with Serato and your CDJ's. You can drag clips from Ableton into a deck inside of Serato and have all of the typical "DJ" tools and tricks at your disposal for your Ableton clips.  Looping on the fly efficiently and EQing two tracks at once is nearly impossible with Ableton so The Bridge will be a much needed god send for those old school DJ's who now use Ableton to perform.  Basically, if you can do it in Serato you can now do it with Ableton and if you can do it in Ableton you can now do it with Serato.  I hope that makes sense if not think of it like this...  The Ableton Session View now lives inside of Serato.  You can also record you Serato mix sets directly into Ableton. With this feature you can use plug-ins available in Ableton to tweak and perfect your recorded live DJ mixes.  The programs accomplish their respective tasks seamlessly together and unlike ReWire it doesn't matter which program you open first. You don't need an interface either, Ableton and Serato have perfected the routing so that all the audio is being routed inside of the box. And yes all your Ableton Midi Hardware will also work with the Bridge. An APC 40 ripping Ableton clips to shreads next to a set of CDJ's mashing up bangers... if that doesn't stimulate creativity I don't know what can.

Scope this video to learn more about The Bridge and for even more info on The Bridge be sure to visit Ableton's site.  They have done a fantastic job introducing the world to the The Bride and you can even try the demo for free!  After all, actually using the software and putting it to work with your personal work flow is the best way to learn.

Livid Instrument Ohm64 & Native Instrument's Traktor Pro. Together at last!

It's no secret I kind of love Traktor Pro. Maybe it's just my unhealthy obsession with the gate effect. Whatever it is, it doesn't really matter, Traktor Pro is the best computer DJ software out there. Eat your heart out Serato (Pitch n' Time is real cool though) It's also no secret I have a thing for Livid Instruments and what they've created over in Texas. Livid designed a custom .tks file for Traktor Pro that's specifically designed to work with their beautifully designed and built Ohm64. Livid's midi map has control over all 4 decks and parameters inside of Traktor Pro. While this is still just a beta release of the .tks, the video below makes it pretty clear that the Ohm64 tears up Traktor Pro with ease. If you own Traktor and were looking for a unique and rugged way to get hands on with it check out Livid's Ohm64! Below is a video showing in detail this marriage of madness between NI's Traktor & the Ohm64 from the guys over at Livid.


Traktor Pro and Livid Ohm64 from Livid Instruments on Vimeo.
This video explains the MIDI mapping scheme developed for Native Instruments Traktor Pro DJ Software. This provides complete control over Traktor's features, including Browser navigation, loops, cues, sync, bpm, preview and headphone cue, mixing, effects, and EQ. Here's some more info: http://blog.lividinstruments.com/2010/04/28/ohm64-and-native-instruments-traktor-dj-heaven/

Livid Instruments

The digital audio market is flooded with cheap MIDI crap built in China at a fraction of the cost we end up paying for it as consumers. Trust me, I've bought plenty of it. It's not all bleak though! There is one company creating products that aren't made overseas from cheap plastic, with limp faders, chunky knobs, and sticky buttons.

Livid Instruments is a section of the Livid family based in Austin, Texas that invents and manufactures hardware and software for digital musicians and performers. All of their products are manufactured here in the United States from quality materials that are assembled by passionate craftsman and artists. When's the last time you've seen a midi controller with a powder coated aluminum top case and wooden sides??? Not to mention, high quality faders, knobs, and buttons. This is what Livid does, and they do it well! Think of them as the Moog of software controllers. Robert Moog decided a long time ago synthesizers should be built with the same care, craftsmanship, and attention to detail as violins and custom guitars. Thus; Moog was born, and the synthesizer market has never been the same. Moog set the standard by which all other synthesizers are judged. Livid is doing that same thing today except; instead of creating analog audio products they are creating high quality software controllers that give the user fantastic control over any software that supports MIDI communication.

I had the opportunity to chat with Jay Smith; the founder of Livid Instruments. I could've wasted his and your time by asking him a bunch of pointless questions about the current state of Livid. Fact is, all of that info is available on the internet at Livid's Website. I was most curious about what Livid had planned for the future. Can you blame me though... I'm trying to get some fresh new, never before seen material for Ze Sound Suite & my readers! Before we find out what's coming, let's see what Livid has to offer us right now!

Hardware Controllers:

Ohm64: A beautifully designed all in one software controller featuring bi-directional MIDI communication. The Ohm64 has been designed to be truly adaptable to each end users own ideas and creative ways of expression through digital music and media. As Livid says "the quality can be felt down to your fingertips" their not lying. The Ohm64 (as well as all of Livid's other hardware products) was conceived, designed, and manufactured at the Livid Industries shop in Austin, Texas. The faceplate of the Ohm64 is cut from aluminum and then powder coated, the body is surrounded by beautiful hand-finished wood. The Ohm is also available unfinished for those of you who want to add your own personal touch. Speaking of customization, the software that allows control of the MIDI Messages and lighting known as; Ohm64 Editor is open source, and Livid actually encourages changes and modifications to the original software design. The Ohm64 also comes ready to control any number of Livid's other open source programs which include; an FM Synth, Monome Bridge, Step Sequencer, and Sampler. The Ohm64 features a 64 button matrix perfect for controlling video mixing software, vst's, Ableton and any other application that accepts MIDI data. It also has 8 high quality dual-rail faders and an ultra sensitive DJ style crossfader. Throw in 16 precision knobs as well as a few other miscellaneous buttons and you have yourself an Ohm64. Oh yeah... the whole thing is USB bus powered!

Block: Cut from the same cloth as the Ohm64, the Block is a more compact MIDI controller for users out there who are mainly concerned with having the 64 button matrix as part of their hardware setup. (Monome guys, take note of Livid and what they're doing.) The Block features all the high quality design elements and open source software as the Ohm64, the Block simply has less faders and knobs. However, you still have 2 high quality dual-rail faders, 8 knobs, and 7 extra buttons for your tweaking pleasure.

DIY Builder Kits: Tired of having the same controller as everyone else? Can't find a MIDI controller on the market that will help to satisfy your creative needs. Then Livid's line of DIY Builder Kits is for you! Livid's BYOB (Build Your Own Board) Series is a collection of circuit boards sold in pieces so you can create your own custom controller. Livid has done all the geeky work for you and with little technical knowledge you can create your own custom MIDI slaying machine! Livid has not only designed the kits to be simple to build, they have also released a series of tutorials to help you out as you build your own MIDI controlling masterpiece!

Livid's Software:

Cell: Cell is Livid's introductory VJing software application. Livid designed the software to be easy to use and simple to manipulate on the fly for live VJing performances. An intuitive drag and drop interface makes it easy to load up video clips and images on the fly. Cell's built in effects will help you to be as creative as you wish and add that little personal touch to any project. All of Cell is easily controllable with any MIDI controller, may I recommend the Block. :)

Cell DNA: As Livid puts it, is Cell's bigger sister. The same easy to use design idea was implemented in the creation of Cell DNA. With Cell DNA you simply have more features and effects to further manipulate your live visual production. Cell DNA can even be run over a network so multiple computers can work together to create even more radical visual displays.

Livid Looper: This little bit of software genius was developed in Max/MSP and is completely open source and free to use!!! Drop some audio loops in Livid's Looper and go crazy! With Looper you have the ability to transform any loop of audio into something quite insane. Use on board or VST effects to tweak and sculpt audio loops. Chop up the loop however you would like or use Looper's auto-segmenting feature to break the loop down. All of the actions are quantized, and pitch control will prevent any tempo issues from occurring. Try it out... What do you have to loose? It's FREE!

Livid also has a host of free open source software designed to be used with their controllers. An FM Synth, Step Sequencer, Sampler, Monome Bridge, and Max/MSP patches can all be downloaded from Livid's Download Page for free!

Livid has done an excellent job providing all the information you could ever want on any of their products at their website. What I've wrote here on Ze Sound Suite is merely a broken down version of what's available at Livid Website. Take a look, I can guarantee you're going to be impressed with this company. I sure as hell am!

The Future at Livid Instruments

As I said before I had the opportunity to speak with Jay Smith; the founder of Livid Instruments. I really wanted to know what Livid had planned for the future. I find their isn't too much of this information available to the public from most companies. So I figured I'd do some asking and see what he would tell me. Jay was more than helpful even after finding out Ze Sound Suite was a new blog with a small audience at present time. Keep in mind Jay is the founder and one of the three that run and own Livid Instruments so, for him to take the time to talk with me was quite respectable. Thanks again Jay, and I'm sure all my readers appreciate your help as well! I hope I've done a good job of representing your company and dreams on Ze Sound Suite! =)

While I understand they don't want to completely let the cat of the bag, Jay let me in on a few things Livid is working on right now that will be available for their customers in the future. First and foremost he told me that Livid was currently working on expanding their controller line to add even more controls and features to their already impressive hardware lineup. This should be quite exciting considering their current controller line is something for all the other controller manufactures to take note of. Jay also told me they were working on expanding their DIY builder kits to make it even easier for users to design and build their own software controller. Monome DIY guys... You really should check out Livid's DIY Kits. On the software side of things... Livid's Step Sequencer will be available in the future as a stand-alone version and, they are also working on Max 4 Live objects to easily integrate VJing into Ableton Live as well as even more open source software for their controllers!

Livid Instruments is a truly amazing company with a vision that is sure to change the digital audio market as we know it in the very near future. Livid isn't cutting costs and taking shortcuts to maximize profits, they're centralizing their precision manufacturing process to save you the end user, lots of money while still offering a quality product. This is something that must be recognized by all of us in the music and visual performance industries. If we can support quality gear assembled and designed by passionate designers and artists, we will change the entire market place. Start this change by showing Livid Instruments some love. After all, it was love that created everything.