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What apps can be good as grid based controllers?
As (basically former, but doesn't matter) guitarist i never liked keyboard-like layouts. I liked grids, something like Novation Launchpad. And while i enjoy jamming on Animoog keys just fine, i wonder what are nice options for pads/grids to control and play?
While i'm all for discussion, this is also kind of request of advice, so i need to say that i'm on ios 10.2, so i can't get anything that requires more fresh os. Also i don't feel like i'll stomach something like Lemur, so such app would be an overkill.. Though, doesn't matter if it's synth or just a pure controller.
Also, no Tenori-On for me, because it's not in my app region ><
Anyway, just to mention what i used...
GeoSynth - cool, but a bit weird if you don't want to "shred", i'd say. I still haven't bought successor to this app, yet...
TF7 - i like pretty much it's layout, but it's also kind of limited; as you can't align volume change for each notes' expressions gesture... also NO midi out, so i can't use it for others apps.
Orphion - amazing app with ability to make your own layouts and interesting approach to velocity control, but i can only use it on old ipad, while on my 2017s (i guess?) ipad pro it doesnt work as intended.
..to be edited.
Comments
Here you go. A pretty great freebie.
expressionPad MIDI/Synth by mode of expression, LLC
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/expressionpad-midi-synth/id1198834918
The Velocity KB app is a velocity sensitive on-screen keyboard that is highly configurable and worth looking at. I love it and use it primarily in a grid layout.
Thanks, i'll try!
You mean "Velocity Keyboard"?
Looks cool, but it's ios11 so... i'll keep it in mind for future (when i'll finally upgrade or update).
I love velocity keyboard, and GeoShred pro can be a midi controller, also have a look atgrid instrument Navichord and ChordMaps2 . I’ve got them all, and vk is my current favorite for just,”playing “
expressionPad appears to have been removed from the App Store. A really unfortunate development since it was quite a great and useful app.
Is the original question worth answering with today’s solutions? I was thinking LK would be a good response if anyone cares since it’s designed to be an iPad tool for controlling Ableton or in an Ableton like approach.
This one is pretty great.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/beat-pads/id1633882803
Wow, I thought I knew every such app but I don’t know this one - thanks!
The developer should really change the name of the app, though, so that it’s clear that it plays notes too and not just beats.
I’m checking it out and this is a really fantastic app. I wish there were a perfect fifths layout but aside from that, it’s pretty much perfect.
I’m certainly glad it has the perfect fourths layout (what Roger Linn calls the fourths strings layout). That’s the one I use most and which has become increasingly common nowadays.
If you have TouchOSC, I put a configurable grid controller up on Patchstorage last night: https://patchstorage.com/stargazer-touch. Enjoy!
This looks good but no positional velocity? Is that not a bit of a drawback? Any workarounds?
It just has a definable random velocity range. Or a constant velocity if you set it to that.
Also you can try playing the velocity fader along with the pads to get some intended variation.
OK, at least the velocity fader is presumably on the same page as where you play, unlike chordion 😂 - might have to check it out, cheers!
Thanks for posting this! I haven’t used TouchOSC since Mk1 but I’m looking forward to trying this out.
I also looked at your YouTube video and the grid instrument you made looks very cool. Have you considered making some to sell?
There really is no affordable grid controller out there that is larger than the 8x8 LaunchPad. Hopefully this will change as more people become accustomed to playing the perfect fourths grid layout on apps like GeoShred. Ableton and Bitwig are clearly interested in promoting this layout, so maybe eventually there will be a larger affordable grid keyboard available.
Beautiful looking. Any mpe capability, do you know? God I'd love a linnstrument!
I’m guessing not? Don’t think Touch OSC is mpe capable?
Cheers Orchid! Would you mind saying what is configurable about it? I don't have touch OSC but would consider getting it just for this if I understood more about the way it is set up and its capabilities for expressive playing. Is the only configurable thing the intervals and grid size?
Kb-1?
Thanks for checking out the video! None to sell yet, but if I find time to make a few more I’ll let you know.
So far, only the grid size and intervals are configurable; no MPE or expressive playing capabilities. TouchOSC doesn’t have MPE support as far as I can tell 😔
Might be nice to add a sustain slider and a velocity slider!
I use a sustain pedal and don’t generally require MPE though velocity sensitivity would be nice. But even without any of that, I’d still be quite interested, so do keep me in mind if you make some more of your grid keyboards. I’m most intrigued by the larger model you mention in the video comments - either a 12x18 or 6x18 (I wasn’t sure which it was) would be great though 12x18 would be especially nice.
I’m kind of obsessed with grid keyboards. I play piano and guitar, but I play guitar left handed, which means that I am accustomed to using my right hand for playing melodies on the fretboard as well as on the piano. This made apps like GeoShred with the perfect fourths layout almost second nature to me. So of course I also love the Launchpad but it’s just not big enough.
I would like both of those too. I often use a sustain pedal but a sustain slider would be great regardless.