theows

@CAD said:

Good call ... I was trying to remember the name of this one. Looks very customizable and about the size of giant mousepad. The video on their website shows it being used as a drumstick pad in one example ... I would like to see user testimonial on how that holds up over time! But could be a good sign for quality if the engineering team is expecting it to hold up to the sticks.

Yea I was particularly interested in that aspect too, hopefully it holds up with drumming! As an aside I would love to see someone have a run at building MPE drums (pressing the stick in the drum skin after a hit to pitch bend the note, timpani etc)

For this kind of application modifying the drum overlay of the sensel morph might do the trick. Also the BopPad is very powerful and sturdy. I haven't played around much with pitch-bend-after-hit scenarios on these two controllers but I could happily dig into their software editors.

In general, after having tried several MPE controllers I would say ideally try before you buy (tactility). If not possible, think about the exact applications you would want it for and educate yourself as much as possible on the internet. The devil lies in the details with all of them.

Also everyone of us has a different experience depending on the use case but also where we are coming from. @createdculture for example likes the seaboard better than the Linnstrument. Me, as a guitarist with very rudimentary playing experience on keys, I feel exactly the opposite. The Linnstrument with its hard silicone surface and isometric layout feels best to me for expressive and fast solo instrument passages. A keyboard layout on the other hand (seaboard, morph piano overlay) has more travel ( = finer control) for the y-axis movement and pressable keys (osmose, seaboard) easier control for velocity and aftertouch.

In summary, consider:

• layout (key, isometric etc)
• tactile experience (hard surface, key-style, squishy)
• implementation of the different axes/movements/expressions (I find this to be very important)
• need for external editor for configuration
• portability

Many, many thanks!!

@rohan would it be possible to either zip the bin file or add a checksum on the website/release notes, to make sure that we do not end up with corrupt files?

I also second @DrLucidious comment. Either via a pack or donation or any other means you prefer, it would be great to offer us an option to support all the great work.

Regarding the Sensel Morph:

Here is the announcement and more importantly the FAQ in case you are considering buying a used one (should you find one that is).

Unfortunately, there will be no more software updates and the code will not be open-sourced (they provide valid arguments, at least from their perspective). What I would expect from a committed company, would be for them to go the extra mile and provide at least an API so that technical users / the community can maintain basic functionality, like changing main settings of the device and loading preexisting maps.
This relates to the above mentioned criterion "need for external editor for configuration"

I had my Morph for almost a year as a traveling companion mostly for when I didn't want to carry my Linnstrument and have been very, very happy with it and its versatility. After the announcement I sold it for the above reasons.

The Joué should be a similar alternative, but I have no experience with it. In Europe, one only seems to be able to find the play version only.