Re: [AH] Left Hand Control - survey

From Florian Anwander
Sent Thu, Mar 21st 2019, 08:24

Hi


I think it is mostly a question of the modulation "patch" (means: what 
is affected by which controller movement).

I love Rolands design at the SH-5, SH-7, and JP-4: Control Cutoff and/or 
Level directly and for the VCO the vibrato amount lets you play the 
synth that musically. I starts to become an expressiveness you would not 
expect from a synth. It can be really stunning if played with skills.

The standard two-wheels-solution is ok, but requires amount controls for 
both (stepped control for pitchbend amount are appreciated). The 
mechanical bender centering at the old moog synths is hell.

I found the ribbon solution at the Multi/Micro/Poly-Moogs interesting, 
but the horizontal position at the Polymoog spoiled the basically good 
controller. I still have such a ribbon here - I should build a module 
from it.

Though someone else didn't like it: I find the Chroma Polaris spring 
centered modulation control quite nice. One direction for all keys, the 
other for the actually pressed ones. This can make a big difference 
(especially with the hold feature of the Chromas envelopes).

I never really got into the joystick style of Korgs. I couldn't play it 
musically. But that may be my personal problem.

Florian


Am 20.03.19 um 22:29 schrieb Mike Beauchamp:
> Hey AHers,
>
> Having been lucky enough to try out quite a few different synths 
> lately, I've noticed how different they can be with regard to the 
> controls they've chosen to place on the Left Hand Control panel.
>
> Some synths have no left hand controls at all per se, some only have a 
> mod wheel and/or pitch bend and some give a whole wack of controls.
>
> Moog seems to keep it simple, Roland can get pretty crazy but logical.
>
> What left hand controls do you find to be totally necessary and which 
> ones haven't you touched? Any thing you wish would be over on the left 
> hand panel that no manufacturer really seems to get right?
>
> Mike
>
>
>
>
>