Hi Phil,

I understand where you are coming from. It irks me when I here people
put down midi. Sometimes people have a hard time separating it from
synthesis. Midi is a communications tool, it has lots of different
uses.

I like improvisational music, looping and building layers and taking
them down. This is a very hard process to do in a purely analogue
control path. I also like to write and edit music into some musical
form.


Look at the later developments of the Emu modular, it all went
towards memory and microprocessors, which is a precursor to midi. The
4060 keyboard system facilitated great tracks like Herbie Hancock's
Rockit.

I also like circuit bent modules and toys, bringing some form of
control to them is also good.

About the regelwerk, the cv and gate stuff was a bonus add-on,
derived from the schaltwerk. It is very underpowered, but you have
the benefit of memory.

As to midi and constantly editing, this can be time consuming. I like
using an MPC with a Midi2cv ( encore expressionist), you set the
number of bars, put it in overdub mode and start building on the fly
one track at time. Once you have a few rtacks you mute and unmute as
you wish, very free and you can save it and edit later, if you wish.

If you are looking for powerful features and you are on a Mac, try
this software out, here is the url.

http://www.five12.com/numerology.html

This is all about control, it has step sequencers, dividers and all
the logic stuff you need. You could use it with a Drehbank and your
encore exressionist to have greater control of your A100 and the
ability to save your work.

There is also Max/Msp and for really out there stuff there is M. here
are the urls,

http://www.cycling74.com/products/maxmsp.html

http://www.cycling74.com/products/maxmsp.html

There are useful elements of midi to control analogue modulars, we
just need more inovative controllers and the Doepfer is a step in the
right direction.

Thanks for your understanding and I hope you can see the other
benefits of midi. Don't sell that expressionist it will be getting a
software upgrade in the near future.

Regards,
RM

--- In Doepfer_a100@yahoogroups.com , "p. hendricks" <ph@c...> wrote:
> Well,
> I haven't read it all but... I don't care about notes...sequences..
I use
> sequences but usually destroyed. midi, I have an Encore
Expressionist that I
> got 5 or 6 years ago when I first got my large modular(E-mu) but I
just
> really have not used it at all since, I may sell but it is cool and
one day
> maybe I'll get back into midi... note; I have two A-155 so I'll
grab a A-154
> for sure and I and many I know will miss the N64 controller.. but
midi.. I
> don't do. roland I don't touch, ok, I have a gr500 g-synth that I
play with
> eproms instead of picks. ppq I'm only trying to give you MY
perspective,
> not being snobby or anything. I like all GOOD music. Really liked
the new
> Kraftwerk as an example as something that is relevant here. Myself
I like
> dysfunctional modules. I also have a Regelwerk but have never used
the midi
> on it, partly as I use macs and Doepfer has never been mac friendly.
>
>
> I also, want more powerful possibilities as you say, but I like the
modular
> idea for this, if midi adds significant cost and time, I think it
should
> be passed on, However if as you say it is microprocessor based I
will step
> back and re-evaluate things... not sure this is what I wanted. I
like
> voltages.. tube synths, messed up diy `synths... but again I know
that's
> just me.
> As for midi, personally, it didn't work for me, I tweaked stuff
forever
> nothing was ever "done." It all became over done/ too perfect. I
like to
> capture the raw spirit of the moment. I use the modulars now.
>
> best,
> phil
>
> --+
> cloaca recordings
> http://www.cloaca.net/
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On 11/7/03 9:26 PM, "ringmod45" <ringmod45@y...> wrote:
>
> > --- In Doepfer_a100@yahoogroups.com , "p. hendricks" <ph@c...>
wrote:
> >> hi all and Doepfer,
> >> I think I agree 90%, I just want a true TKB, an expressive
> > controller.
> >> I just really don't care about midi, I don't use midi,
> >
> > Hi PH,
> >
> > Do you live in a 24 ppq world Or 1 ppq world Are you using a
roland
> > MC-4 to do pattern or song composition Or are you a cut and paste
> > tape kinda person No disrespect, but this seems rather limiting.
> >
> > For the last 15 or so years, i would say midi is a pretty
important
> > form of manipulating notes and musical structures. Unless you are
> > inputting notes, step wise, a la MC-4 (which is a computer
controlled
> > sequencer)you are not going too far, musically speaking. It's all
> > about control, The benefit of midi is the ability to edit and save
> > your musical ideas.
> >
> >
> > and it seems it could
> >> be expensive to add good enough converters to make midi functions
> > accurate.
> >
> > You have to understand that the proposed TKB will be
microprocessor
> > based to begin with, therefore with a little extra code and a few
> > extra converters and proper planning, you could make it more
> > functional to work with in both worlds, analogue and midi. Plus
most
> > of the ground work for this has been developed in one way or
another
> > already by Doepfer. It would cost more money to keep it strictly
> > analogue. We already have analogue sources to control our
modulars.
> > All of these sources are very linear and static ( i.e. note length
> > limitations, etc.).
> >
> >> perhaps not: for $30 more sure midi is a cool bonus.
> >> But with this argument you could add midi to many A-100 modules,
so
> > I prefer
> >> leaving midi out of it.
> >
> > That is why we have midi2cv converters. We are not talking about
> > adding midi control to A100 modules, we are talking about adding
midi
> > control to a controller, so you can save and edit your work and
> > control your analogue sounds.
> >
> >> Keep it simple. (or keep it open ) I would want it to more and
> > faster, but I
> >> want about all the new modules about to come out so my budget
needs
> > to catch
> >> up.
> >> Perhaps a very basic budget version would be good to get things
> > going
> >
> > This has nothing to do with the proposed Doepfer TKB. A Serge TKB
can
> > be bought brand new for $1850.00usd for the TKB, $275.00usd for
the
> > power supply and $400.00usd for the Rox box enclosure, which
brings
> > us to a grand total of $2525.00usd for a simple 4 x 16 touch
> > sequencer keyboard.This is for a simple TKB, nothing fancy. The
> > Doepfer Tkb will have more features and will probably be a
> > $1000.00usd cheaper or less. If you need simplicity buy a Serge
TKB.
> >
> > Phil I am just looking at the more powerful possibilities, were
the
> > tkb to have midi implementation. With the price of laptops these
days
> > and the software available, the combination of both would be
> > thrilling. The proposed Doepfer TKB can have the ability to do
both,
> > so we would benefit more from having both.
> >
> > Regards,
> > RM
> >
> >
> >
> > and
> >> later after feedback based on that a deluxe model or an expander
> > like the
> >> A-154). Many have not used a TKB, so what people are asking for I
> > suspect,
> >> may change drastically after having even a basic version
> >>
> >> many exciting modules coming out, now we need a 9 or 12 space
> > frame/psu.
> >> best,
> >> phil
> >>
> >>
> >> On 11/7/03 4:08 PM, "ringmod45" <ringmod45@y...> wrote:
> >>
> >>>
> >>> Hi Bakis and Mr Doepfer,
> >>>
> >>> The proposed TKB is bound for failure, feature and function
wise,
> >>> idealistically speaking. Not every feature, one wants, will be
> > able
> >>> to be implemented.
> >>>
> >>> Let's get the basics straight. First, the proposed Doepfer TKB
is
> >>> modelled after the two of the most sought after and expressive
> >>> analogue controllers out there, the Buchla 219 Touch Keyboard
and
> > the
> >>> Serge TKB. Here are the url's;
> >>>
> >>> http://www.buchla.com/historical/b200/219-keyboard.html
> >>>
> >>> http://www.scampers.com/EGRES/wiz_seq.htm
> >>>
> >>> These are features and functions the proposed Doepfer TKB is
based
> >>> upon. This the foundation from which to build upon and not to
> >>> subtract from. Mr. Doepfer and Company have done a Good Job so
> > far,
> >>> it just needs to be tweaked some more.
> >>>
> >>> The pressure voltage, derived by capacitance-activated touch
> > plates
> >>> or keys, is the most natural and expressive control in
electrical
> >>> terms. It is very similar to playing a string instrument. It is
> >>> direct and immediate, finger to touch plate, unlike an organ
> > manual,
> >>> finger to plastic key, plastic key to trigger contact.
> >>>
> >>> The whole point of the proposed Doepfer TKB is bring elements of
> > the
> >>> above mentioned controllers and not to have a organ style manual
> >>> dictate how it should be or perform. There are very few of these
> >>> controllers around for people to make remarks or opine ideas on
> > how
> >>> they should be built, so it should be modelled from the
originals
> >>> with input from people who have used and understand them.
> >>>
> >>> The electronics of the Buchla 219 were then adapted to an organ
> > style
> >>> manual. Here is the url,
> >>>
> >>> http://www.buchla.com/historical/b200/keys-23X.html
> >>> http://www.buchla.com/historical/b200/images/237-large.jpeg
> >>>
> >>> Since we live in the microprocessor age, it is only feasible and
> >>> logical to have midi onboard. Building the proposed Doepfer TKB,
> >>> Analogue style, would be cost prohibitive. It should be modular
in
> >>> its approach to allow for expansion of I/O and sequencer
functions
> >>> and not the other way around.
> >>>
> >>> To hear a touch keyboard in action, please check some of Charles
> >>> Cohen's mp3's to give you an idea. Here is the url,
> >>>
> >>> http://phobos.serve.com/charles_cohen/ D=A
> >>>
> >>> Live_at_the_Gathering_19981212 - - track 2 and 3 are pretty good
> >>> indications of the Buchla sound and touchplates.
> >>>
> >>> Regards,
> >
> >
> >
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > doepfer_a100-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> >
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> >
> >
>
> --+
> cloaca recordings
> http://www.cloaca.net/