Members tdintbl Posted January 17, 2013 Members Share Posted January 17, 2013 Hello all. Was recommended to come here and ask this question by users at the Organ Forum. I'm looking to get a -durable- midi controller. I'll be treating it as if it were a Hammond organ. VB3 is doing the emulating. (The actual A-100 in my living room has issues, and is bigger than my car in any case.) I've had two Oxygen 49 controllers. Nice boards but they don't take the abuse of live gigging, being moved around, plugged, unplugged, wailed upon, gigantic Hammond glissandi, etc. One died in 9 months, the second I just replaced parts on after 3 months. Obviously I need 9 programmable sliders for the drawbars and 61 keys. Also need at least 6 programmable buttons and 6 programmable knobs. Want to avoid weighted keys as I will not be playing piano. I'm no good at that anyway. Just Hammond and Mellotron.Recommend me boards that you've had good experience with, especially where durability is concerned. I'm not terribly worried about price. (Actually I am -terribly- but plan to buy used!) Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members delaware dave Posted January 17, 2013 Members Share Posted January 17, 2013 How about the Novation Impulse? Has the 9 sliders and other controllers for the hammond, 61 keys, light weight and inexpensive. It's worth a look.... http://global.novationmusic.com/midi-controllers/impulse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted January 18, 2013 Members Share Posted January 18, 2013 The Novatron Impulse is semi-weighted. Most all non-cheap MIDI controllers are - even the Samson Carbon 49 I recently bought for $67 shipped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members anotherscott2 Posted January 18, 2013 Members Share Posted January 18, 2013 A used Korg CX3 should make a great VB3 controller. (The newer, digital CX3, not the analog one from the 80s.) If budget is no issue, there's always the Hamichord (which is a soundless organ controller if you don't buy the EXP module with it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tdintbl Posted January 18, 2013 Author Members Share Posted January 18, 2013 Well, of course money is an issue. I just don't want people automatically discarding a good recommendation because they think it's beyond my budget. I'm a good scrounger. Hell, I got a functioning A-100 for $350. No bench or Leslie though. (And someday the midi boards will go by the wayside. I need a truck a trailer though before I haul the Hammond and Conn organs to gigs. A Mellotron would be nice too!!!! Is dreaming of a MkII too much to ask??) I've been looking into the Impulse as well. I'm impressed so far, but need to find one in person. Dissappointed that the Akai products only have 8 faders. I find that a boneheaded move on their part, since it loses them the ENTIRE organist market. Ah well. I've heard that CME is a brand to stay away from, due to appaling quality control. Is this true? I'll be poking into the modern Korg and the Samson Carbon. Any experiences with the Studio Logic VMK 161 Plus? Opportunity to buy one used, though the $500 pricetag seems really steep to me. Keep it coming, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted January 18, 2013 Members Share Posted January 18, 2013 tdintbl wrote: I'll be poking into the modern Korg and the Samson Carbon. I'm pretty happy with $67 Samson Carbon I have . Way cool to put an iPad in the top slot with C3B3 fired up and the whole thing runs off the iPad's battery. The Samson Graphite has a bunch more controls though, I'd guess way more useful when using a PC that doesn't have a touchscreen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mate_stubb Posted January 19, 2013 Members Share Posted January 19, 2013 You can always build your own midi controller out of Hammond parts - I did and it rocks. Everything in the right place! Plus you can smack it around like a real Hammond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted January 19, 2013 Members Share Posted January 19, 2013 tdintbl wrote: I've heard that CME is a brand to stay away from, due to appaling quality control. Is this true? Keep it coming, thanks.I've owned two of their GPP-3 piano pedals. Wonderful concept (three piano pedals with analog, MIDI and USB out) but the first one died completely and the one I still have sends all sorts of random **bleep**. When I tried to deal with the first one, their support was beyond belief inept. They actually had me soldering jumpers on the circuit board. Nothing they suggested worked and they never ever ever suggested they'd just replace the **bleep** thing. I'd say avoid big time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members anotherscott2 Posted January 19, 2013 Members Share Posted January 19, 2013 The Artutia "Analog Experience - The Laboratory 61" is a nice controller that uses a CME keybed but seems to have a better reputation for reliability than CME's own controllers. They sell it as a controller for their own synth software, but you can ignore the software if you don't need it, it works well just as a plain controller, and it is a pretty substantial unit for a compact board. I'd still easily take the CX3 as an organ cotroller, but the Arturia is a pretty nice piece, and probably in the range of about half the price and half the weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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