"Idea Pad" Automatic Midi Capture - Anything other than Ensoniq?

[cada7]

I am very close to getting an Ensoniq ZR-76 as twice in the last week I have had a momentary flash of something nice that I could not recall.

 

Are there any other Modern! synths out there that have the IDEA PAD? or similar feature?

 

I have not found any. I need weighted action at least 76 keys worth.

 

I am STILL using my KS-32 and folks, even though I have a few keys where the weights have broken I still LOVE the feel of the board and find the aftertouch to be essential and expressive, moreso than IMO the cheezy feel of the Korg TR series, of which I don't like the paddle either.

 

I already own an MR-Rack with Perfect Piano so actually have the sonics covered for the Ensoniq but I am finding the musical idea capture then save absolutely essential to this songwriter. I love the sound of the MOTIF line, but now aftertouch in the MO which is currently in my price range.

 

I do have a DAW, and am also wondering if there are any plug-in's with SONAR which do the same thing. How hard could it be.

 

OK, and here is my beef. The Ensoniq ZR is a decade old and STILL has better features and EASE OF USE than the current crop of 'boards.

 

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

I do not have to have a full blown sequencer, just the idea capture AND aftertouch if possible.

 

Price is no object. I can wait. Actually even a standalone midi device would be fine! (I do have a Sound Brush but it's kind of a pain to use.)

 

Thanks!

[Prog]

Explain to us what the Idea Pad is/does.

 

Ensoniq was a great line of keyboards. It's too bad they had their problems and too many people decided to import. It was nice being able to talk to a synth manufacturer on the telephone.

 

My VFX-SD still does things that "modern" synths can't do. And, it still works like the first day I had ut.

[Diametro]

Perhaps like skip-back sampling for the Fantoms but for MIDI instead of audio?

 

I know initially when i was investigating workstations, I was hoping one featured something like that.

 

Of course, the alternative is to just learn to leave your sequencer recording when noodling around. Most sequencers these days have pretty big capacities.

 

Of course, that doesn't help if you're already working on a song.

 

I think Roland might incorporate something like this on their next Fantom.

 

I always thought some of their marketing for the Fantom X was a little misleading when it proclaima its seamless integration of audio and MIDI ... well, it's good and maybe even seamless ... but "perfect and definately achievable" would be an "always on" audio/MIDI recorder ... period ... (hell, I'd still take 40 seconds of that).

 

Actually, I think it would still be possible to integrate that into a Fan-X update ... all you'd have to do is have the Fantom save MIDI data in a sort-of side song (hell, you can even make it just for one or two parts if there's some kind of processing problem.)

 

The point is ... if you're playing something nice or recording ... you can save the choice part and clean in up later or listen to it and look at it on a piano roll situation ... I think it could be a helpful add-on ... and a logical extension to skip-back sampling ... which I use a lot

[StompBoxLover]

logic has a 'buffer'-type feature that keeps recording MIDI data no matter if record is pressed or not. if you stumbled upon something great the buffer can be emptied into a MIDI file and the search can begin. ; )

[Goo]

Yes, it's called Cubase SX.

[cada7]

Thanks for chiming in everyone...

 

Prog,

 

The IDEA PAD is pretty much what Diemetro is describing, and the Ensonic MR and ZR keyboards incorporated it for MIDI only. VERY VERY slick. It had some "intelligence" to know when you stopped playing one idea and started playing another, and all you had to do was press RECALL and assign idea # whatever to one of it's 16 MIDI Sequence tracks. You could even time-stretch and fit to drum patterns, etc. The first time I played the ZR in a store I immediately created a fantastic little idea with drums and all (It has a basic built in drum machine). The memory was a bit limited and you had to allocate either 32K or 256K to the IDEA pad, which would rob the synth of patch data, but I'd rather have the IDEA Capture.

 

As to Ensoniq products:

 

My first was an ESQ-1, one of the first metal cases off the production line. Served me well for years and years and years. Probably still being used somewhere. Miss it.

 

Have KS-32 driving my modules now, which include an MR-Rack with the Perfect Piano (Think I already mentioned that).

 

Also, thanks for the CUBASE SX tip. I was seriously considering Cubase for my setup because I use a lot of MIDI, but wound up with SONAR 2.0 and now upgraded to SONAR 5.0 Producer, which I have been stunned with. Very Happy camper here. Wish it had that feature though.

 

I was researching my little Roland Sound Brush literature and it captures sequences pretty well but only by taking time out from inspiration to hit record, but I hate to add another module to my daisy chain. I take chances as it is:

 

KS-32 to SONAR to MR-Rack to Sound Canvas to AKAI DPS16 (for sync) to Alesis SR-16. See what I mean!! Suppose it wouldn't hurt to put it at the end but the ROLAND buffer is very bad. Won't sysex with anything but a Sound Canvas.

 

Simply put I just want to turn a board on and go.

 

Diametro - How are the Fantom's for ease of use?

[cada7]

Off topic...

 

Hey GOO,

 

Is your avatar picture showing NAIAS?

If so, I was just there last Saturday in Detroit.

Had a great time.

[Goo]

Good.