Sensel Morph

The Lounge Other Gear
#36

And they’re hiring – so you could go join them. They’ve grown a lot since i bought the Morph, i only remember about half a dozen faces the last time i looked at their About page. Innovative immigrants is another good thing about American made too.

The people they’re looking to hire looks to me like they have more products underway. A Mechanical, and an Electronics Engineer, and a Process Engineer (for manufacturing), and a Characterization Engineer (which i’d never heard of before – sounds like an experimental materials engineer).

Maybe a larger version of this. Or perhaps it’s something entirely different.

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#39

On their careers page:

Sensel technology will have ever-increasing applications over years to come , including wildly different form factors - non-planar, human shaped, glove, wrist, distributed, large area….and different domains - mobile consumer electronics, medical, automotive, and more yet to discover.

Plus they mentioned touch pressure sensitive displays.

So this is just the beginning.

(What would you do with a pressure sensitive human shaped thing?)

#40

You could try the demo - you can do everything except save (you can even save presets and render clips if you really want to).

Bitwig is the reason I’m keen on trying an MPE controller. I’m thinking that I’m going to bite the bullet on a Seaboard Block and give it a chance. If that leaves me cold I can always try the Sensel Morph, I guess!

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#42

Well, we’ll see when it gets here. Then that 30 day clock starts ticking…!

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#43

Sensel pressure sensitive phone and pad technologies.

What to look forward to, this year. I can see this having all sorts of musical applications.

ADDED: This is NOT the Morph, it is something new Sensel is developing.

#44

I’ve never played a Seaboard so i don’t have that for direct comparison – but you’re right the Morph is extremely expressive and can be configured and used musically in a variety of ways. I have the Buchla interface – that’s currently on my Morph – and like the way it takes me in unexpected directions.

I am looking closely at the Madrona Labs Aalto discount deal (other Morph deals here too) – i had their Kaivo synth (for physical modelling) on my list a year back – the Aalto is similar in it’s modularity. I think they may work pretty well with the Morph.

#45

Looking forward to the combination of this tech with screens, this was my initial idea when I first saw the campaign on Kickstarter. Since I‘m also into lettering the use of real brushes and pens on the surface blew my mind. The iPad with the pencil is the next best thing but this is definitely next level and besides all the other selling points it already had for me the combination with the iPad sealed the deal. Looking forward to try this with Animoog and the concept will work very well with the supported granular synths.
Only bummer was the Paypayl conversion rate (or whoever charges it). 10€ to convert from one currency to an other is pretty steep, especially when a computer does it for everyone involved in miliseconds.

#46

Yes the Morph as an add on to the iPad is nice, like using the QWERTY keyboard, and then change it out for the midi stuff too. Enjoy your Morph when it arrives.

I want to be very clear for everyone my post of the Sensel screen device (above) is NOT the Morph – it’s some future new device that Sensel is working on.

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#47

It’s a great device to have around if you like tinkering with semi-diy/homebrew coded electronics like axoloti, bela, norns etc. Would love a version with a custom luminescent surface - even just dark/mid/bright.

And I wish they made the custom overlays a bit easier to get created.
Like an online editor and hit a button and then it is being shipped.

Should be easy enough given their global footprint of 18 manufacturing facilities.
Also ordering from Europe should be easier given it is ultimately a French manufacturer and could keep shipping and taxes lower (for european buyers)

#48

Have you used the Innovators Overlay?

You could use luminescent paint with that. I haven’t specifically done that but i don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Paint that glows under blue-light should work too. ADDED: That overlay does dull things up a little.

They’ve published some more really helpful instructions on using the Innovators Overlay, i don’t have the link with me but i can publish the link in a few days if you’d like.

This woman made a video of using the Innovator’s Overlay for her performance art.
The surround panner is cool too.

#49

I have only used the innovators overlay and I print out my own maps.
I meant a v2 with micro LEDs on the touch surface. Who knows maybe they’ll consider that. Sort of a monomorph monome! monomerph?

thanks for the link

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#50

Hi jukka and mokomo

I’m debating between selling my morph or ordering new overlays.

Which are worth ordering? Is the innovator easy to set up?

I bought mine to use with Adobe but haven’t used it. I used the keyboard with the iPad but found it easier using the built in keyboard for typing and not used it again.

I know I’m not using it at its full potential so thought I’d sell it on.

I’ve an iPad though so it good as a midi controller with iOS apps? Worth keeping and getting the overlays?

Thanks

#51

My 2c is I like the morph because it is a dedicated device that can just sit there doing its thing - midi usb out and simple (once you’ve set it up) - rather than take up your whole ipad as a control surface.

It is great with an axoloti for example where you can design your own UI on a piece of paper to match a totally custom axoloti patch and away you go - rather than soldering a custom button, fader and knob controller.

However with the mididesigner/touchosc etc on iPad though you have a bunch of other options which will given you a similar experience for many use cases.

If you haven’t warmed to it yet though, or even just like to have it around as a dedicated option, it might not be for you …

I haven’t yet tried it (as I don’t have the overlay) but it looks like it might be a nice option for a superslim drum pad if you are a light traveller and don’t want to bulk up your briefcase.

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#52

I don’t have a lot to add to what mokomo just wrote.

Which overlays do you already have?

Do you have software you can drive with MPE – that’s a big plus for the Morph, imo.

I’m definitely don’t like the piano kyboard overlay – it’s just too small for me, i don’t like mini-keys on any synth. But it might be OK for someone else. I do like a bunch of the other overlays though.

ADDED: Yeah i have the Music Production Overlay that mokomo added to his post. I have the yellow Drum Pad Overlay and like that even more. And the Buchla Thunder one is the one i play the most at the moment.

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#53

I only have the qwerty, gamepad and video production overlays. Haven’t used it for music as bought it for adobe and iPad with idea of adding music overlays if I liked it.

For mpe I have reaktor and softube modular which I guess the buchla and piano would work with?

I’ve few iOS mpe apps also

What software do you use the drum pads with?

Thanks

#54

Oooh that would be nice. Hack around with that.

I’ve often output to the RYTM through my computer – i never got on so well with the drum pads on the RYTM, but the Morph can be drummed well. It’srugged enough to use sticks – though i would try to be Buddy Rich on it. I use Live most often.

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#55

And what do you use the Buchla with?

Thanks

#56

UVI Falcon – i’m thinking about getting Madrona Labs Aalto, that i mentioned earlier.

#57

Ordered the buchla overlay

Thanks for your help :slight_smile:

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#58

Thinking of getting the drum and buchla myself - there’s a sale on!

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