Something i haven’t paid much attention too but has become very apparent lately. That is if equipment feels good to press/click/switch etc etc. It goes way up in my estimation.
Okay that said i love the clacky Elektron keys(not sure what type they are). I use a Cherry switch keyboard on a PC anyway. But it just makes me feel I’m doing something positive. The mushy keys make me feel disconnected from what I’m doing.
I love weighted keys(if done correctly). They again make me feel connected to the music.
I love sliders that give a bit of resistance. Sort of a power trip thing.
I love encoders that are solid and give a bit of resistance. but not too much.
Switches that give a definite click but aren’t too rigid.
Yeh. I’m paying much more attention to the tactile side of things now more than ever. Maybe because I’m older I notice touchy feely equipment more and these sensory things compensate for other failings like aural and vision that start to fail.
This is precisely why I never got on with an iPad or touchscreen device. Even a mouse and keyboard beats the shit out of an iPad imo. Also, related to this, I reconnected my midi pickup to my guitar today to play some chords and leads with a tactile instrument that feels more like home to me than keys. It doesn’t track perfectly, but it’s good fun all the same. It’s also why I prefer using an instrument like Cobalt8 over a VST even when using the app alongside the physical synth. Having tweakable knobs is so inviting.
I borrowed a friend’s Dominion 1 last year. The knobs and switches on it are some of the most satisfying things I’ve ever touched. Solid and hefty. Very nice.
Yeah. I’ve noticed that I end up selling instruments that are flimsy even if I like the sound (eg Wavestate). I just spent too much money on a stage piano because heavy weighted keys are so much nicer to play than synth ones. I love bashing a solid guitar pedal switch down.
Just got me a Take 5 and apart from sounding amazing the buttons are firm and clicky and the knobs are solid with the kind of resistance I prefer. On top of that I really love the keybed and it responds and plays beautifully. Before it arrived I was a little concerned I might not like the build quality but that was misfounded through watching petty moments in video reviews.
The newer Elektron clackies took me a while to get used to but now I quite like them.
The knobs on a DFAM and SubH are lovely, probably my faves. The buttons on the DFAM on the other hand are total shite.
It matters a lot.
System100m is a joy to use, very tactile and easy to see settings at a glance. Nice feeling controls that still work as well today as they did 40 odd years ago.
I’m very very sensitive when it comes to
this. If gear doesn’t feel right I won’t use it that often. Elektron is superb in that regard.
Bought a Electra MIDI controller for example which also is build like a tank and has nice knobs – but they have some weird mild scratchy feeling – makes me nuts even though I bet most wouldn’t even recognize this. Instant letdown for me. Touchscreen is also a no-no … every tiny bit of latency kills everything.
I liked the Ableton Push 2 though very very much in that regards!
Microkorg was my first synth and I still like the quality of the knobs. Blofeld is I think the worst synth I have bought (although maybe that’s also the laggy software part here – so that also comes into play for more modern / digital synths!).
Expressive E’s Touché is very tactile and doesn’t scratch / make noises when using – love it! So no wonder I’m thrilled to be using the Osmose when it comes out next year. I hope they won’t disappoint with cheap fader or knobs – the keybed is without a doubt the new definition of tactile (at least for instruments with a keybed). I bet I’d love the Continuum – but it’s a bit out of my league.
Played with the Rolli Seaboard once … and from a tactile point of view … it was going in a good direction but the rubbery feeling didn’t gel with me.
The absolute worst controller was the NDLR. Clicky rastered knobs (ughh) and all the buttons …absolutely disgusting.
A tactile user experience is very important for me. Music is a full body and mind experience in my opinion. The music i like the most touches my heart, my mind and makes me want to move. And so is music making. A touchscreen or mouse feels disconnected very fast or is just a ‘mind’ experience. Pots, sliders, buttons, cables all that stuff can help to make it full body. But it has to be done ‘right’.
Virus TI desktop, 37-key & 61-key: Knobs are very slightly stiff but smooth like chilled butter.
Lyra-8: multi turn tuning pots would be nice, but Lyra is very much what it is
Syntrx: I need to look into adjusting tension on the joystick, but otherwise it feels perfect
Minibrute 2s: build quality on par with Syntrx at a tiny fraction of the price. Only downside is that it is also as big as the Syntrx
TR-8s: say what you will about the plastic case and the trig keys. Faders are a game changer, and these are remarkably good faders for such a mass market device
Big Eventide Pedals (Space/TF): much like the Virus, a perfect balance between a great and reliable engine and nice smooth encoders. Eventides feel like they sound: great!
Korg Z1 / Yamaha EX5: Two great keybeds with a great (Z1) and good (EX5) synth engine. The Z1’s touchpad deserves special mention, one of the few good ones.
Functional:
Keystep 37: I’m ambivalent about the keys, but the CC knobs and arp/seq functionality far overshadow the small keys
NDLR: feels lightly built, but again the functionality wins
Elektrons: cases are good, buttons are good, knobs are acceptable. They definitely grow on you, but can’t compare with Erica’s pots
Jupiter Xm: controls are acceptable, interface is a 10m menu-dive with a triple backflip, but I knew that going in. You can get the big X if you want something nicer
Reface FM: I agree with others who dislike touch interfaces, but I like the touch controls on the Reface. Where the Reface falls short is on the back panel. Thanks very much, Yamaha, for using a custom port for MIDI in/out. Why do you insist on nerfing your entry level music products?!
TG-77: The button-and-fader interface is much more usable than I expected, but not really good enough for the “amazing” category. The underlying synth engine is amazing though.
Nope:
Desktop Evolver: encoders with detents were a mistake. But it’s a cheap way to get the DSI sound. Someone needs to make me an offer I can’t refuse before I send it back to storage.
Blofeld: great smooth, heavy knobs, but somehow they emphasize how buggy the synth engine is. Access got this balance right: mostly functional synth engine with good controls. It feels like the Blofeld knobs are overcompensating. This is also a possible counter example to putting smooth encoders on the Evolver
The tactile aspect of music making is super important to me. Nothing beats drums and strings as far as I’m concerned, I rarely even play guitar with a pick because I like the direct finger to string control (even when playing metal). And smacking membranes with sticks feels great.
As far as electronic stuff goes @PekeDorty asked about the hydrasynth. I love mine, in no small part due to the poly aftertouch. It makes it feel like a “real” instrument in a way that few synths do. However the keys themselves are nothing special. Aftertouch features aside I prefer the action of my pro3 (fantastically tactile synth too) but the poly aftertouch makes up for it.
I’ve been loving the feel of the gamechanger audio plus pedal. It feels really natural.
The original korg er1 has the perfect balance of give and resistance in the squishy pads/ buttons. Like a really well made toy. I love it.
I’ve built countless circuitbent devices and homemade bits of gear and always try to make them feel “right” for what they are. Pair the interface with the sounds I guess. Big fan of body contacts but I hate open ldr controls.
Totally agree with you, I love the Elektron gears for how they are build: solid, responsive, tactile, comfortable to use. They worth the money they cost because they do not save on the components.
I love my (typing) keyboard and mouse for working in the DAW and for working from home. The keyboard is a Japanese brand (Archiss Maestro 2S), but the mouse is the Logitech MX Master 3.
I didn’t like the look of the mouse in photos, but it came highly recommended, so I took the plunge, and I’m so glad I did. It feels great, especially the scroll wheel. Also, the look doesn’t bother me in person.
Touching that mouse and keyboard all day definitely improves the quality of my day when working from home. I highly recommend a good keyboard and mouse.
Never tried one, so maybe it’s a better, experience. Curious though if it’s possible to build up any kind of muscle memory with haptic touchscreens. Muscle memory is an important part of the tactile experience i’m looking for.
