EKS, the creators of the Otus, have told us about their plans for another version called the EKS Otus Raw. While the devices are very similar there are some notable differences you might be interested in. EKS has also released a series of videos that take a closer look at the EKS Otus than the original video Ean shot which introduced this space age controller to the world. Baring any un-foreseen obstacles, you might be able to try one out as soon as September.
The last time we looked at the Otus it was still very much in development and the final controls were still not decided upon. Now everything is in place so lets look at the what the Otus will look like and then how the RAW will differ.
Update: EKS Otus in action Video, the fate of HD-midi for the Otus and production status !
Moldover has made an appearance on MTV’s “How To Show”, showing off you how to turn an oxygen 8 or any other keyboard into your own expressive controllerist musical instrument. With only a handful of items you can easily find around the household and using the similar techniques to that used on his own Novation Remote-25 SL keyboard, Moldover shows in three simple steps how easy it is to become a controllerist armed with just a oxygen8 and a copy Ableton live.
If you’re looking for a MIDI pad controller on a modest budget and can’t be troubled to build your own then no doubt you will have found these three; M-Audio Trigger Finger, Korg padKontrol and the Akai MPD 24.
They are all around a similar budget and each has their own appeal but on paper its a tough call. Thanks to the help of online store thomann.de I got my hands on all three and set each up in Traktor, Serato and Live to see which would be reigning champ in the sub 200 EUR midi pad controller class. Continue reading ‘Pad Controller Smackdown’
The funny thing is- I pitched this concept to a certain major manufacturer about 5 months ago. They didn’t really get it and totally missed the boat. Then again, with this approach, there is no money to be made on hardware!
“we go through the annoying stuff so you dont have to”
That certainly applies to my current attempt to offer a simple, inexpensive midi controller that most people could find useful. In the end I succeeded, but it required some serious investigation and re-thinking the fundamental concepts. This design is not meant to be sold or duplicated but rather to show the basic steps required in building your own midi accessory or moding an existing controller.
Do you need just a few more controls? Perhaps your wondering how hard it is to make your own controller? Then follow the steps in this 2 part series and build your first midi controller in about an hour for very little cash. Using only 8 electronics parts, a pre-made case and a DIY midi interface that is USB powered- you can build a controller and it wont require a degree in electrical engineering. Continue reading ‘DIY Controller- 59 minutes, $99.’
Have you found the perfect MIDI controller yet? Chances are the answer is “no,” and you can’t entirely blame it on the manufacturers either. In this fast-paced DIY world, where technology morphs at light speeds, big manufacturers’ R&D cycles will never be able to keep up with your imagination. So stop waiting around for a company to release the perfect controller, and make your own! You may be thinking, “That will take way too much time,” “I have no idea how to do that,” and, “Where would I start?” Those are all legitimate roadblocks, but with a little know-how and a soft push in the right direction, you may find it’s not as hard as you think. Here are two simple ways you can customize your own interface, depending on how much time you want to spend.
Hardware, software, your local grocery store- everything is going open source! Why not a dj midi controller? That’s what the guys at Aurora mixers thought, so they have created an open source mixer which you can build on or modify yourself.
I know, I know- there have been a lot of posts on the vci-300 lately. Some of you are probably wondering if you should be thinking about selling the vci-100. Don’t worry, there is a video on the way that will break down the real differences between the 2 in a clear manner. Here is a new video that demonstrates a cool tempo trick that anyone can use but is easy to perform out of the box with a vci-300.
EKS, the creators of the Otus, have told us about their plans for another version called the EKS Otus Raw. While the devices are very similar there are some notable differences you might be interested in. EKS has also released a series of videos that take a closer look at the EKS Otus than the original video Ean shot which introduced this space age controller to the world. Baring any un-foreseen obstacles, you might be able to try one out as soon as September.
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