Hiya. Something I’ve been noticing in the era of planned obsolescence is just how long people keep their music gear for, specifcially MIDI controllers. My frame of reference for this is computers where gear switching can be quite common. (Eg: a smartphone can have a long shelf-life but many people switch them at about 3 years or so.) And if folks do get rid of something, they often sell it on to someone else who will give it a second life.
So on the one hand, I wonder how often people switch their MIDI controllers. I imagine it’s a bit less common in music because once you have a set-up you’re comfortable then changing it can be more of a pain to change than it is to update it.
I was noticing the other day that a lot of big ticket hardware has been around for a while, so Ableton Push 2 (2015), Maschine Mk3 (2017), Arturia Keylab Essentials (2017.) Since these devices were released, we’ve had a pandemic and more of a focus on the environment. Could/should these devices be redesigned, or would the recources be better put into keeping up with the software as much as possible?
For all these reasons and more do you think we’ll see companies focus on using longevity as a selling point (like Arturia and their Minilab 3; with a 5 year guarantee) or is the trajectory with music companies more towards cheap, cheerful and potentially disposable?
I think a big part of why MIDI controllers specifically have longevity is because the MIDI standard has been around for a looooong time and hasent changed too much over its life.
So since the technologies powering them isnt that dynamic, even stuff that is MIDI from the 80s works just fine with modern stuff
I mean many controllers are pretty ‘dumb’…
people upgrade phones/computers/tablets as the processing power is constantly improving… and they need this for ‘better apps’
for controllers, at one end… they are just a bunch of keys/knobs…
but at the other end, they are now incorporating things like sequencers.
that means at the higher end… we will see people upgrading for ‘new features’ - this particularly applies to things like Push/Maschine where software integration is a key feature … you are buying into an ecosystem not a hardware product.
no… companies are companies… they sell product, they will always want to sell new products to existing customers.
even things like ‘sustainability’ are to some extent a marketing line to sell you … more product
frankly, this all comes down to us as the consumers…
we are not forced to consume, things like midi controllers can be used for years without issue… ive had very few things that fail, or seen evidence of built in obsolescence.
even the talk of issues with compatibility with computers and operating systems, assumes that we have to upgrade our computers
i.e. its we as consumers, that are staying on the hamster wheel.
I’ve had to retire several controllers over the years, and always for the same reason: inconsistency - issues with fake messages:
pitch bender value going randomly up and down
select buttons that no longer work
sliders and encoders transmitting value changes never made
keys that no longer sound
Generally this depends on the dust in the contacts. My advice, to lengthen the life of the controller is to continuously use a dusting brush and, of course, a cover when the unit is not in use
Most of my midi controllers have been living most of their lives in a shelf indeed…
Usually the IDEA of midi control is a lot better than the actual practice, in particular when controlling software. For hardware it’s a little different, for example when adding specific functionality to a piece of gear (eg phyiscal track volume faders to OT) it tends to be a better fit, but all those “one controller to control it all” type applications have been half-baked for me at best.
I’ve been using an Evolution UC33e as my primary midi controller since about 2003. I bought it used on Craigslist for next to nothing. It’s cheap plastic and it’s survived the normal rigors of a gigging musician. I’d love to have some neat fancy controller but why would I change it out when mine still works and anything new that has even close to this level of functionality costs an arm and a leg?
I still use a M Audio Oxygen 8 V2 from the late 90’s. Has features many new keyboard controllers don’t have. For a 2 octave keybed it has full size keys(which is hard to come by in a small format controller) , actual pitch and mod wheels(not touch strips), and MIDI Din out. Still works flawlessly.
I agree and think this is a very relevant point. For a contrasting example, I have a 12 year old smartphone in my drawer that would work, but it can’t run today’s OS or applications. MIDI is just always the same old MIDI…
People complain that MIDI hasn’t improved, but on the compatibility front it’s quite convenient that you can get a 30 year old synth/controller and have it play along with something that came out last week.
Thanks for the responses, and especially for @chaocrator for the photos. The design of that Novation thing is super cool.
Nice to hear that so many controllers have a good shelf life - which is as it should be.
Interestingly I have one of these in a drawer. The keys are yellow! I don’t think its last owner probably looked after it that much. I’m not sure why I have it or if I even used it. But to your point, when I started researching MIDI controllers for myself, what was a bit wierd was the whole thing about transport controls. Examples like the MPK Mini were obviously designed with travel in mind, which is reflective of modern production, but they also traded away simple things like a stop & play button which is a bit odd.
This seems like very sound advice! I use a general soft paintbrush on all my gear
My fave is the APC40 MK2. It isn’t amazingly well-buikt but it’s not the worst, the faders have a nice resistance, the knobs are tough, it’s slim but reassuringly weighty for a load of creaking plastic. Adore the crossfader, unbelievably useful.
I’ve a MIDI Fighter Twister - 16 endless encoders with click functionality which can activate a second layer of encoders, effectively allowing for filter cutoff and resonance on the one encoder.
Ive got the old tank OG APC40, still works. I lent it to a mate as I dont use it anymore.
Had a much older MPD, worked perfectly, sold it to someone that would use it. Old Akai stuff was so well made
I still use the OG launchcontrol, (the one with just pots, no faders) works fine. Its brilliant.
Id say midi controller shelf life is as good as anything else depends on how well it was made.
WaveIdea Bitstream 3x…was/is a beast of a controller, has an integrated arpeggiator, a joystick, made of metal…WaveIdea was a French company…I owned one of these but sold it some 12-13 years ago. They used to come in a padded hard case, were sold like that lol.
no… companies are companies… they sell product, they will always want to sell new products to existing customers.