What’s mpe?
With each new polysynth released I’m left asking the same question. My Linnstrument needs friends!!! Lol
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I’m content that it has poly aftertouch, which is all I want personally. I’ve been getting decent mileage from a CME 3 octave poly AT keyboard and my Blofeld, but the CME has very flimsy connectors and a very shallow key travel. I’m therefore itching to start programming patches for expression on the Hydrasynth. MPE would be irrelevant to me, YMMV.
I agree that you can get a lot of mileage out of poly-aftertouch, but I’m looking for a hardware synth to use with my LinnStrument. I’m just getting impatient waiting for the industry to deliver such a box.
I’m currently using an iPad as the brain of my LinnStrument rig… I hate it. Don’t get me wrong, I get good sounds out of it, but it’s a flimsy setup involving too many peripherals, and there are always bugs to deal with because the iOS ecosystem is constantly changing. It’s tiresome. Anyway…
Cheers!
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Absolutely, I completely see where you’re coming from. It’s a big reason I was never even slightly interested in the LinnStrument despite it offering much of the performance control I’ve been seeking.
For the record, the LinnStrument is one of the best pieces of gear that I own; in the sense that it does what it’s supposed to do, is brilliantly designed, well-supported, and built to last. Honestly, it’s a pleasure to use, incredibly intuitive, and highly configurable. It’s just ahead of its time is all. But then, I’m a guitarist who also happens to get hired to do synth work, so the LinnStrument has been a godsend for me: i.e. no more faking it at the keys! 
Now I just need a road-worthy synth to use it with… Like the Hydra. Alas, if only…
Cheers!
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As a keyboard player I was drawn to it also, but it seemed to want to tie me to a computer rather than my hardware MIDI synths. It’s a beautiful and expressive creation, no doubt.
Fellow guitarist - the linnstrument has appealed to me for a while but not easy to find one to try and even then it seems some extended time would be required. But I’m interested in the apparent lack of hardware synths to get the best out of it?
Thanks, Governor, but aside from the Black Corp stuff (which is somewhat limited in terms of functionality, the wrong form factor for me, and pricey despite all that), in practice, that list of hardware synths on Roger’s site, optimistic though it may be, is a bit of a wash. For most of those synths, MPE was an afterthought, and it shows. Regardless, they all come up short on various necessary aspects, be it channel filtering, connectivity, modulation, proper note handling for MPE application, or they simply remain buggy and all but abandoned, etc. The rest are modular solutions, which is impractical at best. Hell, several of them aren’t even technically MPE synths, but rather multitimbral, which leads to a host of other issues in the context of a true MPE setup. Anyway…
And so, we wait (sigh).
Cheers!
That’s a shame. I was daydreaming about the Micromonsta on the low end, and Deckards Dream on the high-end as MPE modules.
I’ve heard mixed results about using Parva w/ MPE though I forgot the specific issues. With Roland stuff there’s always something quirky - the ones listed seem pretty dated these days.
My buddy has the Linnstrument/Deckards combo and good lord does it sound amazing!!! Unfortunately $3700 is a little too rich for my blood. Who knows if nothing turns up soon I might cave.
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I think this particular post represents an official departure from the topic of this tread. Perhaps it should be moved elsewhere, so we can talk about this in the proper space? There must be a LinnStrument thread somewhere on this forum already, no? Ah, and as I type this, the mods have split the thread, so I’ll just answer here and let them move it.
Anyway, the short answer, Francis, is that you shouldn’t necessarily be overly concerned with the MPE aspect of the LinnStrument at first, or let that deter you from owning one for that matter. I mean, if you’re a guitarist looking to play synths, this is the controller for you, no question. That said, there will be a learning curve, so it’s going to take some time before you get proficient enough to know whether or not MPE is even of interest to you. In the meantime, there is much expressivity to be had with more standard pitch and mod-wheel configurations. More importantly, however, it often gets overlooked that the LinnStrument can be use to control any synth, as you would with a normal MIDI controller. It has both USB and DIN connections, and can be configured to accommodate any MIDI situation. In fact, it’s the most configurable MPE controller on the market in that respect, by a large margin, and it doesn’t have to be used for MPE at all.
I do play keys, and I often get hired to do just that; however, I’m a guitarist primarily, so I got the LinnStrument to get myself away from the keys and onto a playing surface that would allow me to exploit my guitar chops in the context of playing synths. Sufficed to say, it has proven to be the right decision.
Now, if you do want to play with MPE, indeed the hardware options are limited currently. The easiest and most affordable way to dive into the world of MPE remains software: plugins and apps. It’s just that I’m a full-time touring musician, so trusting an iPad or a laptop on-stage, and all the flimsy peripherals that come with, well… Frankly, it just sucks. Hence why I’m on the hunt for a proper hardware solution.
Cheers!
P.S. If you contact Roger Linn via his support address, often he will reach out to other LinnStrument owners in your area, to see if someone will let you try theirs for an hour (wink).
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To be clear, and to be fair, both of the Black Corp synths and the MIcroMonsta sound amazing, and they are very capable synths in their own right. Pound for dollar, however, if MPE is to be the primary focus, I honestly think it would be better to wait for a more comprehensive solution to come along. But again, I have very specific requirements, given the rigors of life on the road.
Cheers!
Lots of great replies in this thread. I love my Linnstrument. One viable option for hardware MPE is the Waldorf Microwave XT or Access Virus. Anything significantly multi-timbral. I think anyone interested in MPE just hasn’t played with it yet. Independent pitch bending is a beautiful thing.
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DSI Sequential Prophet 6, Ob6, Rev 2 and I think P12 have support MPE
Nope.
Cheers!
Polyphonic after touch but obviously not multitimbral
Nope.
Channel (mono) aftertouch only.
Cheers!