MIDI controller for Alesis Micron

tt_deeb · Post by **tt_deeb** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 12:42 am

Ideally I would've liked to get an Ion with all the knobs, but I found a Micron at a very good price so I pulled the trigger. I was curious what are some recommended MIDI interfaces for the Micron where I can have a huge variety of real-time sound control. I like to perform free-improv drone/ambient pieces using synth textures. My price range is between 100-200 dollars preferably.

Thanks!

Post by **WDW** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:34 am

Hey, TT. You've been away for a while; so you get a freebie. All posts posted in the wrong sub-forum are automatically locked.

This is a BUYER'S GUIDE topic. Because you get a freebie, you get an automatic ride over there...

Moved.

WD

crystalmsc · Post by **crystalmsc** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 5:34 am

a used X-stn 25 is ideal for this, since the interface designed around the three oscs structure of the internal engine and providing a better keyboard.

JugJug · Post by **JugJug** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:53 pm

Mind that in contrast to an ion , the micron does not respond (except in it's modulation matrix) to Continuous Controllers. To automate the micron your midi controller needs to support NRPN's (12-bit 16384 steps, although the largest parameter on the micron only has around 1000 steps.) For example, my Kenton Spindoctor controller did support NRPN's but could only give 127 values to one knob. As a consequence, for the filter I needed 8 knobs, and had to turn every subsequent knob open or closed in order to start tweaking the next. Of course I didn't do that.
For this reason I bought a cheap, and low quality Behringer BCR2000. Well, it's a piece of c**p, but it works, and this is what I needed.

Disdvantages: 1)the software included is quite buggy and only works with certain versions of Java.( 1.4.2.15) On later Java versions it doesn't start anymore. (haven't checked later updates, but i don't expect anything form behringer). But it's possible to program it without the software.
2) This mistake is on Alesis' side: for some parameters you need 2 knobs e.g. the Envelope Development parameter goes from 16284-16384 (-100;0) and from 0-100 (0-100) for respectively negative and positive values. No way to combine them in one knob.
3) Parameters with 0-1 values are also in 12-bit NRPN, and as far as I know the push triggers do not switch them. (but I might be wrong here)

Advantages: it works.

theplateauxofmirror · Post by **theplateauxofmirror** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:31 pm

for the money you'd spent on the controller, wouldn't you save money by selling the micron and buying an ion?