Anyma Phi - controller recommendations?
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Hey all,
my first post here as a new Phi owner, hi there! :) Name´s Marcus, and i am a sucker for digital synths mostly, blended in with some analog and some hybrids. Same goes for drums and i have built some euro drum modules, plus i have built a couple of hundred megacommand boxes for those that use MachineDrum.
Anyway, hello to you all! And i hope you can help me out.
To my new Phi i would like a nice controller; what i would like is something that:
- can be used as a keyboard (but dont have to be a normal keyboard, controller pads to play notes is good enough, for a couple of octaves)
- midi via DIN and USB both, and it WOULD be nice to have cv/gate outputs aswell but it´s not a must, just good to have
- enough controller encoders and such to cover most essential functions for Phi, if possible. Anyway, a lot of easily mappable knobs please
Not too expensive; 250 euro is my top limit for a brand new unit. Oh, and it can of course be DIY because i love to build musical devices..
I would REALLY appreciate recommendations! The unit should work stand-alone, and just connected to the phi via the host port.. And if it´s known to work well with BitWig, it´s a plus, since it´s my DAW of choice :)
Thanks in advance, and i will enjoy chatting with you i hope!
Cheers!
//Marcus (mbang)
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@mbang answering myself now; i´ve found that the Beatstep (Arturia) or the BSP (Beatstep Pro) ticks most of the dots in my list. The non-pro-version seems simple enough and with the most basic but vital functions that i need, so i´m kinda leaning towards it.
Also, there´s a unit called Faderfox that has a LOT of encoders, but no keyboard to play the synth with, or pads for that, i think. Plus, it´s more expensive than BS & BSP.
Please, anyone with any input? :)
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@mbang If you want to know more about the faderfox EC4 you might want to talk to the users here -> https://www.elektronauts.com/t/faderfox-ec4/114723
That forum also has Anyma Phi thread. You could also ask your keyboard/controller question there in one of the general parts of the forum, but be warned: Questions like "I want your recommendations for an X that does Y and Z" tend to degenerate quickly and the question gets treated as "I want to know your favourite X". Tread carefully :)
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@mbang
I think in the long run you want a serious keyboard with at least 49 semi-weighted keys and aftertouch and a few knobs and pads. Don't give priority to the DAW control, there are always problems with controller keyboards. Fine if it works, but if you're buying the device for synths, it should be able to handle those instruments really well, not just do something else and do everything halfway. I suggest saving money a little longer, maybe not buying other things (plugins for example) and taking your time to find a decent keyboard controller. A good one can also be a few years old. It doesn't stop working after a short time or fall apart, both of which are problems with today's cheap keyboards with hundreds of features.Regarding the Faderfox EC4: This is a well built and well programmed controller. The 16 encoders per page give you great control over your various synth or effects setups. Now it comes down to what you want from your synth. I call the EC4 a "rather static" controller. If you want to sit in front of the knob layout and push ambient or sequencer sounds around, the Faderfox EC4 is very good. But if you want to play expressively with real-time control of some parameters, the EC4 is the wrong device. Then I recommend an Expressive E Touché (the traditional, not the SE version). It then also has the CV outputs that you mentioned as advantageous.
To give you an idea of what I'm talking about:
I'm on Mac with Logic and currently only have two small hardware synths, a Waldorf Blofeld and a Dreadbox Typhon. My keyboards are a Roland Stage Piano and a Seaboard RISE. A Faderfox EC4 and a Touché are among my controllers. -
@Peter-Ostry Ok thanks, well thought.ought responses from both of you. Thank you!
I actually droppped the faderfox, because a wanted something with at least playable pads. TheGot The BSP and it has i think 16 mappable encoders which fits me like a glove.
Just to let you know - i am no keyboard player. I cant play a all, in fact. It´s sad, but anyway i still like making music after 30 years so no big deal. I like to program music, experiment with sounds to get fat grooves, modulate in many ways and i think a controller with more hands-on control than what i have now with my PHI, should be perfect for me.
I still havent got the hang of using the editor at the same time as i use the DAW, but probably i just need the BSP to play and try out the new sounds as i twist and turn..Also (it´s not my first BSP), i would prefer having the nice amount of different outputs it has. I thin i am heading to some kind if scaled down fun-fun setup, with my Phi, a Razzmatazz i just bought brand new but to a 21% discount. These twoo i can sample the hell out of.. and then i just nee some kind of decent mixer to rule them all. Maybe a bluebox.. But i would like to get one that i an use for bigger things with 10+ channels and USB multitracking straignt into my DAW..
Anyway, thread can be dropped, for now. Anything new happens, i´ll let you know. Thanks anyway for your responses, very helpful! :)
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@mbang i take it back - i don´t drop the thread. I got a BSP but i don´t feel comfortable with it.. had one before, same problem there. I dont like the sequencer parts, or many other othe other functions..
I am not sure i really need so many controllers, but a decent keyboard with usb-midi and din-midi out, plus cv/gate would be nice.. Maybe the regular beatstep?
Anyway i saw a new aalesis i thin that was very nice with lots out outputs... Hmm, gotta look into that one..
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I really like the samson graphite 49. I use it currently with a modal synth, but Im curious how it would work with phi, I suspect very well because for the value it has pressure aftertouch, 2 banks of 8 sliders and one for volume, 16 function buttons, and two banks of 8 knobs, along with 4 percussion pads you maybe could route the piezo to [?].
Odd that Ive had my phi some months and havent tried using my graphite for it yet. Reason being id have to re-assign some of my midi cc most likely, and I kind of am 'used' to what I have it set up with.
Korg's nanokey studio however, I do also have, though its a bit small and only has velocity sensitivity and no aftertouch, it has 8 knobs, 8 pads an arpeggiator and an xy pad also. I think what I will try soon is connecting with this one.
I believe Aodyo made a youtube video featuring the phi, and the nanokey studio, although it was not too in depth it did show functionality of the knobs with some of the sound manipulations in the one shown.
Besides the graphite 49 I also have a beatstep pro, that actually could be a fun idea also.
