Loom: overlays?

dainiak

I have happily supported the Loom project on Kickstarter, and planning to use Loom mostly as an advanced MIDI ribbon (waiting to try to use it for bowing SWAM strings). There are many more modes advertised for LOOM, but I find it hard to imagine playing all these modes without proper visual map. Are any stock overlays planned for use with it? Assuming capacitative sensors and good sensitivity, even semi-transparent films should suffice.

Also, we need more categories for community postings. Don’t see a dedicated category for Omega or Loom yet.

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We're currently figuring out what our strategy will be for visual guidance. Ideas welcome!

I took the liberty to move your topic to the new Loom category ;).

dainiak

@join So far it seems that any think overlay is a no-go due to the nature of the sensors. How about <0.7mm rigid plastic film?

Peter Ostry

@dainiak said in Loom: overlays?:

How about <0.7mm rigid plastic film?

You can't play well on plastic film and as far as I understand the Loom is mainly intended as an instrument. I see no reason for overlays. Everything you need to play can be marked above and below the playing surface and how to play certain synths has to be learnt with those synths anyway. If you only play one or two synths, you can add your own markings.

The wooden surface is a good choice for an instrument. The fingers have a pleasant friction with dry and moist skin and if you want it smoother for certain actions, use the top of your fingernails. I use the ExpressiveE Touché this way and it works pretty well.

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I see the Loom as a cheaper version of the ContinuuMini, without the synth, which is ok. Unfortunately the Z direction is missing. The software control functions are nice and a logical idea, but in my opinion it's counterproductive to focus on them. I realise that the Loom should match the Aodyo Omega, but an MPE instrument controller without a Z-axis, but with prepared virtual faders on a narrow wooden board would be too much diversification for me. I think the Loom should be positioned as a particularly playable and affordable instrument and the musically relevant features should be refined precisely for this purpose. Otherwise it won't find a place between the Linnstrument, Roli, Sensel Morph, Osmose and all the other competitors all of which serve a niche market. The only obvious advantage would be the price.

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My personal opinion is that I'd rather have generic markings or fine creases on the wood than specialized overlays, because switching quickly from one mode to another is one of the strengths of the Loom, and having to change overlays while changing modes invalidates that a bit.
But I also get the value of overlays in making the learning experience less of a hassle.

@dainiak I'm not the best person to say, so take this with a grain of salt, but I don't think adding an overlay would be an issue for sensing. In any case, the sensors will be calibrated to support it.

@Peter-Ostry When you say "the musically relevant features should be refined precisely for this purpose", anything specific comes to mind?

Peter Ostry

@join said in Loom: overlays?:

@Peter-Ostry When you say "the musically relevant features should be refined precisely for this purpose", anything specific comes to mind?

Since I do not know the Loom, I can only say what comes to my mind when I see this wooden ribbon:

Relative and absolute pitch bend mode (Roli Seaboard strips and Y-axis are only relative).
Behavior at direction-changes (sometimes I hear annoying soundglitches in ContinuuMini demonstrations).
Configuration of the Y-axis for Aftertouch, Pitch bend and CC (I can imagine that this is already implemented).
Gliding speed dynamics for bowed instruments (missed in the Touché).

Can’t say much more, would need to play the Loom.

In general, I meant that the inventive and programming capacity should largely go into sophisticated musical playability. The gimmicks with fader groups, strumming etc. seem out of place to me, any mobile phone can do that better.