# Best option for external faders?



## JTJohnson (Jan 4, 2018)

Finally got around to buying a 88 key weighted keyboard which is great and a huge upgrade from my M-Audio 49key but the M-Audio has an expression fader built in which i use for all my modulation when recording orchestral sounds. The new Casio CDP120 does not have this which is a drawback so what are my options?


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## agarner32 (Jan 4, 2018)

Tons of options from pretty cheap to very expensive. NanoKontrol 2 for an inexpensive hardware MIDI controller. Expensive JL Cooper Fadermaster Pro. If you have an iPad - MIDI Designer. Those are just a few.


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## R. Soul (Jan 4, 2018)

I haven't tried it myself but a lot of people around here praise this one.

https://vi-control.net/community/threads/faderctrl.58734/


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## synthpunk (Jan 4, 2018)

It should be noted that the creator of the project has seemed to flake out and not finish the software or answer questions anymore. Very disappointing.



R. Soul said:


> I haven't tried it myself but a lot of people around here praise this one.
> 
> https://vi-control.net/community/threads/faderctrl.58734/


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## fixxer49 (Jan 4, 2018)

JTJohnson said:


> Finally got around to buying a 88 key weighted keyboard which is great and a huge upgrade from my M-Audio 49key but the M-Audio has an expression fader built in which i use for all my modulation when recording orchestral sounds. The new Casio CDP120 does not have this which is a drawback so what are my options?


the korg nanokontrol has been a surprisingly reliable workhorse. bought while traveling as a band-aid solution for working on the road. i now have one on each of my permanent workstations. easy to program, faders feel pretty good. super easy to replace. takes up minimal desktop real estate.


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## Jeremy Spencer (Jan 4, 2018)

+1 for the Korg. Best $40 I ever spent.


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## storyteller (Jan 4, 2018)

I picked up the $49 Behringer X-Touch mini over the summer just to demo out the Behringer software to see if I wanted to get the X-Touch Compact. I figured it might make a good travel controller as well. As it turned out, for $49, it is a surprisingly great controller. I’d highly recommend it for your kit bag. You only have one smooth 60mm fader (much longer throw than the 45mm Nanocontrol), but it has two banks, so that fader can be setup to control two separate midi CCs with the toggle button right next to it. The knobs are also endless/infinity and are also bankable. So 8 knobs, 1 fader, 16 buttons, plus the knobs are also clickable too (all times 2 since they are all A/B bankable).... all for $49. More excitingly, the knobs can receive back the midi playback since they are not purely analog knobs. That’s tough to beat. I think this spring I will try to demo out the setup Christian Henson is using too... albeit it is the more expensive alternative for a compact setup ($249 for the main controller and an additional fader, but it is highly customizable).


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## R. Soul (Jan 4, 2018)

synthpunk said:


> It should be noted that the creator of the project has seemed to flake out and not finish the software or answer questions anymore. Very disappointing.


Ah..ok. 
As I don't own or intent to, I don't follow the thread that closely.

For cheap, I think the Behringer BFC2000 is hard to beat. I got mine for £70, which is perhaps cheaper than most go for, £100-120 ones shouldn't be hard to find.


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## MichaelM (Jan 4, 2018)

Another +1 for the nanoKontrol2. I use it with my my weighted Fatar studiologic keyboard. My only problem is not using it enough! I still and up drawing everything in and tidying in the PRV. I need to start breaking that habbit.


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## Mike Marino (Jan 4, 2018)

I have the Faderctrl; works great. Really simple. I don't much about what has or hasn't been done though.

Also take a look at Palette Gear. A more modular approach to what you might be after at a mid price point. Christian Henson of Spitfire covered Palette Gear in one of his vlogs.
https://palettegear.com


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## Blake Ewing (Jan 5, 2018)

Palette Gear and FaderCtrl for me.


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## Alex Fraser (Jan 7, 2018)

Wolfie2112 said:


> +1 for the Korg. Best $40 I ever spent.


Thinking of picking one up for a play. How do you find the faders? Is the throw too short? I struggled to mix with 45mm faders (on a previous keyboard) but I'm thinking for midi CC VI control it might be OK?

Any thoughts appreciated.


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## Ashermusic (Jan 7, 2018)

synthpunk said:


> It should be noted that the creator of the project has seemed to flake out and not finish the software or answer questions anymore. Very disappointing.



I don't care if he ever upgrades the software personally. It works fine here for what I need it to do, which is simply controlling MIDI ccs.


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## synthpunk (Jan 7, 2018)

Your right of course, but the fact he promised the software and even promised to post screenshots and then not posted again since is not right Jay. We have been very good to Corey here and deserve better even if it's the ugly "truth". That point should be acknowledged and pointed out to other potential customers.



Ashermusic said:


> I don't care if he ever upgrades the software personally. It works fine here for what I need it to do, which is simply controlling MIDI ccs.


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## Ashermusic (Jan 7, 2018)

synthpunk said:


> Your right of course, but the fact he promised the software and even promised to post screenshots and then not posted again since is not right Jay. We have been very good to Corey here and deserve better even if it's the ugly "truth". That point must be acknowledged and pointed out to people.




I would substitute "can" for "must" but whatever.


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## robgb (Jan 7, 2018)

agarner32 said:


> NanoKontrol 2 for an inexpensive hardware MIDI controller


And works beautifully. It's made of cheap plastic and the faders are pretty small, but I use it to control all of my CCs and it does an admirable job.


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## MatFluor (Jan 7, 2018)

$60 and a soldering iron -> DIY faderbox with an Arduino (or Teensy).

Built myself and couldn't be happier.


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## Ashermusic (Jan 7, 2018)

robgb said:


> And works beautifully. It's made of cheap plastic and the faders are pretty small, but I use it to control all of my CCs and it does an admirable job.



I had one for two days and returned it. Using faders with that short throw was just hard for me to enjoy using, but I am glad if it works for you and others.


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## conan (Jan 7, 2018)

Ashermusic said:


> I had one for two days and returned it. Using faders with that short throw was just hard for me to enjoy using, but I am glad if it works for you and others.



I have to agree. I find the throw too short to use effectively. As you say, there are others who get along just find with it.


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## synthpunk (Jan 7, 2018)

I dedicated my old Nanokontrol for editing U-he other other vst synths. Some of the buttons for random patches in of my favorite quirky vsts. There named DSTRY, RND, NUK, FUP, etc.



conan said:


> I have to agree. I find the throw too short to use effectively. As you say, there are others who get along just find with it.


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## JTJohnson (Jan 8, 2018)

Really appreciate all the replies. I actually used to own a NanoKontrol 1 but sold it as the faders were too short for me. I have recently seen the palette midi gear and it looks futuristic but when i went on thier website you can’t just buy a working single slider, i beleive you have to buy there starter kit and then you can add the single sliders to that. Correct me if i’m wrong.


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## synthpunk (Jan 8, 2018)

Palette gear is short throw as well, just sayin.


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## Alex Fraser (Jan 8, 2018)

An idea for the shorter throw controllers: 
Using dynamics as an example. Use 3 faders.
Fader 1: Set to full range (0-127)
Fader 2: Limit values from, say (0-63)
Fader 3: The rest. (64 - 127)

This way, you have 2 "detail" faders with more distance to play with.
I've set this split up on a tablet before with some success and I guess there's no reason why it wouldn't translate to the hardware world? Obviously, longer faders in the first place would be ideal, but if not an option..


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## Mucusman (Jun 24, 2018)

Behringer has recently announced, and will shortly be releasing, their new X-Touch One, a _single_-fader unit. It _looks _like it may be able to handle MIDI CC input in the same way the X-Touch Compact does, by this on the product page:

Various standard MIDI modes with Note or CC assignments, and absolute or relative encoder operation

One thoughtful feature is the included plastic overlay templates that are DAW specific for button control. So this looks like a challenge to PreSonus' FaderPort, which doesn't easily handle CC modulation on the fader. I'm happy as they included Studio One as one of the DAW overlays (also included are ProTools, Logic, Waveform, Live, Reaper, and Cubase, as well as a blank template and a couple others). Waiting to confirm this handles MIDI/CC input mode on the fader, like it's bigger brother (X-Touch Compact) before purchasing, but this might just fit the bill for me.

I hadn't seen any mention of this new unit yet on VI-Control, so this seemed like as good a place as any to mention it.

Edit: Looking in the manual, it looks pretty clear that it supports MIDI CC editing as does its bigger brother the X-Touch Compact (the biggest X-Touch doesn't).


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## Zoot_Rollo (Jun 26, 2018)

i get this one on Thursday.


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## Zoot_Rollo (Jun 28, 2018)

After some setup struggles, very happy with this one.

i got it for the faders and knobs - 3 banks.

but the pads are a surprise hit - 4 banks of 16.

tuned, they are great with my VSL libraries - and the faders with slot crossfade...

MAGNIFICENT!


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## Zoot_Rollo (Jun 29, 2018)

then i see THIS!


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## Zoot_Rollo (Jun 29, 2018)




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## Divico (Jun 29, 2018)

I bought this one on ebay:
Unfortunately it has potis instead of endless encoders but for 80 bucks it works really good.




Im using it for CCs and Synth programming. The big amount of knobs is also nice for EQ. 
Meldas EQ and Comp are Midi assignet completely so I have a bit of console feeling.


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