# Midi controller with the most knobs/faders/controls?



## Rordog (Jun 3, 2019)

I am a blind musician who up to now mostly uses hardware synths from Nord, Roland, Yamaha. I have played around with baby software synths, like soundfonts and sfz files and such. I'm starting to get more interested in upping my game though with some more advanced sample libraries. Is the Komplete linke of keyboards the best way to go? Essentially, I want to do a lot from the hardware, and not a lot with the mouse. Clicking around a graphic interface isn't the easiest for a blind guy, which is why I have always used hardware synths. So if I start down this software road, I want a keyboard controller that will give me lots of knobs and faters and whatnot. I'm probably going to go with an 88 key, so I have easier access to keyswitching, but what else should I be looking for? 
Thanks
R


----------



## Rordog (Jun 4, 2019)

OK great. Thanks for all the replies. Very helpful.


----------



## brenneisen (Jun 4, 2019)




----------



## chimuelo (Jun 4, 2019)

Check out my Avatar.

Multiply those x 4 and you’ve got 108.
But now each preset has 4 x scenes of the above.

432 controllers per song.
Then there are 8 x continuous controllers like expression per scene, all re assignable.
432 + 32 = 454

8 MIDI Outs, 2 MIDI Ins, 5 USB Ports.
Run your editors in real-time, plus a USB Display Port Powered Monitor or 2.

I’m kind of in a hurry but you get the picture.
I’m assuming you can see a little bit if you’re using software.
There are 10 different VST Slots that double as permanent fixtures in your set up.
SysEx Strings x 8 can be sent by the push of a button.

Not for everybody, but it’s a performers dream.
3 of my fellow keyboard buddy’s bought one.

If your not into Master MIDI Controllers Korgs Kronos is a great axe.
Kind of pricey, but my Physis K4 is 1800 from Kraft Music.
Not a cheap piece of gear but I loved these so much I bought a 2nd one.

“First rule of Government spending, why buy just one when you can have two for twice the price.”

S.R. Hadden in the Movie Contact.
1997 Warner Bros.


----------



## EvilDragon (Jun 4, 2019)

Sadly Physis K4 isn't exactly blind people friendly.


----------



## Josha (Jun 6, 2019)

I don’t have any direct experience with this but some thoughts fwiw. 

Komplete Kontrol with screen reader looks like an amazing option, and probably best. Otherwise, having to map knobs for lots of different instruments and remember what is mapped where when each instrument (and often each screen of each instrument) works seems a herculean task. 

A few things to point out though: you asked for lots of knobs and buttons. Komplete Kontrol isn’t the most generous in that sense. It offers multiple pages of parameters that you scroll through to apply to the same 8 buttons and knobs. Other keyboards offer more controls, including sliders and drum pads if that’s what you want (SL MKII, Panaram, Arturia). But you can always add a separate control surface, to supplement you keyboard or you might be able to use one of your hardware synths to transmit midi. 

You also said you were looking to use it with advanced sample libraries. At least for instrument samples you don’t need as many controls, and those controls can be fairly consistent (dynamics, vibrato, eq…). As an alternative to Komplete Kontrol for scrolling through sounds, you can setup templates for the types of ensembles you want in a sequencer, and then scroll to part you want, or setup hotkeys.


----------



## chimuelo (Jun 6, 2019)

EvilDragon said:


> Sadly Physis K4 isn't exactly blind people friendly.



In case he wasn’t totally blind.
The guy who owned Synthony Music in Scottsdale said he was blind but put his face right up to the PC screen programming Nord Modular Module when it was brand new.

Wait a minute, how he’s reading our posts any ways?


----------



## EvilDragon (Jun 6, 2019)

chimuelo said:


> In case he wasn’t totally blind.Wait a minute, how he’s reading our posts any ways?



That's a bit insensitive. Screen reader software, man. You didn't know that stuff existed?


----------



## Rordog (Jun 7, 2019)

I am indeed completely blind. I would assume most of you are aware that computers have speech capabilities? And have had for some 40+ years now. What shows up on the screen is read aloud to me.
Thanks for the replies everyone. I had Komplete on my mind for sure, as I knew it had speech support, but I also knew it didn't have the most physical controls, so I wasn't sure which way to go.


----------



## chimuelo (Jun 7, 2019)

EvilDragon said:


> That's a bit insensitive. Screen reader software, man. You didn't know that stuff existed?



My apologies for my ignorance, but that’s fantastic that’s is possible to do all these things with such a handicap. I might appear as knowledgeable but I can assure you only with hardware and software I’ve used. 

I was always fascinated by Pete Jacobsen, Stevie Wonder and my Fusion favorite Mike Mandel from Eleventh House with Larry Coryell. Overcoming such a handicap must require incredible patience. I never could grasp how anyone could read brail back then. That’s a whole separate language.

I’m happy Komplete has speech support. Hope Rordog has a blast.


----------



## EvilDragon (Jun 7, 2019)

chimuelo said:


> That’s a whole separate language.



It's the same language, just another writing system


----------



## Zero&One (Jun 7, 2019)

Wouldn't the Keylab line from Arturia be helpful in this situation?
I believe all their products are automatically mapped to the sliders and pots, so using their software should be relatively easy. They can be changed if required.


----------



## TheNorseman (Jun 17, 2019)

I'm just responding to this to say how fucking amazing it is that we have made it to where blind people can fully functionally use the internet. Rordog, I apologize that you have to have to listen to me say "fucking" on here, but that is incredible. It's the first time I have learned about this.


----------

