Alesis Micron (or other 3-octive synth) as Midi controller?

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Does the Alesis Micron make a good midi controller? Or is there some other 3-octave or less desktop-type synth that sounds great AND works well as a midi controller? Maybe the microKorg? Or is there something better?

Considering pulling out my Edirol PCR-30, Proteus 2K, and Access Virus Rack Classic, and replacing with something like the Alesis Micron.

Here's the thing, I go long periods using just soft synths and rarely powering up the Virus or (especially) the Proteus.

Also, it'd be nice to be able to just power up a synth and play without having to boot the PC, etc.

Any advice much appreciated.

Thanks.
Last edited by freshorchestrachip on Thu Jun 09, 2005 9:47 pm, edited 5 times in total.

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Last edited by freshorchestrachip on Thu Jun 09, 2005 7:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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the ion's knobs send midi. good times.

the micron, however doesn't send midi controllers. less good in that respect.

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The Micron would be a great choice. It has a very small footprint on your desk and whilst I don't use mine as a controller, the knobs and sliders have flexible assignment so you should be able to do a reasonable amount of tweaking. I like the keyboard, its not fantastic but it certainly doesn't feel cheap or flimsy like alot of controllers do. OTOH, the MicroKORG has stupid miniature keys and if they are anything like the ones in the miniMS20 that comes with the Legacy Collection, I would be avoiding it like the plague.
NOVAkILL : Asus RoG Flow Z13, Core i9, 16GB RAM, Win11 | EVO 16 | Studio One | bx_oberhausen, GR-8, JP6K, Union, Hexeract, Olga, TRK-01, SEM, BA-1, Thorn, Prestige, Spire, Legend-HZ, ANA-2, VG Iron 2 | Uno Pro, Rocket.

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I use a Korg Prophecy as a controller and it is fantastic for this use. Has 5 knob controllers, mod wheel, pitch wheel, mono aftertouch, and the log (a turny ribbon thing). I'm not in love with it as a synth, fiddly to program, mono and the sounds are outmatched by a lot of software these days. But better than most controller keyboards I've tried.

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The microkorg is an absolutly atrociuos midi controller. It actually sends very few midi messages. Even with the learn feature in reason, you have to try to remember the combinations that you programmed.
For instance, the edit select 1 knob, there are only like, 3 selections that you can use that will allow you to use more than 4 of the edit knobs. even then most of those are not full rotating values, some send binary signals.
So yeah, it's bad... synth ain't great, keys suck. it's overall not a great unit.
I'm replacing it with a remote 49.

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IIRC the Micron sends NRPN, not CC, which limits its usefulness as a controller.

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How about the Novation X-Station? On paper, it sounds just about right.

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X-Station or Remote all the way, unless it's too honkin big.

You can't beat nice semi weighted keys and a kaoss pad :-o

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Does anyone know if you can use the Ion to program the Micron "out of the box"?

I mean, if you connect the MIDI out from Ion into MIDI in of Micron, will all knobs already be mapped to the same parameters? After all it is the same synth.

I suspect it is gonna work because the Ion/Micron software editor serves for both synths, with no distinction, meaning the parameters are the same.
BOOOOOM!!

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Interesting thought but I'd be surprised if it worked. I miss my Micron.
NOVAkILL : Asus RoG Flow Z13, Core i9, 16GB RAM, Win11 | EVO 16 | Studio One | bx_oberhausen, GR-8, JP6K, Union, Hexeract, Olga, TRK-01, SEM, BA-1, Thorn, Prestige, Spire, Legend-HZ, ANA-2, VG Iron 2 | Uno Pro, Rocket.

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