Roger Linn Design

BobDog · Post by **BobDog** » Wed Sep 11, 2019 6:51 am

Hi Roger,

I think this may have been discussed here before but I cannot find it!

Is it possible to have a flat playing surface without the indentations?

Cheers

Andy

Roger_Linn · Post by **Roger_Linn** » Wed Sep 11, 2019 12:54 pm

Hi Bob,

I don’t have any such flat sheets, nor a mold from which one could be formed.

I suppose you could buy a roll of 16th inch clear silicone sheeting online and cut/drill it to fit. It would be difficult to press the missing 8 control buttons and would bunch up under slides without the polyurethane non-stick coating, but it might allow you to learn whether it provides the benefit you perceive.

BobDog · Post by **BobDog** » Wed Sep 11, 2019 3:46 pm

Hi Roger,

Thanks for the reply.

I do have my old silicon sheet, if I got a 16th inch silicon sheet from somewhere and cut the area from the existing sheet for the buttons so you think the screws would hold the tension ok, I'm wondering if the middle rows might pull across too much. I guess a suck it and see aproach might be required.

Roger_Linn · Post by **Roger_Linn** » Wed Sep 11, 2019 3:57 pm

For the non-stick coating, you could get a can of matte polyurethane spray at a hardware store. Any of these solutions won’t be great but you’d probably have fun trying it out. And a new sheet is not so much at $60 + $35 international shipping on my online store.

BobDog · Post by **BobDog** » Wed Sep 11, 2019 5:41 pm

Thanks for the tip on the spray. Luckily I have my old sheet sitting here anyway so I don't need to risk the $95

Maybe the first totally hack attempt could be to slice it down the left so the 8 buttons are separate and just turn the there part upside down. I know this will be hopeless around the edges but might give me a feel for if taking it any further is worthwhile. I will let you know how it goes...

Roger_Linn · Post by **Roger_Linn** » Wed Sep 11, 2019 7:52 pm

That should be fine. Try to cut it close to the buttons so there’s less chance of the cut being visible.

John the Savage · Post by **John the Savage** » Wed Sep 11, 2019 9:00 pm

It's been a while since I've had my LinnStrument apart, but I'm trying to remember how the sensor itself is secured... I mean, the sensor is enclosed in smooth, slippery plastic after all. Would it be possible to play just the sensor without the silicone on top? For that matter, if you're planning on cutting the silicone anyway, I suppose you could cut-out a rectangle to reveal the sensor in the playing area, leaving the boarders and buttons around the edges, so the top plate can hold the sensor in place... Eh?

Cheers!

Roger_Linn · Post by **Roger_Linn** » Thu Sep 12, 2019 2:05 am

Hi John,

I'm afraid that wouldn't work. The flexible silicone sheet is needed between the top panel and circuit board/sensor, both to elevate the top panel above the connector and jack pins, but also to evenly spread the force from the screws to all of the sensors contacts between the screws.

John the Savage · Post by **John the Savage** » Thu Sep 12, 2019 3:20 am

I see. Oh well, it was just a thought. I personally don't aspire to do this, so... Thanks, Roger.

Andy, are you using one of the newer, slipperier playing surfaces, or are you still rocking the original formulation? I'm just asking because I find the newer surfaces to be quite frictionless, to the point where the indentations are negligible.

Cheers!

Roger_Linn · Post by **Roger_Linn** » Thu Sep 12, 2019 3:45 am

Hi Bobdog,

I just realized that I may have misunderstood your question. I thought you were requesting a flexible sheet without the raised square note pads, in other words a completely smooth surface. But I suspect now that you may have been asking for a sheet without the small Braille-size bumps on all “C” keys.

If the latter, I still have some of the older sheets without the bumps, but with the older silicone non-stick coating that eventually rubs off.

BobDog · Post by **BobDog** » Thu Sep 12, 2019 6:15 am

Hi Guys,

Roger you were correct I want one without the squares.

John I do have the newer surface, I am finding the indentations are getting in the way of low pressure slides, maybe I need to adjust something else somewhere.

John the Savage · Post by **John the Savage** » Thu Sep 12, 2019 7:54 am

Admittedly, I have a heavy hand, so I probably don't feel the grooves like some players do. I also don't use a lot of sounds that employ continuous pressure, so I rarely have to perform long slides with a light touch.

Cheers!

BobDog · Post by **BobDog** » Thu Sep 12, 2019 8:47 am

Yeah with patches that don't use Z it isn't an issue, maybe I will try with a different pressure sensitivity...

John the Savage · Post by **John the Savage** » Thu Sep 12, 2019 10:05 am

I generally use the "aftertouch" setting for pressure, and design my sounds accordingly; but when I do need to play with continuous pressure, I definitely prefer the heaviest response curve, for that very reason.

When it comes to velocity though, perhaps ironically, I've been trying to get used to the lightest sensitivity setting. I tend to hammer the pads too hard, and I play so much and so often that, between the LinnStrument and the guitar, it takes a toll on my fingers. It's proving a challenge to ease-up, onstage, in the heat of the moment; but I'm working on it.

It could be that I'm just getting old (smirk).

Cheers!

BobDog · Post by **BobDog** » Thu Sep 12, 2019 10:15 am

Yeah that's how I have mine set as well I think (vel=high, aftertch=low), I just tried changing the prescaler unfortunately while making the pressure heavier it also makes the velocity heavier

Roger Linn Design

KVR Audio

Flat playing surface.