MPE with hex/Wicki/Hayden layout?

I am trying to figure out a more expressive (pitchbend/velocity?) iPad app that will let me be isomorphic like with the Striso, but using just the iPad or iPhone screen for input when I am traveling. Basically, MusixPro but with updated touch. Or, a way to make custom layouts in something like Velocity Key? I just learned today of a now-defunct app that did such, from the AudioKit folks, I think, but its name escapes me now. Any suggestions?

The current version of Musix Pro supports a velocity heuristic (can be enabled or disabled via the touch settings in the config bar on the left). Afaik no pitch bends though.

In Geoshred one can set up whole tone+diatonic+root=c as scale and all-fourth as interval but unfortunately it insists on whole tone notes in the root (c here) for all rows, so rows are not really a fourth but a major third apart (f isn’t in the whole tone scale of c, so it just takes e instead). So you can set up the Striso layout almost but not quite… (Striso layout actually isn’t really hex but just a slightly rotated grid layout). For i-devices without 3d touch (almost all new ones…) Geoshred only supports to map velocity on the y-axis, no touch heuristic like in Musix/Velocity Key afaik.

Perhaps ask the Musix Pro devs nicely to add pitch bend and y-axis CC control and/or the Geoshred devs to allow to define different root note per row and a velocity heuristic for non-3d-touch devices? These two are already pretty close.

Edit: You can actually set up Geoshred to chromatic+all 4th (which is the standard layout) and just ignore every even column - that’s pretty close.

Edit 2: Found another app that is that is similarly close as GeoShred: Midi Poly Grid. This simulates velocity by the y-position a cell is touched. To get as close as possible to Striso set it up like that:
layout: Chromatic - 4th (this will show all chromatic notes, so you have to ignore all even columns…)
width, height: 16 x 16
scale: major (so it lights up the white keys on the Striso with the black keys staying darker)
scale root note: C
base note: F#
show velocity: on (nice to have)

midi:
MPE member channels: 2-15
Velocity mode: Y-Axis
Range: 0-127

Advanced:
pan mode: MPE
input size: 5%
dead zone: 0%
2d modulation:
x: pitch bend up&down
y: slide [74} center 64
pitch bend range: 1 st

That might work. When one ignores the even columns… And without touch based velocity heuristic - but I guess the y-axis based approach can also be learned and might be more precise anyways). The app is actually open source - neat!
Github link

Didn’t really realize that up to now - the Striso layout is just a subset of the Linnstrument layout… So Linnstrument players who want to test the logic of the Striso layout can do that easily from the Linnstrument standard all 4th tuning by considering all even columns nonexistant :slight_smile:

Wow! Thanks again for the cogent, clear and thorough response…I am amazed that you (and most who post here) know so much about what I imagine is a rather rare stratum combining music, hardware and software. I will explore your suggestions. Today’s a good time; Saturday with a cold bad enough to avoid the live session.

Again, “Wow!”

I got Midi Poly Grid and set it up as you suggested, and it works great…extremely expressive, and a system I could learn to play by ear and fingers…But, the velocity settings on MusixPro also make great sense (don’t know why I never really tried them…thanks for the reminder) and that has the advantage of more closely replicating the Striso layaout, and in fact the Hayden Duet concertina layout I have on my acoustic side. And, of course, the Velocity Keyboard app has a whole other range of possibilities, so I’ll spend some time with it, too. It will help with my belated coming to grips with the piano-style keyboard, I believe.

@colpitts, you have a Wicki-Hayden concertina? (I’m interested in putting together a MIDI one but I’ve never seen the real thing. Would be interested to discuss.)

There’s another isomorphic app called FormKey but I doubt it has velocity/aftertouch.

BJG145, you are right about FormKey. I will stick with MusixPro for my truly Wicki-Hayden app layout (plus a ton of others.) And, I’m always happy to discuss concertinas!

1 Like