Controllers

Roland's affordable new guitar synth incorporates improved pitch-tracking, and comes bundled with the latest GK-series pickup as standard.

The price of compact MIDI controller keyboards has come tumbling down in the past few years, but weighted-action full-length keyboards have remained relatively expensive —until now. We investigate the 88-note keyboard that runs off USB power...

There has been fierce competition over the past couple of years to create the ultimate portable MIDI controller for use with laptops. Edirol's PCR1 is one of the lightest and thinnest yet seen. Is it what we have all been waiting for?

I love banging away on my thighs and knees, and I feel that I make some of my most interesting drum patterns in this way. How could I build a controller with a pair of panels that are velocity-sensitive to sit atop my thighs?

After releasing their Remote 25 MIDI controller keyboard, Novation released the Remote Audio 25, rapidly following it with the Remote Audio 25 Xtreme. Now, the X-Station has replaced both of these. Can we disentangle it from its convoluted beginnings?

Although they started off as rugged, assignable control surfaces aimed mainly at Pro Tools, CM Labs' Motormix moving-fader and Dashboard button/jog/shuttle controllers can interface with most digital audio workstations. We put them through their paces.

It's been an unreserved thumbs-up for Korg's bundle of software synths so far... but will the Legacy Polysix and Legacy Cell scale the same heights in the final instalment of our three-part definitive review?

With fader controllers, you often have a choice of buying something dedicated to one software package, or selecting a generic unit that gives versatility at the cost of tight integration. Digidesign's Command 8 aims to offer the best of both worlds.

In the second part of our coverage of Korg's new collection of software instruments, we turn our attention to the virtual MS20, and the MS20-shaped hardware controller. Just how well do these renditions compare to the original?

Evolution's new class-compliant MIDI keyboards are a cinch to use with computer-based sequencers. But do they perform as well as their spec suggests?

Now that Korg's Legacy Collection is properly complete, we follow up last month's preview with the first instalment of our three-part in-depth review. This month, we focus on the Korg Wavestation plug-in...

Korg's Legacy Collection recreates some of their best-loved keyboards in software form. It wasn't finished as we went to press at the end of March, but we managed to grab this sneak preview as the final touches were being applied... (Full in-depth hands-on Review next month.)

MIDI controller keyboards were a minority interest a few years ago, but as more studio duties have been taken on by computers, the popularity of controllers has soared. Korg's Microkontrol adds some new tricks to the well-established concept...

Yamaha's 01X is a digital mixer, hardware controller, audio and MIDI interface that promises an unprecedented level of integration with PC/Mac computer-based DAWs. But can this one silver box really do it all?

The budget MIDI controller market is pretty crowded these days, but Evolution are giving you the most for your money with the UC33, eschewing expensive rotary encoders and large displays for affordable non-moving faders and wipe-clean overlays.

Edirol's all-in-one UR80 combines USB audio and MIDI interfaces with a fader-based control surface.

Building on the success of previous mixer and control surface designs, Mackie's affordable Mackie Control promises the best of the soft- and hardware worlds — but will it make you hang up your mouse?

The FW1884 is more than just a well-specified Firewire audio and MIDI interface: it also offers detailed control over almost every MIDI + Audio sequencer thanks to its motorised faders, rotary controls, transport buttons and more.

Kenton's affordable MIDI controllers continue to come down in price — the new entry-level rotary-control Spin Doctor offers a lot of control (and controls) for a mere £125!

The concept of the portable laptop-based studio is enticing, but you still need a musical input device — hence the current popularity of compact MIDI keyboards. And although it's not the cheapest, Novation's Remote 25 has much to offer...

JL Cooper's miniature controller packs 155 controls into a box the size of a book.