What's a Linnstrument And Why You Need One
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ม.ค. 2022
- You can get your Linnstrument here: www.rogerlinndesign.com/linns...
How's it going, musician? I'm Thales, I'm a pop music producer and this is a Linnstrument. What you're going to hear today is just the testimonial of a very happy customer.
So for those of you who don't know anything about the Linnstrument yet, it's an expressive midi controller, designed by a guy named Roger Linn. And I believe from the bottom of my heart this is the future of musical instruments.
It has 200 note pads that send midi messages and it's entirely powered by USB. Each pad respond to 3 dimensions of finger movement.
Pressure, which allows for dynamics control.
Pitch, by moving from left to right without the need for a bend wheel, which means you can easily play vibratos by just wiggling your finger.
And the forward and backward movement or y-axis usually controls timbre, some sort of tonal change of the instrument or whatever you configure on your synthesizer or sampler.
All those things combined mean that you can have very fluid, very natural sounding control of sampled instruments.
I bought this because I wanted to have a midi controller that allows for slides and vibratos, since I have a guitar and bass background.
I felt that a keyboard controller doesn't give you the freedom of sliding through the notes, especially because of the placement of the notes.
You have the white keys and black keys, and they're not equally spaced, the pattern is not as simple as a guitar string, for example, in which every chromatic note is just one fret away from the next one, in a linear way.
So, what makes the Linnstrument even more special is how the notes are arranged. It's a grid, like any string instrument. Each row is like a string with two octaves of consecutive semitones.
And you can tune them however you want, but the default configuration works like bass strings, but 8 strings instead. This basically behaves like an 8-strings bass, which is perfect, it's my favorite instrument to play, the one I've played for over 15 years.
So when I found out that I could have a midi controller that makes me feel like I'm playing a bass, I just went crazy.
And this configuration makes a lot of sense because any chord you play has the same finger shape in any key.
Just think about a keyboard and how the finger shape of a C major chord is entirely different from a C# major, and from almost all the other major chords.
Now the best feature! You can use the lights to display a scale in whatever key you want. So in my case, the green lights are a major scale, and the blue lights are actually the tonic.
You get to choose which scale and which key your lights display. I picked the major scale in the key of C for simplicity but it could be anything.
Isn't that cool? So visually easy to learn intervals, chords, play melodies and obviously, to record midi messages in my DAW. Besides the fact that I can now perform polyphonic pitch bends in different directions at the same time.
It's funny, I always wished there was something like this, but never knew it existed. So I had to try and purchase it. And it was so worth every penny.
That's how I've been recording all the instruments in my songs ever since I got it. Not only bass, guitar and synthesizers but also drums, violin, cello, brass...
By the way there's a video where Roger Linn plays a bunch of different sounds with the Linnstrument, like slide guitars, harmonicas, upright bass and whatnot. It's worth watching.
And it took me so much research to even find it, it's like a secret thing. I had to go through many midi controllers that kind of did what I wanted but not really... they always had a flaw that kept the magic from happening.
Some of them even allowed for slides and vibratos but in a weird shape. Some had the same linear pad configuration but you couldn't perform a vibrato...
So after a lot of disappointment, I found the Linnstrument, and I was glad I kept researching because as soon as I watched Roger's videos, I knew it was exactly what I needed to allow my ideas to flow without limitations during my production process.
I strongly recommend this for anyone that's making music with a midi controller or wants to learn how to play an instrument and doesn't know which one to choose. Every musician should get one of these.
Honestly, I think this thing should be and will be way more popular. I think the Linnstrument should be the main instrument used to teach kids music in schools everywhere. People need to find out about it, it makes learning music so much easier. I wish I had one growing up...
I leaned with guitars and keyboards, and they were fine. But this is next level. I feel like now I can play any instrument, as long as I get a hold of the samples and connect them to my Linnstrument.
By the way it has an arpeggiator that's really cool, and you can split the screen in half to play 2 different sounds or to strum [...]
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Thanks - great intro to the Linnstrument!
Thank you!
I got mine this week. It has its places but won’t be the end-all midi keyboard. For one on a piano you immediately know where all the keys are, and therefore can play with both hands even without looking. On this I can’t play more than two notes without having to hunt where the notes are. Also the touch sensitivity won’t recognize touch unless press slightly hard, which is unpredictable if I’m to play very lightly. On a piano, there is a key that physically travels down and it’s easier to control how light I’m to play. I can see that it’s very good for guitar and bass. Strings are ok but the touch sensitivity by finger pressure is not precise enough. I’ll use it for things like vernacular instruments and Guitar/Bass. Definitely keep my keyboards as main MIDI input and am going to get something else for strings.
I appreciate your in depth comment, Daniel!
do you have a better alternative?
Well with all respect but that is exactly how I feel whenever I sit behind a keyboard layout. The thing you said: "you immediately know where all the keys are" - that's the case for me with guitar and bass. When I grabbed a banjo for the first time in my life I already had some intuitions, same with mandolin etc., but whenever I sit to a piano I'm confused with the notes layout. So I think I might actually give a Linnstrument a chance.
great vid! I just found out these existed the other day and I want one sooo bad now but I did just get an Ableton Push 3 Standalone and it kind of fits my needs a little better because of the standalone aspect.
Congrats on the Linnstrument, Thales! I got one right around the time you posted this video and am having the same reaction. Haven't touched any of my other instruments since!
Awesome! What's your favorite feature?
@@thalesmatos Hands down the MPE capabilities are my favorite followed by how easy and logical it is to learn/play. One of the most jaw-dropping revelations I've had so far has been using a couple of synths I have that let you map the gestures to multiple destinations. Doing stuff like mapping pitch and pan to the Y axis... full control over pitch and position in the stereo space on the fly just by rolling my finger up and down? Who needs automation when you can do it live! LOL
@@tricordertransmissions1442 Wow! That would be shocking on a live performance!
@@thalesmatos Right?! Currently have no plans to play live but from a recording aspect the power the Linnstrument provides is mind blowing!
Thank You😀
You're welcome, thanks for watching
Totally agreed, great instrument.
Thanks for commenting!
pure Awesomeness
Thank you for commenting!
Thank for sharing your experience. Have you tried new Push 3?
I would argue with your statement that guitars notes layout is better than on piano. Just by looking at the keyboard you know where semitones, or tones are. With guitar you need to know what tuning is used and then apply all those fretboard hacks to know where are corresponding notes are (3rd, 4th, etc.). In other words it's a amatter of our brain. What's easier for them, or more intuitive.
Yes I agree and I am not sue what he means about the guitar being linear and the piano is not. The piano is entirely linear. He seems to be putting emphasis on whether they are black keys or white keys but that has nothing ti do iwth the chromaticism of a piano.
Currently using the Push 2 and am frustrated with how high the threshold is for when notes are triggered. Have you had experiences where notes wouldn't trigger because you struck them too softly? And do you know if the strike velocity is configurable on the Linnstrument?
It really seems like it is a very expressive instrument, but besides that I was wondering how easy it is to be tight when playing it? Are the pads easily strikeable for tight syncopations and a steady rhythm or is it more for soft string-like playing?
I haven't experienced that problem with the Linnstrument. And yes, the velocity is configurable! But I feel like it's better for soft playing, as hitting the pads hard may damage them.
You might want to check out the Novation Launchpad Pro Mk3. I've owned mine since 2019 and the threshold at which a note is triggered feels more natural than on any other pad controller I've tried - including the Akai MPC pads.
The IPad was one of those for me. Just couldn't ever get things working smoothly and right for any amount of time
Do you happen to know if it can be set to highlight the hold notes when the fingers are released? When the hold/sustain function is engaged.
I do not know it! Let us know when you find out!
Mine will be here on Wednesday.
Have fun!
Can it be used as DAW contoller? like split sections so one can be for playing and other for daw commands?
I haven't explored it enough to answer your question properly, but I think it's not going to work like you expect
❤
Can I play this at a live gig without internet? How is the sound hooked up?
Yes you can. Connect it to a sampler or synth in your computer. I use it with Ableton Live.
Aftertouch?
Can it be triggered by a midi guitar? great video thanks
I'm not sure I understand your question! I use it to trigger MIDI samples and synthesizers, just like a MIDI guitar
This is sick, but 1 grand? Oof. I want it tho :c
Totally worth it IMO!
It cost too much, cheaper version will be more popular.
Roger explains the reason for the cost. It actually is reasonable compared with a professional guitar or piano. The sensor board underneath the pads is unique. It's not cheap.
It sure would but it beats anything I've ever tried. And I have a serious case of GAS!
I know, right? My guitar costed 50% more than that and I have way more fun with the linnstrument
@@blueeyedsoulman If there are some cost down version to expand market more, mass production may reduce cost a lot.
Sorry, but it's not the future of midi instruments... You can't play it anywhere close to the efficienty of a keyboard and with two hands... This makes everything so much harder to play...
I guess you haven't seen Jesse Washmon play Debussy on one yet then.
It's really just learning how to play it skillfully, like any other instrument.
I had to google that! beautiful