Roger Linn demonstrates a variety of techniques of expressive play in best emulate various acoustic instruments, and how to apply those to performance of synthesis.
Thanks for the demonstration of this incredible instrument you invented! You really have a calm voice and I could listen all day. If I had college lecturers that sounded like you, I never would have dropped out. But they were dull and bored me to sleep!
It's quite clear from the sound that you know more about guitar playing than woodwinds or bowed strings. It does sound a lot more realistic when you do the guitars than when you do the sax or viola. I think it also goes to show that with any realistic emulation, you really need to know the instrument you are trying to play, and the more dimensions of control you have, the better you have to know it and the more you need to practice to make it sound great. That said, the potential of the Linnstrument is amazing, and with the quality of virtual instruments available today - especially physically modelled acoustic emulations - it is possible to be a great player of the sound of several acoustic instruments by mastering the Linnstrument. Just like any other instrument, though, it requires persistence, patience and practice. I agree that we are at the advent of an era when virtuosically expressive solo playing will again to a larger extent include synthesizer sounds, and it's something that expressive controllers like the Linnstrument, the Expressive E Touché, the Haken Continuum, the Roli Seaboards, electronic wind instruments - and the revival of classics like the Theremin and Ondes Martenot, will be a major part of. With MPE, the technology is there, and computers are powerful enough to handle the computations needed for advanced physical modelling. This is indeed an exciting time for music.
I would have setup the Z-axis to be pitch up, which will be equal to how guitar players bend strings. If no vibrato bar is involved it will always be pitch up. The vibrato gesture can stay at X.
Thank you!! Roger for this amazing Instrument! I can’t wait to get one! And apply it to synths. For Expressive LIVE trumpet solo in Pop Hiphop Music check out Dr. Dre Compton Soundtrack “Talking To My Diary” 2:35 a jazz solo on hiphop for 2min in modern music. Expression is back! Bless u genius
I really like the fact that Roger comes from a traditional background but still embraces the modern progression of music, synthesis and new, non traditional sounds. :)
Just ordered one today! Pretty hard to find as the chip shortage. That country blues guitar sound so hilariously real. Look forward to make some strings brass and distorted guitar with it.
Muy bien very good..buen instrumento expresivo.y novedoso..un fuerte aplauso de mi parte por el invento.. bien animo con todas las cosas y vayamos todos con alegrías..siempre a mejor...
I think biggest problem is the pitch bending sampled instruments. They don't bend well - most samplers are just changing the read speed of the waveform. And you can clearly hear the pitched effect where the sounds gets kinda thin and unnatural. You can try with your keyboard - pick some piano or other sampled, put your pitch bend to the max and play, the sound will be different than non pitched. But with synth oscillators this doesn't happen so synths can be really expressive :)
That’s why Audio Modeling’s SWAM modeled winds and bowed strings are so much better than samples. That said, my guitar sounds in this video are samples and I think they work fine, in part because I’m running through an amp sim, so the amp doesn’t also change size when the pitch is bent as would occur in a sample that includes the amp.
I wish i knew about this instrument before buying my launchpad (and struggling between the launchpad and the push 2). I'm more interested in music production for games and this is perfect. Although this instrument is a bit expensive compared to the launchpad, but that pitch support is beautiful.
Not to mention that each touch has fully independent and simultaneous pitch (left/right), pressure, and y-axis (front/back) capability. That and the 128 or 200 note pads are what makes it more expensive than those simple on/off switch controllers you mentioned. LinnStrument is a precise and professional musical instrument for electronic musicians who desire the subtle expressive performance capabilities of fine acoustic instruments.
It would be cool if you did a stand-alone unit with MPE supported sounds. Sort of like your Andrenalinn pedal with different sounds for the guitar but a stand-alone unit with saxes, violins, harmonicas and others built specifically with the MPE expression of the Linnstrument. It would be nice to not have to rely on VSTs on the computer because having a stand-alone unit for the sounds would take a load of the computer as opposed to having loads of VSTs running.
Thanks for the suggestion. I might do that someday and agree that it would be more convenient. The problem is that the best sounds most people use are only available on Mac and Windows, so I’d be raising the price to build in lower-quality sounds that most people wouldn’t use.
Roger Linn Well it seems a lot of VST companies are partnering with hardware companies to create a nice “best of both worlds”. 8 Dio with DSI and the new Prophet X, Steve Slate and Pearl doing the Mimic Module. Etc. Perhaps a partnership with a specific MPE supported VST company and yourself might be something cool. Especially if it’s a rack mounted module...that way it takes a ton of load off your computer. :)
The Ancients Knew I’d certainly like it if Dave added MPE to his synths, but he pretty much implements features based on demand from his customers, and my impression is that the majority of his customers care more about bread-and-butter keyboard synth features than new ideas like MPE. In general, MPE is still new and most players don’t value expression or new ideas as you and I do. But every post like yours helps bring an awareness of MPE to more people, so thank you.
Thank you for your reply I appreciate it! I commented on his new demo video that he should add MPE so I'm at least one more potential customer trying to increase the demand. Right now I'm saving for a Modal 002 to use with the Linnstrument since that has full MPE support.
I agree! I just posted a new version of my Logic or MainStage sounds file for LinnStrument, including that Sculpture physical modeled sound and more synth sounds. You can download it from the LinnStrument Getting Started page: www.rogerlinndesign.com/ls-getting-started.html
Where are you located? If there's not a dealer nearby, I can check if a LinnStrument owner would be willing to demo his for you. You can contact me at support@rogerlinndesign.com. - Roger Linn
I own the linnstrument and I'm buying into the expressivity it offers, so I'm all for the idea of looking for newer ways to be more expressive with 1's and 0's, but I have a quibble. The idea that there are no solos or virtuosity in mainstream (or mainstream-ish) electronic music is just not true. A lot of the solos in electronic music tend to occur more so in the rhythmic/percussive domain rather than the melodic domain, but there are some serious chops alive and well in electronic music. There are even some classic melodic solos that defined eras of electronic dance music, like the adrenaline rush of an extended vocoder solo that sits in the middle of Daft Punk's "Harder, Better..." Some electronic acts indeed "just press play," but a RU-vid search for controllerism should be enough to suggest that folks are developing a skill set that goes beyond simply pressing buttons: there are definitely complex, expressive--and yes, virtuosic--performances out there. Turntablism itself also represents an entire virtuosic sub-category of electronic music soloing. Calling that "synthesis" is a bit of a stretch, sure, but not too much of one: sample based synthesis is still synthesis, and a battle scratch virtuoso twists those police sirens, vocal snippets, horn stabs and the like into completely new, synthetic expressions
To put my money where my mouth is, this is me playing an Ableton push (with a lot of max msp going on in the background to route things where I need them) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3cfwFSAnNJY.html I don't wanna call myself a "virtuoso" by any stretch, but I think this is evidence that musicianship is possible in pop electronic land. It's a different kind of skill set, in that I'm playing drum parts with my right hand's fingers, triggering chords with my right thumb, and playing a Moog bass solo with the left hand. I cheat a little bit by having constrained scales, but no more than a lap dulcimer player does, and I'm playing multiple instruments at once! I've partially developed a max patch that lets me freak the linnstrument, too: 128 pads with poly aftertouch open up way more possibilities than the push's 64 (not very comfy) pads. Once I get a stable version fit for public consumption, I'll upload the max patch along with a vid! :)
Hi Jozeph-- Thanks for owning a LinnStrument. I agree that there are some very creative uses of on/off switches in electronic music. And I'm actually a fan of jazz piano, and of course a piano can't do more than strike and mute a string. I wasn't stating that there are no good examples of music played on MIDI keyboards or drum pad devices, but rather that the concept of a dedicated instrumental solo section has disappeared from electronically-generated popular songs, and I suggest that the lack of the continuous expressive gestures of guitars, saxes, violins--the solo instruments of a previous era--is a factor in that disappearance. Here's a better description of the point I was trying to make: www.rogerlinndesign.com/why-expression.html
Your harmonica and blues guitar performances were pretty awesome sir! I hope you or someone else can demonstrate some quality strumming using the strum feature soon.
There's a brief strum demo at 6:15 in this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-STz__28Scwc.html However, if you're looking for a guitar experience, you'll be disappointed. The strumming mode is more of a bonus feature that performs similarly to an autoharp.
OK. Thank you for the clarification. There are already vst guitars like Amplesound and Orange Tree that probably cover it with enough practice. But i could definitely see an advanced strum mode being a request for a future update. Cheers sir.
Justin Stewart I'm afraid the Strum mode is about as advanced as it's going to get. The problem is that strumming rubber pads on a 6-inch wide neck isn't a guitar experience. LinnStrument is a keyboard with its notes arranged as on a stringed instrument, with an added strum mode, but it will not deliver a guitar experience regardless of the sound you use.
@@rogerlinndesign if the software has a strumming algorithm like orange tree samples, you can play the chords and the key switch on the linnstrument and waah lah! Guitar like strumming and soloing in the same mode. Don’t forget that the linnstrument also can function like any regular midi controller too.
@@truthmanifestingtruth Or you can strum LinnStrument directly, as shown at 6:15 in this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-STz__28Scwc.html
Love this instrument. I was wondering if I could post a doubt I have here. When I play a chord and trying to bend one of the notes like the pedal steel example here, the note bends more than the intended range. For example if I play a major triad and bend the 3rd up to a 4th to make a sus4 sound, the note bends to #4 or somewhere in between. Wonder why this is happening and any help would be appreciated.
Thank you for owning a LinnStrument. The problem is that your Bend Range setting (in Per-Split Settings, Bend Range column) is set differently than the Bend Range setting in your synth. If set the same, your pitch slides will always be correct.
Hi Richard- I answer that question on the LinnStrument FAQ page, “General” tab, FAQ: “Why don't you make a version of LinnStrument optimized for guitar-style play?”: www.rogerlinndesign.com/support/support-linnstrument-faqs
@@rogerlinndesign Thank you for such a quick response! Love what you're doing and love your voice, too. Even though I'm primarily a guitarist. I love sound design and bought the Memorymoog when it first came out. PM is excellent and you demonstrate the advantages and realism so well. Would love to hear uilleann pipes.
to Josh K: Yes, go to www.rogerlinndesign.com and click the big picture of LinnStrument to take you to the product page, where you’ll find 2 good videos, an Introduction and a compilation of LinnStrument owner videos. Thanks for your interest.
Actually, Sample Modeling is samples, not physical models. Audio Modeling does use physical modeling and its instruments are excellent, though they are all monophonic and not MPE-capable. However, any such bundle would increase the price of LinnStrument, and I don’t think that’s fair to people who wouldn’t use Audio Modeling’s sounds. LinnStrument players use a large variety of sounds, so it’s difficult to select one synth that is both widely used and low enough cost to not raise LinnStrument’s price. My decision was to create a library of sounds for the free, open source and extremely versatile Surge XT Synth, which includes physical modeling capabilities: www.rogerlinndesign.com/support/ls-surge
Super helpful video! Thanks. The electric guitar sound is really good. Bummed that it is Mac only. Is there a vst modeled electric guitar out there? I am using my new Linnstrument with Win 7 and Cubase 10. Also Bitwig 2. Andy B
Hi Andy, That guitar sound isn’t modeled but rather just samples, which work fine for guitar sounds. In this case, it’s samples of the bridge pickup of a Les Paul. The trick is to run clear samples through a guitar amp modeler-which is how a real guitar and amp work-instead of using samples that already contain distortion. Also, you’ll need an MPE sound so that simultaneous notes can have independent bends. I don’t know Cubase well but perhaps their sample player has such guitar samples, which when played in MPE mode and with a good amp modeler would do the trick. You can also tweak the sound with a compressor, delay or other effects, just as a guitarist would with effect pedals between his guitar and amp.
Thanks Roger. Great...there are a ton of electric guitar samples in Falcon alone and I'm way ahead of you on the amp modeler. I have S-Gear which I really like, and a Kemper which I can use to reamp.
Hi Roger! I'm fairly sure I am getting a Linnstrument for Xmas, but I am currently using GeoShred. Can you tell me if the Linnstrument can respond differently based on the initial hit target area (relative to center). As opposed to later adding modulation based on Y-position. In the same way the GeoShred can play a highly articulated note (overblown sax) when you initiate a note with a press near the top of a target versus a slow-attack version of the same note by hitting near the bottom of a note. This ability to modify the initial attack and sound of each note naturally _before_ the note is actually sounded is what I love about GeoShred today.
Yes, striking a note pad instantly sends the initial Y position and continues to send it as your Y position changes while the note is held. However, LinnStrument's note pad have a fairly small 3/4" physical Y-axis range so it's not as easy to hit a specific Y-axis position on LinnStrument as on Continuum, Seaboard or SoundPlane. For this reason, LinnStrument players often use Y-axis more for altering timbre after the strike. No musical interface is ideal for all things, but I think LinnStrument's Fourths String Layout is best overall. It provides better note density for chords, as well as multiple instances of each pitch for multiple chord fingerings, but at the expense of physical Y-axis range. By comparison, Continuum provides a long Y-axis range but without the above two advantages. Also, note that GeoShred doesn't sense pressure or velocity so it is especially dependent on Y-axis for its expression.
@@rogerlinndesign I think its a question on how to achieve "Initial attack velocity" in Linnstrument (kind of how hard I am hitting the string of a guitar). Can't that be done by mapping pressure (Z axis) with a midi CC in Linnstrument and then mapping that CC to "velocity" in the virtual instrument? If this can be done then initial attack velocity can be achieved by how hard or soft I am hitting the pads. Or Z-axis mapping strictly for "after touch" kind of expression only in Linnstrument? Please advice.
LinnStrument sends standard MIDI data, so it is by definition compatible with 100% of all MIDI synthesizers in existence, including Moog One. What you probably heard is that Moog One is going to be compatible with MPE, a new add-on way of using standard MIDI whose primarily benefit is to add the ability for polyphonic pitch bends when performed from LinnStrument or other MPE controllers like ROLI Seaboard. Regardless, rest assured that Moog One’s MPE implementation will be excellent, because the same programmer who wrote LinnStrument’s software, Geert Bevin, also wrote the software for Moog One.
To semaj Dozier: The first sounds, Viola and Soprano Sax, are from audiomodeling.com. The remaining sounds are all from my free downloadable sounds file for Apple’s Logic or MainStage.
