How do you like the Linnstrument? Haven't seen one yet, but I consider them remarkable devices.
I think it is a fantastic, although I think it will take quite some time to master.
It has pretty good separation between pressure and Y axis movement although there is still some crosstalk.
The Y axis can be set to work in two modes:
Normal: The range is spread other the key, so if you hit the key at the bottom you are at 0, if you hit it at the top you are at 127. This allows you to set it up so that the initial hit position defines the sound when it starts playing, so it is simple say to have the notes more muted, or change the amp decay based on position initially hit etc.
Relative: wherever you hit the key you are at the mid range (64), then any Y axis movement is relative to that.
The X axis has a few settings that enable quantisation, when quantise is on the Linnstrument will snap to the correct tuning of the note after you slide to it. The algorithm they use is very good, it doesn’t get in the way of playing vibrato.
I have been trying to spend time playing it with quantisation off though, then it acts like a fretless stringed instrument. I’m after the ability to slightly change the tuning of each note in a chord, something I do on the guitar in order to get the chords to round “right” (i’m sure there is a musical term!), when quantisation is on this is not possible as it is looking for vibrato type playing or large changes in pitch and filters out small changes in pitch. Playing it with quantisation of is not easy at all and will require a lot of practise to get right. I’m thinking it will be worth it in the long run!
They have put work in on the pressure as well, you can get it set up so that it’s not sending pressure when you initially hit the key, a problem that all other pad based controllers I have used suffer greatly from.
You can split the linnstrument into two and have each half work in different ways, for instance for instance you can turn one part into sliders if you want, or use it to control two instruments.
The lower row can be used for a few different things as well as nots, you can use it to restrike any over keys held down to retrigger chords, you can use it to control strumming of any notes held down, control the arp, use as a sustain pedal or to send pitchbend or any other CC.
One thing I have found difficult is using my thumbs, for me they just don’t seem to fit the linnstrument, so currently chords with one hand are limited to four notes and to be honest three is usually a lot easier.
For me as a string player who has never got on with the classic piano keyboard layout the Linnstrument is a wonder, for a decent piano player it might well not be seen that way but I don’t think they are the target audience.