Polyphonic Aftertouch in General

[SandyS1]

I just ordered an A-80. Hopefully it will work, though I've heard iffy things about the pressure needed for the AT.

OTOH, it was cheap even with shipping.

[shmuelyosef]

Actually, the more I'm programming sounds, and trying to find a good use for aftertouch in general, I learn that aftertouch (for me) is really not that important... the modulation kicks in way too fast and is thus very hard to control in fine detail, making it only suitable for pitch vibrato really... on top of this, I've yet to experience a keybed with aftertouch that has even pressure sensitivity all over the keys... especially with the difference between black and white keys... black keys need to be pressed much harder to obtain the same level of modulation as the white keys... this is also rather easy to understand when you know how aftertouch is made technically... it's simply a strip of rubber-like fabric sitting under the keybed that when the key hit it underneath is pressing two kinds of conductors together... thus, when that strip sits in the same place under all keys, the black and white keys will logically have the pressure point in different positions creating the difference... also this strip will shift it's response over time making the aftertouch even more inconsistent.

As a result of this, I really do not care about aftertouch much anymore... I'm perfectly fine with just velocity...

This is definitely true for the Fatar Keyboard supplied with the DSI synths, but the next generation of MPE controllers from Seaboard (Roli RISE), Keith McMillen (K-Board, QuNexis), and Roger Linn (Linnstrument - $$$) have much more capability than our analog synths can accommodate. I'm hoping it might be possible for a future Sysex upgrade, as I'm seriously considering a RISE 25. They are a whole new experience with the available SW synths.

[LoboLives]

I think it would have been awesome if the Prophet X had a single Linnstrument strip above the keyboard. Like an MPE supported ribbon controller. It would have been awesome to play fretless samples instruments with or even smooth vocal lines.