Schrittmacher deception

I wanted to like the Schrittmacher.  Very much.  With all its knobs and buttons it was calling to be tweaked and played.  Yet I've tried it and it was an instant deception.  This thing feels cheap. Around 2000$ for a simple dedicated MIDI step sequencer, and they managed to miss the overall feel of the interface.

I can't say much about it's long term utilisation, as I've spend only a few moments with it.  But after a few moments, I didn't cared for it that much anymore.  I like the concept, I like how it looks, I like it's overall design.  But when I grab it, it doesn't feel good.  For an instrument that puts most of it's value in it's interface, that is a big problem.  Is it just me?  Maybe at half the asking price I would have forgive the knobs and buttons feel.  To a point.  But even there, the overall navigation and usage of this sequencer is not as intuitive as I would have liked.  Yes, you eventually figure out what is going on and how to achieve proper results.  But my comprehension was that this sequencer was to be all about ease of use, so that you grab it and start playing it right away.  By opposition to, say the Notron, that is notoriously complex.

Maybe CV/Gate outputs would have made me liked it a bit more, but the interface comments stays.  It's too bad as there isn't a lot of products in this class.  So my quest for the ultimate step sequencer is still going on. 

http://www.manikin-electronic.com/en/products_schrittmacher.html

The BEST Virtual Midi Controller

Ok, so I said I was to talk about tools, so let's introduce one of the most important one, dare I say precious, to me: Virtual Midi Controller aka VMC.  Piano style keys are fun, but it's not something I swear by.  First of all the induce patterns associated with traditional piano fingering.  Nice if you're Liszt, but I'm not.  Second, they're not always at hand.  Laptop composing anyone?

So, I sometimes use my QWERTY keyboard as a way to input notes.  Like a lot of people, I'm sure.  So, a few years ago I went for a quest to find the best QWERTY to MIDI software there is.  I'm pretty sure I've tried them all, and my conclusion is this: Virtual Midi Controller is the best software in it's class.  No competition.  The top.  5 stars.

But it doesn't stop there.  This thing is completely customizable.   Ever heard of the Samchillian Tip Tip Tip Cheeepeeeee?  A great concept and very creative.  And you can program the equivalent of it here, in VMC.  Ever heard of the Axis controller?  Great isn't it?  Expensive also.  I've built my Axis program there in VMC.  Want your QWERTY to arpeggiate notes?  Go ahead.  And why stop at the QWERTY controller?  This thing can mutate any MIDI controller!
Please go check it out:
SoundCo
You can download the free version and make your mind about it.  If anything, you'll probably at the very least keep this light version and use it a lot.  But the full version is well worth the 20$, so you'll be going for it very soon.  Think about it: how much did you pay for your last hardware piece of gear?  We're not talking about a "me too" soft synth or FX here, but of a piece of software that will be possibly used every single day and that might change the way you do music.
Martin, the conceptor, is a nice guy and his software never got the exposure or the recognition it deserve.  Hope this post will help a bit.  If there's interest I might post some patches for it.
Cheers!

SoundCo - Virtual MIDI Controller