You remind me that I need a proper MIDI DIN keyboard, since I gave the last one I had away to a desperate musician during lockdown. Currently I have only a USB keybed and I don’t wish to mess about with converters. It’s incredible how few small units there are on the market. Almost all are USB only! But I think that the Novation Launchkey Mini MkIII will fit the bill.
Oh but good news, my Pyramid arrived today. Now to find time to play!
(Apologies for this diversion from the topic.)
Not a sp404, but I use the sp555 with the pyramid. The sp555 was a better fit for me with the included midi out port and effect memory. Though I’ve since discovered it has no “local control off” function.
The Sp sequencers are pretty painful to use, so naturally they pair well with the pyramid. And the lack of screen was also a concern for me, but now I enjoy the fact it forces to use your ear. Plus any intensive editing is probably easier in a DAW.
They’re great at long samples and probably have the most expressive effects included in any modern sampler. But if you’re looking for a midi implementation with more than notes/velocity, look elsewhere 
You can get something like this - https://kentonuk.com/product/midi-usb-host-mkii/
and use it to connect USB devices to the Pyramid without needing a computer…
Indeed, but I wish to avoid converters. Extra boxes, extra wires. Simpler just to get a “proper” (that is, non USB) MIDI controller. I need one anyway, since my current Akai keyboard is pure cheese.
The Novation Launchkey Mini is interesting since the pads can be set to control notes one one channel while the piano keys control another. So, one could be used to record into the Pyramid while the other channel routes thru to a synth. Or at least, so I imagine.
Yes, I always want more than notes and velocity, so didn’t consider those units. I am used to modulating two to three other parameters at a time.
Another +1 for the 1010Music Blackbox. I think it meets all of your requirements. It’s around 5.5"x5"x1.5", is multi-timbral with 16 pads (and you can do more if you really want to but all hardware has a limit to what the cpu can handle), can play samples that are hours long, and has 3 stereo outs. It also works great by itself as a sketchpad. I’ll sit with the blackbox connected to a USB battery pack and headphones and work up rough versions of songs using its sequence and song modes, then program those sequences and tracks into the Pyramid as part of my setup with the Pyramid, Blackbox, a couple Volcas, a Minitaur, a Korg NTS-1, a Daisy Pod or 2, and when I get it assembled this weekend, a Moog Werkstatt.
I know you dont want an Octatrack suggestion but it isnt so complex, it just requires learning time because its essentially an open modular environment. If you were my closest friend and asked this question I would suggest these:
Octatrack
MPC60 or MPC3000
Ensoniq ASR 10 Rack
Anything else I think will lack in its sound quality or capabilities. The critical difference between the mpc and Octatrack is the Octatrack cannot layer samples to create a groove on the same track with adsr type envelopes. To me this is the critical difference between the two ecosystems. But the Octatrack is amazing for multitrack recording.
Ive had so many samplers and my suggestion is save your money for something like analog filter or phaser or fx and go back to the Octatrack and just let yourself learn it slowly.
Otherwise youre looking at a Black Box or Roland type thing. The deluge is interesting but the audio quality was seriously lacking for me, it lacks velocity on the keybed which to me is just insane, and the synths are kind of no hum. If you have a Pyramid the deluge is just a ton of overlap with few beneficial features.
I think you have the sampler youre looking for but need to spend some time learning it better. Otherwise black box.
This topic was automatically closed 21 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.