Re:What are the benefits of a control surface?
2010/11/09 10:20:20
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The VS700 is a different thing altogether. First, navigating around the screen is done w/ the jog/shuttle wheel - you don't have to take your hand off it to choose a track etc.
Then the buttons to the left are basically to edit, etc., other stuff you'd usually use shortcuts or dropdowns for.
The fader/knob control surface is fairly conventional - many people like the tactile nature of control.
So, you keep one hand on the jog/shuttle, and use your left hand to pick functions or control the faders/knobs. It is very instinctive. I didn't have it long enough to memorize button place, but it was faster and more ergonomic than my regular mouse/keyboard method. It felt right, almost analogish but with all the functions at a button push. I only had it over a month for review and if you used it more intensively or for longer it would become instinctive, I would think. And there is something nice, too, about adjusting levels for recording w/ a fader. Again, it just felt right and instinctive.
The downer is it was so expensive (tho it has dropped in price, I think). Still, I think a stripped down VS 700 w/ one fader and knobs for channel strip control and the jog/shuttle wheel would be fantasic - esp. w/ the new contextual curser (if it works). mOst of the cool stuff about the 700 at a fraction of the price. Like the Steinberg/yama control surface but for SONAR, not Cubase. I imagine Cake/Roland would sell them like hotcakes if they worked well and were -$500.
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