azslow3
What is wrong with VMPK+loopMIDI or other solutions like that?
As piano player, I do not see any practical use of such concept, except for testing. Any small MIDI controller is better than what I have tried on iPad.
Control Surface is a different sorry. But SONAR support that within the application. For remote control, Control Surface Apps exists for iPad and Android.
Pianists know that nothing but the real thing or a weighted piano controller will do. There is no argument here. I had the Roland RD 700nx and loved the action it but it does not mean I dislike other types of keyboards. I envision the future with more options available to musicians to express themselves not to limit them.
The VMPK you mentioned and the “Insert Piz Here : midiKeyboard” mentioned byazslow3, if they were multi-touch would be a great start, so we are I believe on the same page here. Here is one attempt a Windows touch screen
http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2012/10/31/windows-8-multi-touch-music-apps-could-be-huge/ I use the iPad as a midi keyboard controller and in our time it includes a lot more than tapping on black and white keys. The developers of such apps are unbelievably creative. I love the iPad as a keyboard but always wished that it had a larger surface to touch. I hope that the iPad app developers will eventually port their apps to work with Windows and larger touch-screens and thus allowing them to expand their horizons. This will be a dream come true for the studio and stage musician. Meanwhile my feature request was made as there are very few Windows midi keyboard controllers. Let Sonar continue to be the leader in the multi-touch arena.
As you already know not everyone can afford or desires to spend the money for a tablet. The midi keyboard controllers have proliferated and used not for testing but for making music.
It will be great to have perhaps a 40 inch multi-touch screen tilted about 30 degrees up. Open your favorite DAW and VST and VSTi and midi keyboard controller all on one surface. Not for the concert pianist but for others that make contemporary music. I can’t wait.
Note: When I state Midi keyboard Controllers I mean midi note generators and do not necessarily use black and white keys to generate midi notes. Pitch-bend and mod wheel midi messages are associated with keyboard controllers.
Just bought a copy of Sound On Sound, November 2104 issue which had a lengthy article titled “Multi-touch Music Software for Windows”. I have not read it yet but should prove to be interesting at least for me as it is a topic I have been following.