The Logic Off Topic list

Martin, Jeremy wrote:
> Did you have the Oxygen8 plugged in via USB only or USB + MIDI cables? It
> needs to be 'programmed' over USB right? What exactly were you doing to
> cause the drivers to fail, just playing it (over USB or MIDI?) or trying
to
> program what CC's the knobs sent out etc (over USB only, right?)?

A) I used it with USB, yes (that was the reason I have been using it because
there was not much space for additional MIDI interfaces). I didn't use any
"programming" or whatsoever (actually I don't even think that's possible,
all controller assignments can be done straight on the unit itself).

> the PB wheel is a normal MIDI PB wheel so it sends out values up
> to 128. I'm not sure what the choices are for the 'bendrange' but if you
can
> set it to send more than 128 values, since its only regular 7-bit MIDI of
> course there's going to be stepping if you have it sending values up to
1000
> or something.

See, I only care about what I hear, and there's some stepping happening when
doing large pitchbends on the Oxgen8.
I didn't change any of its settings, btw, all I did was using an EXS patch
with -24/+12 as its PB range and when I used the Oxygen there was massive
stepping audible, especially when going from -24 to 0, when I used my SY85
however there was no such stepping. Watching both data streams in Logic's
monitor after that proved my ears right, there's less steps being
transmitted from the Oxygen8.

> Is your Oxygen8
> still under warranty Sascha?

Don't know, it wasn't mine, was a borrowed one (as all the stuff I've been
using then).

> And while it might be nice to have all those pots on it, they don't
> make use of the 270\ufffd range they offer, but you loose a good amount
> in the end and the beginning of the knob range, so the actually
> usable amount is more like 180\ufffd or so.

> Can you not turn the knobs the full 270\ufffd

Yes you can, but...

> or does it just not send out proper
> data at the 'edges'?

... exactly that's what was happening.

> That's a bit saddening to hear, but I was going to get
> a Pocket Dial anyway:

Hm, maybe then you should just look for another keyboard.
I am thinking that the purposes for getting an Oxygen 8 were:
- No need to buy/install a MIDI interface/port. If you however have a port,
even a single one only (which is what even the cheapest soundcards do, using
an adapter cable), there's no need for any sort of USB keyboard, you can
just get any sort of used keyboard too - eventually saving some money and
getting better quality.
- Having a small, quick'n'dirty connectable thing for a portable solution,
along with a laptop. I admit, for that a solution such as the Oxygen 8 and a
Pocketcontrol is not bad. Err... "would" not be bad it the Oxygen offered
better hardware/driver quality.

I wrote:
>> With 2 octaves it's impossible to play any common chord voicings and add
>> a bass with your left hand - something I'm doing all the time.

> From the limited time I've been using Logic so far, I've always had a
> separate track for the bass, and due to the limitation of only controlling
1
> virtual instrument in real time I've always had to record bass separately
> anyway... I guess this would matter more if we could control multiple
> virtual instruments at once, but as it is, I hardly ever will use the same
> instrument for chords as well as bass.

I do exactly the same, but when trying out things it's certainly nice to
select, say, a piano/epiano patch and hear the chords in all their full
glory. I don't know whether I'm telling you the obvious, but many, many
"standard" (or "popular", whatever) keyboard voicings just don't contain any
root note (such as a Cmaj7 being used in an Amin9 context) and to check out
things you may want to play the bass note with the used patch too. At least
that's what I do all the time when I start to work out chords, and most
people I know do it the same or similar.

> Were the crashes still as frequent? Again could you give me a little more
> info about what would cause it to crash, just -using- it or trying to run
> whatever program it comes with to configure it etc... ?

As said, I have not seen any program on the Midiman CD coming with it and
the drivers were just quitting after some more or less obvious actions, such
as selecting another octave range. There was simply no more MIDI input
arriving in Logic.

> I'm still planning on buying an Oxygen8 just because I need something
that's
> velocity sensitive for now, and the knobs would be somewhat nice (maybe,
> after reading Sascha's comments) for a few weeks until I have a Pocket
Dial
> as well. From what I've seen other comparable MIDI keyboards are twice as
> much $$, so I still think I'm going to get an Oxygen8.

I have been using a very cheap used Yamaha PSR series keyboard for quite
some time, and while it didn't offer any knobs for additional tweakings, the
key quality was pretty much better than what you get from the Oxygen. The
Oxygen keys actually feel better, but I didn't like the velocity response at
all.

mikaeladle wrote:
> Theres a control keyboard called Evolution MK 249c 4 octaves and 12
> assignable knobs + mod and pitch are assignable as well. It is a usb
> keyboard also, and I\ufffdve heard positive response about it from
> different users. Might want to check it out.

The Evolution models indeed seem to be better than the Oxygen - but I
haven't tried them out by myself, so I won't comment on those any further.

Jeremy:
> What are "touch sensitive" keys though? "Touch sensitive" makes me think
> that the keys don't actually move but just sense your fingers touching
them,
> though I don't think that's really the case.. Just wanted to make sure.

I'm sure "touch sensitive" in this case just means that they offer velocity
response (pretty much an obvious thing).

Regards,
Sascha