This is for anyone considering getting Linnstrument and for me to memorize what I have learned so far. Linnstrument is my second MPE controller. First one being Roli Seaboard block. I had setup with two of them. Got Linnstrument because I thought it would be easier for guitarist. Notes are almost like in guitar. There is a guitar mode but I probably won’t use it. B-string tuning makes playing it bit confusing. With standard setting you can use same shapes everywhere.
Coming from Seaboard this has two big differences beside the obvious layout difference. You don’t need software to change settings. It is faster to do on unit and you can do it without being connected to computer. With Seaboard you can do more with settings but Linnstrument gives enough control. Linnstrument has completely different feel on Y-axis. Where you hit pad has more impact on sound. If you have it set relative where you hit defines value range you have going up or down. If you set initial value to 0 you have to hit lower part of the pad to get full range. Don’t have Seaboard connected but I think you got full range on relative mode easier. Layout makes using Y-axis quite different. With Seaboard you have to play slides on bottom row. With Linnstrument you can hit pad anywhere and slide. So far I like feel of Linnstrument better but that is just personal preference.
MPE mode works like you expect it to work. One channel mode behaves strangely unless you have read the manual. It needs some learning. Because everything goes to one channel aftertouch (in channel AT mode) and Y-axis can have only one value. In both cases Linnstrument use value of last note played. More intuitive way would have been highest value. At least with aftertouch. For me Y-axis would have worked best same way. I set Y-axis relative with initial value 0 on one channel mode. If you use it other way taking value from last note played makes more sense. Pitch bend works only if you are playing one note. If you play more notes, note you are sliding have quantized slide.
More I think about it taking value from last note played makes sense. It is just that if you don’t know it works that way you think there is something wrong. When you play chords it is hard to know which note you pressed last. When you add melody then last note played is from melody. Linnstument does things smart way. This is one of them.
I have played synths with MPE support, polyphonic aftertouch and channel aftertouch. Every synth has got new life from Linnstrument. I wondered if I would only play MPE synths with Linnstrument but analog synths have sounded and worked well with it. It is not like Seaboard which I used only with MPE synths. I played non-MPE synths with regular midi keyboard rather than Seaboard. Linnstrument brings more than just MPE control.
You have six preset where you can store settings for different type of synths. Fast and easy after you have saved the presets. Currently I have four settings. One for MPE. One for polyphonic aftertouch and two for regular aftertouch. Last three have Y-axis relative with initial value at 0 and it sends CC 0 on first two of those. Last one it send CC74 and have mod wheel on bottom row. Probably make fifth one with polyphonic aftertouch version of fourth one. Might change presets to something else in future. Some of these would be easy to change other one with couple per split setting changes.
I am really happy with Linnstrument so far. I can’t play regular keyboards too well. Coming from guitar Linnstrument is easier than regular keyboard. It works similarly as shapes you use in different positions. When you learn scale in one key you just use the shape in other place to play another key. Same with chords. Shapes are easy to learn in A minor and C major because those have lights on. Then just start shape in different place to jet different key.
This post doesn’t have playing. Planning to make playing videos when I get better at it.