Roger Linn Design LinnStrument 128 MIDI Performance Controller

Amazing Controller Instrument that allows for more human expression. As a long time musician now home studio enthusiast I really wanted to bring some more human expression to the digital landscape and this controller has that in spades. Thank You Roger Linn.

Coupled with right virtual instruments it is a whole new level of playing. The only "problem" so far is that I cannot yet achieve the same level of expression by using fingers when playing wind instruments as I can hear in some videos online where people use breath controller. But I believe it's all about practice, I only had this device for a week.

One of the most stunning, elegant devices I've ever had the honor to touch. Did I mention stunning? Stunning.

I have the Linnstrument 128. It's a wonderful instrument. Very versatile and polished. But I am not a piano player, so I'm a great candidate for the Linnstrument's default fourths-tuning. (It is typically tuned like a bass guitar, not like a piano.) I have had it a year, and I love it and play it every day. (So no. It's not gathering dust!) Linnstrument is an MPE MIDI controller. MPE is MIDI plus additional expression signals (similar to the old-fashioned mod wheel and pitch wheel), but MPE gives you expression on every note rather than just a limited and awkward expression channel for the entire controller. The bottom line is that MPE makes your music more alive by allowing you to be more connected to your music. The 128 is the smaller Linnstrument model. It has plenty of range (4 octaves). The large model has 5 octaves and is probably better suited if you intend to be mainly playing two handed. And the large model has more room for two splits. (A split is dividing up the controller into two separate playing surfaces.) But you can also create splits on the 128. One big advantage of the Linnstrument 128 is that it is smaller and easily portable in a small pack. It's less than 16 inches long (400mm). It's about the weight of a laptop (3lbs 10oz or 1.65kg). The Linnstrument 128 and the iPad make a great portable combo! Linnstrument is not a stand-alone synth. It is MPE MIDI controller. So it requires that you connect it to a MPE synthesizer. What is an MPE synthesizer? An MPE synth is a hardware or software synthesizer that can recognize the added expression from an MPE controller like the Linnstrument. There are hundreds of MPE synthesizers. Some of my favorite MPE softsynths are Arturia Pigments, Madrona Labs Aalto and Kaivo, Newfangled Generate. Surge XT is a great MPE softsynth, and it's free. On the iPad some of my favorites are Animoog Z, Moog Model D, Moog Model 15, Continua, Volt, and Tera Pro. I also use the Linnstrument with a Hydrasynth Desktop synth. The Linnstrument will also control any non-MPE synth but without the added expression. How do you connect the Linnstrument? It's easy. You can use a USB cable to connect to your computer or iPad for a softsynth. You can use a MIDI DIN cable to connect to a hardware synth. You can also use a Bluetooth connection like the WIDI Jack. The Linnstrument also needs a small amount of power. The USB cable will provide enough power from your computer or iPad or a USB power supply like a phone charger. Or you can use a small USB battery power pack like the ones from Anker.

The Linnstrument is by far the most incredible MiDi controller I've ever used and it's certainly the most intuitive for guitar and bass players. I've only been using it for a couple months but I already feel more comfortable improvising on the Linnstrument than I ever felt on keyboard. All of my guitar and bass tapping ideas work on the Linnstrument and I'm able to easily expand on those concepts because of the Linnstrument's excellent playability. I will be using the Linnstrument to record Synth Bass, Piano, Organ, etc... and I'm already using it every day with MuseScore to write out sheet music for my students. I absolutely love my Linnstrument 128 and I've been showing it every musician I know. People are blown away by it and I really feel like it is the MiDi Controller of the future.