USB audio volume control on keyboard

[rcjwhiting]

Hello,
I may be looking for a unicorn, but I’m trying to find out if there are any keyboards with waterfall keybeds that have a front panel USB audio volume control, which I’ll use for controlling backing tracks volume while playing live. I have this setup using my Studiologic Numa X 73 and IPad running Jamzone for tracks and love it. But I need to find a lighter weight action due to increasing pain from hand arthritis, and Studiologic does not offer this capability except in the Numa with fully weighted keys. The Fatar TP O waterfall keybed is the only one I’ve found that has enough depth for effective piano expression while still being easy on my hands. TIA

 

[delaware dave]

Hello,
I may be looking for a unicorn, but I’m trying to find out if there are any keyboards with waterfall keybeds that have a front panel USB audio volume control, which I’ll use for controlling backing tracks volume while playing live. I have this setup using my Studiologic Numa X 73 and IPad running Jamzone for tracks and love it. But I need to find a lighter weight action due to increasing pain from hand arthritis, and Studiologic does not offer this capability except in the Numa with fully weighted keys. The Fatar TP O waterfall keybed is the only one I’ve found that has enough depth for effective piano expression while still being easy on my hands. TIA

Volume is cc#7 in the midi world. If i have an expression pedal i can plug it into pedal port on my keyboard, assign that pedal port to control cc#7. As i move the pedal forward and backward i am increasing and decreasing the volume being sent down the midi path.

I can also take any slider, wheel, or knob on the keyboard (aka controllers) and assign them to control cc#7. By turning, pushing any of those aforementioned 'controllers' i will effect the volume. So think out of the box, see if you can take one of the existing knobs and assign that knob to control cc#7 on the backing tracks section or perhaps use a foot pedal to control the volume, or purchase a midi mod wheel, plugging it into the pedal port, assign it to cc#7, as you move the mod wheel forward the volume should increase and as you roll it backward the volume should decrease.

 

[anotherscott]

I’m trying to find out if there are any keyboards with waterfall keybeds that have a front panel USB audio volume control, which I’ll use for controlling backing tracks volume while playing live. I have this setup using my Studiologic Numa X 73 and IPad running Jamzone for tracks and love it. But I need to find a lighter weight action due to increasing pain from hand arthritis, and Studiologic does not offer this capability except in the Numa with fully weighted keys. The Fatar TP O waterfall keybed is the only one I’ve found that has enough depth for effective piano expression while still being easy on my hands. TIA

Yamaha YC61 allows you to define the front panel mod lever to function as USB audio volume (it also lets you assign a foot controller). This is defined per Live Set (user preset), so you can have some presets where the lever functions as USB audio, and other presets where it does something else. I'm pretty sure that's the only board that does exactly what you want.

That said, you could also consider boards that can give you front panel control over USB volume, but the keys, although not hammer/weighted, are not waterfall shaped (e.g. Yamaha MODX6/7); or there may be boards that give you front panel audio input volume but via a line input rather than USB. It's possible that boards with other approaches could give you what you need, even if not exactly the way you expected. Or maybe the YC61 is perfect for you!

 

[rcjwhiting]

Volume is cc#7 in the midi world. If i have an expression pedal i can plug it into pedal port on my keyboard, assign that pedal port to control cc#7. As i move the pedal forward and backward i am increasing and decreasing the volume being sent down the midi path.

I can also take any slider, wheel, or knob on the keyboard (aka controllers) and assign them to control cc#7. By turning, pushing any of those aforementioned 'controllers' i will effect the volume. So think out of the box, see if you can take one of the existing knobs and assign that knob to control cc#7 on the backing tracks section or perhaps use a foot pedal to control the volume, or purchase a midi mod wheel, plugging it into the pedal port, assign it to cc#7, as you move the mod wheel forward the volume should increase and as you roll it backward the volume should decrease.

Thanks for the detailed rundown DD. These fixes sounds fairly complex and cumbersome compared to my current setup, but it might be the way to go.

 

[rcjwhiting]

Yamaha YC61 allows you to define the front panel mod lever to function as USB audio volume (it also lets you assign a foot controller). This is defined per Live Set (user preset), so you can have some presets where the lever functions as USB audio, and other presets where it does something else. I'm pretty sure that's the only board that does exactly what you want.

That said, you could also consider boards that can give you front panel control over USB volume, but the keys, although not hammer/weighted, are not waterfall shaped (e.g. Yamaha MODX6/7); or there may be boards that give you front panel audio input volume but via a line input rather than USB. It's possible that boards with other approaches could give you what you need, even if not exactly the way you expected. Or maybe the YC61 is perfect for you!

Thanks AS. I currently have an MODX7+. A capable board, but the action is cheap synth style and the pianos (mostly because of the synth keybed) are subpar. I tried the YC61 - good keybed, but not enough real estate to adequately do the splits I need. I recently bought, but am sending back, a Roland VR 730. Love the Fatar waterfall keybed, has the perfect number of keys, the sounds are excellent, but it doesn’t have USB audio. The perfect solution may not exist.