Korg Forums

what controller do you use to to work your m3m? whats ideal? whats the best value?

M3-88 keybed.

If you can accept non-hammer action 61 key controller I would recommend Novation Remote SL - it gives you many advantages - programmable X-Y touchpad, additional drum pads (although hardly comparable to M3 ones in terms of responsiveness) and lots of programmable switches. It also can send a dynamic sysex to control M3 master volume (so you can control level in m3 optical out with controllers slider or pot), but unfortunately it can not send a Korg standard 16 bytes long sysex yet. I reported Novation about this problem, but that doesn't mean they will add 16 bytes sysex support any time soon.
BTW are there any other affordable controllers capable of sending 16 bytes sysex dynamically?

Hi fatoni,

I think the "ideal" and "best value" controller solution (since that's what you requested) is to advertise on this forum and also at Karma Labs for anyone who has a spare M3-61, M3-73, or M3-88 keybed that they will sell to you. Alternatively you can sell your own M3M and buy a complete M3-61, M3-73 or M3-88 depending on which keybed version you want.

There is no external MIDI controller solution that will provide you with the flexibility and ease of configuration of the embedded keyboard with its built-in controllers.

The RH3 action 88-keybed is one of the nicest piano action keybed's I've played. The aftertouch is smooth and progressive, and once you set the keyboard response curve to "9" on the M3M you get one of the nicest piano actions you will ever play. The M3M sounds much more expressive, every nuance of the 4-layer piano samples can be heard.

I've also interfaced the M3-88 to my Pa2x and I use the 88-note keybed all the time with my Pa2x as well. The joystick and other controller capabilities worked with the Pa2x without requiring any special programming. The joy of Korg compatibility I guess.

Not everyone wants a weighted keyboard though (weight, cost etc), and you may prefer the cheaper 61 or 73 note sprung action keybeds instead.

Best regards,
Rob

Rob Sherratt wrote:Hi fatoni,
I think the "ideal" and "best value" controller solution (since that's what you requested) is to advertise on this forum and also at Karma Labs for anyone who has a spare M3-61, M3-73, or M3-88 keybed that they will sell to you. Alternatively you can sell your own M3M and buy a complete M3-61, M3-73 or M3-88 depending on which keybed version you want.

+1
i've done that. started with M3M beacuse it was the only available in the shops and M3-keys where told to arrive in months... but at the end tried the module with some controllers and with other workstation as controller, but find out that the best is to have the M3 keybeds...

thanks that makes sense...will do

I use a M-Audio Axiom 61. I have been able to configure all the needed controls: Pitch Bend, Modulation 1, Modulation 2, Ribbon, SW1 and SW2, ...

I realized (after buying the M3M) that the M3 Keybed is the best choice around, but I wanted something to control also the other synths I have.

By the way, I can control the M3M also with the PA1XPro, joystick is OK, and I have been able to configure Ribbon, SW1 and SW2.

Just my 2 cents.

Nick

I use the Yamaha S90ES (very good action with aftertouch) as my main controller for the M3M but I just recently got the Edirol PCR-500. The action is decent (with aftertouch) and the programmability is great. You miss out on much of M3's functionality (and fantastic factory programming) without a SW1 and SW2, the ribbon and the four way Korg joystick. I have programmed all these functions to various controller (and then some) and have discovered many of the more subtle nuances and abilities of the M3M. I will say that the M3 even with the factory keybed is missing rotary knobs. The sliders and buttons on the M3 are great and very functional - but I personally like having the rotary controls also. I have seen a cheap Behringer (hmmm) controller that has 4 assignable buttons and 4 rotary knobs for $50. It has MIDI thru so it would be easy to insert in-between another controller and the M3M.

I might have a good opportunity to get a M3M, and I have a Triton ProX. In my case, will I loose some functionnality if I have a ribbon, SW1/SW2 and a joystick on my Triton Pro?

Thanks

(I know my question is very near another post I already posted but I just want to make sure that I will be able to use all the M3 functionnality)

... will I loose some functionnality if I have a ribbon, SW1/SW2 and a joystick on my Triton Pro?...

No : I think your Triton ProX has all the same physical keyboard controllers as an M3 - aftertouch(?), four-way joystick, SW1 and SW2 and a ribbon. I had a Triton Extreme and sold it specifically to buy an M3M. But, having a Triton AND an M3M would be an excellent combination.

The functionality of the M3M is certainly available without all the physical controllers on a keyboard as those functions can always be assigned to the controllers on the M3M (sliders, buttons, pads, X/Y screen). But - I find as a live player that I prefer to have those functions close at hand on the keyboard itself. Also, the M3 controllers are different for the various modes (Mixer, Realtime Control, External, KARMA, Tone Adjust) and not every function is available in every mode. In Mixer mode, for example, you can't use the sliders for filter sweeps or the buttons for effects modulations. Having dedicated buttons/controls for SW1/SW2, ribbon and the joystick X/Y helps to keep those functions available in every mode...

Swatch wrote:I might have a good opportunity to get a M3M, and I have a Triton ProX. In my case, will I loose some functionnality if I have a ribbon, SW1/SW2 and a joystick on my Triton Pro?

Thanks

(I know my question is very near another post I already posted but I just want to make sure that I will be able to use all the M3 functionnality)

It's possible to configure all those controls so they will act a similar way coming in via MIDI as the controllers on the embedded keyboard. But it's a fair amount of work, maybe nickdebello can advise you the settings he had to change?.

You might be unable to get "parameter hold" working with the ribbon controller on the ProX keybed the same way that "parameter hold" works with the ribbon controller on the embedded keyboard. Although maybe there is a configuration setting on the ProX that caan achieve this.

Your keyboard aftertouch and key sensitivity response curves will be limited to the response curve settings built into the ProX. I doubt there will be anything like the new response curve "9" for pianists that Korg built into the M3M for use with the embedded '88 note keyboard, but if you are happy with the way the ProX keyboard performs, then don't worry.

I've just done a similar thing in reverse, I'm now using the M3-88 keybed and controllers to control my Pa2x. It was several days mucking around before getting the right MIDI config on the Pa2x.

One thing you can't avoid is tying up the M3M MIDI IN port on the M3M. You may need to find a way of merging other MIDI input streams for example if you use the M3 PC Editor or Karma M3 software on the PC, or if you use a MIDI pedalboard. I merge several MIDI sources into a single MIDi stream via MIDI over USB using MIDIOX on my laptop PC. However you decide to do it, there will be connectivity issues you will have to solve, possibly by buying new MIDI adaptors or software if you don't have a solution in place already.

Best regards,
Rob

I wonder if it'll be good if i attach M3m to Roland A70? I've big dilemma, to buy an M3 88 or just M3m and to attach it to A70. So A70 have PB and MOD wheels beside the standard joystick and 4 sliders and 3 SW and 2 AUX controls so to buy an M3m for 1650 eur or M3 88 2750? I'll have money also for M256 and Radias

I use Roland Fantom-G... excellent MIDI controller functions.. with ability to make 16 MIDI zones.... no other controller allows this... not even dedicated controller keyboards.

My M3M controller is a Kawai MP8. It has full MIDI controller features and real wooden keys and hammers. It's not ideal for some synth patches, and there's no aftertouch. But it's a stunning interface for many of the patches and combis.

i have an m3 61 keybed available in mint condition,

I would love to see it go to a good him, anyone interested please let me know!