I appreciate what you are saying, James, but it is an imperfect world. While a wind controller is going to get the best out of a wind sound, sadly, it's not an option for the keyboardist, so what is a boy to do?
Nobody is saying you have to buy a wind controller.
You have a technique which works for Stringed instruments already. So all you need is one that suites wind instruments.
This is really easy stuff once up place all your needs out on a table and then look at what you have to work with.
And I'm STILL not sure you get the legato detached thing. The idea is you hit AND HOLD the key note, then use the strip to 'jump' to the new note.
I get what your saying but it's just not realistic. You cannot perform a melody in Legato by playing one notes and sliding your finger all around the ribbon to produce all the other pitches you need.
Why on earth even try when you HAVE an actual Legato mode on your keyboard that will allow you to play naturally with no need to even touch the ribbon.
Same thing with trills. Hit and hold the note (there's the tonguing), then use the strip to tap very quickly (or slowly) at any point you want. Main thing is, you are NEVER going to be able to precisely hit the same point over and over, and this is going to emulate a real player
The failure you mentioned to be able to hit the same spot on the ribbon each time is exactly what will make it sound fake because a trill is a flutter between two specific notes. There is no in-between here or slightly over. The shape of the waveform your generating is also different from what a trill actually looks like when you apply proper modulation.
Again, why also evev try do it that way when your Triton has an entire feature designed to do the job for you exactly like a real player will. You simply use the LFO waveform shapes to modulate the sound.
This again allows you to play totally naturally in Legato mode at the same time as doing trills, all without the Ribbon.
And no, you are not going to be able to legato whole phrases, but with a combination of a sound that the attack transient (the tonguing) is emphasized when hit hard, so lower velocity notes are not so spitty and tongued, and using the strip to play notes around the played one to give true legato, you can certainly add another layer of realism. Is it perfect? Of course not. Neither is a wind controller. Is it better than a bend wheel? You bet!
Ok, so you see you can't play legato your way. So use the Legato mode and the problem is solved. Same goes for the JoyStick. It can do Vibrato in the Z+ direction and Trills in the Z- Direction. If you even over program the values into the Joystick you have detailed verable control over the amounts of effect applies.
A trill may be able to vary in depth and intensity, but on most arrangers, there isn't any way to do a trill at all, unless you retask the LFO from vibrato. Whereupon, you no longer have that as an option. But a strip, while it won't make the PERFECT trill, makes a FAR better one than most arrangers can
No arranger has a Ribbon that I know of and I've already make my points as to why it's not the way to do it anyway. So if we are to move away from workstations and talk arranger, you really can't do it until you define what make of keyboard you are going to try reproduce the effect on.
If it's a KORG, then no problem. It has the same LFO waveshape functions as your Triton, legato modes and everything else. If it's a Yamaha, then we need to look at the LFO and what can be done with it. Same goes for every other make of keyboard.
Each have their straightens and weaknesses, but the concept and technique required is still the same.
For me, at least, the goal isn't to be perfect. The goal is simply to be as good as you can... I've been using the KX-5 for donkey's years for this exact purpose, and currently, live, into quite an average module (little Roland MG-S64) that isn't anywhere near state of the art sampling, But I continually get real sax players come up to me and tell me that's the closest they ever heard anyone get to nailing what a sax does (on a keyboard)... If it's good enough for THEM, it's good enough for me.
Which is a good attitude to have, but why settle for less when there is a much better way to do it that allows you to play entirely naturally at the same time.
Would I like something better? Sure I would. But I haven't found it yet in anything that is so tactile and intuitive to play
Which is why I'm taking the time to reply. There is a better way and tapping the ribbon like a mad man while also having to play a certain way is not it.
Cheers
James
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