Hydrasynth Explorer one of the best Vst Controllers?

Here I show you some of the benefits to using the new Hydrasynth Explorer as a dedicated VST controller with polyphonic aftertouch and scribble strip screens. for more content like this please subscribe and like.

[@Jegkedermigmega]

This *really* adds to the value of the HS in my opinion, and actually justifies having it around whilst in the process of changing over to mainly using VSTs for both efficiency and saving space. Thanks for sharing it!

[@Windiguana]

As soon as I got my DAW set up, I made patches on the Hydrasynth that have macros assigned and named to write automation in my commonly used VSTs. I have the macros set up exactly like you do here! This is on my 49key. It's a super powerful and versatile machine.

[@tigerguo2965]

So it also works with the standard 49 keys?

[@Windiguana]

@@tigerguo2965 well yeah, the 49 key and the desktop still have the same macro/screen layout Honestly this would work just fine with the explorer too, but a bit less useful as it doesn't have as many macro knobs/screens and they are regular pots not continuous encoders with led indicator rings

[@elliekim7362]

This is amazing! Thanks for sharing. I just got the Hydrasynth and have been loving it so far. This made me love it even more

[@ten70four24]

Such a great investment for such a good price. Really more impressed with the Explorer every day! Great video. Thinking of using this as my main controller.

[@claudiongleur]

Whoaa Wasnt aware of this! Makes my hydra (maybe the best possible ) vst controller💪 Thx a lot!!!🙏

[@0VRLNDR]

All of my knobs are sending MIDI CC 6, so they are all assigned to any control I assign one to. Also, my range on the Filter Control knobs is 0-64, so I'm missing the upper half of the range. My Macro knobs are only sending 0-7! I dove through settings, everything's default, and I checked with MIDI Monitor to confirm these values. I should add that keys and polyaftertouch work fine, as do the modulation wheel and pitch wheel. The encoders' ranges seem to be the only ones that aren't working. Any ideas? UPDATE: Aha! Parameter Send defaults to NRPN, so I wasn't sending CC. Fixed in the System Setup, page 10, set "Param TX" to CC.

[@andy-simmons]

Thank you for this!!

[@0VRLNDR]

@@andy-simmons Glad it's not just me and that it worked out for you!

[@JamesBermingham]

This video has swayed me. I’m going for the HS explorer. Was about to take the plunge on a Cobalt8. No. It’s the HS Explorer. Thanks for your demo.

[@TehSyneS]

so well thought out

[@InkyDaCaT]

Cool instructional video😉🙌

[@djkurtstudio]

I hope they add an update so all the controls are assignable so they can all be assigned to the same parameters on the VSTI, this would be amazing and make the whole experience of making patches as if you was using the actual synth . It's too much hassle trying to remember where I've mapped the 'LFO Shape" for example. Please, please add this! Even a controller mode would do! :)

[@Fluxwithit]

But that’s really a function of the VST . Not the hardware. And most vst already have this enabled…

[@MadelnMachines]

That's pretty cool. I guess the regular hydrasynth desktop would be even better as it has 8 encoders with LED rings - would they reflect VST knob positions when changing presets?

[@Polypumpkins]

*Rarely seen, HD Ken!*

[@Juliano_DJOL]

Man this might be the next keyboard I get it looks sweet!

[@thaexception3406]

What I needed to know!

[@MajorOSC]

Outstanding Ken.

[@fumarolas]

Awesome tip, thanks for sharing!! I wonder if it's possible to control Midi effects in Ableton with macro 5, 6, 7, 8, keeping these macros mapped to nothing in the Hydra's preset. That way I could use the Hydrasynth engine AND use some of its knobs to Midi control stuff.

[@KoshDukai]

Question: Can the Macro settings be sent externally into the Hydra through SysEx ? This would allow the Macros to change (the name) dynamically, according to the context i.e. according to what's happening in a script-friendly DAW, like Reason, Live, Bitwig, etc. The sync between 2 units happening while in Overflow mode might provide some answers to this question of mine, *IF* Macro settings (especially name/label) are synced too.

[@danielbarrera8101]

Great video, this was the decisive factor for me - how did you get the display to show the waveform?

[@Fluxwithit]

@@danielbarrera8101 the oscope is active by default

[@SoundsAndGear]

dope bro!

[@joyboricua3721]

Very informative

[@FabrizioMagoni]

Great video! Thanks for sharing. Do you use a USB cable or 5 pin midi cable to connect the HS to the computer?

[@Fluxwithit]

Either works fine , usually usb tho

[@paultumelty]

Thanks Ken. I hadn't realised that the CC messages were sent from the controls! This will be really useful! Quick question on the polyphonic aftertouch. Does the VST need to support Polyphonic aftertouch? or does anything that has aftertouch automatically become polyphonic, once you have a polyphonic controller?

[@Fluxwithit]

The software (or hardware) you are connected to needs to support it. But many products do support poly AT. It’s a very common practice as it’s part of the midi standard.

[@RonaldFigura]

Do you have a video On how to set up the Hydrasynth with Studio One?

[@simonjonasmusic8410]

What an awesome video! Would the Hydrasynth Deluxe be equally suited?

[@Fluxwithit]

More so as you have 2 layers so you can send more stuffs

[@simonjonasmusic8410]

@@Fluxwithit Thanks for your quick reply! Really intrigued by the idea of getting the Deluxe as a synth and vst-controller for Cubase

[@issiewizzie]

Very insightful thanks

[@CausticCatastrophe]

Hey, cool setup!

[@a.c.2211]

wouldnt it be more practical to map the portamento with where the hydras portamento actually is?

[@francoismendes5844]

Hello, thanks a lot for your comments. Do you know how to modify program change and banks of an hardware midi expander with no knobs like the SD2 ketron please?

[@mrbaiser4133]

Does anybody use the Hydrasynth to control Presonus Studio One?

[@synthmaven]

Great explanation.. been looking for a VST controller so why not a real synth to double as one ! I have 2 questions though... Just to be sure.. this may sound silly but, does the full size HS also do this and B. How can this be used to control vintage synths like a JX-3P or a Six-Trak or an OB M-1000 to name but 3 ?

[@Fluxwithit]

Via DIN midi (I used to control my m1000 from it as well be sure to upgrade to the tauntek 1.2 is on the m1000 SO worth it.) and yup all the hydrasynth models can do this.

[@prodbyjxff5724]

is there a video about setting this up in fl studio? or other daws?

[@CausticCatastrophe]

With fl studio it's the same if you use the same arturia plug-ins. If not you can use the "last tweaked" functionality of flstudio to find out what midi cc the control is.

[@prodbyjxff5724]

its weird... im using the same synth with the same plug in but I can get the key bed to send midi and play the sound. but I can't get my knobs to work... I really need some help here

[@CausticCatastrophe]

@@prodbyjxff5724 I cant link a video, but you are looking for whats called "multilink". There is a video called "How to Link MIDI Controls to FL Studio" by a user named Xdizzle that covers this topic pretty well :)

[@whalespruce]

I was so happy when I found this video but so disappointed when I tried it. For some reason, it doesn't work with my Bitwig Studio, or I’m doing something wrong. I set the synth to Local OFF, Param TX and RX to CC, MPE OFF, and MIDI TX to 1. I think I've tried everything, but it still doesn't work in my case. Bitwig simply doesn't see any MIDI CC from the knobs except from the mod wheel. Yeah, MIDI CC 1 works fine. Could it be something with the synth (I bought it a month ago), or DAW or am I doing something wrong?

[@whalespruce]

Finally found a solution. For some reason Bitwig doesn't see midi cc values if I add a dedicated "ASM Hydrasynth" controller in settings. But adding standard "Keybord + 8 Device Knobs" resolved the problem. Thank you for the video!

[@endenel8694]

@@whalespruce fwiw in my case when the dedicated "asm hydrasynth" script is selected i can use the macro knobs to control bitwig, but they need to have functions assigned to them. initialized macros don't seem to send any data.

[@patsybrady]

Nice video. Is there a shortcut to turn local on/off?

[@adamcarter6013]

Volume knob. JK I'm wondering that too and whether midi channel send selection is easy to change on the fly (like keystep or midi command?). According to the manual it looks unlikely but maybe a wizard out here came up with something.

[@yoggyone]

Would the Hydra be able to control old synths that only manage sysex like an electra one controller would do? Gear like old kawai k3m or dx7?

[@Fluxwithit]

it can send NRPN , and really if you have a Matrix 1000 you owe it to yourself to upgrade it to the v1.2 firmware which lets it work with CC and various software controllers.

[@yoggyone]

@@Fluxwithit already on 1.2, so no sysex? for a K3M?

[@danielknight3553]

@@FluxwithitI have a matrix 1000 I’ve upgraded to 1.2, and was thinking of getting a controller,.. but I’m also desperate to get the hydrasynth .. would the hydrasynth control the matrix via NRPNs?

[@MRH4U5]

Love the video, I am using this as controller for FL studio but I have an issue when I am trying to use the bottom two knobs of Envelope 3 specifically. The other envelopes work when linked but these don't. I don't understand why they are different and won't link. Has anyone else experienced this ?

[@screenwhirlpool]

@kenflux please can you upstream a request for a keytrackable/tunable comb filter on filter 1?

[@screenwhirlpool]

and filter fm :)

[@althewicked]

Hey, thanks for this video. Does the Hydrasynth as a Midi controller receive Midi Feedback? So if I turn a knob on a VST plugin it also updates the knob from the Hydrasynth?

[@manny_f]

Sadly not all DAWs implement MIDI feedback. Studio One does, what other DAWs implement this though? I know it can be done in Live and probably Bitwig if you know scripting but it's not easy like in Studio One.

[@williamshaneblyth]

so the other hydra synths should be the same

[@Fluxwithit]

They certainly do. I’ve done a video on the original hydrasynth doing this as well with pigments

[@Juliano_DJOL]

I have a mpk249 and set it up similar

[@corradospada]

how can I assign arp on of the hydrasynt to start an arpeggio in the vst?

[@paulkishan]

Hi. I have a Hydrasynth deluxe. I want to use it as a midi controller to play VST swam instruments (sax, violin etc) when connected through iPad Pro . Will the Hydrasynth deluxe support after touch for VST’s? Please help.

[@Fluxwithit]

Yes

[@Mithadon]

How easy is it to go back and forth between using it as a MIDI controller and using it as Hydrasynth?

[@forton615]

You just save it as a setting and give it the name of your vst. Also don't forget to save the vst setting if you did some stuff there.

[@losnevels37]

So you have a preset on Hydra to recall each VST you mapped right? How easy to switch between Hydra sounds and VST?

[@Fluxwithit]

no I have just a couple on the Hydrasynth as most vsts have mostly the same controls expect for extreme examples. Most VST's store presets of controller info. so I store the presets in the individual VST and just a couple VST controller presets in the hydrasynth. how easy is it? just turn the preset knob on the hydrasynth.

[@mrbaiser4133]

How does it work with Arturia Pigments? Does polyphonic aftertouch work?

[@Fluxwithit]

yep. sure does