Linnstrument Layout: Exploring the Possibilities

[@rankpa]

I’m going with ‘tritone’ tuning. I find that limiting pad lights to just F#/Gb, A, and Eb provides clear framework for orientation about the playing surface, suffices for easily locating all 12 notes, eliminates the confusion of so many lights, and leaves the instrument darker and easier on the eyes. I’m striving to play scales, notes, intervals, chords mainly with just finger feel, and to use my eyes only for locating root notes. The tritone arrangement results in an axis of ‘fifths’ intervals slanted at 45 degrees, and an axis of ‘fourths’ intervals slanting 45 degrees the other way. I find 45 degrees to be a comfortable angle for the fingers and wrist ergonomically. The octave of any note is on the second pad up or down vertically - which makes chord inversions really simple. In general I’m finding that the tritone layout synchs up very nicely with the music theory I’ve been learning.

[@milesparker3263]

100%. You describe all of the advantages very well. Hoping to put together a video that covers that.

[@auroranamex5886]

A bit stretchy on my launchpad vs my go to major thirds tuning, but provides decent range while keeping that vertical symmetry. Probably, the most reasonable layout for grid controllers. Requires smaller pad size though.

[@More_Dread]

very interesting... i'm writing a set of plugins to control the LEDs on my launchpad pro to display scales and chords instead of the default grid it comes with and i pretty quickly switched its layout to the tritone tuning (prefer calling it that over augmented fourths) because it seemed like the one that has both the advantages of the piano and the guitar in one. it just makes everything so much clearer. i'm wondering if i could do the same with the linnstrument.

[@timnewsome9710]

Interesting video. I just decided to stick with 4ths, but didn't investigate as closely as you have. I might have to give augmented fourths a shot. One small mistake: Jazzy 7th chords actually use a flat 7. So e.g. C7 is C, E, G, Bb. If you play B instead of Bb then it's a major 7th chord (usually written as C△7).

[@milesparker3263]

Noted. In fact it didn't sound "Jazzy" at all, more like gawd awful given all of the additional harmonics, so it would have been hard to hear it if I'd gotten it right haha.

[@TwinCitiesOxygen]

Do you feel like you are missing much with the 128 version

[@milesparker3263]

Sorry missed this. I've never tried the 200, but no. I really feel like this is the right form factor. I'd really only be buying an extra half an ectave and a bit more room for chord shapes, at the expense of something that isn't nearly as lap friendly and costs more..

[@zenofbass]

Which software “string” sound package are you using in this video? Which are your favorites?

[@milesparker3263]

Sorry, missed this ... I believe I was using Roger Linn's "Sirens" on Logic Pro, with a few tweaks like turning off some effects.

[@jaysistar2711]

I noticed the same property about the tritone tuning (Aug4). It feels more natural than 4th tuning since on a Linnstrument one isn't trying to hold multiple strings for chord fingerings. Even on a string instrument, tritone tuning is a popular alternative tuning. Great video. If you can, please turn up your microphone. The video volume is low.

[@MrTubeman007]

Far too much arming going on.

[@milesparker3263]

Agreed 100%, I've since really refined what I'm doing to minimize arm and wrist movement -- hope to post an update soon!

[@BillWheeldin]

I'd have said to much 'erming' and hand waving.

[@BillWheeldin]

too🤣

[@bandishbandit5576]

So fucking complicated

[@milesparker3263]

err, not sure what you mean -- you're welcome to just use the defaults if you aren't interested in exploration.