The Claude Controller – Is This The Future Of Synthesizer Controllers?

Inventor Claude Woodward, aka The Sonic Manipulator, in this video introduces his latest MIDI controller design, The Claude Controller.

It is a sophisticated MIDI controller, allowing the player to articulate many parts of the sound – filters, envelopes, and effects simultaneously, using your left hand and feet. It consists of 36 wheels and 2 joysticks, with a pedalboard. The MIDI circuit is Livid Instruments’ MIDI Brain.

 The right hand plays a keyboard, using Woodward’s Vibe Bar’ to add vibrato & pitch bend.

“I think it’s going to be the future of the synthesizer controllers,” says Woodward. “I like to think of a synthesizer more like an acoustic instrument. Rather than an instrument containing 1000 different sounds, you have 1 sound with 1000 articulate-able variations.”

Woodward is looking for feedback on his controller. While Woodward’s demo video starts off wacky, it’s also immediately clear that he’s created a well though-out and powerful MIDI controller.

Check it out and let us know what you think of The Claude Controller!

via sonicmanipulator

7 thoughts on “The Claude Controller – Is This The Future Of Synthesizer Controllers?”

  1. hey great idea’s , i really like the vibe bar the best.
    i think if you can package this into a microkorg type esthetic it would awesome.
    keep up the good work.

  2. This is brilliant, really good work. The tactile control of mod wheels is much more than the fingertip approach with small knobs, you have built a mod wheel mothership. I would buy this in a shot, if it didn’t look like I was gonna electrocute myself on the top panel, but I’m sure that’s being worked on. I can imagine this being really powerful with a good softie like FM8, or a hardware sampler or one of those nice analog synths that doesn’t quite expose it’s innards with enough controls on the top. Can I control the orbit of jupiter with this?

  3. I really like the vibe bar, but I’m not so sure about the rest, which is basically 36 knobs mounted sideways… Still, I admire the inventiveness.

  5. i think it would be hard to remember what does what without very well placed lables but i can think back to how i use my midi controller and i would much rather use the wheels than the knobs

  7. Dear Claude Woodward,
    THE CLAUDE CONTROLLER
    You have obviously been able to make a beautiful MultiWheel MIDI-controller!
    Get it ready with labels etc for us passionate synth lovers.
    If you need to raise money for the manufacturing og marketing, do establish a free donation system!
    You’ve just got your first customer. Please do send me a mail telling about your progression 🙂

    Best regards

    [email protected]
    alias Dr Synth
    Oslo, Norway

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