[The Extra Deluxe Mfg. "Sixty-One" Premium MIDI Controller]

Welcome! Thank you for reaching out to us!

 

You're talking about a situation like what some of the touring keyboardists have, where all the changes, sidechains, volume automation, etc is pre-recorded and one just plays the notes and maybe the pitch/mod wheels, correct?

 

Exactly

[The Extra Deluxe Mfg. "Sixty-One" Premium MIDI Controller]

The website describes the 1/4" input in back as "a switch input for sending on/off MIDI messages", so my guess is that it can't be used for an expression pedal. But what if you could? That would mean giving up using a sustain pedal.

 

Technically it could be wired that way but you would lose sustain and one of the pots would become an on off.

[The Extra Deluxe Mfg. "Sixty-One" Premium MIDI Controller]

I purchased one of these a couple of weeks ago.

 

M-Audio Code 61

 

- 61 full-size semi-weighted keys, velocity- and pressure-sensitive keys with aftertouch

- 4 assignable zones for splits and layering

- 16 fully assignable velocity-sensitive trigger pads for beat production, clip launching and more;

- 8 assignable 360 enCoders combined

- 9 assignable faders and buttons for controlling your DAW and Virtual Instruments

- Fully assignable, Ableton-friendly XY pad for HID control and a unique way of controlling multiple parameters in virtual instruments

- Minimal setup required | Mackie/HUI transport control enables for a simple setup with the most popular DAWs

- USB bus powered

- Optional 9V power supply

- On-board 5 pin MIDI In and Out

- USB interface

- sustain pedal interface

- expression pedal interface

- 11 pounds

 

Less than 1/2 the cost of the Extra Deluxe Mfg model. I wish the Code 61 were manufactured in a 73 key package but 61 keys is the top end limit.

 

 

We know these exist. This was our model for the exact opposite of what we wanted to do.

[The Extra Deluxe Mfg. "Sixty-One" Premium MIDI Controller]

I think that you can re-assign the sustain jack to be an expression pedal input, but I agree - it should have both, along with INC/DEC buttons for patch changes. Maybe in the next iteration . . . .

 

I do like this idea. This module was designed for the stage. In an environment where you were not the one doing patch changes. Everything was automated. We hated how there were no good looking midi controllers. The plastic ones always broke and required some sort of cover up to look good. We had thought about endless encoders for patch changes, more of a studio version.

[The Extra Deluxe Mfg. "Sixty-One" Premium MIDI Controller]

I saw that a bunch of people were being directed from this forum to our website. I thought I would answer some of the questions and hopefully I don't get dragged too much for it.