Audiaire Zenith: MIDI controller and sequencer

[tallguy]

I've been testing - and getting very excited about - Zenith, a MIDI controller and sequencer VST made by Audiaire. It allows you to control external hardware, a bit like Reason's own External MIDI Instrument, but on steroids.

For starters, you can control not just notes, but SysEx data. For the first time, I'm able to automate all the parameter on my Juno 106. It has pre-configured maps for more than 100 devices.

On top of that, Zenith also has a Chorder, scaler, multiple LFOs, envelope and a 24 sequencers that can each be assigned to a different parameter.

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[Boombastix]

I downloaded the demo a while back but never got into it. Not much on YouTube and the HW list seems incomplete.

Looks cool though so maybe worth a second look. But I guess the automation is mostly for the techno and dubstep crowd.

I was interested to use it as a HW controller but not sure how much you can actually do before the HW midi buffer gets angry...

[tallguy]

I downloaded the demo a while back but never got into it. Not much on YouTube and the HW list seems incomplete.

Looks cool though so maybe worth a second look. But I guess the automation is mostly for the techno and dubstep crowd.

I was interested to use it as a HW controller but not sure how much you can actually do before the HW midi buffer gets angry...

I like because it lets me do things with and old hardware synth I couldn't do before. But it has its limitations and rough edges.

Sending an LFO to a parameter can certainly crash the Juno. But the sequencer or the envelope don't seem to saturate the MIDI signal path.

The interface has different zoom levels, but some of them are just upscaled lower res artwork. There are some mislabelled channels in some presets. Like I said, there are rough edges.

[Boombastix]

Thanks. Yeah, I think I'll wait, a bit expensive, and I need to learn Cubase more. You can set up your own page with knobs and sliders and send CC and SysEx to the synth, then automate those knobs. If I need something more I can probably get along easier with CableGuys MidiShaper. Maschine 2 is another way I think, just need to figure our what is easiest.
Cubase also has a little step sequencer tool that can do midi CC as well. I'm probably covered more than enough, just need to get on with it.

[tallguy]

Thanks. Yeah, I think I'll wait, a bit expensive, and I need to learn Cubase more. You can set up your own page with knobs and sliders and send CC and SysEx to the synth, then automate those knobs.

Fair enough. As someone stuck in the Reason bubble, I didn't even know other DAWs could automate CC and SysEx out of the box.