Although I love Jazz Mutant’s concept and the Lemur/Dexter units are very slick, it just seems like an infinitely better idea to start building similar systems like this Dell one to me. Throw on a couple high-end A/D’s and D/A’s, tweak it for audio, customize the screen and latches for durability and sell it for $3k. I’d be much more likely to spring for that then drop $1800 for a controller alone.

When the Lemur first came out it enthralled me, but with more and more multi-touch things on the market it’s getting outdated on a daily basis.

I think if you want something on a budget, you want either a separate display or a multi-touch overlay and a DIY approach. And if I went that route, I wouldn’t even emulate the Lemur — I’d think about trying something very different (like some other custom 2D UI).

I don’t see what the harm in that would be.

- c

I also have videochannel where i show some performances and talk about how the controls are build: http://www.youtube.com/tonvibration

Of course, working with the Lemur is time consuming. The more possibilities you have the more decissions and programming you have to do. Just addding a fader and route it directly to midi is really easy with the jazzeditor. But building more complex controls – and that is where the fun is going on another dimension – migth take time. And i agree: there could/should be more tutorials! But you grow with your projects…

The tool you use alway influence your outcome. For me: i´m working more with detailed effect controls (like delay timing, startpoint of beatrepeat) since owning the lemur, cause now i can see the values… and control becomes more precise.

Well – i don´t think that the lemur is compareable to the i-phone apps. Beneath “multitouch on a stamp” the control-configuration is not as flexible as on the lemur. But anyway – they are nice gadgets! And i wonder about all that “touchscreen is coming for everybody”, cause this was also the saying one year ago, but till now…..? After 5 years on the market the lemur is still unique….

We will see what the future brings….

Aside from latency (which can be solved with a nicer touchscreen) using a little LCD touchscreen and Sensomusic’s Usine DAW with it’s touchscreen user-buildable GUI (looks like a cross between an iPhone and a Lemur) you get the most control for by far the cheapest price. Which is sad: I think the Lemur is an incredible idea, and it’s certainly not their fault the thing costs so much. I’ve researched how to get multitouch for cheap for a few years now and it’s just not possible – even the laptops that are already multitouch pre-Win7 have the terrible problem of finicky drivers and pathetic CPUs (I’m rockin’ an overclocked intel dual core 3.0Ghz and it’s still not enough, not by a long shot).

I’m not real sure what Apple is up to with their multitouch capabilities but it seems quite odd that they’ve not put aything on the store shelves.

You’re totally right, it’s the definition of a sale.

I just think they should publish the normal price, so we have a sense for how much of a reduction this sale affords.

They’re leaving it a mystery, and I find that to be a little manipulative.

- c

as sexy as this thing is, i still like the monome better. i just feel closer to the interface/music somehow. maybe it’s the real buttons, or maybe it’s the simplicity/limitations of it.

when controlling stuff like maxMSP, i generally find that a more limited interface is usually better. too many blank slates are overload for me.