NDSP Quad Cortex

[Orvillain]

It is kind of interesting to me that a heckuva lot of bands touring with QC control it (and more) from a laptop.

 

[sleewell]

It is kind of interesting to me that a heckuva lot of bands touring with QC control it (and more) from a laptop.

That is pretty wild. I guess do they have a backup ready on another laptop or nah?

I don't really like having something I spent so much on like the QC on the floor at places if I'm being honest. Risking it all on a laptop tho ... that's still kinda nuts hahaha

How are they getting a midi signal for a floor controller? Or something else?

I'd hate to be like hold up can't start yet my laptop is having issues lololol but in theory it should work fine I guess until it doesn't lol

 

[Lysander]

It is kind of interesting to me that a heckuva lot of bands touring with QC control it (and more) from a laptop.

I've seen live acts with their Fractal gear plugged to laptops, just for editing.

 

[LP59]

That is pretty wild. I guess do they have a backup ready on another laptop or nah?

I don't really like having something I spent so much on like the QC on the floor at places if I'm being honest. Risking it all on a laptop tho ... that's still kinda nuts hahaha

How are they getting a midi signal for a floor controller? Or something else?

I'd hate to be like hold up can't start yet my laptop is having issues lololol but in theory it should work fine I guess until it doesn't lol

Laptops controlling the show are becoming damn near ubiquitous. Besides automating control of amp modelers, some bands even go to the extreme of no pedalboards on stage. Backup laptops are pretty common and it's easy to set up a rig so the backup can take over seamlessly if needed.

 

[Sedaxel]

Does anyone ever wish the QC was just a little bigger or nah?

I do.

I would consider buying it if that was the case.

On the other hand, its compactness is part of the selling points for touring musicians who need to carry it on flights. I know one, and he wouldn´t be able to carry any other modeller with all that power in such a conformtable way. He´d like to have the footswitches a little more separated... but you can´t have everything, I guess.

 

[deadpool_25]

Does anyone ever wish the QC was just a little bigger or nah?

Not really. But I'm not using it live. I might think differently if I had to hit the switches in the heat of a live show. I'd be okay if it was a little bigger though. Maybe an inch wider and an inch longer.

 

[mbenigni]

TBH now that we are starting to see other flagships being released and other newcomers entering in to the space, I think you have to give props to what Neural pulled off with their initial form factor. It’s still the most modern and sleek device out there. Still seems next-gen versus the competition. (Talking just hardware and OS aesthetics)

Neural could make a killer V2 by just making it large enough to have scribble strips, and adding encoders directly under the screen.

Neural may get its own share of shit wrong, but design isn’t one of them.

I think encoders under the screen a la Stadium would be a step backward for QC. I know some guys get hung up on the controllers not aligning with screen elements but it’s honestly never bothered me. Meanwhile, the bigger and more widely-spaced hybrid encoders just feel great IMO. I intend to tolerate the array of encoders on the Stadium because everything else looks amazing, but I’m not really thrilled about going back to those little floaty encoders packed right next to each other. (Good news: I’ll probably be able to use the touchscreen for a lot of tasks where those encoders were cumbersome on Helix.)

As for wishing the QC were bigger, no thanks. I love how small it is. In a perfect world the switches would have spanned a range closer to the edges to afford wider spacing, but I imagine there’s a mechanical reason that this wasn’t possible.

 

[Whizzinby]

I think encoders under the screen a la Stadium would be a step backward for QC. I know some guys get hung up on the controllers not aligning with screen elements but it’s honestly never bothered me. Meanwhile, the bigger and more widely-spaced hybrid encoders just feel great IMO. I intend to tolerate the array of encoders on the Stadium because everything else looks amazing, but I’m not really thrilled about going back to those little floaty encoders packed right next to each other. (Good news: I’ll probably be able to use the touchscreen for a lot of tasks where those encoders were cumbersome on Helix.)

As for wishing the QC were bigger, no thanks. I love how small it is. In a perfect world the switches would have spanned a range closer to the edges to afford wider spacing, but I imagine there’s a mechanical reason that this wasn’t possible.

That’s for the QC XL Xtreme edition.

I always found the gigantic output dial to be odd, they could make a wider screen to match FS placement without it.

But generally speaking I agree, they got so much right with that original design. Still miles the best looking unit imo.

 

[mbenigni]

That’s for the QC XL Xtreme edition.

I always found the gigantic output dial to be odd, they could make a wider screen to match FS placement without it.

But generally speaking I agree, they got so much right with that original design. Still miles the best looking unit imo.

You're right on about everything here. That massive volume knob (the QC equivalent of the GR55 "EZ Edit" atrocity?) is sometimes handy, but it could have been reduced in size to improve the screen - or to reposition one of the right-most buttons (next/ prev/ tap tempo always seems a bit arbitrary to me), perhaps allowing for 1 fewer column and better spacing?

Anyway, it's done now. And all in all, pretty damn good.

 

[sleewell]

it is kinda funny though bc i think everyone was saying smaller is better for a while and then when we get what we wanted its like yah maybe a little bigger would actually be better hahahahahahaha. we are insufferable bastards

 

[mbenigni]

it is kinda funny though bc i think everyone was saying smaller is better for a while and then when we get what we wanted its like yah maybe a little bigger would actually be better hahahahahahaha. we are insufferable bastards

Remember when everyone wanted tiny cell phones? It took a minute, but we as a species finally realized that user interfaces could only be miniaturized so far before they were no longer compatible... with the users.

 

[sleewell]

Remember when everyone wanted tiny cell phones? It took a minute, but we as a species finally realized that user interfaces could only be miniaturized so far before they were no longer compatible... with the users.

View attachment 52585

hahaha you can pinpoint the exact moment they realized porn could be on phones

 

[Chocol8]

The question is do you see it as a desktop device, or as a floor unit with foot control. For a floor unit, switch spacing is important. For a desktop device, a small footprint is important. Unless you want to offer two different hardware options, there are going to be compromises with size.

 

[sleewell]

yeah i guess 2 sizes would be ideal

i use it as a floor unit. not really sure i wanna go down the midi floor controller rabbit hole.

 

[fiftyshadesofslay]

As long as it doesn’t end up on someone’s desk on one of those wanky laptop stands

 

[mbenigni]

yeah i guess 2 sizes would be ideal

i use it as a floor unit. not really sure i wanna go down the midi floor controller rabbit hole.

It's easier than you think. Just a couple of CC#s to map. And the Paint Audio MIDI Captain - a perfect fit for the QC - is relatively cheap.

 

[TheTrueZoltan!]

The circle is complete.

 

[mikah912]

I love scoring and production stuff (and do it on the side myself), so I think the concept of the clip is kinda cool.

What I cannot stand - and it's far more widespread than these guys - is how frickin' generic the soundscape has gotten, both for scoring and metal. Same "trailer scoring" or "hybrid" plugins with the same orchestra/synth samples along with the same generic guitar tones and drum samples. Almost everything I heard could've been a Periphery record or any of 10,000 "modern hard rock" bands you hear on Sirius XM Octane.

For all of that talk of the unique approaches and "early metal sounds" they wanted to bring, it's interchangeable with so many other artists.

 

[Los-D]

The circle is complete.

ZERO self awareness (or 100, depending on how you look at it).

 

[2dor]

I love scoring and production stuff (and do it on the side myself), so I think the concept of the clip is kinda cool.

What I cannot stand - and it's far more widespread than these guys - is how frickin' generic the soundscape has gotten, both for scoring and metal. Same "trailer scoring" or "hybrid" plugins with the same orchestra/synth samples along with the same generic guitar tones and drum samples. Almost everything I heard could've been a Periphery record or any of 10,000 "modern hard rock" bands you hear on Sirius XM Octane.

For all of that talk of the unique approaches and "early metal sounds" they wanted to bring, it's interchangeable with so many other artists.

It's not like it sounds bad - imho the production & mixing is awesome. The problem is that with all the tech going around nowadays, modern music feels a bit like a circle-jerk; everybody's trying too much to go down to drop Z and same-y style-wise. In all fairness, I think every period has these pitfalls though (80s and hair metal, 90s and grunge / nu-metal, 00s with metalcore etc.).