Custom Stribe Duo: Beyond Heads

Primus Luta's Custom Stribe Duo

A few months back I was having a conversation with Brandon Daniel about what direction I should head in next. There were two options: finally delve into my desire to really get into the modular analog synth arena or continue down the Open Sound Control (OSC) path.  

I’ve always wanted to get deep into modular synth tech, going back to my early days running errands (and eventually some engineering) in the studio.  I was this close to buying an insane Doepfer rack a few years back.  I envisioned figuring out how to integrate the modular synth directly with software (sans MIDI), in much the way MOTU’s recently released Volta does today. But alas, a few days before I was going to make the purchase, out of nowhere comes the demo for this monome thing.

Flashing forward to again to a month or so ago, I’m nearing the end of the Heads cycle and again the question rises – what’s next?  After talking with Brandon, I make the decision once again to forego my modular aspirations and delve even further into the OSC passion which the monome has left me with.  There were a lot of reasons for this, not the least of which was Brandon’s warning – modular is a never ending, expensive addiction.  What starts out as a simple rig quickly becomes a need to complicate itself with a nice price tag at each step.  

Beyond that though, OSC really is a new frontier ripe for exploration.  With the work I’ve already done with Heads, I’ve have a strong foundation upon which to build, whereas going modular would in essence require starting from scratch.  Who knows three years from now what I’d be able to do in that arena.  What I do know is that with some new tools I could take what I’ve already done and continue to grow in an arena which in many regards is a new frontier.  So the question arises – what tools?  Actually that wasn’t even a question for me, I already knew the tool. 

Only months after the monome was first introduced a new product inspired by it popped up on the scene – the Stribe.  Same general premise as the monome, but replacing the buttons with touchstrips. As small of a difference as this seems, it makes for a wide range of new possibilities.

The original model was an eight strip build similar to the monome.  I was pretty close to buying one of the first series, but decided it’d be better to really get the monome down pat before indulging.  Since then they discontinued the eight strip build for the Stribe 1 with only one touchstrip, both as prebuilt units and kits for DIYers.  Honestly, at first I was a bit turned off by the Stribe 1, primarily because my thought was you need more than one.  But then I saw this custom build from the Machine Collective and fell absolutely in love. 

So at last this week my own Custom Stribe Duo arrived and the next leg of my OSC journey is set to begin.  The first step will be getting it integrated into all of my existing instruments.  The need for more control was actually the final inspiration for moving forward on this.  I think between the two Stribes, pots and joystick I can finally perfect my bidule DAPS (Digital Audio Performance Station).  Beyond that though, the sky is the limit.

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