M-Audio's Trigger Finger USB-powered triggering device, which I covered here on CDM
and for Gizmodo, now has pricing: list US$249.95, though, as expected,
street price is just under $200. M-Audio tells CDM the Trigger Finger
is shipping by the end of the month, so you could have your hands on
this soon.
16 velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads, 8 knobs, 4 faders, all freely
MIDI-assignable, and this is one sweet box. Even if this isn't your
primary control surface, you may want one on-hand for programming drums
or triggering video clips or, if you're really lucky, musical
pyrotechnics.
Sure, M-Audio may be owned by Avid/Digidesign, but don't tell the pros
we're just "consumer" users, because we'll be having too much fun
(especially with the champagne we can afford after buying native
software and M-Audio hardware instead of a pricey Pro Tools TDM system).