100% User-Supported

The Handsonic Controller
another user-supported software by Confusionists, Inc.

The Handsonic Controller is a software interface, librarian or controller for the Roland Handsonic HPD-15. The software runs on Java (1.5 and better) on PC, Mac and Linux. It communicates with the Handsonic via Midi. See a screenshot of the librarian in action..

Click the box to see a screenshot

Features

  • Control - Choose the sounds used in patches (drumkits) on the Handsonic in an intuitive and comfortable full-screen interface (quite unlike the one-line LCD display that you're used to). This includes send and receive settings for each pad and pitch control.
  • Comfort - Type in patch names using your computer keyboard (and see them on the Handsonic). Choose instruments with your mouse and preview hundreds of instruments in seconds. .
  • Swap Instruments - Exchange the instruments for two pads, resolving a major annoyance of programming the Handsonic using its native interface.
  • Control patch-wide settings such as roll-speed and patch name.
  • Save and load patches to and from the Handsonic.
  • Randomize - assign random instruments from one or more instrument groups. Why pick instruments if you don't know your Madal Da from your Madal Din? Then tweak the kit you've created by changing some of the instruments.
  • Instrument Filters - Show just instruments that can be controlled with the hi-hat pedal, or just instruments that are position-sensitive, or filter by 3 other criteria.
  • System Bulk Dump - Back up and restore all or some of your settings from the device (will work with any MIDI instrument).

Instructions

To run the interface, follow these instructions

  1. You need Java 1.5 or better. How do you know if you have Java installed? From a command prompt (Windows) or a Terminal (OSX) run

    java -version

    The latest version of Java is always available here.

  2. You need a MIDI interface installed and plugged into your Handsonic.
  3. If you are on OSX, you need MIDI drivers. You can check out Plumstone or mmj. I've tested with MMJ on OSX. The main point of these Midi installations on OSX is to copy the .jar file THEY provide to /Library/Java/Extensions.
  4. That's about it for prerequisites. Now you need to download our .jar file here here.
  5. Now you can run it. To do this, from a command prompt (obviously, you can do a shortcut later for all this) run

    java -jar HandsonicControllerBeta.jar

    and if Java can't find the .jar, you'll need to specify it's location like this.

    java -jar d:\downloads\HandsonicControllerBeta.jar

    note that on Mac OSX (and Linux) it's with forward slashes like this.

    java -jar /downloads/HandsonicControllerBeta.jar

    This is not too hard, but if you have trouble, remember: you're usually just a backslash away from getting the .jar to run (and it's worth it).

  6. If you have problems, email me. If not and you're working and happy, change to javaw instead of java and the annoying terminal window will disappear.
This software is 100% user-supported. If you find it useful, please consider donating money (button below). Donations keep the development of this product moving forward. Also, if you find it to be useful, please mention it (for instance, on the liner notes for your next album).