Extend Your Creativity: External Controllers

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Time is the most valuable commodity so I’m always looking for ways to be more efficient. I use the external controller system Palette, by Calvin Chu and his team, but the TourBox Neo is making waves as a great, affordable, peripheral external controller for all your creativity needs.

This little device is packed with buttons, dials, wheels, pretty much everything you’d expect from an external controller. Unlike Palette the TourBox Neo isn’t modular but the ergonomic design and the ability to ‘grab’ everything you need without much wrist movement seems ideal. At this time it is due for shipping in the USA only mid-late May 2021 so we in Europe will have to wait!

Like Palette this external controller can be used with all the major creative applications; Photoshop, Illustrator, FCPX etc, and I suspect, other non design applications. Midi interfaces, although come in a range of sizes, are huge in the digital music production arena so adding something as neat and resourceful as this into your workflow can only be a good thing.

TourBox NEO External Controller — Image © TourBox NEO

Chris Hauk at Mactrast explores the topic further;

TourBox Neo: The Ultimate Controller for Creators

Inspiration should never be blocked by tedious operations, and TourBox helps you with that. This powerful controller is like an extension of your hand, helping you create, think, and control intuitively.

Dedicated to digital content creators like you, TourBox helps you easily navigate software, such as Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, and Capture One. You can also use it with drawing, video, and audio-editing software too. With a knob, wheel, scroller, and multiple buttons, TourBox will make your creation process much easier. The device is compatible with both Windows and macOS.

4.3/5 stars on Amazon: ★ ★ ★ ★

Frees you from the endless repetitive tasks to make the drawing, editing, & retouching
Versatile knob enables you to easily control the size, flow, transparency & hardness of the brush
Controls are precisely calibrated for ideal speed, accuracy, & acceleration
Ergonomic hands-on layout provides quick access to commonly used controls
Designed for use alongside a tablet or mouse
Graphic design software: Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, Capture One, & more
Drawing software: Clip Studio Paint, Comic Studio, & SAI
Video/audio editing software: Final Cut Pro, Premiere, After Effects, DaVinci, Audition & C4D
Works with Windows & macOS
Customize settings with TourBox Console software

.Read the full specs at: MacTrast

Phil Shaw

“Humans do not engage in activities that are meaningless. If you think you see people doing things you find meaningless, look again and try to understand what the activities mean for them.”
— Henry Jenkins