Still frustrated with Sensel Morph as Graphics Tablet 2 Years Later

Software Compatibility Art
#1

Hi. I’ve had my Sensel Morph since 2017. I hadn’t used it in probably a year, but I decided to try it again today. I updated the firmware and tested it using the art software I own (macOS versions): Painter Essentials 6, Art Rage 5, Mischief and Rebelle 3. I used the Morph with the Art Overlay. For a stylus, I used a paint brush and also the rubber-tipped stylus that Sensel sent me back in 2017. However, unfortunately, I’m still frustrated with how well the Morph functions as a graphics tablet.

Painter Essentials and Rebelle didn’t recognize the Morph’s pressure sensitivity at all. Art Rage and Mischief did recognize the pressure sensitivity. But, in general, I found it was harder to control my marks with the Morph than when using a dedicated graphics tablet, especially when lifting the brush/stylus and moving it to another part of the virtual canvas without making a mark. So I’m still very disappointed.

I do love the feel of using the Morph, especially when using it with the paint brush. In general, the tactile sensation of drawing with the Morph feels better and less slippery than using a graphic tablet. (In the past, I’ve owned Wacoms, but currently own a cheaper tablet from a company called XP-Pen.)

However, from my experience, the Morph just doesn’t work well enough as a graphics tablet for me to actually use it as one.

I’m posting this message to provide Sensel some feedback on my experience. I’m also hoping there is still some way for Sensel to improve the Morph’s functionality as an art tablet in the future. I really want to be able to use it, and I spent $257 for it back in 2017 intending to use it as my primary graphics tablet. But it seems like the Morph is better suited for other tasks, such as making music.

Also, if there are other people having a better experience with the Morph as a drawing device, I’d like to hear your experiences.

Thanks,

David M.

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#2

Since you ask - I’m having a wonderful experience with the Morph as a drawing/painting device, but that’s because I develop custom software for it. It would certainly be nice for more drawing/painting software to support it better.

…Tim…

#3

Tim, that’s interesting. For whom do you develop the software? It’d be great if Sensel provided such software with the Morph, considering how difficult it’s been (for me, at least) to get it working with other applications.

#4

good to know that ArtRage and Mischief recognise Sensel pressure. I will have to try this out one day, especially with a real brush. Although I don’t expect much, and I don’t have the Art Overlay.

#5

Phil, you’re welcome. It also appears that Mischief is no longer being developed. I just got an email from the company that makes it saying it will no longer be available after December.

#6

For whom do you develop the software?

I develop software for use on my Space Palette Pro (an enclosure with 4 Morphs and a touchscreen), which I deploy as an installation at Burning Man and other events. I also perform with it. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_s2P7gMRm0 for the profile that Sensel did on me/it. A much longer talk (covering my history leading up to it) can be found at https://youtu.be/F9hG0rsFPo8?t=2368 . The system is not publicly available, though it may be someday.

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#7

Tim, I watched the shorter video. Looks like fun and it’s very creative. But what you’re doing with the Morph is definitely different than using the Morph as a traditional graphics tablet. I really thought when I bought my Morph it could replace a Wacom out of the box, but it really can’t, even two years later.

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#8

@Skylamar thanks for reaching out. We really do appreciate your feedback and completely understand where you’re coming from. We want to make these improvements, though I can’t offer any timelines at the moment. Thank you for being an early adopter and for helping us as we continue to improve the Morph.

#9

I am also an “early adopter” as @matt_from_sensel calls it and I am THROUGHLY disappointed in the Sensel Morph!
I was FOOLISH enough to be a backer for it back when they had it on Kickstarter, primarily because it was also marketed as a device that could also be used as a super sensitive drawing device with a ridiculous amount of levels of pressure when drawing. . . .that-is-not-the-case. The Sensel Morph SUCKS as a drawing device! The pressure doesn’t work as advertised (when it was advertised as a drawing device), the palm rejection is pathetic and honestly I just want to get rid of it.
If anyone here is in the market for a Sensel device or knows someone who might, be on the look out on ebay.

#10

‘early adopter’ too, but from the advertising I didn’t get the impression of the Morph as drawing input device. I liked the image of the real brush, stroking the Morph surface, but very much doubted that this could be of real use. Because painting software rely on single-point input devices (pen). For a real brush with dozens of input values, there first must be a painting software that can read these values. I expected somehow that Sensel would release such a software, maybe just a simple one.

I purchased the Morph as a music tool only. As a MPE controller that is small and portable. And as a Buchla Thunder input device. Which performs very well, exactly as I expected. And as a QWERTY keyboard, but this didn’t really perform as expected.

For drawing and painting, Wacom tablets are still the first choice I believe. And they aren’t as expensive as they used to be 15 years ago. The newer ones even have touch, so you also get a large trackpad with gestures.

#11

Oh believe me, I know Wacom is still the leading digital pen/tablet device for drawing (although I believe that gap is starting to close)—I personally use an iPad Pro for drawing on the go. When I initially saw advertising for the Morph my attention immediately went to the video of an artist (sorry, I can no longer remember the artist who they interviewed) using an actual brush drawing on the Morph in the art software, ClipStudio Paint—it blew my mind! I guess I was just eager and hopeful that as development of the Morph progressed, the drawing/painting on it would also improve and maybe even beat Wacom… that was/is not the case. Sensel’s focus went towards music.

What makes the Morph even more bitter to me is that I purchased 2 Morphs and 2 Art Overlays—the Art Overlays are nonexistent on their website now and so is any evidence of drawing/painting support.

With all that being said, If anyone is interested in buying 2 Morphs with 2 Art Overlays, 2 Piano Overlays, a Media Editing Overlay and 2 protective cases then let me know.

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#12

very interesting. I never heard of ClipStudio Paint. Impressive what this artist has done, painting with a real brush into software! Although I don’t know of that artist either, a quick search didn’t reveal anything. I would love to use the Morph with real brushes, I have plenty of them because I’m a painter by profession. In that case, there is still hope? Or not? From your post it seems there is not much hope. But don’t you think that in a few months time there will be a development in that direction?

Besides, I am interested in purchasing one or two Morphs. Where are you located? I’m in Switzerland.

#13

talking about frustration. There was a problem with a Wacom pen. I replaced the nib, and after that there was a lot of error input (double tap instead of single tap). Reboot the computer, and the error has gone. This is something that should not happen. But then I realise that the pen is no more working as it should. Rather often I have to tap several times to get the pen working. The pen is working alright, but not reliably.

If I do fast strokes in quick succession, the pen may render the result most of the time, sometimes not. This was not the case when I bought this Wacom tablet. Everything was smooth and brilliant.

We are not there where we want to be. It will take some time.

#14

Just noticed that Sensel doesn’t even sell the Art Overlay anymore. Is that a sign that they’ve given up on promoting the Morph as a drawing tablet? I probably should sell mine at this point.

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#16

Yup, that’s exactly what I had pointed out in my previous post above.
I would say “drawing” is not their focus, at least not for the foreseeable future; their main focus is in the musical arts and integrating their tech in phones.

I’ve actually been trying to sell mine but it is such an niche market it’s hard to find people who are looking for a Morph let alone even know what a Sensel Morph even is :worried:
With that being said to whomever else is reading this, I’m selling mine (I have two sets!) if interested PLEEEEASE contact me, I don’t want mine anymore, hopefully someone else could benefit from it.

#17

I tried to sell mine on eBay in 2018. Someone bought it, but then I had a change of heart and I canceled the sale. But now I wish I hadn’t canceled it.

#18

Quite a few Morphs have been sold on reverb.com - filter by “Sold Listings” to see what they’ve sold for. I can’t tell how recently they’ve sold, but reverb.com seems quite popular and useful for selling musical things these days.

 ...Tim...
#19

Tim, thanks for the heads up about reverb. I will probably try to sell my Morph in the next week or so.

When I run the Sensel app and I click on Visualizer and I see that the Morph will accept input from multiple fingers pressing at once, I’m still marveled by its capabilities. But in real world usage, I can’t even get it to work adequately as a trackpad. It’s because of its possibilities that I’ve been holding onto it. But I really feel like Sensel misled buyers like me.

#20

Posted a listing on eBay two days ago and it was sold tonight. So, goodbye Morph! I learned my lesson about being an early adopter.

#21

Argh!! im so jealous! ive definitely learned my lesson too about being an earlier adopter.
May i ask what exactly you sold? was it just the Morph or Morph+overlays, etc.?

Congrats again on the sell!

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