An expressive keyboard? I guess we’ll have to wait a little longer:
4 Likes
I remember a special keyboard product that was basically like sensitive touchpads that you have to glue to your normal keyboard. This allowed two dimentions of expression for pitch bend and slide up and down. It was quite pricey, tho.
This teaser looks like taking that idea futher, to a complete, ready to play init. But I find Junkie XL’s comment about “first guys who made this right” a bit over the top) On the other hand, I’m happy that a very niche and “boutique” company such as Expressive-E gets this level of exposure.
1 Like
I think its this?: http://touchkeys.co.uk
Fantastic there is still innovation around the musical keyboard…
1 Like
Some photos emerging
Talk of 20th November for announcement
4 Likes
keeping it traditional then)
4 octaves=49 new/similar Touché approach?!?
Curious what’s on the left side 
Hmm. I guess the weird looking piano keys is like that to allow for two sets of pressure, one on the top of the key and one of the bottom, as on the Touche. But I don’t understand how pushing sideways could work, though? Nor do I have any idea what the black row of keys above the normal keys is for. Very mysterious!
Since Haken/Anckorage is involved, that probably means some variant of EaganMatrix?
3 Likes
I guess we can hope the mod-wheel is replaced.
At the back probably a continuous slide area ( ala seaboard) - this could mean keys just need to wiggle for vibrato?!
not quite sure how pressure can work, beyond poly pressure - unless it also has, like touch keys, something that detects surface area of touch.
This kind of sensor might be needed for y axis
But in some ways I hope this is ‘wrong’ , and that expressive-e are just going a different direction- like they did with the touché.
I think xyz is not the only way to add expressions.
I’d also love for it to have a built in sound engine - Eagan matrix would be nice, but also happy for it to be something completely different - perhaps more approachable for average musician ?
Anyway , I’m excited collaboration between two awesome companies can only be a good thing.
Only hope it’s not going to be outrageously expensive, so i can get my hands on one 
3 Likes
Brace yourselfs for the value (and it’s discussion) 2 companies expertises + Eagan matrix look alike…
1 Like
Yeah - loads will have opinions on price…
I don’t see so much as ‘value’ or ‘worth price’ , as so many factors - and at the end of they day, they are free to charge what they like.
For me price is merely can I ( find a way to ) afford one or not
( assuming of course it actually interests me ;))
1 Like
If its gonna be a self-contained mpe unit… it might be the only hardware synth outside of modular I’ll consider getting.
I’m of course involved in this… but can’t say a word for now … but you won’t have to wait long to get all the details !
8 Likes
An Eagan-Matrix inside (or by) the Linnstrument would be awesome. I won’t go for more MPE controllers.
My wallet and wife are quite scared.
2 Likes
It scores good in the looks department, that helps but what’s most important is how the integration with the engine is.
I’ m hopeful this will be the holy grail in affordable mpe and dedicated soundengine in one.
- Seems you can choose between full polyphonic aftertouch or Continuum-ish pressure response
- Seems you can pitch bend by wiggling a key, but it appears to produce global pitch bend, not key-specific
- Seems to not have any of the Y-type axis of the Continuum or Roli, where sliding your finger up and down the key generates expression
1 Like
First photos are available now:
Looks a little familiar…
Looking forward to see how this develops!
Have played with the Morphs some more together with others and the biggest issue is really that the four individual Morphs need a usb hub in between. Which seems to be a source of trouble, had the case several times now already that one or several Morphs were not recognized. And last time first two out of two Morphs and then none at all was working - quite frustrating. Will have to experiment with other USB hubs.
Or a bigger Morph would be highly welcome! Or a hardware Continuano…? We’ll see…
videos are up
Ok, seems to work a little different than I first thought. Not fully 3d-surface-style but some combination of poly aftertouch and “key left-right wiggle detection”. Still very cool!
perhaps @Anckorage can now spill some more beans
(e.g. whats the hardware spec on the dsp?)
yeah, I think basically a poly AT keyboard with poly vibrato.
looks like though, the poly AT is pretty special - more like the continuous pressure of a continuum?
Then the eagen matrix is there, to make a nice standalone keyboard.
I think its a really interesting proposition…
I kept looking at the TouchKeys because I really like the a conventional piano/synth action - so this looks really neat .
I guess no Y axis is disappointing, but perhaps this is tricky to use when you need to use piano fingering? reminds me of the fact the Seaboard (Grand) originally didn’t have Y axis either.
3 Likes