Yepp, great to see the Eagan Matrix in more instruments! Seems to be an (imho good) trend to build electronic insttruments with “body and brain” again
The more I play with electronic instruments the higher I value the standalone plug’n’play aspect!
I’m feeling skeptical… is it closing a circle? Give a keyboard to the EaganMatrix, a few encoders and a screen.
Not scared anymore of the price though.
Still hard to beat the Continuum regarding conceptual pureness.
There is probably room enough for both without too much overlap
Even though company and product name sound cool they are probably not what your personal search engine optimizer would have suggested
Let’s see how long it takes for either the company homepage or any information about the instrument to appear on the first ten Google pages for the search term “expressivee osmosis”.
I absolutely love the look of it. And I like the concept, as well. The price is surprisingly reasonable, too!
I can imagine a lot of musicians have eyed the expressive MPE stuff from a distance because of often steep prices, tough learning curves and/or the technical hassle involved. If that is the case, the Osmose would probably win a lot of those over. Fingers crossed. Wider acceptance of expressive synths and the MPE standard would be good for all of us.
Since I already own Eigenharps, Seaboard Blocks and a Continuumini (well, once it finally ships, that is) this would probably be too much of an overlap with the gear I already own. But even with years of Eigenharp practice, I am still much more proficient on regular piano keys, so hmm… perhaps…
I think in many ways this is more like an eigenharp than a Continuum/Roli, (though missing Y)
I think it’s a pity they didn’t include a multitouch ribbon, and use a conventional mod/pitch wheel rather than a touché.
But for price point seems excellent.
( id guess it won’t be long till they do a version which includes touché ?!)
I’m thinking that this is more likely to replace a keyboard than anything else.
Id love to have something with a decent Rhodes /epiano sound, which I’m surely is possible for eagen matrix … but it must have a decent feel / keybed for this. Then explore out from that point.
@Anckorage ,
have you had your hands on it? What’s it feel like compare to a eg normal fatar keybed?
( vids made some reference to ‘getting used to it’)
Are the encoders/display tied to sound engine parameters? EM barrels?
Yepp, a Touche for the left hand might be interesting.
Or a (usb?) port to connect to a ContinuuMini, adding relative bending capabilities and (one can dream ) doubling processing power of the EaganMatrix?
Or if usb is unsuitable - an expander slot to connect a Continuum to combine both instruments in the same patch…
Yes I’m involved in hte development (Eagan Matrix programming, sound design, link with Expressive E …)
You can play it as a traditional keybed, but that’s not what it’s made for (also this will allow to use your non MPE VST and Synth). What really makes the feeling different is that you can start a sound at the very first touch of a key (event very light), then you have the classical depression of a piano key (mapped to Z) and then you fill a “step” (need for a bit more of pressure) and this second area is mapped to Y… and X is the done by shaking the key left/right (and remains accurate: also thanks to the shape of the key, you need to press a little bit before being able to do this left/right shaking, meaning that you can’t attack out of tune… but that’s mechanical, not software).
And yes from the screen and knobs, you can control the barrels… and much more (more or less all the parameters youhave in my IOS app).
It is a 3DSP unit, meanig that you can layer, create processing chain, split …
Interesting , so Z and Y are mapped to two different phases ,
so Y more similar to traditional aftertouch? (where you press into it?)
I assume at the point Y is active , Z is full on?!
I like the idea that x, is not initially active too.
I like this, I was hoping ( in advance ) that expressive-e would try to take a different approach to expression, create a unique/different instrument - and looks like they delivered
initial impressions Im seeing online, seem to be very positive - lots of keyboard players who said they were unsure of the ‘squishy’ Roli feel, seem to appreciate the direction of the Osmosis.
must be a really exciting project for you @Anckorage to be involved in.
I see it has DC input, can it be bus powered too?
Y more similar to traditional aftertouch?
> Yes but much softer and much easier to control (also very fast: hall effect sensors behind)
I assume at the point Y is active , Z is full on?!
> Yes
15 V DC input required … for 3 Sharc DSP and associated audio stuf …
Yes very exciting … also crazy since first Onde are just starting shipping… and we are finalizing firmware 9.0 of the Continuum … and day job … (can we buy sleeping hours somewhere ? ) … but I’m very happy anyway, there are some oppotunity you can’t miss !!!
Just when I thought I was done buying controllers for a while.
I don’t know why I ever think that, let alone why I think that so often…
Side note:
I wish this was available during the four years I played in a steampunk band. My whole setup stuck out like a sore thumb with all that black plastic.
Well it’s Not a controller; sound source on board and no other then Eagan Matrix with 3DSP it provides many possibilities and “bang-for-your-bucks”
Osmosis is “fighting” for its space and affirmation, it has a good name to encapsulate what it is, I think.
Edit: Maybe we are running out “desk” space in our studios… or live setups.
I didn’t see any space in your ‘rig’
that said, you always seem to squeeze things in some how…like Dr Who’s Tardis!
I guess if you have a continuum, there’s a lot more overlap, as you have EM already.
how much does the ‘surface’ change things? hard question, esp. till we get our hands on one.
my hope is we can try it at some where like Superbooth 2020 to make a final decision.
Superbooth 2020 is after December 31th though…
I don’t get the purpose of the upper black section - is it for gliding?
Also this video is in mono, clearly a mistake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkobxItFaNI
you’re not bound to the order, until they ask for final payment next year. (refundable deposit)
not sure if that will be before SB or not though.
none, afaik, I think it just looks cool
Initially I thought so, too. Seems just to be an extension of the key though, so on first sight it might not matter whether you press the key on the bottom or top (besides lever principle of course).
What might be interesting: The upper range is essentially similar to the Dodeka keyboard - playing in the upper area might be interesting to release the brain from the C-centric thinking of the piano keys. Perhaps different music might be the result?
Seems like the upper part of the keys is just that, with no functionality whatsoever.
It just looks like a midi keyboard with upper part of the enclosure taken off. I dig the design, but I’d rather have some kind of protection for those gentle keys when transporting it in a backpack or something.
Anyway, I’m not a position in life anymore where I can buy new music stuff, so what am I doing here anyways
Yeah, all clips I’ve seen so far are in mono, which is a shame.
OK, definitely an interesting product, and bundled with the EaganMatrix, makes it very compelling. The initial price is very attractive, and even the full price isn’t bad. I think the YZ-motion makes a lot of sense. I think it’s a far more compelling product than the Roli for someone looking to jump in from a traditional keyboard background. So nice job all involved!
All that said, I’m not inclined to jump right now, as (a) I have a Continuum, (b) I’ve not touched it, and © I want a full sized keyboard (or at least 71keys).
The upper section of the keyboard is (I’m guessing) a mechanical choice to allow for sufficient lateral motion in the keys?
So, after last night sleep and with some more details, I’m IN!!
Marketing worked now let the waiting begin and in the meantime I hope to try it in person.
I’m now well above 2000 reserves ahahahh… decisions.
Have to congratulate all envolved @Edmund, @Anckorage, Lippold and Expressive E guys.
Think I can manage a third Eaganmatrix Instrument… who am I to deceiving it’s usefulness, say to the left hand playing big chords… ahah Cmini on top of that black area with some kind of suspension/support best of both worlds!?!