Intuitive Instruments Exquis MPE + CV controller and app

@Jukka I have my answer, thank you.
We have started to work with Moreno Andreatta, one of the most active researcher on Tonnetz, to experiment Tonnetz on Exquis. We will be very happy to share experiments with who wants to.
A good start is the result of Moreno’s team research, a software to play with Tonnetz: Software – Moreno Andreatta
I plan to make a tool which will allow Exquis’ users to remap their key layout with predefined Tonnetz, so we can explore playing with the different Tonnetz.
Anyone interested, please tell me so we can start a list for diffusion of future advancement on the subject.

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@Jukka, sorry I didn’t took the time to read all other threads, so you know already the web-hexachord software!

As you can see, the Exquis layout is the Tonnetz 3,4,5. The slight difference is that on Exquis, semitone are placed next to each other and not spaced like on the web-hexachord interface, which prefer to put forward the fifth.
Our conversation with Moreno tried to explain this by making a difference between a representation of a Tonnetz that is made for visualising theoretical aspects, and a representation of a Tonnetz that is made for playing music.
It’s interesting to see we came up with the Exquis layout because we wanted to find a better way to play.

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Yeah, the Exquis is currently set up with the arrangement you get using the 1,3,8 dimensional interval choice with that software.

8 semitones is a minor 6th the same as an inverted major 3rd. That’s what I mean above when i said “flipping the direction of the minor third relative to the major third”.

Just for clarity, i only use the label “Tonnetz” to refer to the 3,4,5 arrangement of intervals. This is what Euler used on his original 1739 paper. He certainly knew of other arrangements of intervals.

I can see how other arrangement have different strengths and can function differently. The 1,3,8 may be better for “playing”, as it stretches the typical scales linearly. The 3,4,5 may be better for “composition” in that it’s shapes get arranged in harmonically useful constellations.

Also given the rectangular ( longer than wide ) shape of the Exquis, people may prefer different directional orientations with different interval arrangements.

Upthread i wrote about using the Exquis to control a microtonally tuned synthesizer, as for instance a Hydrasynth. The HS and other synths like it have many different options for microtonal scales. How to arrange those notes on to a hexagonal keyboard, for instance the 19 TET scale, is an interesting and open question. I have made some stabs at this but there are plenty of options. And obviously you need the flexibility to define the MIDI Note sent then by each hexagonal pad freely.

Anyway this post is already too long, so I’ll stop.

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Exactly. I would be interested in the Exquis as a controller for microtonal music, and thus would acquire one only on the condition that each hexagon pad’s MIDI note could be freely defined by the user (as with the Lumatone, or the Novation Launchpads via the Components app).
Further, if I understand the Exquis layout correctly, there are octave up/down buttons; ideally the “octave transposition” interval should also be freely definable to any interval as well, not just +/-12.

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Yeah absolutely ! I’d still use such a thing as an octave up, but the octave isn’t always 12 MIDI notes up with microtonal scales.

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Defining each hexagonal pad’s MIDI note is already on our roadmap. Thank for the advice on octave up/down buttons, we will consider it also.
As we are a very small team, adding features in the firmware can sometimes take a few months to be done. I am thinking of creating a small and simple MIDI tool to remap each pad’s MIDI notes, for exemple as a standalone MAX app or a standalone JUCE app. You plug your Exquis on the virtual input, and you plug your DAW/Synth/Hardware MIDI interface on the other side, so you can experiment with it. Would you use it?
That might be a nice way to start implementing this new feature in the firmware, when we all acknowledge it hits the point.

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I WANT to use it for 2 or 3 synth ,but never with a app ,so please tell us how do you change midi channel? I look in your web site ,cannot find answer? becuse if you ca t change Midi Channel then it is useless to me and to many;;; Please tell us how to do ;since order is on the way. Thank you

Please see here : https://dualo.com/download/12784

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I DID first day i bought it… now i realize it has been update!great thanks a lot

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Hello! I would love to lurk on any associated list :slight_smile:

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How to subscribe ? :slight_smile:

Understanding that currently you are busy with post-release activities, and that you are a small team, I’d like to kindly ask you to consider open sourcing the firmware mid-term.

Synthstrom went this route with the Deluge and the results are amazing.

A patch for the Midihub would also be possible.

Yes please!

Microtonality is the reason I’m interested in the Exquis - it makes it a viable affordable alternative to the Lumatone for me :slight_smile:

I can dig into the firmware weeds no problem so excited for any solution that works!

Hello everyone!
NEW FIRMWARE AVAILABLE

I’m happy to tell we have released last week a new version of Exquis’ firmware.
Here is a short video summarising the new features.
The one a few of you is waiting is the ability to choose the number of semitones for each of the two diagonals of the keyboard. It means you will be able to setup the Exquis keyboard with whatever hexagonal layout you want, horizontally and vertically, from left to right or right to left, and with the upper notes on the upper side or the lower side of the Exquis :slight_smile:

Thank you for all of you who marked their interest on the ability to use Exquis for microtonal music.
First step is done: you can now setup your Exquis so each key is sending a unique note, with no duplicates. You just need to set the left diagonal to 5 semitones, and the right diagonal to 6 semitones (5;6). If you want to mirror it, you can also use (6;5).

Hopefully, within the next 10 days, I will release a tool to allow remapping each key of Exquis with a MAX patch, which I will also compile as a standalone MAX app.
Once a first version is done, I will open my patch so anyone can add features to it.
This will be a temporary step before having the ability to configure each key within Exquis’ companion App and to store a few configurations directly inside the Exquis’ memory.

Also, we are working with a researcher who has made a MAX patch which allows to map microtonal layouts, and he is working at supporting the Exquis keyboard. Hopefully, we will be able to release it this summer. It works very well with MPE synths.

Once again, the idea is to define and prototype the features which needs to be implemented in the Exquis, before starting to work on the firmware itself.

Last be not least, we are looking to discuss with people who have some expertise in non-equivalent temperement music, such as turkish, egyptian, syrian, or indian and asian music. If you do knows about these musics, please reach me :slight_smile:

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I forgot to mention the new firmware is to be downloaded here on the welcome page of our website.

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I don’t know how many people use the Midihub, but yes, that would be a nice temporary solution.

This is the first time since learning about the tonnetz years ago that I’ve had the ability to play it physically using the harmonic table layout. It was the main reason I was interested in getting an isomorphic keyboard in the first place, so really happy it’s finally possible.

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The Akuto Studio Chord Machine also has the Tonnetz arrangement built-in as one of its three layouts. ( thread )

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Ah sorry didn’t mean finally possible in principle, but rather finally possible on the exquis which I already own.

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