So I really enjoyed using the Microfreak as a midicontroller but alas, I sold it some years back and I’ve been pining for a keybed like that ever since.
I love the arpeggiator implementation and random “spice” feature they built in, too - but all that aside, I’m trying to locate a midi controller with the same buchla-style keybed but my google fu seem to be drawing a blank. Changing midi channels on the fly needs to be as seamless as a keystep, etc.
I’m not totally opposed to building my own eurorack for this, or in the worst case scenario I’d have to buy one or two Microfreaks and chain them so I can play over four octaves.
I know your title says capacitive but do you care if the keyboard uses a different technology that functions pretty much the same ?
The Keith McMillen K-Board Pro 4 uses what they call Smart Sensor Fabric technology, but like capacitive sensing it is a physically non-reactive surface that detects the multiple direction of motion, for a MIDI MPE interface.
do you care if the keyboard uses a different technology that functions pretty much the same ?
I was gonna say yes, but this does look intriguing with its continuous pressure (reading the manual as I type this). It sucks that it’s only midi over USB for that price point but I was prepared to shelve out for a midi expander anyway.
K Board Pro is an absolute pleasure to play, the surface is really stiff and fast, extremely accurate to the touch
Do tell more! Do you mainly use it in a studio scenario or live? What gear have you used to control it with?
Also; I’m trying to figure how to change midi channel on the fly without the need for another device. Doesn’t seem possible unless I missed something in the manual.
iam using it mostly with the IPad or MacBook because MPE capable Software like Animoog Z exists in the App Store…now iam treating the Kboard Pro and any IPad Synth as Hardware so to say, using the KMix as control surface and sound card / Fx send etc. Great setup and obviously super smart.
It’s also a pleasure to control the Performance Macros inside the A4 with pressure/tilt etc.
this is also very Expressive because you can control the Axis information and the modulation amount from the Performance Macros, directly and bipolar.
which can be nearly every parameter on the A4 which is a lot of fun once you tame the overall range and get a feel for the expression of the K Board Pro.
Build quality is excellent (full aluminum body)
up to 4 Midi Channels could be changed on the surface when you create 4 Presets with same settings but different midi and IMPORTANTLY you have to sacrifice one of the 4 Sliders for preset selecting on every patch, once set (like 5 min) it’s a pure hardware companion.
Future Retro is recently out of business and they deleted their web-page.
ADDED : Future Retro has been acquired, and although their keyboard is not currently in production, the new owner has indicated their intent to put everything back into production. Their web-site.
ADDED : This is different than the four above, but i think this one fits well enough to be included.
Here’s another new option. It is a little different but it is capacitive, and has all sorts of interesting extra features. It comes in a two and a three octave version. It will function both in standard and MPE. Reasonably priced. And obviously you could add a nice MIDI to CV converter, if it is a modular synth you are controlling.
I am thinking the Loom might have some possibilities. It would be quite different from the Easel, and might ( or might not ) require a MIDI to CV interface, but the 2D features, and the various modes, might make an interesting combo with something like the Enigma.
Which length would fit better, i think the three octave might work.
Obviously the Buchla LEM218 would be the closest option if you have the budget, in which case maybe you do the whole thing with Buchla.
ADDED NOTE : Adoyo the developer of the Loom went bankrupt.
a flat 84hp case and a microfreakish keyboard with polyphonic voice allocation and preset sequencer + Cv/Gates and midi would be compatible with all of the Behringer lineup and therefore sell like nothing else they could simply bring up different faceplates to match their existing design scheme
This is a recreation of the original Buchla Model 219, with lots of improvements, made by Source of Uncertainty ( which is part of Black Corporation ).
I’ve wanted this style of keyboard for a very long time, but can’t afford a Buchla in this lifetime. Yesterday while watching the new Kinotone demo for their pedal Ghosts, I noticed a lovely controller they’ve made but don’t have advertised yet, the Kinotone touch activated control surface. I sent them a message about it and got a reply, “We are hoping to release the keyboard early next year. The hardware is complete and we’re kicking off beta testing in the next month or so here.”
I’d love to have something this size for my modular and my laptop setup. It looks like a lot of fun.
but it’s a pleasure to use for instant Cortini melody riffing
they could simply bring up different faceplates to match their existing design scheme
