Midi controllers with capacitive keyboard

The Lounge Other Gear
#1

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.

Anyone have any advice?

Mockup for mockups sake (ignore the duplicate C):

freakykeys
freakykeys1207×548 216 KB

1 Like
Taiga from Pittsburgh Modular
#2

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.

Is this what you’re looking for :

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Ribbon Midi Controllers(and identify)
#3

I was just going to post exactly that, beat me by 60 seconds :slight_smile:

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#4

It’s a race bibenu, and i won !

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#5

K Board Pro is an absolute pleasure to play, the surface is really stiff and fast, extremely accurate to the touch

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#6

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.

#7

It’s not. KMI has an inexpensive adapter cable.

#8

Are you talking about the seperately sold midi expander package? I only see a micro usb cable bundled with the KMI.

edit: Right. Found it. MIDI Out Adapter Cable | Keith McMillen Instruments
Not sure I understand how I’m supposed to power the keyboard if I’m using this adapter.

#9

If it’s like the Qunexus there’ll be a micro usb for power (and usb midi) and a mini usb for the proprietary midi (real midi) adapter

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#10

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.

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#11

Some real capacitive keyboards. They’re all smaller than 4 octaves. I’ve ranked them in an approximate order of interest.

Buchla LEM218

image

ADDED : Version 3 of the LEM218 is now out. ( thread )

https://buchla.com/lem218/

Verbos Touchplate Keyboard

Sputnik Modular Multi-Touch Keyboard Controller

Future Retro 512 Touchplate Keyboard

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image5262×1824 1.45 MB

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.

Verbos Mini Horse

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image1500×900 560 KB

2 Likes
Taiga from Pittsburgh Modular
#12

NICE.
Much appreciated! I guess it’s between the Buchla or Verbos, then. (or… two second hand microfreaks)

Time to medidate.

#13

The good thing with the Verbos TPK is that you can power it with any 9-15 V (centre positive) power supply.

The downside: it’s monophonic :confused: but it’s a pleasure to use for instant Cortini melody riffing

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#14

I am not positive that the options i presented completely cover all the new options.

I know there are out of production options.

And there is always the DIY option.

#15

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.

image

Loom from Aodyo. ( thread )

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