Poly AT Keyboard Speculation

The Lounge Other Gear
#1

So according to nightshift2020 :

This is being reinforced by Scott of Scott’s Synth Stuff, who also just said there are “a couple of poly-aftertouch keyboards coming.” ( At about eight minutes in the video i linked in this post. )

I have been considering this for a few days, and had thought that perhaps one of these might be from Korg with a synth in their Modwave/Wavestate/OPSIX line. Korg just announced the Wavestate SE which only has channel-aftertouch, so it’s not that.

It’s also reasonable to suppose that Studiologic which is part of Fatar might have a poly-aftertouch MIDI controller. I doubt they’d do a new Sledge, but who knows.

Yamaha also has a history with poly-aftertouch with their CS-80. There has been some indications of them working on a new synth, the AN-X. ( thread ) Could that have poly-aftertouch ?

Roland would certainly be capable of such a venture, and it could fit into their work on MIDI 2.0.

Waldorf has the Quantum and the Iridium already. Might they have another on the way ?

Something new from ASM ?

Elektron ???

Their is currently three possible sources for poly-aftertouch keybeds, Fatar, Medeli, and a real unlikely dark-horse, Expressive E.

I’ve run out of ideas. What do you think ? What other synth or controller maker may be doing something with poly-aftertouch ?

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#2

I was thinking it might already be part of the expressive E hardware capabilities and it will come as a sw update, is that not possible?

Or a new version of roli seabord block?

edit: I guess if it requires those specific keybeds roli is out as it’s non traditional.

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#3

The keyboard from the Hydrasynth Explorer, with just a USB port and nothing else, would shake up the MIDI controller market. Add some DIN ports and an arp/sequencer and it would easily become the new standard for desktop module control.

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#4

Don’t forget the UDO Super Gemini.

I would love to see a Waldorf M with 16 voices, 61 keys, PolyAT.

Edit: I guess we don’t have to speculate on the Gemini. :slight_smile: But it isn’t out yet….

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#5

The Ableton Push 3 Keys, both controller and standalone.

I don’t think that would be the name, but you get the idea.

How about NI ?

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#6

But now they’ve done that, and they are dealing with Fatar they could do a less expensive, Super 6+ ?

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#7

I think NI/Novation/Arturia master keyboards are likely contenders. How many people are already using dozens of softsynths that respond to poly AT? Sounds like a much easier upgrade to sell than better drum pads and macro knobs.

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#8

I was a keyboard player, but after getting a linnstrument no other controllers have any interest to me any more, it has changed my life lol. Now all desktop synths are poly at or mpe if they support it! I was happy to see the push 3 taking a similar approach although it is funny to see the youtube videos of synthfluencers saying it is the first mpe pad controller… they are about 10 years late to the party as was I :-P. I am so surprised that the linnstrument has not gained more traction than it has, there must be a serious mental block for people who are used to seeing keyboards as “the” controller. Absolutely everything is easier on the linnstrument.

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#9

I would love to see Arturia do an updated keystep 37 with MPE.

#10

I suggested Elektron somewhat in jest in my first post, but thinking about it more, they already were using a Fatar keybed in the Digitone Keys. They surely have Fatar engineers and sales people visiting and offering assistance for implementing the poly-aftertouch keybed. The timing with the disappearance of stock on the Digitone Keys would pretty well match with a new P-AT system now.

How nice would that be ?

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#11

I agree with the Linnstrument being one of the most flexible expressive MIDI controllers on the market. Osmose is similarly innovative, albeit less portable.

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#12

Speculation

#13

I doubt it’s the source behind nightshift2020, or Scott’s predictions, but Behringer can drop their DS-80 at any odd moment. They said they’d use that keybed in other keyboards too – the Neptune ( Juno ) ?

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#15

Ensoniq reboot?

#16

Who owns the rights to the name now ?

Whomever could even use Ensoniq in a product name under their brand. Or sell the name on to someone else who can use it.

ADDED : The Ensoniq trademark is owned by Creative Technology Limited, and they are current with it.

MORE ADDED :

Google Search

Creative Technology Ltd. is a Singaporean multinational technology company. The principal activities of the company and its subsidiaries consist of the design, manufacture and distribution of digitized sound and video boards, computers and related multimedia and personal digital entertainment products. Wikipedia

Stock Name : CREAF

Revenue: 84.5 million USD (2021)

Founder: Sim Wong Hoo

Founded: July 1, 1981

Headquarters: Singapore

Subsidiaries: ZiiLABS, 3Dlabs, Sensaura, E-mu Systems, Ensoniq, Cambridge SoundWorks

Number of employees: 800 (2012)

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#17

It’s gotta be a poly AT Prodikeys reboot then yeah, with sampling!

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#18

I remember that thing. Way cool combination alphanumeric and musical keyboard. It went no where, but they will sell a million with a poly-aftertouch keybed, and the E-mu Ensoniq name !

As a controller for a DAW it would come in handy !

/s

This is how you do speculation !

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#19

Haha, it doesn’t sound completely ridiculous when you put it like that.

Some sort of DAW/Stream controller/Keystep sequencer hybrid.

#20

Waldorf is the most exciting synth manufacturer at the moment in my opinion. the quantum 2 is almost the perfect synth. if they have something else coming which competes with the newer innovative things we’ve seen from the recent superbooth and namm, im sure it will be mind blowing

i hope they do. i’d be ok using it in conjunction with a push 3 for mpe capability

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#21

I read somewhere that the elektron sequencer and a lot of polyphony dont go together well, but it would he very cool to have scene-esque stuff react to mpe