TouchKeys Multi-Touch Musical Keyboard

Comments

• Phil999

  August 2013 edited 7:43AM

  looks indeed like a good idea. Not too cheap, though.
  
  
  
  Thanks for posting.
• Perry

  August 2013 edited 7:43AM

  That does look cool, Mike! Maybe they can license it to Fatar or some other manufacturer. I think the Trombone is the SM Trombone. I saw a glimpse of the icon for it on one of the computer screens. I'm wondering if it matters where your fingers land at first touch...it would make for some interesting out-of-tune pianos if you had to be careful of initial finger contact!
  
  -Perry-
• AndrewM

  August 2013 edited 7:43AM

  Yep, it's the SM Trombone in the video. I'm also planning another video before the campaign finishes showing other SM instruments with the TouchKeys. I've been working on mappings specifically for these instruments: there's pitch wheel control in the Kickstarter video obviously, but I've also got connections to CC11 (including BC-style vibrato using CC11 and CC24) and automatic keyswitch triggering for falls/buzzes etc. If the underlying keyboard has aftertouch, that works well with growl.
  
  
  
  It would be great to get some feedback from SM pros on what techniques you use most often in live playing (and those things you might go back and do later with a MIDI editor). These virtual instruments are capable of so much, and the TouchKeys software is quite flexible; I'd like to make the best possible connections between the touch sensing and the SM controls. Ideas appreciated!
  
  
  
  Andrew (TouchKeys creator)
  
  
  
  P.S. Perry: anywhere you touch produces the note you expect, and it's the motion afterwards that bends it. You're right, it would be impossible to play if you had to hit the "right" part of the key each time! This video shows more about how that works:
  
  
• Perry

  August 2013 edited 7:43AM

  Thanks for clarifying, Andrew!
  
  The SM instruments are all about real time control for me. I use a BC3a for breath control, in addition to velocity, pitch wheel, mod wheel & after touch to play in parts in real time. I will (very) often do multiple takes to get correct notes & "feel" but I never have to edit CC data, after the fact. The Multi-Touch Keyboard looks like a very intuitive controller for Sample Modeling instruments! I wish you great success in development.
  
  -Perry-
• AndrewM

  August 2013 edited 7:43AM

  I just uploaded a new video showing the TouchKeys controlling three SM instruments (Trombone, Trumpet, Sax Brothers alto):
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  My technique may not be as polished as long-time SM players here. But I've put together some fun tricks specifically for these instruments: in addition to vibrato and pitch bends from the key surfaces, you can play scoops by striking the key at an angle, and falls/buzzes by pulling the finger away at an angle (these automatically trigger the SM keyswitches). Comments welcome.
  
  
  
  Just 4 days left in the Kickstarter campaign by the way, and it's past its funding goal so I'll definitely be making these instruments this fall!
• mgf

  August 2013 edited 7:43AM

  I'm a 76 year-old, retired Engineer/Musician. I made my 1st recording in high school on a Webcor wire recorder. The fidelity was terrible. In the mid 50's the so-called "Hi-Fi" craze brought us better speakers, better fidelity & stereo.
  
  
  
  The digital era opened another level for musicians to enjoy - realistic sounding digital samples & of course, SM's VIs, etc.
  
  
  
  From my rationally selfish perspective, I'm thankful that I've lived long enough & my hearing is still good enough to experience & appreciate the results of this on-going technological evolution in music.
  
  
  
  I want to thank you for your creative efforts to continue to add to this evolution by providing more real time control for the keyboard player, especially for those of us who use SM's VIs.
  
  
  
  Looking forward to hearing the above applied to strings & ultimately to SM's strings.
  
  
  
  mgf