New VAX controller keyboard on Kickstarter

[stubbsonic]

I've long been a fan of polyphonic after-touch. And I'm also quite a stickler for a nicely responsive MIDI keyboard.

The VAX77 looked really appealing to me, and I'd have one, if I was capable of generating more income in my life.

That same company is developing an interesting new product with weighted keys, poly-AT, release velocity, open-source code, tap-outs for custom CCs on the circuit board, and a bunch of other very clever features that will make it expandable, adaptable, and most-importantly, affordable.

They are up-front about some risks for delays, but it looks like a fantastic concept.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/12 ... r?ref=card

The kickstarter campaign runs until sometime in March. Unfortunately, there isn't very much in the way of a working prototype to look at. Hopefully they'll be able to offer us more in the way of demo & details in the coming days.

[stubbsonic]

After some back & forth with the developer (and some key reassurances), I decided to kick down for the 6-octave version of this keyboard ($610 including shipping).

The version I got requires assembly, but that's one of the ways they are going to keep costs down.

I'll sell my A-70. I like it, and it is in mint condition, but I just don't like those skinny rounded black keys.

Anyway, I'm very much looking forward to this new rig.

[stubbsonic]

Just a little update, the campaign is doing well. As of today, with 36 days to go, they have 22K out of 35K pledged.

There are a few updates about design decisions, and some reassuring comments from a VERY happy VAX77 owner about the feel and quality of the original.

I'm excited. Trying to sell my mint Roland A-70. No nibbles from our local Craig's. eBay is next.

[stubbsonic]

As of today (Feb 21, 2015) the kickstarter is fully funded.
[EDIT: Later in the morning the total had rolled back below the goal by a grand. It's one or two keyboards away from meeting the goal with about 19 days left.

The developer has mentioned starting a group discussion for finalizing details for development.

I'm excited to participate.

Because there is going to be an open-source approach to the keyboard, it could mean having some very flexible approaches to both hardware and software.

[stubbsonic]

After a thorough and well-documented process of evolution, the final parts are in production and the keyboard will ship soon. There are also a limited number of extra keyboards that are available to order in addition to those reserved for kickstarter backers.

It is exciting to see a high-res velocity, poly AT, high-quality keyboard hit the market at this price point. It is also exciting to see schematics released at this stage, with an open-source approach that encourages third-party enhancements.

You can learn more here:

http://vaxmidi.com

I've been keeping close track of the progress since the beginning, so I might be able to answer some questions here.

[Shooshie]

After a thorough and well-documented process of evolution, the final parts are in production and the keyboard will ship soon. There are also a limited number of extra keyboards that are available to order in addition to those reserved for kickstarter backers.

It is exciting to see a high-res velocity, poly AT, high-quality keyboard hit the market at this price point. It is also exciting to see schematics released at this stage, with an open-source approach that encourages third-party enhancements.

You can learn more here:

http://vaxmidi.com

I've been keeping close track of the progress since the beginning, so I might be able to answer some questions here.

Very interesting.

Can you highlight the features that set this apart from other keyboards?
Looks like old-school with built-in sounds. Is that correct? If so, why?
Assembly wouldn't be a problem, but I'm wondering what makes it worth the price.
Any clues?

Shoosh

[bayswater]

Poly-AT is the one thing I couldn't find when I got my current keyboard. I wish this had been around then.

[HCMarkus]

I've been amazed at how many current controllers don't even have mono aftertouch. I find it essential as I emulate winds using a breath controller, but since I am working with monophonic instruments when using BC, poly AT hasn't held that much interest for me.

Anyone care to share their policy AT tricks?

[stubbsonic]

Can you highlight the features that set this apart from other keyboards?
Looks like old-school with built-in sounds. Is that correct? If so, why?
Assembly wouldn't be a problem, but I'm wondering what makes it worth the price.
Any clues?

No built-in sounds. Not old-school.

FEATURES:

1. Uses optical sensors (rather than those bubble switch silicone strips), more reliable, high resolution velocity. It's a low-power LED & optical sensor.

2. The designer describes the action this way:

"The action is not a fully weighted piano action. It is semi weighted and uses a cam-like system to relieve the back pressure on the key when it is full down. It returns just as quickly as the VAX77 when released. It has none of the response issues of conventional Fatar weighted keys."

3. It uses the same optical sensor to general Poly AT after the initial attack.

4. The control section has 6 assignable buttons, 4 assignable sliders, pitch & mod wheels. (See pictures on site). The side panel has MIDI i/o, 4 pedal inputs (which can be used for TS switches, or TRS CC controllers). It is powered with USB at 500 mA.

5. It is configurable as a master controller. Has a mode that works with Apple's MainStage App.

6. It's affordable.

7. It's welcoming to third-party developers with open-source code, design drawings, and schematics.

8. The designer is a responsive and innovative person, who truly listened to comments and questions during development. He changed his design at least 3 times in response to some comments I had made.

DIMENSIONS:
All units are about 350 mm (14") deep and 75 mm (3") high.
4 Octave 810 mm (32") 11 kg (24 lb.)
6 Octave 1140 mm (45") 14.5 kg (32 lb.)
8 Octave 1470 mm (58") 18 kg (40 lb.)

I've been amazed at how many current controllers don't even have mono aftertouch. I find it essential as I emulate winds using a breath controller, but since I am working with monophonic instruments when using BC, poly AT hasn't held that much interest for me.

Anyone care to share their poly AT tricks?

The first advantage of poly-AT is that you can hold a chord with one hand, while you add some kind of LFO or expression with another hand that is playing either a bass line or melody line-- which won't affect the sustained chord.

Another fun thing is to have big chords where each note is being modulated independently. It can add a feeling of complexity that you can't get when all notes are being modulated together. For sound-design, you can have independent control streams per note. It's the only way without having separate MIDI channels.

One of my fave tricks was to set poly-AT to drop pitch between 1-10 cents (give or take). Then if I played a major chord, I'd "push the 3rds down". I just loved being able to make major triads sound in tune.

With MainStage, one could employ Hermode tuning, so that wouldn't be necessary.

[Shooshie]

No built-in sounds. Not old-school.

FEATURES:

1. Uses optical sensors (rather than those bubble switch silicone strips), more reliable, high resolution velocity. It's a low-power LED & optical sensor.

2. The designer describes the action this way:

"The action is not a fully weighted piano action. It is semi weighted and uses a cam-like system to relieve the back pressure on the key when it is full down. It returns just as quickly as the VAX77 when released. It has none of the response issues of conventional Fatar weighted keys."

3. It uses the same optical sensor to general Poly AT after the initial attack.

4. The control section has 6 assignable buttons, 4 assignable sliders, pitch & mod wheels. (See pictures on site). The side panel has MIDI i/o, 4 pedal inputs (which can be used for TS switches, or TRS CC controllers). It is powered with USB at 500 mA.

5. It is configurable as a master controller. Has a mode that works with Apple's MainStage App.

6. It's affordable.

7. It's welcoming to third-party developers with open-source code, design drawings, and schematics.

8. The designer is a responsive and innovative person, who truly listened to comments and questions during development. He changed his design at least 3 times in response to some comments I had made.

DIMENSIONS:
All units are about 350 mm (14") deep and 75 mm (3") high.
4 Octave 810 mm (32") 11 kg (24 lb.)
6 Octave 1140 mm (45") 14.5 kg (32 lb.)
8 Octave 1470 mm (58") 18 kg (40 lb.)

Thanks for the details. That helps me focus on what's important.

It is indeed a nice keyboard. I'm going to have to study it for a bit. Not sure why; my Kurzweil 2600 is still working, but you never know (it'll be 14 this year)...

Shooshie

[stubbsonic]

One very significant feature about this controller is that it uses this very accurate sensor to measure the hammer's velocity and not the key's velocity. It is very easy to imagine that piano players will appreciate that difference. We are used to using curves and other mental tricks to mimic that feeling. This will just take you directly to that.

[stubbsonic]

I did a little looking around (not very thorough research, though) and I wasn't able to find another keyboard that was measuring the velocity of the hammer. One possible exception might be a Kurzweil MIDIboard-- which measures impact, but I didn't see if it was measuring key impact or hammer impact.

The fact that is measures at a VERY high data scan rate means that you are not only getting a full 128 steps of velocity (127?) , but you are getting 14-bit velocity readings (as in, more than you need). This means you can apply an upper and lower limit (i.e., set the range), set the curve to your liking, and STILL have all 127 steps of velocity. I believe a zero velocity is reserved for note-off with some systems.

I've tested a few keyboards for velocity and none of the ones I've tested were without limitations. Some were surprisingly disappointing. I expect this will be the most flexible, expressive and accurate MIDI keyboard I've ever owned or played.

But just let this one thing sink in...

Hammer Velocity

[Shooshie]

That's how the Yamaha Disklavier works. Of course, it pretty much HAD to work that way. A tiny flag on each hammer passes through LED sensors to report its speed at the moment of contact with the string. Computer calibration extrapolates the time it takes to reach that velocity from a dead start, and the solenoids under the keys begin pushing at the correct time to strike the string at that velocity at a given note location. The calibration is the key. Must be done periodically as the felts compress. Of course, the whole action must be regulated by a top-notch technician for it to work accurately all the time. It's a fantastic system.

Shoosh

[Prime Mover]

I was really looking forward to this until I realized that they had removed the ONE feature that made the VAX77 really appealing to me: the folding controller. Other than that, it just strikes me as a good controller with Poly AT, nothing to write home about. And I believe it only has a total of 2 pedal jacks, which is a deal breaker for me, my setup requires 3. I'll be getting a Arturia Keylab 88 at some point when I can afford it.

I just can't envision a situation where Poly AT would really work for me. I almost always assign Channel Pressure to vibrato, and that's one instance where I really wouldn't WANT different pitches LFOing independantly. As for keyboard splits, I always disable any CP for regions where I don't want it (like bass), I'm never trying to play two patches at the same time with CP on each, that sounds like a train wreck.

Look, no doubt that Poly AT could create some really interesting effects, maybe with filter cutoff control, or something a little more in the "crazy synth" realm, but it just doesn't strike me being useful more than once in a few hundred songs. I'd be really interested to see what people can come up with though!

[stubbsonic]

First, if I was away, I WOULD write home about it.

Second, there are FOUR pedal inputs. All of them can be CC or switches.

And lastly, I don't think of Poly-AT as the the main feature. It is just that this design takes full advantage of a very good sensor and uses the same sensor to accomplish both.

The impression I've gotten from the VAX77 owners who have chimed in, is that feel and response of the action is excellent. Add to that a very accurate and adjustable velocity response, and that makes this a hard to pass up opportunity.

But yea, that folding design was pretty amazing. I was really hoping someone would just hand me a bunch of money for no reason. It was high on my list of stuff I wanted to have.

I think with this keyboard there will be improvements on the action, and the open-ended 3rd party thing is intriguing as well.

But yea, I get it. Not for everyone.