88 key keyboard w/programable weight???

[joelfriedman]

Hi,

I have a friend who is an amateur pianist, reformed physicist, and now Silicon Valley coder and he asked me today about an "88 MIDI keyboard with programmable weighting that can be changed to imitate different instruments, like piano, cembalo, Rhodes, Clavinet, Hammond." While it's a cool idea, I've never heard of such a thing, so I thought I'd ask you. I'm sure he's smart enough to do something like this himself, but I don't know if such a thing has ever existed, let alone would be "open source" that someone could tweak it.

Any ideas? Oh, and, Happy Holiday!

Joel

[stubbsonic]

I recall some company made a keyboard with three options for actions (soft, medium, hard?) for different tastes. Was it the Infinite Response VAX77?

I could imagine a rig that uses springs where the entire rail could be mechanically moved to tighten or loosen. Or perhaps magnets that could be moved or electromagnets with adjustable strength. I've not heard of these making it into released product.

[joelfriedman]

Thanks. I can't imagine a more "bespoke product" that what he envisions! He just texted me that you could replace the springs with sensors and... I have NO clue about any of this, but I'd imagine that whatever language(s) run keyboards it's not open sourced to allow anyone to hack in and tweak. A cool idea, but I know he LOVES tinkering and think he should buy something and disassemble etc.

Best,

Joel

[mikehalloran]

All Yamaha keyboards with GHS (Graded hammer standard keyboard) are adjustable in three steps. Although my wife found the lightest setting easiest to play on our P125, the heavy/default setting has the best dynamic range and sounds the most realistic.

Your friend can try these out at the San Jose or Santa Clara Guitar Center locations.

[joelfriedman]

Thanks Mike. My friend is going to check out Yamaha, I had already suggested them w/out knowing anything about the different settings you mention. I just figured they were good keyboards that didn't post a fortune. He's a really DYI tinkerer, he makes bikes, grows hops and grows beer, tunes his own piano, and makes amazing sourdough. It's the reformed physicist in him. I have a feeling what he'd really like to do is invent something like "software driven sensors" that replace springs in the keyboard action. Way above my pay grade.

[stubbsonic]

Perhaps you or your friend are confusing "action" with "response"; and springs with sensors.

The springs and weight determine the physical feeling (and mechanical resistance) of pressing the key. The sensors measure the speed of the key down (velocity), and the software can calculate the response curve based on the sensors, and having nothing to do with springs or weights.

Cool (and not too surprising) that Yamaha keyboards offer some adjustment to the weight/action. I'd not heard that.

If the basics are there internally: i.e., fast velocity sensor scan-rates, and software to adjust curve and range-- then that is half the battle. As for action, getting an action that is close to what you like is important, also important is giving yourself time to acclimate to a new action.

[mikehalloran]

Thanks Mike. My friend is going to check out Yamaha, I had already suggested them w/out knowing anything about the different settings you mention. I just figured they were good keyboards that didn't post a fortune. He's a really DYI tinkerer, he makes bikes, grows hops and grows beer, tunes his own piano, and makes amazing sourdough. It's the reformed physicist in him. I have a feeling what he'd really like to do is invent something like "software driven sensors" that replace springs in the keyboard action. Way above my pay grade.

The GHS in most of the Yamahas like our P125 have 4 levels including Fixed. The P515 and a few others have 6 levels including Fixed.

[stubbsonic]

Oh, you're talking about response curves. I thought the OP was referring to the actual physical weight/action.

MANY keyboards offer adjustable velocity response curves. Kurzweil flagships used to let you draw the curve yourself--- not sure if the current models allow this.

[mikehalloran]

Oh, you're talking about response curves.

Nope

I thought the OP was referring to the actual physical weight/action.

Yep. Adjusting the GHS on a Yamaha does change the feel of the keyboard. I can’t stand it on the Light setting.

[stubbsonic]

What threw me was when you referred to "Fixed', which I took to mean all-one-velocity (i.e., like an organ) -- which is always an option with velocity curves.

What does "Fixed" mean with the action? Does that lock it in place for transport?