virtual keyboard dev initiative?

Let's incorporate!

http://www.vkb.co.il/

http://www.canesta.com/

Canasta-- what? :)

-Carl

This is in reply to Carl Lumma's posting #5322 on tuning-math.

--- In tuning-math@yahoogroups.com, "Carl Lumma <clumma@y...>"
<clumma@y...> wrote:
> ...
> >>Msg. #s 35809 and 41680.
> > [GS:]
> >Thanks! I'll have to take a look.
> [CL:}
> Promising technology for microtonalists, to be sure. For
> infinite flexibility we loose velocity and aftertouch, so
> we'd be stuck to organ-type patches if we wanted them to
> sound good.

It wouldn't be that bad. An expression pedal would give you dynamics
for piano, guitar, or other percussive sounds -- you just wouldn't
have it on independently on each note.

> We also loose tactile feedback, which would probably make
> sight reading impossible.

In my opinion this is the most serious shortcoming, and it would also
make real-time performance involving more than one note at a time
(especially for two hands) rather difficult -- better to have a real
keyboard for performance.

But it would be a very valuable tool for the composer, both for
exploring tunings and for inputting data into a MIDI file (in
conjunction with software that would insert pitch-bends
automatically).

> Notation could be replaced on
> these instruments by a 'follow the lights' approach, in
> which the whole key can light up, if you like! Graham,
> are you listening?

Or keys might be in different colors, though that might be more
expensive than the examples in monochrome (red) that I saw in the
links you gave. An alternative would be different fill patterns
(solid, hollow, lines, crosshatch, etc.) for the key surfaces that
would guide the experienced user (to replace note labeling in the
notation of one's choice, which would be of more use to the novice);
two colors used in conjunction with fill patterns might be ideal.

> Certainly exciting that technology exists to bring the holy
> grail of an infinitely configurable, extremely portable
> keyboard within reach of the consumer (indeed: cheap!).

Indeed! And it would be a wonderful way to test out keyboard designs
before building them as hardware.

> In the year between msg. 35809 and 41680, it went from
> trade-show demo to at least two companies providing OEM
> kits. Assuming there's a flexible inferface in there
> somewhere, a microtonal keyboard software project (perhaps
> two projectors would be needed for a full keyboard) might
> not be too difficult...

So who's going to start the ball rolling?

--George

> > In the year between msg. 35809 and 41680, it went from
> > trade-show demo to at least two companies providing OEM
> > kits. Assuming there's a flexible inferface in there
> > somewhere, a microtonal keyboard software project (perhaps
> > two projectors would be needed for a full keyboard) might
> > not be too difficult...
>
> So who's going to start the ball rolling?

I'm going to make some phone calls, but it would be nice to
have more than two people interested first.

-Carl