Generalized Keyboards

Hi Eric and company,

I have had a generalized keyboard from Starrlabs for a
few years now. My four otave version plays 72 notes
per octave (six rows of twelve-note keyboards), each
individually programmable, all in a honeycomb pattern
with each key a one-inch hexagon. That does makie
fingering challenging but not impossible. Recently I
colored some of the keys just so I could know where I
am when I play.

At first I would hit one note and two would sound, or
some keys didn't work at all. I carefully moved it to
a concert one evening and it broke down completely.
That's been repaired (after a four month wait), and
now the keyboard is a valuable composing tool. It's
still not a good performing instrument. The main
problem is touch sensitivity. I would rather turn it
off entirely and add it later, but it doiesn't have
the ability to turn off completely (a rewcent
programming flaw). However, the new version of the
keyboard does play the notes consistently, so I am
ecstatic to be using it as a composing tool for my
53-equal tuning.

If I were you, I would consider buying the Starrlab
keyboard as a composing tool, but not for performance.
I do like the logic of its layout. I understand Johnny
Reinhard's keyboard-in-progress will have 55 notes to
the octave, and I sure hope it will have better touch
sensitivity... I don't know the logic of its layout,
just that it would have exactly enough notes per
octave to make Telemann happy!

Chris Mohr

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>Hi Eric and company,
>
>I have had a generalized keyboard from Starrlabs for a
>few years now. My four otave version plays 72 notes
>per octave (six rows of twelve-note keyboards), each
>individually programmable, all in a honeycomb pattern
>with each key a one-inch hexagon. That does makie
>fingering challenging but not impossible. Recently I
>colored some of the keys just so I could know where I
>am when I play.
>
>At first I would hit one note and two would sound, or
>some keys didn't work at all. I carefully moved it to
>a concert one evening and it broke down completely.
>That's been repaired (after a four month wait), and
>now the keyboard is a valuable composing tool. It's
>still not a good performing instrument. The main
>problem is touch sensitivity. I would rather turn it
>off entirely and add it later, but it doiesn't have
>the ability to turn off completely (a rewcent
>programming flaw). However, the new version of the
>keyboard does play the notes consistently, so I am
>ecstatic to be using it as a composing tool for my
>53-equal tuning.
>
>If I were you, I would consider buying the Starrlab
>keyboard as a composing tool, but not for performance.
>I do like the logic of its layout. I understand Johnny
>Reinhard's keyboard-in-progress will have 55 notes to
>the octave, and I sure hope it will have better touch
>sensitivity... I don't know the logic of its layout,
>just that it would have exactly enough notes per
>octave to make Telemann happy!
>
>Chris Mohr

Thanks for the review, Chris!

When you say touch sensitivity, do you mean velocity
or aftertouch? I'm can't remember if the Microzone
does velocity, but it has a very specialized aftertouch
implementation.

No matter which one you meant, the corresponding MIDI
messages can be filtered out by a sequencer on their
way to anywhere else. Have you tried that?

-Carl