Yahoo Tuning Groups Ultimate Backup tuning Tonal Plexus TPX/2/4/s Now Shipping

CHARLESTON, Illinois, USA (October 13, 2007)

H-Pi Instruments begins shipping TPX/2/4/s Tonal Plexus microtonal keyboard synthesizers.

Tonal Plexus keyboards are now shipping in two and four octave versions, with and without a built-in General MIDI synthesizer option. Tonal Plexus keyboards feature 211 keys per octave, 32 user programmable tuning tables, and a default master tuning based on the limits of human pitch perception. The synthesizer option includes a powerful 22 watt stereo amplifier with speakers, and hardware control of synthesis waveform envelope attack, decay and release, as well as a 3-band equalizer, panning, volume, modulation, and key velocity. These smaller keyboards also feature octave transposing buttons, allowing realtime full navigation of 8 octaves of each tuning table with sustain pedal support. DIP switch settings allow for a global pitch-bend mode in which the modulation control affects the global pitch in the same way as a standard pitch bend control, allowing global control of gliding pitches. A velocity bandwidth feature allows the non-velocity sensing keys to produce natural sounding output by varying the key velocity with a choice of three bandwidths as specified by the user. Fully compatible with GM equipment, each Tonal Plexus keyboard can be used to control external synthesizers, for full pitch control of favorite synth sounds on existing gear.

More information on H-Pi products and email contact may be found at www.h-pi.com

H-Pi Instruments is a legally registered business in the State of Illinois, founded in 2006, operating under the sole proprietorship of Aaron Andrew Hunt.

1010 10th Street, Charleston, IL 61920-2822

🔗Jon Szanto <jszanto@cox.net>

🔗Aaron Andrew Hunt <aahunt@h-pi.com>

🔗J.A.Martin Salinas <tony@tonysalinas.com>

Hi Aaron,

If the tonal plexus keyboard has 211 keys per octave, can you play
211edo with the 1 octave keyboard? if so, can you play the 1688edo
with the 8 octave keyboard (TPX8) covering the octave?

In other words can you tune individually any key to any pitch at all?

As for the notation software, what is the maximum amount of notes per
octave that you can use? Does this software have a solution for non-octal tunings?

Tony Salinas

On 2007/10/15, at 8:53, Aaron Andrew Hunt wrote:

>
> CHARLESTON, Illinois, USA (October 13, 2007)
>
> H-Pi Instruments begins shipping TPX/2/4/s Tonal Plexus microtonal > keyboard synthesizers.
>
> Tonal Plexus keyboards are now shipping in two and four octave > versions, with and without a built-in General MIDI synthesizer > option. Tonal Plexus keyboards feature 211 keys per octave, 32 user > programmable tuning tables, and a default master tuning based on > the limits of human pitch perception. The synthesizer option > includes a powerful 22 watt stereo amplifier with speakers, and > hardware control of synthesis waveform envelope attack, decay and > release, as well as a 3-band equalizer, panning, volume, > modulation, and key velocity. These smaller keyboards also feature > octave transposing buttons, allowing realtime full navigation of 8 > octaves of each tuning table with sustain pedal support. DIP switch > settings allow for a global pitch-bend mode in which the modulation > control affects the global pitch in the same way as a standard > pitch bend control, allowing global control of gliding pitches. A > velocity bandwidth feature allows the non-velocity sensing keys to > produce natural sounding output by varying the key velocity with a > choice of three bandwidths as specified by the user. Fully > compatible with GM equipment, each Tonal Plexus keyboard can be > used to control external synthesizers, for full pitch control of > favorite synth sounds on existing gear.

🔗Aaron Andrew Hunt <aahunt@h-pi.com>

Hi Tony.

There are 2 and 4 octave keyboards shipping:
http:///www.h-pi.com/TPX28intro.html

Every key can be retuned. Please see the
TPXE software:
http:///www.h-pi.com/downloads.html
.
The default tuning is 205ET, not 211ET.
http:///www.h-pi.com/TPX28tuning.html

MegaScore gives 205ET notation. This is a
universal JND notation for any tuning system,
all pitch zones are + / - 1 JND.
http:///www.h-pi.com/MSCfeatures.html

I met you at the UK microfest. Did you miss my
presentation?

Yours,
Aaron Hunt
H-Pi instruments

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "J.A.Martin Salinas" <tony@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Aaron,
>
> If the tonal plexus keyboard has 211 keys per octave, can you play
> 211edo with the 1 octave keyboard? if so, can you play the 1688edo
> with the 8 octave keyboard (TPX8) covering the octave?
>
> In other words can you tune individually any key to any pitch at all?
>
> As for the notation software, what is the maximum amount of notes per
> octave that you can use? Does this software have a solution for non-
> octal tunings?
>
> Tony Salinas
>
>
> On 2007/10/15, at 8:53, Aaron Andrew Hunt wrote:
>
> >
> > CHARLESTON, Illinois, USA (October 13, 2007)
> >
> > H-Pi Instruments begins shipping TPX/2/4/s Tonal Plexus microtonal
> > keyboard synthesizers.
> >
> > Tonal Plexus keyboards are now shipping in two and four octave
> > versions, with and without a built-in General MIDI synthesizer
> > option. Tonal Plexus keyboards feature 211 keys per octave, 32 user
> > programmable tuning tables, and a default master tuning based on
> > the limits of human pitch perception. The synthesizer option
> > includes a powerful 22 watt stereo amplifier with speakers, and
> > hardware control of synthesis waveform envelope attack, decay and
> > release, as well as a 3-band equalizer, panning, volume,
> > modulation, and key velocity. These smaller keyboards also feature
> > octave transposing buttons, allowing realtime full navigation of 8
> > octaves of each tuning table with sustain pedal support. DIP switch
> > settings allow for a global pitch-bend mode in which the modulation
> > control affects the global pitch in the same way as a standard
> > pitch bend control, allowing global control of gliding pitches. A
> > velocity bandwidth feature allows the non-velocity sensing keys to
> > produce natural sounding output by varying the key velocity with a
> > choice of three bandwidths as specified by the user. Fully
> > compatible with GM equipment, each Tonal Plexus keyboard can be
> > used to control external synthesizers, for full pitch control of
> > favorite synth sounds on existing gear.
>

🔗J.A.Martin Salinas <tony@tonysalinas.com>

Hi Aaron,

I was sorting the bells for my seminar and
managed the last 5 minutes of your seminar.
I had no chance to try it after the seminar either,
but I see very clear from your videos what it
can do.

KEYBOARD CONTROLLER FOR SOLENOIDS WANTED

As I mentioned to you before I am looking for a keyboard to
control a system of a very few thousand solenoids, as part of
a new tuned percussion instrument.

I wanted to experiment with the Continuum board to do the
glissandi or something cheaper like R2M (Ribbon to MIDI)
or something like that which provides a pitch bend resolution
of a very few thousand notes.

I also wanted to have the alternative choice in the instrument
to play precise notes with a MIDI keyboard. This is on a very
early stage, but since you are having a sale for the 1688 notes keyboard
I wanted to ask you and write a little review of what I know in case
someone else has something to say about it.

I might need something custom but maybe not! I guess I will try playing samples
to start with and once the solenoids are ready then I can find an application
that can be used as interface.

TONAL PLEXUS REVIEW and Comparison

The work is remarkable! congratulations!

1688 different notes in your hands is a record that
Microzone (810 keys), Terpstra (280 keys), and Axis-64 Pro (192 keys)
cannot even get close to tonal plexus.

Correct me if I am wrong, but the price to pay for having
so many keys is that they are not touch sensitive keys, but
you seem to have a volume pedal and other volume features, right?

The logic for the 205 notes per octave is also very easy to
learn for piano players unlike Microzone/Terpstra/Axis-64
which are based on hexagons (with 3 dimensions), not
making very easy the chromatic passages.

I guess with your keyboard, Aaron, you have vertical movements for chromatic
passages and probably some diagonal movements might provide interesting
patterns which can probably extend 2 dimensions to 4 or 5 while still
keeping the traditional and desired pattern of the piano.

Your tuning definition (0.01 cent) is also better than for example the Microzone (0.1?)

The software looks also incredible!

QUESTIONS

I might interested on the 1688 notes keyboard that will be available
in December, now saving yens!, and I have some questions...

1) In general there are 16 channels with 128 notes each makes a total of 2048
notes. Is this the maximum number of samples I could ever aim using the MIDI standards?
Is it possible to use more than 16 channels live?

2) Will you have just the 1688 notes Midi keyboard available without the synth built in
for December?

3) Can I have a custom made with more than 1688 notes? ...if so what is the limit of notes (switches)?
If somebody also interested let me know so we can make this cheaper I guess!

4)Can I control 1688 samples at the time linked to Capybara with the 1688 notes keyboard?

5)Can I control 1688 samples at the time linked to Logic Pro with the 1688 notes keyboard?

6) If 4 and 5 OK, can I compose with the software and then use the MIDI files
to play the music in Logic Pro and Capybara without having make changes to
the MIDI file (Once I have set up an exs instrument the required way)?

Sincerely,

Tony Salinas

On 2007/10/16, at 13:54, Aaron Andrew Hunt wrote:

> Hi Tony.
>
> There are 2 and 4 octave keyboards shipping:
> http:///www.h-pi.com/TPX28intro.html
>
> Every key can be retuned. Please see the
> TPXE software:
> http:///www.h-pi.com/downloads.html
> .
> The default tuning is 205ET, not 211ET.
> http:///www.h-pi.com/TPX28tuning.html
>
> MegaScore gives 205ET notation. This is a
> universal JND notation for any tuning system,
> all pitch zones are + / - 1 JND.
> http:///www.h-pi.com/MSCfeatures.html
>
> I met you at the UK microfest. Did you miss my
> presentation?
>
> Yours,
> Aaron Hunt
> H-Pi instruments
>
> --- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "J.A.Martin Salinas" <tony@...> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Aaron,
> >
> > If the tonal plexus keyboard has 211 keys per octave, can you play
> > 211edo with the 1 octave keyboard? if so, can you play the 1688edo
> > with the 8 octave keyboard (TPX8) covering the octave?
> >
> > In other words can you tune individually any key to any pitch at > all?
> >
> > As for the notation software, what is the maximum amount of notes > per
> > octave that you can use? Does this software have a solution for non-
> > octal tunings?
> >
> > Tony Salinas
> >
> >
> > On 2007/10/15, at 8:53, Aaron Andrew Hunt wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > CHARLESTON, Illinois, USA (October 13, 2007)
> > >
> > > H-Pi Instruments begins shipping TPX/2/4/s Tonal Plexus microtonal
> > > keyboard synthesizers.
> > >
> > > Tonal Plexus keyboards are now shipping in two and four octave
> > > versions, with and without a built-in General MIDI synthesizer
> > > option. Tonal Plexus keyboards feature 211 keys per octave, 32 > user
> > > programmable tuning tables, and a default master tuning based on
> > > the limits of human pitch perception. The synthesizer option
> > > includes a powerful 22 watt stereo amplifier with speakers, and
> > > hardware control of synthesis waveform envelope attack, decay and
> > > release, as well as a 3-band equalizer, panning, volume,
> > > modulation, and key velocity. These smaller keyboards also feature
> > > octave transposing buttons, allowing realtime full navigation of 8
> > > octaves of each tuning table with sustain pedal support. DIP > switch
> > > settings allow for a global pitch-bend mode in which the > modulation
> > > control affects the global pitch in the same way as a standard
> > > pitch bend control, allowing global control of gliding pitches. A
> > > velocity bandwidth feature allows the non-velocity sensing keys to
> > > produce natural sounding output by varying the key velocity with a
> > > choice of three bandwidths as specified by the user. Fully
> > > compatible with GM equipment, each Tonal Plexus keyboard can be
> > > used to control external synthesizers, for full pitch control of
> > > favorite synth sounds on existing gear.
> >
>
>
>

🔗Aaron Andrew Hunt <aahunt@h-pi.com>

Hi Tony.

Thanks for your message. I remember now at the microfest
you had your hands full with all the conic bells! I'll try
to answer your questions here...

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "J.A.Martin Salinas" <tony@...> wrote:
> TONAL PLEXUS REVIEW and Comparison

Let's call it a "Preview", since you don't have one yet...

> Correct me if I am wrong, but the price to pay for having
> so many keys is that they are not touch sensitive keys, but
> you seem to have a volume pedal and other volume features, right?

Many people say they have to have velocity sensing.
I thought I would also have to have it, but it is
hardly missed on the Tonal Plexus. There is instead
as you say a user controlled velocity by way of fader
control or pedal control, which works in conjunction with a
selectable bandwidth of + / - 5, 10 or 15 MIDI values
from immediate position, which produces quite natural
sounding output. The playing technique is unique.
Although the configuration has parrallels to halberstadt,
since the keys are small, the playing technique is
not the same. Velocity sensing quite honestly would
not add so very much to the expressivity that is already
available using the controls and features as described.
Moreover, to have velocity sensing would require the cost
to be at least 3, probably 4 times what you see now, which
we do not find at all realistic for the market.

I should mention that it is possible to pass MIDI into the
keyboard with some other velocity sensitive controller, so
it is possible to move back and forth between TP and a
normal keyboard plugged into MIDI IN.

There is also the option of using a standard MIDI keyboard
with TBX1. It's a lot cheaper than the Tonal Plexus, and
you get to keep velocity sensing.

> I guess with your keyboard, Aaron, you have vertical movements for
> chromatic
> passages and probably some diagonal movements might provide interesting
> patterns which can probably extend 2 dimensions to 4 or 5 while still
> keeping the traditional and desired pattern of the piano.

Suffice it for now to say that pitch rises left to right and bottom
to top. More videos are on the way.

> Your tuning definition (0.01 cent) is also better than for example
> the Microzone (0.1?)

This specification refers to the internal synth. For external
gear it depends on the pitch bend resolution of that gear.

> 1) In general there are 16 channels with 128 notes each makes a total
> of 2048
> notes. Is this the maximum number of samples I could ever aim using
> the MIDI standards?

Different sample players have different limitations, so it depends.
This is not determined by the Plexus.

> Is it possible to use more than 16 channels live?

In general? Yes, with a multi-port MIDI interface.

> 2) Will you have just the 1688 notes Midi keyboard available without
> the synth built in
> for December?

Yes, but December is the tentative date. It may have to
change.

>
> 3) Can I have a custom made with more than 1688 notes? ...if so what
> is the limit of notes (switches)?

Depends what you mean by custom. Using Plexus octaves the
answer is NO. If you want an entirely new larger octave PCB
with more switches on it, and you want to pay
the thousands needed for designing and producing it,
then yes it can be done, up to 256 keys per octave,
2048 keys total.

>
> 4)Can I control 1688 samples at the time linked to Capybara with the
> 1688 notes keyboard?
>
> 5)Can I control 1688 samples at the time linked to Logic Pro with the
> 1688 notes keyboard?

I won't comment on numbers of samples, etc., because this is not
determined by the Tonal Plexus; it is determined by your computer,
hardware, etc. - all external to the keyboard. But I can say that
TP will send 1688 unique note messages to external hardware,
either tuned with pitchbend or in raw note/channel values, to
control samples and retune them without you ever having to
mess with sample retuning, or by accessing samples you
have already retuned.

>
> 6) If 4 and 5 OK, can I compose with the software and then use the
> MIDI files
> to play the music in Logic Pro and Capybara without having make
> changes to
> the MIDI file (Once I have set up an exs instrument the required way)?

Yes, again qualified as above.
Check out one of the MIDI files from the downloads page to
see what a MIDI file made with a Plexus might look like.

Hope this helps!

There is also an H-Pi user forum you may want to join.
<http://www.h-pi.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=2>

Cheers,
Aaron Hunt
H-Pi Instruments

>
>
> On 2007/10/16, at 13:54, Aaron Andrew Hunt wrote:
>
> > Hi Tony.
> >
> > There are 2 and 4 octave keyboards shipping:
> > http:///www.h-pi.com/TPX28intro.html
> >
> > Every key can be retuned. Please see the
> > TPXE software:
> > http:///www.h-pi.com/downloads.html
> > .
> > The default tuning is 205ET, not 211ET.
> > http:///www.h-pi.com/TPX28tuning.html
> >
> > MegaScore gives 205ET notation. This is a
> > universal JND notation for any tuning system,
> > all pitch zones are + / - 1 JND.
> > http:///www.h-pi.com/MSCfeatures.html
> >
> > I met you at the UK microfest. Did you miss my
> > presentation?
> >
> > Yours,
> > Aaron Hunt
> > H-Pi instruments
> >
> > --- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "J.A.Martin Salinas" <tony@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi Aaron,
> > >
> > > If the tonal plexus keyboard has 211 keys per octave, can you play
> > > 211edo with the 1 octave keyboard? if so, can you play the 1688edo
> > > with the 8 octave keyboard (TPX8) covering the octave?
> > >
> > > In other words can you tune individually any key to any pitch at
> > all?
> > >
> > > As for the notation software, what is the maximum amount of notes
> > per
> > > octave that you can use? Does this software have a solution for non-
> > > octal tunings?
> > >
> > > Tony Salinas
> > >
> > >
> > > On 2007/10/15, at 8:53, Aaron Andrew Hunt wrote:
> > >
> > > >
> > > > CHARLESTON, Illinois, USA (October 13, 2007)
> > > >
> > > > H-Pi Instruments begins shipping TPX/2/4/s Tonal Plexus microtonal
> > > > keyboard synthesizers.
> > > >
> > > > Tonal Plexus keyboards are now shipping in two and four octave
> > > > versions, with and without a built-in General MIDI synthesizer
> > > > option. Tonal Plexus keyboards feature 211 keys per octave, 32
> > user
> > > > programmable tuning tables, and a default master tuning based on
> > > > the limits of human pitch perception. The synthesizer option
> > > > includes a powerful 22 watt stereo amplifier with speakers, and
> > > > hardware control of synthesis waveform envelope attack, decay and
> > > > release, as well as a 3-band equalizer, panning, volume,
> > > > modulation, and key velocity. These smaller keyboards also feature
> > > > octave transposing buttons, allowing realtime full navigation of 8
> > > > octaves of each tuning table with sustain pedal support. DIP
> > switch
> > > > settings allow for a global pitch-bend mode in which the
> > modulation
> > > > control affects the global pitch in the same way as a standard
> > > > pitch bend control, allowing global control of gliding pitches. A
> > > > velocity bandwidth feature allows the non-velocity sensing keys to
> > > > produce natural sounding output by varying the key velocity with a
> > > > choice of three bandwidths as specified by the user. Fully
> > > > compatible with GM equipment, each Tonal Plexus keyboard can be
> > > > used to control external synthesizers, for full pitch control of
> > > > favorite synth sounds on existing gear.
> > >
> >
> >
> >
>