PDA

View Full Version : Tonal Plexus Keyboard

rlainhart
07-09-2007, 11:41 AM
In the ongoing tradition of letting you all know about the weird keyboards I come across, here's another - the Tonal Plexus Microtonal MIDI Keyboard (http://www.h-pi.com/TPX28intro.html)!

The problem with microtonal keyboards has always been how to pack more than 12 keys per octave into a playable format. This one does it, with an amazing 211 keys per octave. I haven't seen one, but it looks like it might actually be practical.
Sandro
07-09-2007, 12:47 PM
Damn! How do you find all this sweet gear!? This one looks nuts!
jeebustrain
07-09-2007, 02:34 PM
that looks like it's made out of Legos.


Pretty awesome though. I want one.
BlobVanDam
07-09-2007, 02:40 PM
that looks like it's made out of Legos.


Pretty awesome though. I want one.


I thought the same thing!
Omega Monkey
07-12-2007, 01:04 PM
It does look like a cool "toy" to mess with. As far as being playable, it doesnt really look all that playable, but maybe it is on a relative level to other microtonal instruments.

At any rate, I wouldnt mind having one.
RemcoG
07-12-2007, 01:48 PM
I hope that thing won't become popular.. It'll become impossible for us to play things by ear (or we have to relearn it on that thing)
And luckily there isn't a notation for it.

So well, looks like a nice toy. But I don't like it at all.
Mantarkus
07-12-2007, 05:20 PM
Why is it taking so long the image to load?... Oh, thats what it looks like? :biggrin:
Now seriously I found the tuning a bit annoying, and I have a terrible ear, sorry for those blessed with perfect pitch.
mlunapiena01
07-13-2007, 12:40 AM
Does anybody know of any microtonal music, or music that utilizes microtonality (besides middle-eastern folk music) that actually sounds good or is interesting?

I'm open to recommendations, but so far, the only things I've heard of this kind have sounded like complete crap (with or without any accompanying explanation of what the composer was trying to achieve)...

That being said... this would be beyond interesting to experiment with...

Edit: Sorry if this sounds dismissive, and I don't want to put down anyone's musical taste or anything like that, I've just run into a lot of folks who seem to think that the novelty of composing something that's microtonal or atonal or *insert other bizarre thing here* somehow makes their composition into a great piece of art ... it's sort of irritating... I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything, just wondering if anyone can point me in the direction of an artist who's actually done something musical with microtonality...

Either way, thanks for sharing Rich!

-Mike
tritone=great
07-13-2007, 01:52 PM
1st post!

It would be cool if someday microtones were used as a mainstream part of music. It's kinda like what i would imagine to hear in a alien pub.
Athox
07-14-2007, 01:58 AM
In the ongoing tradition of letting you all know about the weird keyboards I come across, here's another - the Tonal Plexus Microtonal MIDI Keyboard (http://www.h-pi.com/TPX28intro.html)!

The problem with microtonal keyboards has always been how to pack more than 12 keys per octave into a playable format. This one does it, with an amazing 211 keys per octave. I haven't seen one, but it looks like it might actually be practical.

So the question now is, will you buy one? :tongue:
Enigma™
07-14-2007, 05:55 AM
The continuum seems more playable ;-)
rlainhart
07-14-2007, 09:05 AM
So the question now is, will you buy one? :tongue:

Not me. I have a Continuum, which I think is the better controller. Lippold has been updating the firmware all along, and he recently did an upgrade that allow for all kinds of alternate tunings.

I think the Plexus has some value, though, for those doing true microtonal music.