QuNexus

[johnny h]

Anyone used one of these?

Looks interesting and good for travelling with. Most small keyboards i've used have been pretty bad.

[chris...]

A few years ago I got a Korg Nanokey, which has white notes that don't extend back between the black notes. Didn't realise until after I bought it this makes many chords almost completely unplayable (with one hand).

This thing you mention appears to be similar

Currently using Akai LKP25, which is OK. Might check out the CME xkey thing sometime.

[Richie Royale]

I have a QuNeo and here is my thoughts on it in relation to the QuNexus

http://www.soundonsound.com/forum/showf ... =1#1091656

[Kevin Nolan]

I'm ordering one this week actually. I'll give my impression of it in a few weeks (won't be able to give time to if for a few weeks yet).

Though it is essentially a mini keyboard with polyphonic aftertouch and other polyphonic response (every valuable - I own several keyboards with polyphonic aftertouch), I do have my doubts about how well i'll be able to perform on it. I am a piano player, but I'm not Jordan Rudess (last time I looked !!).

What I'm interested in is the idea that, at a minimum, it'll make available 24 controllers (the two octaves of keys) allowing for one truly independent controller per synth voice - via velocity, polyphonic aftertouch, note number and the other ways each key can react polyphonically. This should allow for implementation of some imaginative sound design possibilities not otherwise possible.

In particular, what many don't realise, is that many synthesiser plugins respond to polyphonic aftertouch. But - it's a bit better / deeper than polyphonic aftertouch as implemented on the likes of the Prophet T8 or even CS80 (in some regards). Whereas in the past your typical polyphonic synthesiser would have an oscillator, filter and envelopes - per - voice - typically only one LFO would serve the entire instrument - meaning that the LFO could not respond to polyphonic aftertouch. This is often not the case these days. Many plugins have an LFO - per voice - meaning that you can control modulation on a polyphonic basis - an altogether more powerful scenario than most are used to (or envisage / imagine).

As just one example (accepted in a current hardware implementation) the AL-1 virtual analogue synth engine on the OASYS and Kronos has 4 LFO's - per voice - (and at about 80 note polyphony that's about 320 LFO's !!) - and so can respond to polyphonic aftertouch controllers. Alas Korg did not implement polyphonic aftertouch on the OASYS or Kronos keybed - but - I have used this to interesting affect for example by assigning LFO speed to Velocity (per note) so that I can control the speed/rate of an LFO effect like vibrato by the velocity of each voice (i.e. polyphonically). They result is a _very_ expressive performance experience. Play a note gently and the vibrato is slow. Play it harder and the LFO is faster - and independently set for each note played. For sure you must set the basic parameters such as wave type and basic rate for each LFO via one set of parameters - but on the likes of the OASYS and many plugins, you can assign many LFO control parameter - so if you have a controller that can transmit control information per voice - you affect each LFO independently accordingly to its controller - and in the case of the OASYS you then realise it really is 320 independent LFO's running simultaneously. So something like theQuNexus gives you polyphonic access to each set of four per-voice LFO's.

So imagine assigning polyphonic aftertouch, or one of the other 'lean-in' type polyphonic effects on the QuNexus to something like LFO rate, filter cutoff (again polyphonically) and perhaps even on other parameters such as LFO wave type, or synth internal effects, per-voice. It means that you have 24 independent controls on all of that - a significant enhancement on sound design and real time performance not deliverable by mainstream controllers ( which affect EVERY voice from the likes of aftertouch).

As an other example I'm very keen to try out - Omnisphere has polyphonic ring modulators - meaning that parameters such as depth and rate can be controlled polyphonically (exactly like the Yamaha EX5 FDSP Ring Modulator algorithm) - again only the likes of the QuNexus can provide access to those ring modulators independently.

So irrespective of how well the QuNexus plays as a keyboard (and feedback seems to be surprisingly positive even on that front), I feel £150 is worth having 24 tactile controls for polyphonic aftertouch and other lean-in control of synth parameters for the plethora of plugins that respond to polyphonic aftertouch. Having such control on my CS80 is literally like having a 3rd hand. While the QuNexus is not quite a CS80, it offers a similar approach, but significantly, to the world of computer music plugins (and the likes of the Kronos and OASYS).

[chris...]

Though it is essentially a mini keyboard with polyphonic aftertouch

FWIW the CME xkey has poly aftertouch, and unlike this QuThing, white notes that overlap black notes so you can play chords...

...have I mentioned yet that where the white notes don't overlap black notes, it's near impossible to play many chords (unless you have multiple hands).

[Kevin Nolan]

Yes - the CME looks interesting. I have an email chat with the CEO's of CME and Arturia about 5 years ago on the merits of polyphonic aftertouch (I wonder if my list of points influenced this product ) I just wish they would implement a fill sized key controller. I have to say I don't like the Korg nano - but you can play chords - so expect to be able to play them on this. They 'keys' are so small that surely this helps reach both white and black notes??

[chris...]

I have an email chat with the CEO's of CME and Arturia about 5 years ago on the merits of polyphonic aftertouch (I wonder if my list of points influenced this product )

Interesting

Back to the Qu, I don't mind mini (as in reduced width) keys, in a small/portable keyboard. Reduced length/depth OK too. However, if the white notes don't extend between the black, then I struggle. To play a 3 note chord like E flat major with my right hand, I would normally use:

- Eb: thumb
- G: middle finger
- Bb pinky

With the thumb on a black note, the hand moves further away from the player. On any real keyboard (irrespective of size), this is no problem, as the middle finger plays the G using the part of the key that extends between the black notes. However, with the Qu / Nanokey layout, this isn't possible, at least unless you enjoy playing the keyboard version of "Twister"!

This seems like such a fundamental design flaw I'd wonder if anyone in the design team actually plays keyboards. To be honest, I can probably play almost as well on the Logic "capslock" computer keyboard (OK, without velocity).

But, if you can happily play the chords you want on the Nanokey, then hopefully you'll be fine with this. Good luck!

[Kevin Nolan]

Funny - I tend to compose on white keys - so in our discussion here I was thinking, say, of a Cmin - starting on a white note with thumb. But I see exactly what you mean with chords on black notes ( and my nano has lay idle since I bought it because I did not like the 'key' action one bit and never tried to play chords on it that much, so bow to your insight here).

And indeed - most demos of QuNexus show solo playing, not chords. But in any case your point is well made and all of my doubt over the QuNexus is indeed the button nature of the 'keys'. The CME looks far better in that regard. But the QuNexus looks well build, and the ability to affect control by leaning to the side of the key adds yet an extra dimension.

But I have to admit (ashamedly !) that the lighting of keys is a factor in this particular instance - I'm planning a live event of electronic music with visuals, and want to have a visually attractive stage setup (I'll be playing at an angle to the audience so they can get a glimpse of the setup and realise I'm playing - so a few lit up controllers will add a little candy-floss and the Qunexus will contribute to that!). But in earnest it's as a polyphonic controller that I'm most intrigued - I suspect/hope it will prod me to think differently about how I program some of my pluggins, hopefully giving some new perspectives to sound creation.

[johnny h]

It does seem very strange why they have cut off the white notes. I'll have to try it out if I can find it in stock somewhere. Its pretty expensive for such a small keyboard.

[Kevin Nolan]

In fairness to the company, they have been advertising it more as a controller than a 'keyboard'; but it does look genuinely that the action is nice enough to be a pleasant surprise playability-wise to keyboard players who buy. It seems they have built it with such responsive 'keys' that it does play well (at least for solos). Almost as if it's a bonus that it actually plays well.

It's clear that companies like this an CME are testing the water on polyphonic aftertouch products. Many of us champion the return of it, but it's not clear there is a mass market for it. So the QuNexus is a bit of a jack of all trades. I have to say I rally like that fact that they provide all sorts of connectivity - MIDI, USB, CV - very versatile and useful.