[LAD] "Open midi-keyboard"

[Ralf Mardorf]

Fons Adriaensen wrote:
> On Fri, Sep 25, 2009 at 05:07:26PM +0200, Albin Stigo wrote:
>
>   
>> I'm new to the list so I hope this is not the wrong forum!
>>
>> I've been working on a midi keyboard ("physical" hardware 88-keys
>> "professional" = no toy) for a while for which I plan to release the
>> schematics and source as open source.
>>
>> It's based around a Fatar keybed (they make Studiologic) and an Atmel
>> AVR mcu. The code is all in C and is very portable.
>>
>> Current features are:
>> - Velocity sensitivity.
>> - Pedal support.
>> - Custom velocity curves.
>> - Only normal MIDI serial "current" link. No USB, yet...
>>
>> My questions are, Is there an interest in this sort of thing..? What
>> features would you like to see, what are you missing from
>> off-the-shelf products?
>>     
>
> I'd be much interested *iff* it would also generate
> velocity for key release. This is provided in the MIDI
> format but very few keyboars implement it.
>
> Ciao,
>   

For release velocity it's the same as for poly pressure, I don't know 
any keyboard providing this. The only unusual function provided by a 
keyboard I know is breath control. My Yamaha DX7 supports breath control.

I don't think hat there will be a lot of receiving devices that can 
handle release velocity and poly pressure.

A nice feature I can imagine might be to have only 3 or 4 fix velocities 
for each key (maybe this can be done by the "Custom velocity curves") 
and a fix note length (for this the keyboard needs to receive timing 
information by a sequencer), but both, velocity and length for each key 
individually and maybe the length should be set individually by the 
velocity of a note. Why? E.g. to control drum samples. For this it also 
might be interesting to have the option to split the keyboard not only 
in zones, but to enable to give each key a wanted, individual MIDI 
channel. I know that this is also something some sequencers can do by a 
matrix especially for drums, but it might be interesting for a master 
keyboard to.

Ralf