TouchKeys Retrofit Multi-touch Kit

Another project recently launched on Kickstarter - this seems to be a new route to market for many nich products these days, TouchKeys is a retrofit system for any full-size keyboard or can be pre-fitted to a variety of standard master keyboard models.

The brianchild of Andrew McPherson who's been working on this for over two years at the Centre for Digital Music at Queen Mary College - Uni of London

What it does is give individual key control of finger position on each key - so you can slide up and down (seen demonstrating pitch bend), or wiggle L/R for vibrato - or of course assign to controllers of your choice.

For the accomplished player this seems to add a new level of expression which is hard to find elsewhere - unless you own a Hakan Continuum or one of the the new ROLI Seaboards.

If you feel brave you can either install the kit yourself, involving sticking ne key top sensors to each key and wiring up the control boards, or buy a pre-installed keyboard - currently available with the Doepfer 88-key LMK2+ master keyboard or smaller Novation Impulse (25/49 or 61 keys)

The Kickstarter project aims to raise £30k by the 2nd September 2013 with over £11k already there. Backers can choose from various configurations of TouchKeys kits and/or keyboards.

Its an interesting idea but still a basic 25 key kit will cost you around £330 even at Kickstarter prices. Check out the video to see just how expressive it can be.

Would you be prepared to stick one on your keyboard?

More Information

• TouchKeys on Kickstarter