Keyboard-MIDI controller combo could be the stuff of musicians' dreams

Polyend, maker of immensely cool drum machines, synths, and guitar pedals, is now working on a product for your desk. Keys combines a playable three-octave piano with a QWERTY keyboard you can use for work, composition, and performing.It looks like a regular desktop keyboard at first, but it actually has some interesting features you don't usually see on them. The number row and function keys are your piano; nine rotary knobs above them can be assigned to Continuous Controllers (CCs) to tweak various parameters on a MIDI-enabled device, such as the intensity of an effect for a synth.You can also adjust computer settings, like volume or screen brightness, using those knobs. A display at the top left corner shows you what each knob is dialing in. These functions, as well as alternative keyboard layouts and new control modes can be configured using the open source software that Polyend will make available to its community of users to build on. Polyend Keys — Mechanical Keyboard & MIDI Controller Now, just about any computer keyboard today can be used to play an octave's worth of notes with a virtual instrument, but you don't get the extended range of dedicated MIDI controllers – most of which look like digital pianos – and the ability to tweak your sounds on the fly. Keys negates the need to have a desktop keyboard alongside a separate MIDI controller on your desk.The mechanical keyboard itself is machined from a single piece of aluminum, and features backlit Kailh low-profile switches. These are hot-swappable, which means individual keys can be changed out without soldering. The number row and function keys are grouped like a piano, so you can play more naturallyPolyend You can connect to your computer via a USB cable or Bluetooth, and there's also a TRS output to connect to MIDI-based music equipment. And since Keys has a rechargeable battery, you can take it on the road with you to perform live.Keys is still in development, so it's possible it'll evolve further before it becomes available to purchase. The company notes that it's working to add pressure sensitivity to the keys, which would make them feel natural to play, similar to a traditional piano. The three-octave keys functionality is nice, but this would make it especially attractive to artists who are used to higher end MIDI controllers.Polyend says it'll look to a solution similar to the one in Teenage Engineering's KO2 sampler, whose keys have pressure-sensitive film under mechanical switches. Aftertouch (which triggers an effect on a digital piano after playing a note when you continue to hold down the keys, like tremolo) is also in the works. You'll get 9 rotary controls for MIDI CCs, as well as a display indicating what parameter you're adjustingPolyend We don't yet know what this will cost and exactly when it'll arrive on store shelves. Polyend is showing Keys at the Gamescom gaming expo in Cologne, Germany, this month, where you can see it black and silver colorways.Source: Polyend