New Instrument, AirPiano, Now Available

The Airpiano – a MIDI and OSC controller that allows the user to trigger invisible keys and faders in midair – is now available:

The first airpianos are finally available! We are offering a limited number of devices for a reduced price, as a first trial series. The airpianos are fully functional and look great as in the photo above. The next series will be produced only later this year with quantities varying depending on the demand. This is your chance to be one of the first musicians to use the airpiano!

The demo video, above, features an overview of the Airpiano by Jo Hamilton and performance examples.  

Specifications:

  • 8 infrared proximity sensors create up to 24 virtual keys and 8 virtual faders
  • 40 LEDs provide easy orientation and visual feedback
  • 1 momentary button allows switching between presets directly from the device
  • ¼? connector for using an expression pedal or a foot switch
  • Power 9Vdc
  • USB 2.0
  • Dimensions: 960 x 160 x 26 mm ; Weight: 2.8 kg

Airpiano Software

The airpiano hardware doesn’t produce any sounds. It communicates with the custom airpiano software on your pc or mac. The software can send MIDI and Open Sound Control (OSC) messages to other software or hardware. When you trigger a key or a fader in the air, the software registers your actions and sends messages out accordingly. You can create numerous arrangement presets combining keys and faders, assigned with different properties and message types.

Software Features:

  • Create and save arrangement presets
  • Assign keys and faders with MIDI messages (OSC messages are sent automatically)
  • Assign keys with preset-load messages (allows loading presets directly from the device)
  • Set momentary button functionality
  • Set pedal / foot switch functionality (MIDI CC , Global Velocity or Preset Loader)

The Airpiano retails in Europe for Europe €1.099,00, internationally for €1.149,00. See the Airpiano site for details.

18 thoughts on “New Instrument, AirPiano, Now Available

  1. Hmmm…. using it to play note changes doesn't seem very interesting. Might be cool if you programmed an expressive patch for soling and used it that way. Something that responded to velocity and faded in secondary tones (like guitar feedback). I wonder how accurate/fast the tracking is?

  2. $1600ish for this piece of junk? I would rather buy a virus, or a moog, or even an eigenharp over this thing. As soon as you realize that you could buy a small modular synth (very small) for the price of it, it immediately seems worthless in terms of what it can do.

  3. From my watching the demo videos and hearing Jo Hamilton's music, I believe one can write and perform better, more sophisticated music using traditional (and cheaper) keyboard/fader/knob/touch/accelerometer based controllers. I'm interested in idiomatic performance practice, mind you, but in the service of the music, not theatrical presentations. I do understand the visual novelty of such a device, but one could make a performance much more striking by using motion sensors and body contacts (eowave anyone?). Many people are attempting to extend the interface possibilities of electronic music beyond the traditional knob and keyboard sphere, with varying degrees of success. The Airpiano seems to be *very* limited with regard to those possibilities. The Continuum Fingerboard or even Snyderphonic's Manta (I think I have the names of the correct) seem to be much more progressive in their respective approaches.

  4. Agreed. I think this could be considered an early step into more practical uses of these technologies. Something using a modified Kinect system might be more cost efficient and expressive also!

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