ROLI has introduced LUMI Keys Studio Edition, a new illuminated MPE keyboard that’s compatible with their existing Blocks line.
The LUMI Keys is designed to be portable, but you can also connect several together to get more notes. The keyboard also supports polyphonic aftertouch and per-note pitch bend.
Features:
- Per-key pitchbend and polyphonic aftertouch
- Whole-key illumination
- Expandability through magnetic connectors
- ROLI Studio software suite
- DS5.5 sized keys
- Compact and easily transportable
Pricing and Availability
The LUMI Keys Studio Edition, is available to pre-order for $269, normally $299, and is expected to be available in January.
They could have made this a little bigger with full-sized keys. They probably could have given it a reasonably long key throw similar to piano. But they tried to keep it portable.
People who care more about portability than playability will probably like this.
I wouldn’t grumble, but it’s not like there are tons of options.
Reprinting my 2019 Minilogue article comment on keyboard octave widths:
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I hate 6.5″ piano keys. They are too far apart. They were only stretched to that size because the obese piano mechanism forced it, not because of ergonomic reasons. Previous keyboards had smaller octave widths, from 4.5″ to 6.25″. 5.75″-6.25″ is the sweet spot. 6.5″ is simply too large. Those that advocate for it have limited experience with keyboards, excepting persons with exceptionally fat fingers.
Now the tiny mini keys at 5.375″ that are common are too narrow but more importantly too short. The slim keys on the Korg Minilogue at 5.5″ is pretty tight on the width, but the longer length makes a huge difference and the keyboard is actually playable. Loosening it up to 5.75″ would be a big improvement. Going below 5.5″ is getting too small.
As it is the keyboard is playable and the size compact.
Of course they do sell a full (ie too fat) size version, the Prologue, so for those cursed with enormous fat fingers, that keyboard is available and those people should stop complaining and buy that instead.
The DX7 had 6.25″ octaves and it made it really playable, also they have a light touch that allows really fine control of velocity, without being flimsy. In the 80s and 90s a lot of synth actions were that width and it was great. At some point there came this, dare I call it fetishism, about 6.5″ and weighted mechanisms. I do understand that piano players feel they want something that is as close to what they are used to as possible for digital pianos. But for synthesis in general a heavy weighted wide mechanism was never a design advantage of the piano, it was a side effect of the complex mechanism, one that had to be learned to dealt with by players. It also contributes to issues such as carpal tunnel. Piano technique, with large motions, is very different from clavichord, harpsichord, and synthesizer technique. A good part of this is due to the differences in key weight, but obviously there are other elements, such as that the clavichord has polyphonic aftertouch.
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And to head off the inevitable silly comments about small hands and other body parts that always get made by insecure fat fingered clumsy 6.5″ fetishists, I’ll give the response in advance I gave last time to those comments:
“As I have made clear, I have the gloriously long fingers typical of all master pianists. And it’s true what they say.”
“I hate 6.5? piano keys. They are too far apart. They were only stretched to that size because the obese piano mechanism forced it, not because of ergonomic reasons. Previous keyboards had smaller octave widths, from 4.5? to 6.25?. 5.75?-6.25? is the sweet spot. 6.5? is simply too large. Those that advocate for it have limited experience with keyboards, excepting persons with exceptionally fat fingers.”
To paraphrase, anyone who likes a 6.5″/octave keys is inexperienced or deformed. Perhaps my sarcasm detector is defective?
Even for people of average hand/finger dimensions, the challenge is when needing to play between the black notes because of a particular melodic line or chord. There is an alternative technique that involves curling the fingers to play both black notes and white notes (without going between), but it is a cumbersome technique.
I have never heard that the keyboard design was due to the mechanism and not the ergonomics. I guess that’s not surprising. If true, then I’d call it a happy accident.
Well, aren’t we just the precious little Tchaikovsky, with the spidery fingers, revealing the evil of obese people who have delusions of being musicians. How lucky we are that this god descended from the mountain to educate all us dimwitted peasants. I feel so enlightened.
An unusual trade-off in the design.
On the one hand, it is to be super-expressive, with the rich MPE support. But on the other hand it hampers expressiveness for those users that have larger hands and thicker fingers.
The light-up keys seem to be mainly a feature for non-proficient players, and work a marvel with gamification of the learning, I would love to try the keyboard together with the app for learning music. But for that, to practice bi-manual playing, one needs at least 2 if not 3 of these.
Also, I am not used to premium pricing for small keys, I may be misremembering, but small keys always go with lower price-tag.
It seems this is two great products, combined into one, where the design considerations that would have gone into each have resulted in a compromise, so that the same device has to please two different kind of user, the learner and the expert.
Toys…
Roli Grand – what happened to that?
I don’t understand what they are trying to communicate with the DS5.5 sized keys..
On second thought, I suppose we shouldn’t begrudge their having made an expressive, MPE keyboard for children, and slender-fingered adults. Kid’s gotta express, too.
The ROLI Grand went out of production, most likely due to the major price tag. They wisely veered towards more affordable options, thereby helping MPE become more accessible. They’ll easily sell more Blocks than Grands.
This isn’t aimed at me, either, but its a great starter instrument. I’d need bigger keys than these so I could lean into it properly. I keep looking at ROLI as my possible MPE starting point. I really like Equator 2.
I have one on order and I can’t wait! I have long slenderised fingers so I’m not too pressed about the width of the keys, though I have very limited time and experience playing piano to really know the difference. So with Ableton having full MPE integration soon, along with me needing a midi controller and learning how to play the piano, it was a no brainer for me.
Where did you get your fingers slenderized? Was it as painful as it sounds?
It’s nice to see good musical products aimed at the kids. But I’d very much like a version for grown-ups as well. I have one mini-key product. I tried the keys – once. After that I have only been turning it’s knobs..
and now the little light shows you how to play “für Elise”. Oh really /s
btw. really odd choices from roli here of things to use and not use from mpe
vibrato per finger? who gives a f***
I want to slide up and down on the keys to change the timbre!
WTF?