Yes ! Less than a year ago I think. And you can use the new code and new interface with only a layer a switches (so without pressure).
We are waiting for a new kind of double switch to make that even better !!
-yes the montage look like a pain, mostly because it is 
-
Speaking of ‘unconventional input devices’; Here’s an interesting research project that was designed to test a model of human music perception. They played a song, it happened to be Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd, to about 30 people while they monitored their brain activity via EEG machines. They were later able to reconstruct the audio from the brainwaves. It sounds a bit muddled-‘underwater’, but quite recognizable.
Seems like a step towards either ‘Real Life Neuromancer’ or a direct Brain-Zynthian controller!
Here’s the article and the research paper:
“Reconstructing Pink Floyd from human auditory cortex”
the article (with an audio sample):
The research paper (lots of choices for audio towards the end):
From wikipedia:
Hex is a free software MIDI sequencer, which uses a generalized keyboard in place of the standard piano keyboard. Lanes are extended from the keys and MIDI notes can be drawn into each lane, and edited, with the mouse (as in a standard MIDI sequencer like Logic, Reaper, SONAR, etc.). The layout can be sheared to ensure that the vertical height of each key (and note lane) is proportional to its pitch height—regardless of the tuning used. A wide variety of isomorphic layouts are possible, including Bosanquet and Wicki.
Here is the “Dynamic Tonality” page on Hex:
http://www.dynamictonality.com/hex.htm
This is a link to the Wikipedia article “Generalized keyboard” which included the above text on Hex :
Hi @tunagenes, thank you.
Did you alredy have tryed hex ?
It looks like this could be a good “ultra low cost tool” for discovering generalized keyboard. ? (*)
Damn, where is my MS Win computer ? 
(*) and more comprehensive than theory 
Nope, I ran across the wiki entry while looking for info on the Wicki-Hayden keyboard layout. I thought it sounded interesting, but I don’t know if I’ll actually get around to trying it.
Leafcutter Labs is prototyping a Wicki-Hayden keyboard so hopefully I will get to try it on Zynthian!
Wow - looks very interesting, and I wonder how their two “modes” (perfect balance and well-formedness) generalize Euclidean Rhythm! This will require some research-digging. The general idea reminds me of MIDINOUS: DAWless, uDAW, ZynSeq and Alternatives to DAWs
Too bad it is neither Open Source or available for Linux-Zynthian.
Here is a interesting curve on a standard musical keyboard:
Sadly, largely condemned to be a conversation piece in various large rooms within mansions of the very well heeled.
Might even get tuned occasionally.
A prototype isomorphic keyboard for Zynthian-Zynia-[midi devices], courtesy of Leafcutter Labs:
Here’s another unusual keyboard in the news:
Akuto Studio Chord Machine AKT-0.1: Futuristic finger chords
Makes me think of an Omnichord.
Yeah, me too - I think there is a similarity in structure and how chords work. Speaking of Omnichord, Suzuki announced that they were going to make a 70th anniversary edition of the Omnichord in the fall of 2023, but that got pushed back, and they’re now planning to announce a new date at Winter NAMM show:
We would like to inform you that the release date of the new Omnichord OM-108, which was scheduled for the Autumn/Fall 2023, will be postponed.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to customers who have been eagerly looking forward to the release.
We will be exhibiting the Omnichord OM-108 and announcing the new official release date at the Winter NAMM showto be held in Los Angeles, USA from January 25, 2024.
Here’s the full web page that announcement came from, it also has a good history of the Omnichord and the Qchord QC-1:
Well, here’s a unique spin on the traditional music keyboard from LilyPCB via Instagram:
I haven’t used them to make any PCBs, but I have put them on my list of PCB vendors, so maybe they’ll make an Isomorphic Keyboard for Zynia or Zynthian.
My Chorda arrived today from the kickstarter - it’s very nice, feels quite solid and hefty and works nicely with a really interesting user interface and a mix of chromatic and pentatonic scales depending on what you’re doing.
Artiphon made an introductory video:
From Aodyo in France, Loom - a 2 octave ‘multidimensional’ midi or mpe controller, and (I kid you not) Looom it’s 3 octave sibling:
Currently on Kickstarter with a week left to go:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/aodyo-anyma-phi/loom-multidimensional-mpe-midi-controller?ref=4cpuas
Aodyo product page:
https://loom.aodyo.com/en/
This looks interesting and they have quite a few reduced price kickstarter units still available. (Of course they aren’t really available until they actually build and deliver them - as is the way with crowd funding - it is a risk.) I was almost tempted… but I wonder how this differs from a mobile device (tablet / phone) running software that provides MPE MIDI control, e.g. pocketMIDI for Android which offers MIDI control (rotary controllers, faders, keyboards with MPE, program change, etc) for just £5. Of course the mobile device has a cost but these can be obtained for about £100 still making it a fraction of the cost. The loom would benefit from BLE MIDI but is teathered by a USB-C connector & cable. In theory a mobile device should be able to use BLE MIDI but I am yet to persuade any of mine to do so. (Devices can connect to BLE MIDI servers but accept connections which is how Zynthian BLE MIDI is currently implemented (in dev).)
Since I was a supporter of Aodyo Instruments already in previous projects, I received a notification even before the start of the campaign. I managed to be among the first to backing the Looom 3 octave version. It seems to me more advantageous in its range and I hope that, for example, drumkit mode will have more side areas for different sounds than Loom.
I myself am curious what Looom will bring in conjunction with Zynthian.
