Intuitive Instruments Exquis 61-Key MPE MIDI Controller User Guide
- June 1, 2024
- Intuitive Instruments
Table of Contents
Intuitive Instruments Exquis 61-Key MPE MIDI Controller
User guide
This user manual describes the functionalities of the keyboard used without
the Exquis application, that is to say connected via USB, MIDI DIN or CV, to
third-party software, hardware synthesizer, or modular synthesizer. The
features currently available and presented here are subject to change. Don’t
forget to watch for updates! For any questions about your use of Exquis, do
not hesitate to contact the community of players through its various points of
contact; members of the Intuitive Instruments team or other users will be able
to respond and share it with the community.
For technical issues, contact support at
dualo.com/support.
Connectors
The Exquis keyboard allows connection:
- in USB (USB-C connector), for power supply and/or use with third-party software (e.g. Ableton Live, Garage Band, etc.)
- in MIDI (MIDI IN and OUT minijack connectors), for use with third-party software or hardware synthesizers.
- in CV (“GATE”, “PITCH” and “MOD” minijack connectors), for use with modular synthesizers.
The Exquis keyboard also has a Kensington Nano Security Slot™ for a suitable anti-theft device.
Startup
The Exquis keyboard simply requires power supply via USB (5 V and 0.9A max), for example from a computer, a suitable power supply, or even an external battery. The keyboard starts automatically once plugged.
Controls
From bottom to top, the Exquis keyboard features:
- 10 backlit action push buttons
- 1 continuous capacitive slider divided into 6 zones with light feedback
- 61 backlit hex keys, sensitive to velocity, horizontal tilt (X-axis), vertical tilt (Y-axis) and pressure (Z-axis)
- 4 clickable encoders with light feedback.
Note layout
The Exquis keyboard arranges consecutive notes (semitones) horizontally, and
harmonious notes (thirds) vertically, from the lowest at the bottom to the
highest at the top:
Harmonious chords (several notes played simultaneously), stacking of thirds, are embodied in simple, continuous and ergonomic shapes:
The most common scales (selection of notes giving the tone of a piece) result
from the assembly of two of these 4-note chords; they are thus embodied on the
keyboard in the form of a continuous luminous double-strand, allowing you to
play in tune and improvise effortlessly. When plugged in, the keyboard
displays the C major scale by default (C D E F G A B):
The number indicated at the bottom of the keys corresponds to the octave number, that is to say the pitch of the note.
Playing chords within the scale allows you to construct coherent and harmonious chord charts. With one hand or two hands, explore and compare the different scales to create ever more different pieces!
Main view
- Keyboard: On each key the name and pitch of the notes are indicated: by default, the scale of C major is backlit. Changing the scale is to be made in the settings menu. The keys are sensitive to:
- vélocity: strike force
- horizontal tilt: X, Pitch Bend
- vertical tilt: Y, CC#74
- pressure: Z axis, Channel Pressure or Polyphonic Aftertouch (mode to choose in MIDI menu).
- Settings menu (hold): keyboard settings.
- MIDI CC#31
- MIDI CC#32
- MIDI CC#33
- MIDI CC#34
- MIDI clock play/stop
- Octave: transpose the keyboard, one octave at a time (12 semitones), to play higher or lower.
- Slider: arpeggiator speed (ordered repetition of notes held on the keyboard). The pattern and mode are to be set in the settings menu. The values are expressed according to the units of time: 4 = quarter note, 8 = eighth note, 16 = sixteenth note,… 1/4 is equivalent to 1 note per beat, 1/8 to 2 notes per beat, 1/16 to 4 notes per beat,…
- MIDI CC#41, click CC#21
- MIDI CC#42, click CC#22
- MIDI CC#43, click CC#23
- MIDI CC#44, click CC#24
Settings menu
-
Transpose: transpose the keyboard, one semitone at a time, to play higher or lower. Particularly useful for recentering the scale on the keyboard.
-
Slider: arpeggiator pattern. The animation of the 6 LEDs of the slider shows the chosen pattern. Briefly touch the slider to change the pattern:
- Order: repeat in order of note triggering
- Up: from the lowest to the highest
- Down: from the highest to the lowest
- Convergent: from outside to inside
- Divergent: from inside to outside
- Note repeat: notes repeated simultaneously
Hold your finger on the slider for a second to switch from « classic » mode (hold while playing) to “latch” mode (touch to activate/deactivate)
-
Internal tempo: used by the arpeggiator and MIDI clock, defaults to 120 at startup. Follows the MIDI clock received via USB or MIDI DIN (if two clocks are received, only follow the first).
-
Tonic note: change of the central note of the song, generally the base note around which to build your melodies and chord charts.
-
Scale: change of notes giving the tone of the piece. Try different scales and follow the keyboard lights to compare their musical colors; stay in the light path for your chords and melodies to make a harmonious piece. You will find the list of scales and their color code in the Scales section. Click on the encoder to show/hide duplicate notes.
-
General brightness
-
Access to other settings pages
-
MIDI clock output: allows you to decide whether the clock is sent via USB (red), via DIN (blue), both (magenta), or none of them (white).
- MPE / Poly aftertouch: behaviour of MIDI channels sent via USB or MIDI DIN. Switch the mode by clicking on the encoder:
- MIDI Polyphonic Expression (blue LED): control on the X Y and Z axes independent by key, one note per channel. Channel 1 is used for global messages, rotating the encoder allows you to edit the number of additional MIDI channels, shown by the number of lit hexagons on the keyboard (1 to 15). A setting of 15 is recommended unless specific need.
- Poly aftertouch (yellow LED): independent Z-axis control per note. You can choose the channel on which you send the notes, shown by the number of lit hexagons on the keyboard (1 to 16).
- Per note pitchbend range (MPE): expressed in forty-eighths of the maximum range, indicated by the number of hexagons lit on the keyboard (0 to 12, then 24 and 48). Two use cases:
- Set the Pitchbend range of the synthesizer used to 48 (generally the default value), then set this parameter (1 hexagon = 1 semitone)
- Set this parameter to 48, then set the Pitchbend range of the synthesizer used. In CV, the maximum range is 1 semitone.
- Keyboard sensitivity: adjustment of the keyboard key trigger threshold. Warning: a low setting can cause unwanted note triggers.
Scales
By holding the settings button and turning the 2nd encoder, you can change the root note. Each tonic is associated with a color displayed on the LED of this encoder, of which here is the code:
By holding the settings button and rotating the 3rd encoder you can change the
scale. 6 families of scales are offered, each family is associated with a
color. Each scale is associated with a color code in binary language,
displayed on the LEDs of the last 3 encoders. The most frequently used scales
are in bold.
Saving and resetting settings
All settings are automatically saved when exiting the settings menu and kept when the keyboard is unplugged. You can reset default settings by holding the 2nd encoder clicked while plugging into a power source.