Recording - December 2015 - 19

Keith McMillen Instruments K-Board
$99; www.keithmcmillen.com

In our December 2013 issue, I reviewed the
QuNexus, a USB portable keyboard controller
from Keith McMillen Instruments. KMI specializes in unusual controllers that make use of
space-age materials to do things other devices
can't. With multicolor LED backlighting and a
variety of position- and pressure-sensitive controls, KMI devices go beyond simple knobs and
buttons to offer great tactile flexibility and intuitive visual feedback, from control surfaces and
keyboards to footpedals.
The QuNexus was KMI's first take on the common "easily portable slab keyboard for use with
laptops or iOS devices" class of products, and it
was a standout for a lot of reasons. Its 25-note
keyboard was made up of non-moving squishy
silicone rubber "keys" with backlighting and a
special "smart fabric" that made them sensitive
to velocity, aftertouch (including the rare and
expressive polyphonic aftertouch), and an
unusual form of touch expression called Tilt.

In addition to a basic set of left-hand controls, QuNexus offered a software
editor with multiple layers of MIDI control available from a single keyboard.
Further, it sported a number of minijacks for
Control Voltage cables as well as a second
USB connection to run an external MIDI I/O
box. Lots of flexibility and power... but also
lots of complexity that most laptop keyboardists didn't need.
KMI's new K-Board removes the multiple
layers of control and all of the MIDI expansion and CV jacks, leaving a keyboard with
all the expressiveness of the QuNexus but no
hidden bells and whistles. On the K-Board, what you see is what you get; there's
a Mac/Windows Editor program for it, but the number of settings you can adjust
is relatively small.
When I got the chance to play the K-Board in my home studio and take it on
the road with me, I had a blast. Light and sturdy, with no moving parts, yet
touch-responsive in a host of compelling ways, it was an intriguing alternative
to conventional button keyboards. Obviously made from the same mold as the
QuNexus (literally), its 25 keys with pressure and Tilt sensitivity are supplemented by a Sustain button (missing on the QuNexus), Bend rocker-pad (somewhat more sensitive and easier to use than the QuNexus's Bend control),
Octave Up/Down buttons, and four buttons to activate Toggle, Velocity,
Pressure, and Tilt when required.
Most importantly, the overall touch sensitivity of the K-Board is noticeably
improved over that of the QuNexus; it's more playable, nuanced, responsive,
and consistent. I hope this improvement is brought to the QuNexus firmware
sometime soon!
While I'm still not 100% convinced about Tilt, I have to admit that it worked
more smoothly on the K-Board than on the QuNexus, and Pressure sensitivity was
a delight. While I didn't test KMI's claims that the K-Board was indestructible (they
claim it can withstand a 2-story drop, being splashed with water, and being run
over by a car), it was reassuringly solid and felt like I could always have it in my

http://www.keithmcmillen.com http://www.radialeng.com/modules

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - December 2015