As an update, both the VAX77 and Pianoteq handle the high resolution velocity CC #88 (for 16,000+ steps of velocity instead of the standard 0-127), and with a Korg DS-1H pedal, the half-pedaling techniques work well with the VAX77/Pianoteq.

I wonder if any of you lucky VAX owners would please upload a midi file demonstrating all of this velocity goodness? I would like to see just how much information is generated.

Actually, a snapshot from your DAW showing the CC lanes would be alright too...

Thanks!

[edit]
I don't think this is currently possible with any DAW...never mind.

Not to imply that the top 11 notes are never played but I suspect those strings are important for resonance and adding keys to play them seemed sensible in a non-portable instrument. Resonance isn't an issue for Pianoteq which will resonate the same whatever the number of keys on the controller. If you play those notes, 88 keys is necessary; if not it's baggage.

I have a VAX77 and a special foot pedal that raises the keyboard up an octave when pressed.  With a little practice I have been able to momentarily press it for certain high notes with some ease. 

I am glad that it folds at its current size.

I would have been thrilled with a non-folding 88 key version for the studio, but I asked Glenn and Van personally (at NAMM), and they have no plans of making one.

Perhaps there are some physical or electronic design constraints that would make an 88er unfeasible.
Too bad for whatever reason, because I suspect a lot of players won't give this controller serious consideration without 88 keys. And there's a real need for good controllers, because of all the mediocre (or worse) ones that are currently available.

Michael

I bet a VAX88 would be a winner. For how many players is it terribly important that the keyboard can fit the size requirements for carry on luggage, as opposed to the number of players who need 88 keys? And I imagine the weight difference would be negligible.

I would have been thrilled with a non-folding 88 key version for the studio, but I asked Glenn and Van personally (at NAMM), and they have no plans of making one.

I did get a VAX77 [Aug 2010], and sold my MIDIBoard (rev 3.0) to someone in Edmonton. To put it simply, I don't miss my MIDIBoard at all- it is nice to have a smaller, lighter, modern keyboard with excellent polyphonic aftertouch. The people here will want to know about its suitability as a piano controller:

The keys are textured, and feel expensive- more like ivory than plastic. They are weighted, though lighter (I have the Heavy version) than a real piano. The action is still pretty firm, but there is no escapement bump. However when playing Pianoteq, your brain automatically adjusts to the slightly different feel, and you can play very expressively- I am very happy with the piano feel, though if it were just a bit heavier it would be perfect. The action is very fast- I can play things like the intro to Billy Joel's "Angry Young Man" without any problems. If someone were looking for a perfect piano controller, they would be better off with a dedicated 88 key instrument that tries to exactly duplicate a piano action. The VAX77 has the advantage of being smaller and lighter, and can also be used effectively for synth/organ. Another cool feature- the VAX77 has an 8va button that allows you to get to the top octave that is missing in a 76 key controller. Infinite Response (at my suggestion!) made the 8va function part of the footswitch options so that you can just touch a pedal to reach that last octave without missing a beat.

Overall I am extremely happy with it- much more manageable than the MIDIBoard, with more modern implementation and better polyphonic aftertouch. Very expressive for piano, while still being fast enough for organ/synth.

I think the very first computer music software I ever ran was Csound on DEC workstation.  (bringing some semblance of on-topic-ness back ;^)

Greg.

skip wrote:

Another ex DECcie! Did you participate in the Notes conference called COMMUSIC, aandrmusic? I did - too much. ;^)

Greg.

Notes and the original Adventure game were probably the company's biggest "overhead" (-:

Wow! that Adventure game
I played the version ported to the Sinclair ZX Spectrum a lot.