At the 2017 NAMM Show, we talked with Reuben Martinez of Sensel about their new Morph adaptable MIDI controller.
The Sensel Morph is a multi-touch, pressure sensitive input device that can adapt to be just about any type of controller that you want.
It uses flexible overlays that let it work as an Art Tablet, MIDI Controller, Media Editor, Game Controller, Keyboard and you can even create custom control surfaces. Without an overlay, it becomes a giant trackpad.
Pricing and Availability
The Sensel Morph is available for pre-order now for US $249, with additional overlays available for $24.99. It is expected to ship in February 2017.
What about MPE?
“It is expected to ship in February 2016.”
Perhaps it’s time to revise that expectation?
Silly prices, it’s cheaper to buy a large android tablet. Which has 10 point capacitive touch and a display to reflect to control changes, Bluetooth etc. This is just a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.
If the Sensel provides physical feedback with its overlays, this would be a huge advantage over a tablet. But I’m not sure if you can play that keyboard thing blind. Would like to try it, though.
Sorry, but Android tablets are useless for interactive music performance because of their huge touch and audio latency, lack of support for standards and lack of software.
Also this has a tactile surface, which is useful for muscle memory, which no tablet provides.
Try again if Google ever gets Android audio & MIDI straightened out on the platform, vs on single devices.
There’s no input lag on Android and it only needs to send midi or OSC via Bluetooth or WIFI. Audio would not be an issue as it purpose would be acontroller only. Android, iOS or Windows tablet ANY tablet will perform as well and have a tonne of extra features compared to this slab.
Saying “There’s no input lag on Android” is just deliberately false. Especially if one follows the digitizer->MIDI app->wireless signal flow. The lag figures are way above 20-30ms, which is clearly unacceptable for any controller.
I think this is a great idea actually.
The two big advantages are that I wouldn’t be blocking my display with my big fat hands; and that the overlays would afford some tactile texture to reduce the need for my eyes to be all over it. Though, to that latter point, the overlays don’t seem to take much advantage of that fact.
That range of pressure sensitivity especially with that X/Y resolution is nothing to sneeze at. The ability to get a fast pressure=-sensitive touchpad that also has some relatively inexpensive overlays seems like a nice alternative to a pricey iPad Pro. I doubt I would never use that keyboard, but the ability to transmit controls via X/Y position on the keys might cause me to change my mind.