alternative keyboard controller project

[Rick Scott]

Alternative Keyboard Controller Project
=======================================

Keyboards -- control panels containing 49+ white/black keys -- are great, but they're also very limiting. They force you to play/think in discrete pitch steps. Mod wheels are
better (more continuous), but the physical "body" separation between wheel and keyboard is so non-organic.

For a long time I've had this vision of an alternative keyboard controller that would enable the user -- without mod wheels, just using the keyboard -- to play completely fluid,
continuous parameters (pitch and other); i.e., no discrete parameter grids. Yes I could use a theremin (and I do) and yes I could use a ribbon controller (ditto), but I'm looking
for something keyboard-like, to make use of my existing keyboard skills.

With this in mind I've come up with an idea for an alternate keyboard controller that would enable players to get the continuous/nongridded parameters I've described above. In
essence, it's an enhanced ribbon controller that detects x/y/z changes -- rather than just x (like normal ribbons) -- thus, tripling one's immediate parameter control. Playing it
would be a bit like stroking (very precisely) a flat, recumbent cat ...

In any case, I'm no engineer ... so I'm looking for someone who might be interested in collaborating on this project and/or advising me: If it's already been done; whether it's
feasible; and how to get started.

Thanks for reading about my "vision" ... :-)

Rick