"Stephen Hawking Counts while Grown Man Plays Typewriter" is one of the most haunting compositions I've heard this decade.

@fallprecauxionsmusic

Ай бұрын

bwahahaha!!

@DapperHesher

Ай бұрын

Sounds like a Kevin Moore / Chromakey track. 😎

@This1That0

Ай бұрын

Lol 😂

@mattwesthaver6909

Ай бұрын

ONETWOTHREEFOURONETWOTHREEFOUR

@tommorton7211

Ай бұрын

Fitter, happier, more musical.

That soothing metronome is hilarious!

@dusteye1616

Ай бұрын

and wirdley good

@jamesthelemonademaker

Ай бұрын

Officially sent but def a vibe after a min

@rdoursenaud

Ай бұрын

That slightly late "three" would drive me nuts.

@xch00F

Ай бұрын

that section of the vid kinda reminds me of huge chrome cylinder box unfolding

@codesymphony

Ай бұрын

@@rdoursenaud the metronome is on dilla time

"Hey! These things exist, if you've never seen them before. Cool, right?" As a subscriber to Technology Connections, I whole-heartedly approve of this message.

Love the key flying off edit.

@strangnet

Ай бұрын

It's a feature.

@the_panos

Ай бұрын

It made me laugh out loud every time

"Goddamnit" This piece of equipment summed up in one word fairly

The most soothing metronome I‘ve ever heard!

@Starovdenis

Ай бұрын

I first heard it on OP-1, now I see where teenage engineering have grabbed it from 😅

That metronome is an instant classic

For a while I thought this might be an elaborate April fool's joke.

My favorite isometric keyboard is LinnStrument! It uses the same tuning system as a bass guitar. As a guitar player you might pick it up really quickly! And the expressiveness is wonderful.

@SHLDMusic

Ай бұрын

And cheap Novation Launchpads are also great but without MPE

@sound.workshop

Ай бұрын

@@SHLDMusic valid! I need to get one

@goulo

Ай бұрын

Yes! The guitar-string style isomorphic square grid layout of Linnstrument, Launchpad, and lots of other MIDI controllers is pretty cool. That guitar-string style isomorphic square grid layout seems to be becoming a pretty common "standard" alternative keyboard layout. I played piano off and on a few times in my life, but I never got very good. A few years ago I went down the isomorphic rabbit hole, reading up on Janko and various square grid and hex grid layouts, and the array mbira briefly shown in Benn's video, etc. The isomorphic uniformity of chords and scales is very appealing. Now I'm enjoying playing a Linnstrument and pleased with my amateur progress playing it. Currently having fun working my way through Bela Bartok's Mikrokosmos, for example. :) The isomorphic hexgrid Lumatone looks very intriguing (but is expensive and big). There are some great youtube channels with neat Lumatone exploration of various layouts and various microtonal tunings. Also see the Harpejji for another appealing instrument with a different isomorphic layout, in the form of a stringed instrument. Stevie Wonder plays it.

@4CloudySky

Ай бұрын

Yeah, there's nothing better than the Linn, yet especially if you are used to stringed instruments.

Ай бұрын

Would love to try one. Ableton Push is a bit limiting in range

Someone else mentioned the Linnstrument - as a fellow southpaw I'd be interested in your take on it, but actually I'd love a Benn Jordan deep dive into Roger Linn in general.

couch background is crazy

@fleecefoxes6471

Ай бұрын

if you know you know

@maldivirdragonwitch

Ай бұрын

​@@fleecefoxes6471, I literally left the same reply on another comment here... 😂

Can't wait to hear soothing metronome in an upcoming flashbulb album.

@DerekVerLee

Ай бұрын

Then lug in on tour. Because just playing a sample would be unauthenticated and a deep disappointment to your fans. And that thing looks like it's made for live performances.

@codesymphony

Ай бұрын

or a previous one. re: the flashbulb - someone

I have a Lumatone (videos on my channel, not a plug, just if you're curious). It's an isomorphic keyboard that lets me play in literally any Temperament. The isomorphic layout lets me play in tunings like 31 tone equal temperament.

@danjcla

Ай бұрын

Yeah I wish he did this on one of those. They are so pretty and slickly designed. I feel this is way too colored by his choice of super-crappy equipment.

@rickmay1188

Ай бұрын

The barrier to entry on a CT-312 is $200-500, whereas, the Lumatone is $3800 if they happen to be producing them when you check their website... otherwise, if you see one on reverb, they start over 4k. A lot of money for an alternate key layout on a controller that doesn't even make doorbell noises, that you may not like. Don't get me wrong, "If I win the Lottery, I won't tell anyone; but there will be signs..." but lottery win is basically the only way I'm gonna afford one.

@LizordSword

Ай бұрын

the lumatone was exactly what i thought about when i saw this

@amj.composer

3 күн бұрын

@@rickmay1188 I don't think you understand how the instrument works and why it's awesome and worth the price, but okay!

@rickmay1188

3 күн бұрын

@@amj.composer ok, I understand the lumitone is awesome, but $3800 bux is a car, or 3 months rent, or saving for 2 years with nothing bad happening. It is literally priced out of my ability to own one, or use one, and since the price is so high, I can't risk 3 months of rent on something I may very well hate. I'll probably love it, but the price is an insurmountable barrier to entry for like 99.66% of all people on the planet. You can't change the fundamental way people interface with their music, if no one can afford it. I'm borrowing my friends Exquis by Intuitive instruments, which is a cute 2 octave hex key controller, similar in many regards to the much bigger car-priced Lumatone, but thats the problem... There are minor things about it I don't like, which has been the case for nearly every non-traditional keyboard layout. With that in mind, why would I want to spend 13 times as much for a Lumatone that may share some of the minor issues I don't like about the Exquis? Theoretically, if I don't like it, I can resell it for more than I paid, but I don't want to deal with Reverb people... "Its used. Ill give you 75 bux if you deliver it." Or even worse, if I like it, and now have a car sized hole in my finances I can't plug. You may as well be telling me I should also get a CS80 to use as a desk for this thing, and hook it to a Colossus Double....

I'm tickled that you mentioned my keystep mod! If anyone was interested in learning more, I made a video about it on my channel. Awesome vid btw, I'm a fan of alt layouts (clearly), so this is totally my jam.

@rickmay1188

Ай бұрын

You made the Keystep Mod? I'm building a keytaur using a MIDI Plus x6 mini, and plan to do the keystep mod to it, since it uses the same keyblanks.... Thank you for taking the time to make, tweak, and post the designs online.

Gotta say the completely random stock backgrounds that look like you dumped your shutterstock inventory just to use stuff you'd never otherwise get around to are fire 🔥

@maldivirdragonwitch

Ай бұрын

One of those backgrounds is definitely not random (if you know, you know...)

@garryghibli5993

Ай бұрын

@@maldivirdragonwitchoh god I just saw the casting couch

Glad you mentioned the Lumatone! It’s very expensive for what is essentially a giant MIDI controller (albeit an incredibly pretty one), but at the same time, I do think their customizable colored light layouts is a great and versatile solution for switching between various tuning systems (for exploring microtonality), or for playing a large number of instrumental parts at once live, or while improvising, with minimal finger travel. When I’m able to afford one, I’m definitely excited to learn the system… unlike an alternative keyboard system that is designed to specifically do one set of tunings, the customizable layouts (each with their own key colors, in order to help you find your way around the keyboard in that particular tuning or setup) seem like they’d be a lot more intuitive.

These keyboards are used in some accordions and really allow a lot more acrobatic movement compared to a traditional piano accordion layout.

@poofygoof

Ай бұрын

I know there are stradella MIDI keyboards available, as someone who learned rudiments of how to play a button accordion, seems like this might be related?

David Lynch hearing you playing over the soothing metronome: 'I love it. I need it. Do that. No. Don't change anything. It was perfect. :-)'

@0LoneTech

Ай бұрын

Not sure what this referenced, but it brought to mind More Cowbell. Unfortunately youtube's search function doesn't list it anymore, but hundreds of distorted clips from it.

@ricardoreynaga11

Ай бұрын

@@0LoneTechLynch and Angelo Badalamenti working on Laura Palmer’s theme for Twin Peaks

@lurkdash

Ай бұрын

@@0LoneTech only a matter of time before someone deepfakes david lynch saying more cowbell

Been rabbit holing with programming videos tonight and just saw this, thought you were gonna be talking about computer keyboards for a second. Always love your videos! Not a musician just stumbled across your channel from your non music related videos ages ago but stayed for the mad vibes

All your stuff absolutely bangs, and the range of topics is wide and deep. Bravo!

Insane timing, I just bought one of these last week and have been loving it.

Had an accordion layer out in the same pattern back in 1969. Found it much easier to understand music theory using it.

The learning curve on the Jankó is steeper in the beginning, but once you've spent some time with it, reusing scales and chords in all keys is very convenient and your muscle memory kicks in.

Glad you're still doing hardware videos. Your video on the Solar 42 was awesome and inspired me to pick up an instrument that had been collecting dust.

Love this guys channel Was a massive flashbulb fan back in 2009 growing up and still a fan

Holy crap -- This just makes sense to me. I had a hard time with music theory and keyboard layouts because I wanted a shape to represent a type of chord. Thanks for making this video. You just created a rabbit hole for me.

Omg this keyboard layout has been all up in my algorithm recently! Excited to see your experience.

You do it so we don't have to - thank you, Ben 😊

When do you find time for all these completely diverging topics in your videos and go so deep as learning a new instrument to the point that it sounds professionally? I admire your energy! Keep 'em coming, your videos are truly educational!

I’m really digging the format of your videos! Love the unique themes, keep up the great stuff!

Awesome video, I've always been fascinated anytime a random janko video pops up in my youtube feed. I know you mentioned lumatone and other alternative layouts, would love to see a video on microtonal and alternate scales

5:11 sounds actually sick with the voiceover

@mrwalter1049

Ай бұрын

Such a fantastic retro-futurism vibe!

@Briwalker42

Ай бұрын

It gave me real Radiohead - Fitter Happier vibes.

@needleonthevinyl

Ай бұрын

Add a Think Break on it and it might sound at home somewhere on Red Extensions of Me

@PandaPotPies

Ай бұрын

Sounds like a beat for Lucki

@Anzen132

Ай бұрын

Total Limp Bizkit vibe!

Thank you Benn, you are my favourite idm musician, I'm happy to get to your youtube

One Love! Always forward, never ever backward!! ☀️☀️☀️ 💚💛❤️ 🙏🏿🙏🙏🏼

ive never seen one of these but i love the idea of isometric and janko key layouts, i cant believe ive never heard of this! one thing i really love about playing my stringed instruments like guitar, bass, viola, etc is that for the most part as long as you remember the shapes of a scale or chord you can just move it around, if you know it somewhere you know it everywhere. Piano was my first instrument but ive really always found it annoying how different keys really feel different to play in when all i want is for them to *sound* different. ... i think im actually going to consider getting one of these, i feel like it might help me fall back in love with the instrument. .... probably not this one in particular, but ive got to try this out. loved the video

@JankoPianko

Ай бұрын

I'm making some of the janko adapters for piano shown in this vid

@rickmay1188

Ай бұрын

My recommendation is to skip the Chromatone, and wait for a Wholetone Revolution instead... as Benn mentioned, they're both made by the same company, but while the CT312 is a disapointing casio knockoff with crappy fall apart keys, the Wholetone Revolution is a Korg N5EX with solid keys, not keycaps that fall off in transit, or when you play it. Chromatone generally run about 400 to 600 plus shipping from Japan... usually another $150 to $200... I had to wait 3 years for one to become available at the same time I had money, but I got a Wholetone Revolution for $550 plus $200 in shipping, and it arrived in 3 days. Unfortunately, the Metronome on the Wholetone Revolution is pretty boring. Just whatever Korg put in there.

The assorted stock backgrounds and the Speak 'N' Spell metronome really elevated things.

"Hey these things exist" is an underrated KZread video format.

Ooh, this reminds me of the Chromatic Button Accordion layout. Neat!

Fantastic video. Never knew this thing existed, and it's crazy

Great to see the interest in the Jankó keyboard! The Jankós shown at 3:30 are mine, one I built myself from wood and the other one is a 3D printed overlay by Fred Merck that I put on top of my Korg SV2. Check out my video playing on the Jankó: kzread.infofciG88KojI8?si=vhFDq98cFv0__4da

I havn't heard or seen one before. Thank you for all the cool videos and your music. Take care (:

thanks for letting me know these things exist!

Babe new benn jordan just dropped

I've wanted something like this for a long time, but I also know that it isn't actually what I need. I think the value of an isomorphic layout like this isn't very transformative for performance, but could be for composition. Seeing the harmonic table (an expression of Eulers' Tonnetz) explained for the first time made me feel like I could intuitively understand something about music that would allow me to slowly and ploddingly describe a song to a DAW despite having no actual musical skills. The shapes visually demystify relationships that normally have to be memorized to start playing much of anything. So, what I actually need is *software* that lets me use a chord-builder with a hexagonal layout to drop sound events onto a timeline for each voice. This almost exists, but that I've found, not yet in a useable form.

Thanks for the history lesson. I had thought that C-Thru-Music Axis 64 was the first to do Isometric. One thing that drew me to the Continuum Fingerboard is the semi isometric design where the half steps are all the same. So similarly chord shapes can be moved around left to right but without adopting a wacky hex layout.

Perfect for creating custom number stations

This reminds me of the current Ableton Push and the like when playing in its keyboard mode (the default mode), where chord shapes hold position and you just change the key your in. Has helped me get into music theory from a unique angle.

Yep, cool. Keep experimenting!

Thanks for this; I’ve never seen one before. I feel like I might have a fighting chance since my first instrument was the accordion. Would love to see you cover the Theremin.

I love how the tiny you is sticking out of the slot on top of the keyboard.

Janky keyboard... ;) I find if fascinating that these things exists, and they're trying to solve real issues, but there are other issues that they introduce. But "chord shapes" in my opinion are a bit weird thing to compare. Even normal piano keyboard is completely symmetrical if you play higher up the keys.. .they're all semitones and their width is the same -> you learn major chord in one key, you know it in all keys. People are just confused about the layout of Piano, just like I was at the beginning, but more I learn, more I realize that there's no need to "learn all the keys"... it's more important to understand the shapes of the scales/modes and then it's just the same as before.... I just wish they'd color the keys in any Jankó style keyboard in black and white so it would be more easy to find your way, wall of white isn't that much fun :D

I love isometric keyboards, it's why I use my ableton push so much.

Key escape clip had me howling

So interesting!! Thank you ❤

I really dig those water caustic backgrounds! they look super sick!

After hearing the metronome, I realized the keys popping off is a feature. Something about the sound of them hitting the floor on the right chord while Hawking counts the beat.

Please do a part two diving into microtonal stuff! I'll give you a cookie

loved the new video. please drop next

If you haven't already you should check out the Linnstrument. Similar isometric layout but with added MPE capabilities, with 3d control. I'm not a piano player but as a strings player I picked it right up and it rocks. Super easy to learn.

That metronome was super soothing lol. Dear Lord, who thought that that would be a good metronome I don’t understand. But I think the layout is cool I’ve actually thought of purchasing lumen, just way incredibly expensive. When you can pay as much for controller as you can for a Yamaha montageM… That’s a little too much for me. Thanks for the video Ben good to see you man. Hope you have a great day and hope your Easter was good.

Isometric is great, but I much prefer the harmonic table layout. (side note: we need to figure out how to get Benn a Lumatone.)

@rscottom

Ай бұрын

There’s also an iPad app that does the isomorphic layout. You don’t get velocity (well sort of) or after touch. It is called ‘Musix Pro’…unfortunately it only sends midi keys…so you need the destination synth to do the microtonal stuff.

Heck that's all the reason I need to watch a cool video, thanks for letting us know they exist!

Interesting and weird stuff and it's not a commercial. Good show!

Sound excellent

It's pretty funny to see this video Ben. I recently got an Akai Fire for FL Studio and I don't really care for the ability to manipulate the channel rack switching but I do like using "Note" mode and using the muscle memory I've learned all these years typing (i taught myself to type at 10) to make music lol. I'd probably dig something like this...

8:05 you hit the nail on the head and I enjoyed every bit.

That metronome is the stuff of dystopian nightmares

As someone who had 5 solid years of piano playing in undergrad and afterwards, I think that this metronome would have made me destroy the keyboard out of anxiety and rage before learning anything complicated

Been looking for some kind of keyboard that would be better suited for people with smaller hands. Thanks for the leads!

You are such a cool dude, enjoy you videos very much.

Linnstrument gang represent

Today was the solar eclipse and I drove my car out to the country where there's a hill that over looks all the land and I was listening to a classic flashbulb track 'Burning the black and white' when the sky went dark. It was magical ❤ couldn't have picked a better track!

So essentially the creator took the principle of the guitar and applied it to the piano... that's pretty cool! I might want to consider this as coming from the guitar, the piano layout always gives me the fits (why can't I just slide this chord shape around like I do on the fretboard?! ;). Thanks for the video.

This is fascinating. An aside, if someone can do a review or share thoughts on the lumatone that'd be rad. No one seems to use it 😅

I have a Striso, which is isomorphic, and I am absolutely enamored of it. I went down a massive isomorphic keyboard rabbit hole in the early days of the pandemic, and played quite a few virtual versions, and the DCompose layout of the Striso is by far my favorite. The creator welcomes others to use the layout (with the DCompose name, not Striso), but so far, I don't think anyone else makes one. I would love for a toy version to give my nieces and nephews, but can't spend the $484 on each of them.

You def gotta use that metronome sample for something. Haha

I just love the metronome, not kidding, i find that to be awesome

You must have been practicing. You're really good ! Has anyone ever done a concert with one of these? Philharmonic or Rock ?

That rotary encoder probably works with two rings of contacts that are slightly offset (or the contact springs also might be offset). The device knows the direction of the rotation from which contact conducts or loses conduction first on each step. If the contacts get oxidized those usually glitch very annoyingly and tend to mostly switch back and forth between two adjacent values and only sometimes go through more. And not always to the direction you wanted. Many times the problem is more because lack of use than wear from too much use. Sometimes they can be revived just bu turrning the control vigorously around a lot.

Reminds me of the bass keyboard of an accordion - and yes, this seems to be a Jankó keyboard, or rather there seems to be a variant of the right-hand keyboard that is. The German and English Wikipedia are not consistent on that, and there seem to be lots of variations. I wondered what those keyboards are about and how they operate …

my son would love that!!

It would be really cool to hear you talk a little about microtonal music though. It's a lovely vast scape of musical opportunity that only so many have explored! Just thought I'd mention!

This worth it for the metronome alone!

a felt a bit of your soul leave your body when that key flew off the board lol

You should try out the Exquis and the harmonic table layout! I just got one a couple weeks ago and I love it so much more than a traditional piano layout. It looks easier than this layout too.

I managed to get a perfect condition WholeTone Revolution delivered from Japan, with only minor shipping damage along the way. The blank keys are lame, so I got stickers, and marked out black keys, and A, D, F so I could navigate the keyboard easier. After I finished setting all the stickers up, I discovered the key marked as Middle C in the middle, was actually a C sharp, with the keyboard tuned down a half step... so I had to tear off, reset the tuning, and replace 200 stickers, then relearn everything Id been practicing 1/2 a step down. Since I am not good at standard piano layout, the Janko pattern resonates with me. The Wholetone Revolution is really a Korg N5EX with a Janko/Muto keybed that has keys that don't shed their keycaps. It also has the full 88 key range crammed into the space of the original 61 standard keys, and the channel aftertouch works same as the standard N5EX. I also got a CT-312 off an auction site, and it has non working velocity on about 25 keys in the middle, so I gotta tear it down and check the contact boards. The CT-312 is a 76 key equivalent in a 61 key bed space, so the keys are larger than the wholetone revolution. Finally, I'm working on building a keytar using the keystep 3d print files that were shown in the video. That set actually replaces the whole key, and allows you to change the keycap angles with secondary print files others have added. Compared to the 3D prints you just set on top of, or glue to an existing keyboard, its excellent.

This was hilarious! The sounds and the layout made me think about Star Wars.

The editing is so good, also major t-rex vibes haha, more t-rex's with short arms, they need this keyboard.

I love the aesthetic mix between an accordion and a early 2000s yamaha PSR

@JankoPianko

Ай бұрын

I'm making some of the janko adaptors for piano shown in this video. It's basically still the same layout as on the piano, pitches are next to eachother in one line low to high just that the keys have a different shape with three distinct keytops and are interlaced, which results in a uniform layout

My brain is on high alert for April 1, this immediately felt like an April Fools video but I really can’t tell 😂

@dexstrumental

Ай бұрын

That’s what I came here to say after sleeping on it.

Oh, well… Had no idea about your channel but thanks for showing my Dreschke (not really a Jankó) inspired design: PASHKULI

I ordered the red Chromatone Wholetone Revolution back when the inventor was giving away his remaining inventory. It's pretty cool but one drawback of the isometric keyboard, aside from the smallness of the keys, is that I really have to be looking at the thing as I play it, since it's so uniform. Also the importance of chord shapes and the awkwardness of voice leading makes it more like a guitar than a keyboard in some ways.

@rickmay1188

Ай бұрын

I defiled my wholetone revolution with Stickers.... I'm not smart enough to find C4 in a sea of hexagons...

I love the idea of the janko keyboard but like yourself I'm not sure how well it works in practice, certainly without any visually identifiable black and white keys to give a sense of familiarity to new adopters

Ifeel like piano is already the perfect ideal instrument to start with and learn.

The keys randomly popping off are a feature, not a bug.

Nice one Benn. Not gonna lie, I was curious about the clickbait title "My Brain Hurts" since I always love a challenge. Long time watcher, first time commenter. The Jankó keyboard layout is very interesting and definitely will take you on a tonal journey. I'm gonna keep an eye out for a Chromatone keyboard. Definitely chuckled at your reaction whenever a key would fly off.😁

@JankoPianko

Ай бұрын

I'm making some of the janko adapters for piano shown in this vid

My first experience with this topic was back when I was more actively playing accordion.

=D The feel of the underlying piano translates surprisingly well to the white keys on the overlays I've printed, but then the black keys feel kind of flimsy in comparison, probably a combination of the extra weight and leverage. I've found that it's playable-ish since you can still accurately accelerate the key, but so far it does seem like a springy midi keyboard is the way to go for overlays.

I got used to chord shapes on my push2. Once you train your brain, it can become useful, kinda reminds of that, a little.

The metronome is amazing! I want a soundtrack with it! Let's call it "Algebra"!