MicroZone U990

Wilson MicroZone U990 specifications:

• • 9 ranks of 90 velocity-sensitive keys in a modified hexagonal format (Total Keys: 810)
  • Light-touch keys w/ dynamic response
  • Removable Black and White keycaps
  • 57″ long x 18″ wide x 3″ height
  • Weight: 19 pounds
  • Keyboard frame is available in Maple & other hardwoods
  • Multi-function Joystick
  • 4 Programmable Knobs
  • Programmable Ribbon controller
  • Optional Pitch Wheel and Mod Wheel

The Wilson MicroZone U990 was the brainchild of Erv Wilson, a pioneer in the development and exploration of microtonal music, the study of  tuning systems other than the traditional 12-tone Equal Temperament western music that is deeply planted in our culture.
His design was inspired by the Bosanquet keyboard built in 1875 as a multi-rank organ which Erv re-thought as a modern electronic keyboard.

In the mid-1990's Erv and a group of his students came to Starr Labs with a rough design for a multi-rank keyboard appearing as a hexagonal array of keys. Erv explored many, many tuning systems that divide the octave into well over 100 pitches in some cases. He devised mathematical tools to generate the pitches and arrange them on the keyboard. In the intervening years several developers have created software to automate the process.

Aside from it's applications for microtonal music, the Wilson U990 is a MIDI controller and under-the-hood is using the standard MIDI system of 12 notes per octave ( A-A#-B natural-C- C#- etc.) and 16 MIDI channels. The hexagonal layout offers some interesting and useful options when tuned in the default Western tuning. The keys are organized as nine ranks of 90 chromatic notes; nine 90-key pianos, with black and white keys assigned the same as with a normal piano.

Moving up an axis to the right produces an ascending chromatic scale. Moving upward to the left yields a descending chromatic scale. Moving sideways gives a whole-tone scale.

The onboard software allows the creation of keys that can have their own tuning, or even the assignment of individual specific notes. There is ultimate control of note-assignments to the keyboard.

Built-to-Order starting at $8899.