The "Alternative" Keyboard Layout 🎶🧬 

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

That soothing metronome is hilarious!

"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.

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

The most soothing metronome I‘ve ever heard!

That metronome is an instant classic

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.

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

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.

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.

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

couch background is crazy

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 🔥

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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

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

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

5:11 sounds actually sick with the voiceover

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

So interesting!! Thank you ❤

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.

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

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

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 …

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Sound excellent

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

Yep, cool. Keep experimenting!

loved the new video. please drop next

thanks for letting me know these things exist!

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. :-)'

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

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

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

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

Babe new benn jordan just dropped

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.

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

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.

my son would love that!!

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.

Perfect for creating custom number stations

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

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 😅

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...

This “Nasty Daddy Benn” look is giving it to me…

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!

=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.

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.

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

Have you tried any of those microtonal hex grid looking midi keyboards. They seem pretty cool, I’ve seen some people do some really beautiful microtonal performances on them.

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

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!

Reminds me a bit of the Stradella bass system. (Accordion)

Key escape clip had me howling

I play a Philharmonic, button accordion. This reminds me a lot of the melody side of that.

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.

Yep, very cool

When that automated voice started counting, I was weirdly reminded of that one episode from *Dexter's Laboratory* involving the "Golden Diskette," with that character "Professor Hawk," who was definitely a spoof/parody of someone: you-know-who.

I have a C-Thru Axis-49 midi controller with a harmonic table hex layout... and it's pretty nice. The 3 axes change pitch by 3, 4, and 7 semitones. However, it's not perfect, and sometimes I'd prefer to rotate it 90 degrees and set up the axes for 1, 3, and 4 semitones instead of 3, 4, and 7. But still, it's a super fun and intuitive way to play.

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: ru-vid.comfciG88KojI8?si=vhFDq98cFv0__4da

I have both the CT-312 and the long discontinued C-Thru Axis49. Do I use them a lot? No. I use my computer keys for everything because I'm well into "I want to program to compose". The disadvantage in them is really that they don't predispose you to the simple whole step half step types of movements that would be considered "beginner" material on the white keys of a linear system - I found "Chopsticks" quite difficult on Axis49. On the other hand, they create a very strong intuition for theory around scales and harmony. They are a great way to discover nuances about those things and I encourage anyone to spend some time with them for that reason. And there are a lot of ways to engage with isomorphic designs as visual layouts and easily play patterns that would be virtuosic elsewhere.

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

i believe that apart from the janko keyboard, this is based on some of the older MEDELI arranger keyboards. Buttons, layout, built in sounds and arranger look familiar, but i can't tell the exact model. I think the sounds may be based on Yamaha XG sound module. It's funny that the keybed itself is unique, but everything else is typical consumer 2000s home keyboard.

This worth it for the metronome alone!

I prefer my Push 3, Erae touch and Exquis to a conventional piano keyboard any day and would love to try a Lumatone. The traditional keyboard layout just does not stop making my brain (and fingers) hurt.

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

Thanks for this video! Is this the same key layout as a chromatic accordion ?

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

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

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.

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

is that supposed to be the same layout as button accordion perhaps?

Worth buying for that counting, it went well with those noodling keys and created a real ambience in my living-room. But why have they decided to have all those keys look the same?