MIDI keyboards

Notes: Buchla's touch-sensitive keyboard updated for the 21st century. Third-generation version offers expressive control for Buchla, MIDI and Eurorack. Iconic.

Supplier's Notes:
Though our lives are dominated by touchscreens, when it comes to music, there's still a lot of magic in capacitive touch control. Don Buchla was one of the first to apply this technology to electronic music in the Buchla 112 module. The non-traditional sounds were controlled with a futuristic interface. This fantastic idea met many iterations in Buchla history: the Music Easel, 400, 700, Thunder, and 223 all employed touch technology.

Buchla USA is proud to present the third iteration of one of the most used touch interfaces, the 218, as the LEM218v3: The 218e version3 Lunar Excursion Module. The first design appeared in the 1973 release of the Buchla Music Easel and named for the spacecraft that delivered astronauts to the moon. Providing the familiar piano key layout for this early mobile music machine, the additional controls and capabilities were an interface for exploring uncharted musical territory. With the new version 3, it's been updated with a new foundation of stable, modern electronics and plenty of inputs and outputs to integrate with your Buchla, MIDI, and Eurorack gear.

Capacitive Magic

The incredible sensitivity and accuracy of the redesigned touch bed means the lightest touch will produce triggers and control voltage for your setup. The adjustable sensor has the dynamic range and durability to handle your playing. The new texture not only improves the sensing, but provides a satisfying tactile experience.

As always, pressure is an expressive output, adding an extra dimension to the control. MIDI outputs velocity and polyphony, as well as channel pressure, making the LEM218 a uniquely expressive controller for all your synthesizers. The configurable touchstrip adds a fantastic addition for pitch bend or as an additional modulator to patch into your system.

MIDI Polyphony, Velocity & More!

More than just MIDI compatible, the LEM 218 v3 gives you a unique interface to playing your existing MIDI gear and soft synths. Each touch outputs note name, channel pressure, and velocity for every note, along with sustain controls from a pedal. Polyphonic MIDI mode lets you play chords. The touchstrip can act as a pitch bend control, or as a mod wheel for additional expressive control. Easily configured using the front panel controls, you can send notes and controls on any MIDI channel. Send the LEM some MIDI, and it gets converted to voltages and gates for eurorack and Buchla control.

Get More For Your Euro

Even if you don't have any Buchla products, the LEM 218 v3 is designed to work with your Eurorack-compatible gear. Four 3.5mm jacks output 1v/octave pitch, 0-8 volts pressure, touchstrip voltage, and gate outputs for use with Eurorack equipment. Or, combine your Euro with your Buchla instruments. If NATO can do it, so can you. The sound design possibilities will blow your mind.

Arpeggiate

A pulse input allows the arpeggiator to be driven by external inputs and are allowed to interact with the automated notes to make the pattern more complex. Additional controls allow you to blend different patterns and randomness to easily change from the expected to the surprising.

Control

The classic preset voltage knobs offer several possible ways to shift your sounds into new territory. Not only can the knobs be used for quick access to voltages for your patch, they can control arpeggiation modes and octave shifting. Pads output pulses for additional control

Set It Up Your Way

Such a unique device will spark many ideas. With easy front panel configuration, you can quickly customize the velocity and pressure sensitivity, MIDI channel, knob behavior, and more. No cumbersome software setups, just simple settings with the keys and knobs, and you're ready to play.

Notes: A revolutionary keyboard controller that puts the world's best sound library at your fingertips. Get direct, hands-on control of virtual instruments from NI and thousands more from developers like Arturia, Heavyocity, Korg, Output, Spitfire Audio, and u-he.

Browse and tweak everything from synths and drums to orchestral libraries and scoring tools - all seamlessly integrated with Kontrol's tactile controls and large, high-res screen. Then play with a new level of expression and freedom thanks to a best-in-class keybed, polyphonic aftertouch, Light Guide, and Play Assist features. And with a comprehensive package of included software, featuring the industry-leading sampling platform Kontakt 7, you'll be ready to go from day one.

Polyphonic aftertouch

Take expression one step further with the slightest pressure on individual keys. Bring new layers of nuance to your playing with cutoff, pitch, vibrato, and much more, without reaching for an extra encoder or dial. All three models come complete with polyphonic aftertouch on an industry-leading keybed developed in collaboration with Fatar.

Thousands of instruments made real

Kontrol brings the world's best virtual instruments to life in a genuinely immersive experience. Whatever you're playing, get in-depth control thanks to an unparalleled direct connection to Kontakt. Find sounds quickly with intuitive on-screen navigation, then adjust and play them with intelligent auto-mapping that understands the parameters.

Included software

Kontrol comes with a host of creative music production tools - all fully integrated with the hardware, to give you everything you need to start making music straight out of the box.

Included software
Kontakt 7
A free Kontakt instrument of your choice
Komplete 14 Select
Komplete Kontrol Software
Stradivari Cello

An internet connection and a graphics card that supports Direct 3D 11.1 (feature level 11_0) or higher are required to download and activate this product. Once installed and activated, the product can be used offline.

NKS 2 NKS (Native Kontrol Standard) is NI's technical standard for virtual instruments and effects. It's used across the industry and ensures that all compatible plugins are precisely mapped to controls. Kontrol marks the launch of NKS 2, which powers the unmatched software integration experience.

S88 MK3 Dimensions: 1353 × 347 × 120 mm
Weight: 6kg

Hardware specifications:
1 high-resolution colour screen with glass surface (1280 × 480)
CNC machined, bead blasted and anodized aluminum, 8 × encoder caps, 1 × 4D encoder cap, 2 × wheels (pitch and mod)
RGB illuminated pitch and mod wheels
New button-islands that form a continuous dustproof control surface and are grouped by function

System requirements

MIDI 2.0 compatible
Intel Core i5, Apple M1 (and equivalent or higher)
macOS 13 (Ventura) or higher (compatible with macOS 12 in MIDI 1.0 mode)
Windows 10 (latest service pack) or higher
8 GB RAM