Can MPE Be Good And Affordable? The Peculiar Exquis

Added: 2026-04-29

[00:00:01]This is Intuitive Instruments Xkey.

[00:00:05]And it's one of the most accessible ways to get MIDI polyphonic expression into your setup.

[00:00:13]It is exclusively a MIDI controller, [music] which means it makes no sounds on its own, but it is capable of running either hooked up to a computer with its companion app or a DAW, or absolutely [music] standalone in a hardware setup.

[00:00:24]Now, I've been trying it out for a few weeks, and in this video, I want to tell you what I think makes it special. As well as discuss a few pros and cons. For full disclosure, please note that Intuitive Instruments sent me Xkey at no cost, but they're not paying me to make this video, nor did they get to see it before you do. If you're already subscribed, huge welcome back, my friend. This is your first time here.

[00:00:41]Hi. Welcome to the Mid Life Synthesist.

[00:00:43]Let's get started. So, the first thing that pops out on the Xkey, and I mean that quite literally, are the buttons on its very particular honeycomb-style note grid. This is by far its most distinctive feature, as these buttons are unlike any other button or key I've used so far. They're almost comically tall and squishy, and they allow you to bend and press them much farther than you might think. But what's most impressive about these is just how sensitive and responsive they are. The lightest touch can set them off at maximum sensitivity, and being so squishy means they have ample travel for pressure expression. The pressure and sensitivity curves can all be customized in the companion app, but I'll get to that a bit later. There is a trade-off to having the buttons be so tall, however. The buttons have a noticeable distance between them, which means you can't glide between notes as you could on an Ableton Push 3 or an example. On the bright side, however, you are much less likely to press the wrong [music] note thanks to that separation. On the top of the panel, there are four clickable endless encoders. These have their own pre-mapped functions both in the app and in standalone, but can be configured to send out MIDI to specific destinations on your synths. Below the buttons is an octave selector, as well as a touch grid that is used mainly to select time divisions and the note order of the built-in arpeggiator. And next to it is [music] an undo/redo button. The bottom row has six buttons, which can be configured to send out MIDI, but they can also be used to adjust settings in standalone. Here, you can adjust things like the tempo, here at 120, 122, or, for example, the root note, the custom scale, or the brightness of the grid itself.

[00:02:08]All of these things can be done directly on the device without hooking up to a computer, which is greatly appreciated.

[00:02:13]As for connectivity, you have USB-C that serves as both MIDI port and power source, dedicated MIDI in and out, as well as gate, pitch, and [music] mod outs. By the way, if you're enjoying this video, please remember that a simple like and subscribe goes a long way to support what I do here. The Xkey comes with a companion app that is pretty comprehensive, allowing you to not only fully configure the controller, but it also allows you to load VSTs and create loops and even scenes. Okay, so here in the app, I have set up a few instruments. first track, I have this drum kit.

[00:02:42]Now, the buttons are surprisingly nice to finger drum on, though they are a bit smaller than what I'm used to with the MPC and the Push 3. On my other tracks, I have a melodic line on the Korg MS-20 V, an arpeggiated line >> [music] >> from a Pigments preset, and a Prophet-5 V.

[00:03:06]Now, on the app, I can make loops, and I can set them off, and I can even organize them into snaps, which functions as sort of an arranger mode.

[00:03:14]Now, though the general idea is pretty good, two major gripes that I have with the app are that you [music] can't set a count-in to start recording loops. It only begins recording when you press down on the first note. And the second is that there is currently no way to edit a loop. [music] So, if you mess up on a note, you have to record the whole thing again. When hooked up to the app, the buttons are mapped to control the app. So, for example, I can trigger loops directly here, set them on and off, I can trigger snaps, as well as start and stop the whole sequence. On the left side of the app, you can access plugins, [music] different scales, as well as multiple layouts, and of course, you can also map your own. It's pretty flexible how fine-tuned you can make your own Xkey, and I suspect that the hardcore user community will develop highly customized layouts and functions tailored to their specific needs and setups. Though I do applaud Intuitive Instruments for going the extra mile, I would think that most people who were looking for MPE controllers are at a level that they're already invested in a DAW or in some sort of hardware setup already. But it still might be useful for some beginners. Speaking of DAWs and going the extra mile, Xkey does have a full Ableton control script, meaning that you could potentially run your entire DAW, >> [music] >> launch clips, mute and solo tracks, etc., all from the Xkey. Again, not exactly my use case for it, but I'm sure that many people will enjoy that feature. Personally, what I've really enjoyed the most of the Xkey has been its unusual honeycomb layout. Aside from the surprising playability of the buttons themselves, just having the notes laid out in a slightly stranger way made my fingers wander in new paths, and making fresh new melodies is really second nature to the Xkey.

[00:04:40]>> [music] [music] [music] >> I want to give a shout-out to today's sponsor, Analog Cases, and their new line of performance stands. Performance stands deliver incredible flexibility and versatility from the studio to the stage. They can transform instantly into a portable DJ table, a two-tier keyboard stand, or a multi-shelf synth rack holding numerous machines. As your setup evolves over time, the XTS system's modular design allows you to adjust without needing to buy a new stand. The base stand has an ultra-stable 37-in wide frame that stays at a fixed width for maximum support up to a height of 35 in. Once you've experienced this stand's stability, you'll never go back to the old-school X stand. Thank you, Analog Cases, for supporting my [music] channel so I can keep making videos like this one. Let's get back to it. Even though the Xkey is meant to be played vertically, you can still have a really good time with it horizontally as well.

[00:05:46]So, in this example, I have the Xkey hooked up to the Third Wave 8M, and in the mod matrix, you can see I have pressure set to low-pass cutoff and the MP Y axis to low-pass resonance. So, when I press down on here, >> [music] >> you get that nice effect.

[00:06:09]>> [music] [music] [music] >> Pretty cool.

[00:06:29]The Xkey is priced around $350, which makes it a pretty affordable way to integrate MPE into your setup if you already have an MPE-capable synth like the Third Wave Desktop or Pigments, but no controller. As [music] far as the cons go, I really wish it had a built-in input for sustain pedal. There are a few workarounds, though, and in a recent update, you can now use a MIDI converter [music] to add a sustain pedal, which is good, but not ideal. Also, as of the time of this video, the companion app is only available on PC and Mac, but not on iPad or Android. As I said before, you are able to customize a few things on the controller itself without [music] a computer, but things like choosing a scale are not exactly easy in standalone. With so many people using tablets [music] as their main music-making hubs nowadays, and given how portable the Xkey already is, I think it would make a lot of sense to be able to at least have a slimmed-down version of the app to customize and configure the controller on the tablet without having to go on your computer.

[00:07:19]Aside from that, the Xkey is really fun to play with, and I haven't had any hardware issues with it so far. So, if you're looking for an MPE controller, but aren't looking to spend as much for a Push 3 or [music] an Osmose, I suggest giving the Xkey a try. As always, thank you so much for watching. I hope you found this video useful, or at least [music] entertaining. Have a great week.

[00:07:35]I'll see you next time.