Keybird L1: Is it the World’s Smallest Acoustic Piano?
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Keybird L1 piano aims to solve the problem of size while maintaining acoustic richness. It also has MIDI. And it’s blowing up on Kickstarter.
Keybird L1
Keybird Instruments founder Lander Pinson hit on the idea of a small and portable acoustic piano when he was studying composition in Belgium and living in a small room on a farm. He missed playing an acoustic and so started on a path that led to him creating the Keybird L1, what he’s calling the world’s smallest acoustic piano.
Lightweight and Portable Piano
The L1 is the company’s second instrument (the first is the X1), and with four octaves and 49 keys, it certainly won’t be confused for a concert grand. However, it is a real piano, with harp and hammers and not digital in the sound-generation sense (there is some tech inside, but we’ll get to that in a minute).
The Keybird L1 has a total weight of just 39 kg – certainly lightweight for an acoustic piano. To put this into perspective, a 73-key Fender Rhodes weighs in at 59 kg. Based on a “form follows function” ethos, the Keybird L1 can easily be disassembled into two parts, the soundbody/harp (27 kg) and keybed (12 kg). This makes it portable enough to move around your house and even carry to gigs.
As for the sound, Keybird Instruments likens it to a Rhodes, soft and warm. Hear it in action in the video above.
Felt and MIDI Upgrades
Keybird L1 includes felt, an upgrade that is popular in modern pianos (think Nils Frahm and his Una Corda Kontakt instrument). Felt absorbs vibrations and reduces mechanical noise. It also adds warmth and a more responsive touch and reduces the need for a middle pedal.
You can opt for a MIDI edition, which adds USB-C MIDI out. MIDI information includes not only the keys but also the pedals.
Use MIDI along with the standard Silent Mode, which employs a foam bar to stop the hammers from hitting the strings.
Price and Availability
Keybird Instruments is currently running a Kickstarter campaign for the L1. There is already around €40,000 pledged of the €59,400 goal .
The standard Keybird L1 with felt costs €2,970 while the MIDI edition will set you back €3,360.
The campaign ends on May 4.
More Information
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2 responses to “Keybird L1: Is it the World’s Smallest Acoustic Piano?”
Who would want a 49 key real piano? Better to use something like Pianoteq with a nice 88 note piano action controller.
Bravo…your imaginative creations!