Exquis: Hexangonally expressive MPE and CV controller
4,5 / 5,0 | 
Intuitive Instruments Exquis · Source: Intuitive Instruments
Intuitive Instruments Exquis · Source: Intuitive Instruments
Intuitive Instruments Exquis · Source: Intuitive Instruments
Exquis from Intuitive Instruments is a squishy MPE controller in hexagonal isomorphic form. It has 54 pads, 4 encoders, touch slider and buttons for MIDI and CV control.
Exquis
Kickstarter is a popular destination for new, innovative and completely uniquely expressive controllers. The latest one to have a go is the larger-than-you-think Exquis from Intuitive Instruments. Intuitive Instruments were formally known as Dualo and were behind some fascinating button accordion-inspired electronic instruments and controllers. That’s where their pad layout is coming from.
Equis has 54 squishy pads that offer hit, pressure and bending opportunities for expressive play and MPE support. These combine with 4 rotary encoders and a touch strip to give you access to more than just notes. Out the side, next to the USB powering, we have MIDI In/Out and also three CV outputs for Pitch, Gate and Modulation. That’s a really nice touch which could make this a very versatile controller.
Intuitive Instruments Exquis · Source: Intuitive Instruments
The patented layout is designed to offer an easily accessible path into music-making. It follows the fundamental logic of harmony, which puts notes that sound good together, next to each other vertically. Whereas semitones are arranged horizontally. Each type of chord always forms one particular shape, and then you can move that all over the place. You can choose scales which are then represented in green on the pads making it dead easy to stay in key while improvising.
On one hand, it’s a whole new system to learn, but on the other, it opens up the ease of use to a much wider range of musicians or potential musicians.
Exquis App
Exquis has a companion app which turns the controller into a sequencer, sound source and teacher about itself. The app is where all the MIDI looping occurs and how you set up the scales and controls. It comes with sounds, but obviously, you can use it to play any MIDI or CV sound source you like.
The app will display musical scores directly on the pads, showing you what to play and taking you through tutorials.
Intuitive Instruments Exquis · Source: Intuitive Instruments
While the app has a lot of advantages, I can’t help but be a little disappointed that the Exquis itself doesn’t have the ability to sequence, loop or record music itself. You’re always going to need to have a phone or computer plugged in if you want to do more than just play. Having said that, Intuitive Instruments says that the two things, the Exquis and the app are completely independent and can be used with other software and other controllers.
Kickstarting
At the time of writing, Intuitive Instruments are a couple of days into the campaign and they are about to break to goal. That’s excellent for quite a niche controller. The current Early Bird pricing is €159, although there is a “Deluxe” version for €199, which I think adds a nicer case.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dualointuitiveinstru/exquis-the-smartest-way-to-create-expressive-music
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2 responses to “Exquis: Hexangonally expressive MPE and CV controller”
Thank you Robin, for this nice review!
About the all-in-one aspect of Exquis, we might add some features inside Exquis while being used as standalone MIDI controller, but as it’s the beginning of our development plan, we don’t want to promise.
Also, inside features will always be limited compared to what the app can provide. It’s also why we are working on a all-in-one version based on Raspberry Pi computers.
Interesting; thanks for the added clarity.