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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGFA81X6aiY
Exquis
The MPE expressive and intuitive controller
To play with all your synthesizers and software:
Now optimized for Ableton Live!
Watch the video
Order Exquis from €299 incl. tax
Composing expressive music has never been that easy
A controller, an app, an instrument
- The Exquis controller gives you immediate access to the rules of harmony to improvise with or without theoretical prerequisites, and offers you dimensions of expressivity you can quickly master.
- The Exquis app (optional), in symbiosis with the keyboard, offers a unique workflow allowing you to create an entire song in a few minutes: choose sounds, record loops, play the conductor and structure your songs in complete spontaneity!
Optimized for Ableton Live
Turn Exquis into a control surface thanks to the provided Remote Script!
Exquis used in MPE
Ableton Live 12
“Objectivism Drone” FX
Logic Pro
Lead “Amped Synth”
Bitwig Studio
“Wurlitzer” keys
Pigments (Arturia)
“Insert Future” pad
Falcon (UVI)
“Basic Sine PD” keys
Surge XT
“Brutus” FX (preset provided with the Exquis app)
Anyma V (Aodyo)
“Resozen”, hybrid sound (physical + analog virtual modeling)
Animoog Z (Moog)
“Modern Tauras” keys
Atoms (BABY Audio)
“Fractura Chime” FX
Equator2 (ROLI)
“Overdrive Mono” lead
Vital
“Tube Of Fabric” pluck
Decent Sampler
“Volitions” strings, by Venus Theory
Bazille (u-he)
“Shellac Dream Piano” keys
SWAM (Audio Modeling)
Tenor saxophone
Serum (Xfer Records)
“Squerbo” wobble bass
Diva (u-he)
“What the pluck” FX
Seaboard 5D (ROLI)
“Moraz” lead
Oberheim OB-E (GForce)
“Eighties Glamour” keys
Oberheim OB-1 (GForce)
“Tuning Required” keys
Plasmonic (Rhizomatic Software Synthesis)
“Electronique EY” keys
Repro-1 (u-he)
“Wonders Arp” keys
Hive 2 (u-he)
“Retro Stab” keys
Abyss (Dawesome)
“Dark Blue” pad
Kult (Dawesome)
“First Light” pad
Myth (Dawesome)
“Fonder” pad
Modular (Softube Studios)
“ROLI Epic Split Poly” keys
Monolit (Bleass)
“Spicy Sub” bass
Phase Plant (Kilohearts)
“A Phase In Time” lead
Kaivo (Madrona Labs)
“Harmonipad” pad
Modeler (Outersect)
“Bowed Strings”
Pendulate (New Fangled Audio)
“Resonant Cruiser” texture
Strobe2 (FXpansion)
“Juno Dreams 5D” keys
Zyklop (Dawesome)
“Leadership” lead
MSoundFactory (Melda Production)
“Wave Rider” pad
Studio Drums (ROLI)
“Ether 808” drumkit
A concentrate of innovations
Universal, complementary and independant
The Exquis keyboard is a MIDI controller that seamlessly integrates with all DAW software, MIDI synthesizers, and modular systems.
Whether you’re in the studio or on stage, it adapts to all your equipment. You can customize the MIDI values sent by the buttons and encoders directly through the app, giving you total flexibility to adjust your setup.
The Exquis app, while optimized for the controller, is also compatible with all other MIDI controllers.
Learn more
Like all MIDI controllers, the Exquis keyboard is compatible with most DAWs and plug-ins:
For our modular synthesizer users, Exquis connects directly to your favorite devices via CV outputs: GATE, PITCH, and MOD. You can also connect it to your MIDI synthesizers thanks to the MIDI IN and OUT ports.
The Exquis app, available on macOS and Windows, supports VST, VST3, and AUv3 audio plug-in formats, providing you with a rich music creation environment.
Bring every note to life with simplicity and expressivity
The Exquis keys are designed for immediate playability while offering vast potential for advanced performances.
Enjoy 4 encoders and a 6-zone touch slider, providing precise and intuitive control over your sound while enhancing interaction with the app.
Learn more
Inspired by the precision of acoustic instruments, the Exquis keys offer a perfect response to every gesture. They are firm enough for precise execution of percussions and short notes, yet soft enough to modulate long notes with subtlety.
Tap (velocity), press (aftertouch), and tilt (pitchbend and CC74) multiple keys independently thanks to the MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE) protocol. You can also opt for a classic MIDI mode (Polyaftertouch).
The encoders (clickable, with smooth and slightly resistant rotation) allow you to control the effects of a sound in play, as well as certain essential settings across various menus.
The slider adjusts different speeds and patterns of the MPE arpeggiator: when used, the pressure on the keys varies the velocity of the notes played.
Harmony finally within reach
The Exquis controller gives you immediate access to the rules of harmony, allowing you to improvise with or without theoretical prerequisites. Simply choose a scale and follow its illuminated path.
Playing chords has never been easier: perfectly harmonious notes are arranged intuitively side by side, and a chord type always retains the same shape, regardless of its starting note. Forget the complexity of white and black keys, and let harmony flow naturally under your fingers!
Learn more
Unlike a traditional piano keyboard, the Exquis note layout places semitones horizontally, while harmonious notes (thirds) are always side by side. Additionally, intervals are evenly spaced, simplifying the understanding of musical structure.
If you prefer, you can also customize the note layout and create your own tailored layouts using our editor.
A scale is a set of notes used to build harmonious chords and melodies. On Exquis’s default layout, each scale naturally reveals itself through a pair of illuminated paths. Whether you’re a beginner, an amateur, or an experienced musician, simply follow the colors with one or two hands to improvise smoothly and accurately.
Explore a wide range of predefined scales (major, minor, dorian, oriental, etc.), or create your own scales using our editor.
Our default layout respects the fundamental principles of harmony by placing notes that sound well together (thirds) above one another. Each chord type (major, minor, diminished, sus4, etc.) has a unique shape that is easily transposable.
Composition at your fingertips
The Exquis app is the perfect companion to the keyboard, offering an experience similar to that of traditional composition software.
Create complete tracks in minutes thanks to an innovative workflow, refined over 15 years and adopted by thousands of musicians worldwide. Its spontaneity and efficiency make it an essential tool for smooth and rapid composition.
Learn more
The Exquis app and controller work in perfect synergy to provide a simple and intuitive music creation process, based on a chronological logic. From left to right, perform essential actions with simple gestures, directly on the keyboard and/or the app:
- Settings: prepare your song (tempo, scale,…)
- Sounds: choose a sound (plug-in/preset) to create a new “track”
- Record: record “clips” that will play in a loop
- Tracks: just like a conductor, decide which clips start and stop in real time
- Snaps: save, launch and program states of your song (ex: intro, verse, chorus…)
- Play/Stop: stop and start your song
The Exquis workflow is designed to adapt to two different paces: instant improvisation and meticulous creation. You can let your spontaneity run free and play live without constraints, or take the time to shape your piece in a more intimate and thoughtful space. Simple actions, like selecting sounds or recording loops, are done directly with the keyboard, while more detailed steps, such as programming scenes or managing sequences, are easily handled by the app.
The app’s interface mirrors this same simplicity and fluidity, turning your computer into a true visual control hub. This allows you to maintain an overview of your creation while still being able to make precise adjustments, even if you’re using another MIDI controller.
Learn at the speed of lights
The keyboard’s ergonomics and the illuminated feedback from the keys allow you to focus on what matters most: playing. Learn at your own pace without ever feeling stuck. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can master scales, chords, and musical progressions while exploring your creative ideas in real time.
Mobility at the service of pleasure
There is no secret: the more you practice, the more you improve! That’s why we designed Exquis to be as easy to pick up as it is to carry, letting you play anywhere, anytime. Weighing just 600g, it’s incredibly lightweight and convenient to take everywhere.
Equipped with powerful LEDs, Exquis is perfect for outdoor play, even in bright light. And to ensure maximum battery life, you can easily power it with any external battery, allowing you to extend your creative sessions without worry. Take Exquis with you and unleash your music, wherever you are.
Design, customization, and eco-responsibility
At Intuitive Instruments, we believe every musician deserves an instrument that reflects who they are. That’s why we’ve designed our keyboard to be not only easily repairable but also customizable. Create a keyboard that mirrors your style and needs, making it a true extension of your music!
Learn more
Thanks to a design crafted for effortless disassembly and inspired by an Open Hardware philosophy, we provide you with files (templates, 3D models, etc.) to customize your keyboard and create your own accessories. And because we place great importance on eco-responsibility, spare parts are available upon request.
Exquis is proudly designed and assembled in France.
An abundant soundbank, refillable at will.
Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, the rich sound of Exquis is within your reach. Whether you’re familiar with plug-ins, presets, and MPE or not, our sounds unlock the full expressiveness of the Exquis keyboard from the very first note. The Exquis app comes with over 400 presets for free MPE plug-ins (Surge XT, Vital, Decent Sampler, and Pendulate), offering you a highly diverse sonic palette.
Add up to 800 more presets provided with our plug-in bundle (Atoms, RANDOM, Abyss and SOUNDBOX).
Learn more
The complex settings of the plug-ins are only accessible if you choose to dive into them deeply. For beginner or intermediate users, the keyboard already offers a wide range of control options through its keys, encoders, and sliders, delivering a smooth and intuitive musical experience, no matter your skill level. Exquis is simplicity in service of sound expression, with the option to go further whenever you’re ready.
They talk about it
Exquis winner of the MIDI Innovation Awards 2023
After finishing in 2nd place through public voting, Exquis was declared MIDI Innovation of the Year 2023 (Commercial Hardware Products category) by the jury!
Peter Vorländer – plug-in maker at Dawesome
“The best value MPE controller by far! Shockingly sensitive and works seamlessly with all my synths.”
Barnaby Dixon (🇬🇧)
Isomorphism and 3D-printed key caps
Stephen McLeod (🇬🇧)
V2.0.0 review
Sarah Belle Reid (🇬🇧)
Demo and walkthrough on different synths
Jon Sine (🇬🇧)
Quick review of the features
B&H (🇬🇧)
Quick overview at NAMM 2024, at the MIDI Innovation Awards 2023 booth
Amazona.de (🇩🇪)
Detailed review (article in German, feel free to use your browser’s translator)
Knarf – Les Sondiers (🇫🇷)
Detailed overview through the concept of Tonnetz (geometric representation of musical harmony).
15 years of development and rewards
In 2007, Jules Hotrique, mathematician, invented the dualo principle from the mathematical logic of harmony. Only a few months later, he managed to build the very first prototype of a controller with such a layout.
Over the years, the idea evolved into an all-in-one instrument with backlit keys, combining an internal soundbank and a looper, to play and compose today’s music anywhere and spontaneously: the dualo du-touch S.
The dual keyboard then merged into one, and the instrument split into a keyboard and an app to form Exquis. To read the full story, you can read our blog.
