Having already introduced Iridium as a high-class synthesizer in a compact desktop form with welcomed added extras, and building upon the high-quality synthesizer developer’s demanding design standards set by its Quantum keyboard flagship’s futuristic functionality and advanced tonality, Waldorf Music is proud to take the concept further forward by announcing the availability of its Iridium Keyboard counterpart.
Radically redesigning its desktop synthesizer namesake with all-new 49-key FATAR TP/8SK semi-weighted polyphonic aftertouch pressure, it provides the first such implementation of that keyboard in the world. It features an expanded front panel proffering one-knob-per-function control, allowing for six freely-programmable Macro buttons with which users can define functions from a wide range of features for additional performance control.
It is hardly surprising that Waldorf Music has chosen to name its latest high-quality synthesizer Iridium Keyboard since the instrument is physically designed around award-winning Italian digital piano, organ, and synthesizer keybed manufacturer FATAR’s all-new TP/8SK keyboard, configuring 49 semi-weighted sensitive keys with polyphonic aftertouch.
Best of all, tremendous tonal changes flow freely when playing the Iridium Keyboard live since polyphonic aftertouch is transmitted individually for each note played. Performers can conceivably play and hold down any number of keys simultaneously, subsequently moving each finger individually. In other words, individual keys are affected by the pressure applied by each finger, thereby creating, for instance, individual data streams for modulation purposes, whereas with monophonic (Channel) aftertouch all notes played will respond in the same way.
With a powerful Mod Matrix offering 40 independent modulation assignments, each with individual settings for Source, Amount, and Destination, Iridium Keyboard far from disappoints when it comes to powerful modulation options, of course — just like its Iridium desktop synthesizer namesake.
Notably, Iridium Keyboard is also capable of processing MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) data, duly making multiple parameters of different notes separately controllable to effectively enable it to behave more like an acoustic instrument in terms of spontaneous, polyphonic sound control.
Iridium Keyboard also incorporates six freely-programmable Macro buttons adjacent to the Pitch and Mod (modulation) wheels with which users can define functions from a wide range of features for additional performance control, combining to further enhance its performance pedigree.
Plus, Iridium Keyboard ships with specifically created new sounds and samples in addition to all those included in the Iridium desktop from the likes of Kurt Ader, BT (Brian Transeau), Richard Devine, Thorsten Quaeschning (Tangerine Dream), and Howard Scarr, to name but a notable few.
Sounds from Waldorf Music’s Quantum synthesizer flagship can conveniently be loaded into Iridium Keyboard and vice-versa. As another entry fit for Waldorf Music’s rich history, Iridium Keyboard — with its industrial design bearing the high-class hallmarks of Axel Hartmann, one of the most respected synthesizer designers in the industry, takes pride of place in the high-quality German synthesizer developer’s distinctive family tree as another direct descendent of the legendary PPG Wave synthesizer series that made their mark throughout the Eighties.
Musically, though, the Iridium Keyboard — like its Iridium desktop synthesizer sibling — brings much more to the production table than its acclaimed ancestor, featuring five different synthesis models for each of its three oscillators.
Australian distributor Link Audio’s first shipment of very limited stock will be air freighted and due here mid March, with an expected pay price of A$4,999- INC GST