Price range: $199.00 through $399.00
Hexagons. Colorful lights. MIDI. Need I say more? (probably… keep scrolling) All options include free carrying case during the sale period.
This MIDI controller features a distinctive hexagonal arrangement of 140 keys, with an RGB LED under each key to illuminate the notes as you play. With the simple interface, you can easily change the note layout to fit your preferences, allowing for a fully customizable experience. It comes in a stylish, compact form-factor making it easy to carry around in a backpack for producing music on-the-go. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, the HexBoard MIDI controller will let you explore music in a fun, intuitive, and uniquely inspiring way!
The keys are 20mm center-to-center which is a nice blend of compact and playable. The HexBoard is 255 x 243 x 30mm (about 10 x 9.5 x 1.2 inches) including the encoder knob.
What’s version 1.2? It’s a new board revision that adds headphone and MIDI out jacks as well as socketed switches, brighter lights, and more hackable design with all unused pins from the RP2040 chip exposed as headers.
These controllers come in black with the default pattern on the back and are ready to ship. If you want to customize colors/design, you can order that here.
Orders outside the US may need to pay customs fees/duties on delivery.
Out of stock? Join my Discord (linked at the bottom of this page) to get restock notifications as soon as I’m ready to make more!
| Weight | 3.5 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 15 × 14 × 2 in |
| Assembly | Fully Assembled, Partially Assembled, Barebones Kit |
The HexBoard connects to your computer with USB C. No drivers or special software needed. Works immediately with all midi-compatible software. Likewise, firmware updates are as simple as drag-and-drop.
Don’t have a laptop with you? Just power it off USB and use the built-in buzzer to jam old-school style with simple square waves. 😎👾🎶
The 140 RGB illuminated keys change colors to indicate what notes they play.
Different layouts can be chosen, scales can be highlighted, and these keys can respond to your touch with several different animations to choose from.
Current layouts include Wicki-Hayden, Harmonic Table, Gerhard, and a layout that maps all 128 MIDI notes to different keys!
The simple clickwheel allows you to easily change settings while the buttons on the side allow you to quickly do pitch bends, modulation, and velocity changes.
The high-contrast OLED makes it easy to read the menu options and the square display rotates to indicate what orientation to use for the selected layout.
With the default Wicki-Hayden layout, you can cover 7 octaves (!) with an instrument you can slip into a backpack.
Despite this, you don’t need to worry about hitting the wrong notes. By enabling “scale lock” mode, you can jam in a scale without a care in the world!
The HexBoard’s firmware is open-source meaning you can program in your own features and learn how it works.
The open-source firmware is under active development and can be found here if you’re interested.
The keycaps and frame are printed in PETG plastic and can be customized to your favorite colors. With all the options available, you can make your HexBoard truly your own.
The HexBoard is built with mechanical keyboard switches for a smooth, non-fatiguing play experience. With a lifetime rating of tens of millions of keystrokes, these switches will last you many years of expressive playing.