Items Included
- EXPRESSIVE E Osmose 49-Key Synthesizer and MPE Controller
- Power Supply
- Limited 1-Year Manufacturer Warranty
Key Features
- 49 Full-Size Keys with 3D Control
- Standalone Synthesizer
- MPE MIDI Controller
- Classic MIDI Controller
- EaganMatrix Digital Modular Synth Engine
- Up to 24 Voice Polyphony
- Color LCD Screen + Pitch and Mod Sliders
- Two Continuous Pedal Inputs, Assignable
- Two 1/4″ Line + 1/4″ Headphone Outputs
- 5-Pin DIN MIDI I/O + USB
Musicians, producers, and sound designers looking for more expression in a synthesizer/controller will be thrilled with the Expressive E Osmose, a 24-voice polyphonic synthesizer with an innovative way to control sound using gestures (press, bend, shake, and more). The instrument features a deep sound-design engine and hundreds of ready-to-use, innovative presets. It also functions as a powerful controller for hardware and software synthesizers.
Expressive E has combined traditional craftmanship with modern technology when creating Osmose, a result of over 10 years of research and development, as well as feedback from world-class artists. With these new physical gestures, Osmose allows musicians to interact with sounds and produce music like never before. Each note can be articulated independently with unique expressive possibilities. The onboard sound engine was developed by Haken Audio and contains many types of digital synthesis, making it a workflow-oriented soundbox. There are a pair of 1/4″ main outputs and two assignable pedal inputs, plus 5-pin DIN MIDI I/O and USB.
Key Features
- Keybed: 49 full-size keys with three-dimensional control
- Configurations: Standalone synthesizer, MPE MIDI Controller, and classic MIDI Controller
- Sound Engine: EaganMatrix, a digital modular engine by Haken Audio
- Polyphony: Up to 24 voices
- Interface: Color LCD screen, pitch, and modulation sliders
- Pedal Inputs: 2 continuous pedal inputs, assignable to sustain or synth parameters
- MIDI: DIN MIDI In, MIDI Out/Thru, USB-B
- Audio Output: Two ¼” TS pseudo balanced line outputs, ¼” TRS headphone output
The EaganMatrix Sound Engine
- Offering new levels of expressivity required a seamless interaction between Osmose’s unique keybed mechanism and its sound engine. Logically, Expressive E has partnered with Haken Audio to integrate its powerful EaganMatrix sound engine with Osmose.
- Its modular sound engine combines many types of digital synthesis (including physical modeling, FM, and more), making it a workflow-oriented soundbox. Osmose ships with more than 500 presets, and each of them has been manually customized with efficient macros that open new realms of sound exploration.
A Playful Playing Experience
- All the internal sounds in Osmose’s large library are tailor-made to take advantage of its unique keybed. Osmose’s unique sound identity is a combination of highly detailed acoustic, electronic, and hybrid sounds that will easily add nuances and variations to any music genre.
- These sounds were carefully crafted to react to a player’s slightest movements and make use of the keys’ three-dimensional sensitivity in a unique way to create effects such as strummed notes, vibrato, legato, layered dynamics, and much more. As a result, discovering and controlling Osmose is refreshing and fun.
Built to Empower External Synthesizers
On top of being a traditional MIDI keyboard controller, Osmose can interface with computers and other instruments as an MPE MIDI controller. It also offers polyphonic aftertouch support, a Multichannel MIDI mode, and global pitch bend. All of these changes can be made directly from the Osmose interface, with no need for a computer.
| Sound Generation | |
| Keyboard | |
| Touch Sensitivity | |
| Expression Controls | |
| Number of Sounds, Kits, or Samples | |
| Maximum Polyphony | |
| Performance Functions | |
| Audio I/O | |
| Pedal Support | |
| MIDI I/O | |
| USB I/O |
General
| Item Type | |
| Sound Generation | |
| Keyboard | |
| Touch Sensitivity | |
| Aftertouch | |
| Expression Controls | |
| Display |
Sounds
| Number of Sounds, Kits, or Samples | |
| Maximum Polyphony | |
| Multitimbrality | |
| Built-In Effects | |
| Performance Functions | |
| Built-In Speaker |
Synthesis
| Glide/Portamento |
Sequencing & Recording
| Sequencer | |
| Arpeggiator |
Connectivity
| Audio I/O | |
| Pedal Support | |
| MIDI I/O | |
| CV/Gate I/O | |
| Patch Points | |
| Sync I/O | |
| Network I/O | |
| USB I/O | |
| Media/Memory Card Slot | |
| Bluetooth |
Compatibility
| OS Compatibility | |
| OS Compatibility | |
| Included Software | |
| Mobile App Compatible | |
| RAM Requirements | |
| Processor Requirement |
Power
| Power Requirements | |
| AC Input Power | |
| AC/DC Power Adapter |
Physical
| Color | |
| Included Accessories | |
| Dimensions | |
| Weight |
Packaging Info
| Package Weight | |
| Box Dimensions (LxWxH) |
Dennis –
This thing is like nothing else. While you can, with effort, record performances via midi, this machine is meant to be played and recorded live. IMO, playing it’s keyboard makes it the closest electronic synth to an acoustic synth that has ever existed. It’s almost like the difference between playing a string patch or an actual violin. There are lots of example demos showing off what it can do, but it has to be played to be believed. The expressiveness in the keys means that it doesn’t have typical synth action. It isn’t a shredding keyboard for trills as the keys don’t bounce back fast enough, but the expression more than makes up for that. Sure you could use a mod wheel or an expression pedal to generate similar performances, but when those same expressive modulation capabilities are literally right at the source of your finger tips, it’s amazing how naturally the fingers and the mind work in tandem. There are session players that can sit down behind any synthesizer and play, but I have little doubt that some day, there will be virtuoso players that specialize in this instrument, just like any soloist on a violin or trumpet. It’s that special.
Dennis –
Dan –
I’ve bought many expressive controllers through the years and been disappointed. Not with this one…. It’s great! The keys move like they are attached to rubber giving so much flexibility and control. It’s really a dream come true.
This would not make a great substitute for a normal weighted piano action controller. Its too flexible for that. It’s like the difference between a violin and a guitar. So Osmose can go places only fretless or breath controllers could go before, but now in a polyphonic dimension adding a new level of control.
I’m thrilled with it
Dan –
Emily –
In thirty plus years of playing music on all sorts of instruments, from piano to marimba to guitar, I have never felt so closely connected to the notes I was making. Playing the osmose is like touching sound itself. Even without the MPE capability the velocity sensitivity of the action is pretty astounding—I have really busted up nerves but I can play the keyboard for over an hour without any pain, something I haven’t been able to do on any other midi keyboard in many years.
Note I had a problem with my first unit, in that one of the keys didn’t fully return to its rest position and was leaving the note hanging. I contacted expressive e and their support was great; my unit was quickly replaced and the new unit has worked flawlessly.
Emily –
Jacob –
I’ve been playing synthesizers for over 45 years, and this is, by far, my favorite ever. The expressive keyboard just feels natural to me and took no time at all to get used to. The Haken Audio sound engine is incredible, and has some of the best acoustic sounding voices I’ve ever heard. Programming new sounds from my Mac seems a bit daunting, but I haven’t really delved into that yet. If there is any shortcoming to this synth, it’s that it only has a 49 note keyboard, great fot 1 hand, but I like having at least 61 for 2 hand playing. I resolved this issue by buying a second one, and I’m toying with the idea of buying more in order to layer voices for live play.
Jacob –