Line6's freaky-looking TonePort Keyboard

Yes, it looks like a photoshop prank, but this is Line6's new Toneport KB37. It's like a guitar amp designer* who'd never seen a MIDI keyboard decided to have a go anyway. It's nice that he couldn't resist throwing in some VU meters, next to those big silver amp knobs. He must have met Rick Wakeman sometime in the '70s, because there are some little Moog knobs in the middle, then maybe his son told him right at the end that keyboards have pitch/mod wheels, so he stuck them there at the back. Anyway, it's a Toneport interface, with a MIDI keyboard. No price yet, available in the autumn. Line6 have been very busy at Summer NAMM: Gearbox Plugin is a AU/VST version of the sounds from a PodXT, and the Floor Pod sounds like a cut-down PodXT Live - a little multi-effects pedal, sorry "Affordable Tone Solution".
*UPDATE: If you're going to be wrong, it's good to be very wrong. It's been pointed out in the comments that the 'Co-Founder and Senior Vice-President, Product Development' at Line6 is Marcus Ryle, who not only designed the software in the Oberheim Xpander and Matrix 12, but was a big session player in the '80s. He played keyboards on 'We are the World'. So it's possible that he's seen a MIDI keyboard at some point...

Posted by Tom Whitwell.

Comments:

Those guys (Marcus Ryle and Michel Doidic) designed the Matrix 12, among other synths. Marcus was also a top-call session player in the 80s, including "We are the World."

# posted by

Anonymous : 6:22 am

I thought Line 6 were actually releasing a Pod Synth when I first looked at this...With simulations of Moogs and ARP's and DX7's and Junos and and and. I could go on... The musical world doesn't HAVE to evolve around the guitar Line 6...

# posted by

Anonymous : 11:52 am

That update was hillarious.

# posted by

Anonymous : 3:52 pm

I think it's kinda cute!

# posted by

Anonymous : 8:13 pm

Line 6 needs to stick with Guitar related products... hahaha

I'm sure they may sell a few but I'm pretty sure Keyboard Players are going to Shy Way from this one unless it's got some kinda secret weapon by way of sounds or features...

# posted by

Keith : 2:58 am

I don't think it's really targeted at keyboard players -- more like guitarists with no room who want a small keyboard controller just in case.

I heard an interesting story about Line 6. After Oberheim was pecked to death, Ryle and Doidic worked as consultants and did a lot of work for Alesis -- I believe they were responsible for the ADAT (may be wrong though).

Eventually they started working on non-Alesis stuff, but didn't want Alesis to know just yet, so they worked out a danger signal. They had a 5-line phone system in their office, so when an Alesis suit showed up, somebody would say "Marcus, Line 6", at which point he would hide the evidence. Hence the name.

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:12 am

It's okay to have pitch and mod wheels at the back there.

Keytar baby!!!

# posted by

Anonymous : 9:36 pm

No correction necessary -- you said "It's LIKE a guitar amp designer who'd never seen a MIDI keyboard decided to have a go anyway."

And it is.

# posted by

Anonymous : 10:36 pm

They said it WAS designed for guitar players, those who want to add keyboard tracks to their stuff.

The Line 6 guys got a huge kick out of this post, BTW. They started out as 'keyboard guys who didn't know anything about guitar amps,' and have graduated to guitar guys who know nothing about keyboards.

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:57 am

You guys can't deny it being sexy, though.

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:42 pm

SOLD!

Seriously, I have a tone port and some el-cheapo 49 key Midi thing I use to program in beats, etc... This saves me desk space and is at least more appealing than the "Prodikeys" POS that Creative puts out.

I don't really think the idea here was to Wow keyboardists with a $250 keyboard. What, no aftertouch?? The idea is to give guitarists what they actually need... A simple way to input crap in Midi programs. Have you ever tried to program in a glissando with a mouse? EEEK!

# posted by

Anonymous : 8:31 pm

do u need to have it plugged into a comp to make noise? that would suck. where else can you find a moog-a-like for that price if so?

# posted by

Anonymous : 8:11 pm

i have owned wavestation and sy77 before. i find this toneport very sexy

# posted by

Anonymous : 6:20 am