Ahead of the National Association of Music Merchants show (NAMM), Alesis has announced the second generation of its legacy keytar, the Vortex Wireless 2. The MIDI keytar controller, which has 37 velocity-sensitive keys with aftertouch, features a new fader interface on the front and comes bundled with more software than its predecessor.
Alesis came out with the Vortex keytar in 2012, and the first generation of the wireless version debuted in 2014. While it wasn’t the first USB keytar controller (that nod can go to Roland with its AX-Synth and Lucina models), the Vortex Wireless had fun features like eight velocity-sensitive pads that could be used to play samples or trigger clips, a tilt-sensor in the neck for translating gestures into effects (pulling the neck up to trigger a pitch bend, for example), and a MIDI-assignable touchstrip, zone, sustain, and octave-control buttons on the neck.
All of this is carried over to the Vortex Wireless 2. It also operates the same — there is a PC- and Mac-compatible USB dongle for a wireless connection, an included USB receiver, and wired USB and MIDI jacks. It can be battery-powered, too. The keytar also comes with an app that allows for loading and saving presets as well as mapping all controls.
There is one key difference. The new Vortex Wireless 2 has an interface that’s been greatly simplified. The button control layout next to the pads has been replaced by eight back-lit faders that can be used to control volumes or other virtual instrument parameters. Alesis says this will provide musicians with “superior playability.” The Vortex Wireless 2 has also been given a slight cosmetic refresh, with a more angular design and multicolor lights for the pads. It comes with a much more robust software bundle that includes synths and virtual instruments like Hybrid 3, Loom 2, Vacuum Pro, and Xpand!2 by AIR Music Tech, TimewARP 2600 by Way Out Ware, as well as DAW Ableton Live Lite.
New models of keytars don’t come around every day, so maybe Alesis knows something about 2018 that we don’t? I mean, Yamaha did recently announce a Vocaloid keytar a few months back, and keytars have been making their way into more performances — trio Autograf currently uses a keytar, and artist Ookay uses the original Alesis Vortex in his new live show. Look, the keytar is a fun instrument that has unfairly been tarnished as being deeply uncool. 2018, year of the keytar. Tell your friends.
The Alesis Vortex Wireless 2 has a US retail price of $299 and should be available to purchase sometime within the next couple months.
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