Disclaimer: I do believe the Osmose is a new class of keyboard.  It should be added to the pantheon of keyboards, i.e.  Harpsichord, Clavichord, Piano Forte, Organ, Rhodes, Clavinet, Analog Synthesizer, Digital Synthesizer, and now the Osmose.  It requires a different keyboard technique to get a high quality performance than my Motif or Montage does.  A virtuoso performance on an Osmose, will require different technique than a virtuoso performance on a Motif (even though they both have the black and white keys)

But what does the MPE based Osmose Expressive E really offer me that I don’t currently get from my Motif/Montage?

I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’ve come to enjoy my Pitch bend, my mod wheel, my ribbon, my 2 Expression pedals, my sustain pedal, and my effect pedal and my channel after touch on my Motif.  I’ve gotten proficient enough with those controllers to get all the expression I need and want.  And they represent an art form in themselves. I’ve developed a recording technique with my Motif/Montage and performance technique that gives me all the dimension of expression that I need.  I play originals, Jazz, and Classical.

I get the argument that with the Osmose you can get a great deal of expression with just your hands.  That’s kewl and I’m glad to see a new kind of keyboard.  But!  The ribbon, mod wheel, pitch bend wheel, and expression pedals, and after touch are also a valid paradigm for achieving multi-dimensional articulation and dynamics.  Some may prefer the technique to all be in the hands and fingers.  But on my Motif and Montage I do use my hands and fingers with Velocity, XACntrl, Elements, and Megavoices to get a great deal of expression and then when I need more I have my wheels, ribbon and pedals.  And if that’s not enough on my Motif I have my XY-Pad in my IOS Motif Apps.

In the end Osmose appears to offer a different way of getting the same kind of expression that I can already get from controllers and synth engine in my Motif/Montage.

TBH the Osmose is just a new class of MPE synthesizer, it cannot compare to the music production power house Motif, or the Motion Sequencing, FM-X Smart Morphing Montage. 

Some folks are calling it a game changer.  But it appears that in
reality it gives us a different and new way to generate articulations and dynamics that we can already perform.  And there are some of us who enjoy the art of using mod wheels, pitch bend wheels, ribbons, and expression pedals, and would see keyboard-only articulation and dynamics as limiting!

State of the Art Sample Synthesis and FM Synthesis vs State of the Art Physical Modeling.  Both are forms of digital synthesis capable of amazing expression and dynamics. Both require a great deal of dedication and passion to achieve mastery.

However, in the same way I’m not rushing out to get a harpsichord, or pipe organ, clavinet, or analog synthesizer I don’t think I’ll be rushing out to get an Osmose…