Continuum (instrument)

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The Continuum is a music performance controller developed by Lippold Haken and sold by Haken Audio, located in Champaign, Illinois.[1]

Technically a MIDI controller, the Continuum features a touch-sensitive neoprene playing surface measuring approximately 19 cm high by either 137 cm long (full-size instrument) or 72 cm long (half-size instrument). Sensors under the playing surface respond to finger position and pressure in three dimensions and provide pitch resolution of one cent (one one-hundredth of a semitone) along the length of the scale (the X dimension), allowing essentially continuous pitch control for portamento effects and notes that aren't on the chromatic scale, apply vibratos or pitch bends to a note. While pitch bend and vibrato are standard features on most MIDI keyboards, sliding between half steps in the manner permitted by the Continuum is not. A software "rounding" feature enables pitch to be quantized to the notes of a traditional equal-tempered, Just, or other scale to facilitate in-tune performance, with the amount and duration of the "rounding" controllable in real time.

The Continuum also provides two additional parameters for the sound: It is also able to transmit the finger pressure on the board as a MIDI value, as well as the finger's vertical position on the key. These parameters can be used to enrich the sound even more, for example to modulate between two sound banks. The Continuum is capable of polyphonic performance, with up to 16 simultaneous voices.

The Continuum does not itself generate sounds. Rather, it must be connected to a sound-producing source that will receive MIDI input, such as a synthesizer module.

Perhaps the most famous use of the Continuum in contemporary music is found in the intro to the title track from Dream Theater's 2005 album Octavarium. The Continuum is played by keyboardist Jordan Rudess. He is also seen playing the Continuum on Dream Theater's 2006 live DVD Score. (To see it, click here)

The continuum is also found on John-Luke Addison's Multiple Valences album in the song Unimaginable Charimatics.