Dualo is a French start-up that has invented a new electronic musical instrument: the du-touch. This revolutionary device innovates with a new and more intuitive keys layout. By integrating the functionality of electronic devices while being mobile and autonomous Dualo’s du-touch allows you to learn, compose and play spontaneously and quickly, anywhere, no computer needed. The dualo’s du-touch bridges the gap between traditional instruments and computer music.
An emerging community around a recognized product
After winning several awards including the Technical Excellence Price of the Guthman Musical Instrument Competition in 2015, Dualo creates a buzz through several viral videos (see below) that amazes early adopters on social networks by its functionalities and its unconventional « future accordion » style. In just one year, the first du-touch player (dualist) community has emerged in France. “The « dualists » represent the future of the du-touch for they are those who tell us how it is being used and how they want it. Our customers are fans of the product and we communicate a lot with them to improve the experience around the instrument. They are very collaborative! It’s very moving, because this is the birth of a new musical instrument.” says Jules Hotrique , inventor and co-founder of Dualo .
All-in-one, mobile and connected
Halfway between the accordion (with a different keys layout) and the launchpad (or drum machine), the du-touch innovates by its design. 11 inches wide and 2,64 lbs for 8 hours of battery life, the du-touch is definitively mobile. It is also a “all-in-one instrument”, thanks to its integrated synthesizer and multi-track looper. The device allows to play and compose complete songs anywhere in moments. Simply plug in your headphones or speaker. Yet the main innovation of Dualo lies in the notes layout called « dualo principle ». Each note is in tune with the one right nearby so that it’s literally impossible to step out of the key.
The chords and scales become easily identifiable shapes and locating them on
the instrument becomes a breeze. The instrument is very easy to pick up and play thanks to visual aids that help you understand the du-touch’s logic. Besides, it is a connected device which allows you to share songs easily through interactive score, create and integrate sound banks between dualists. Finally, the du-touch is an evolving instrument thanks to an upgrading system, integrating regularly new features.
An ambitious and passionate start-up
As Roli or Teenage Engineering, Dualo has already begun to implement its unique instrument in the musical ecosystem. In addition to ongoing collaborations with artists and building on the success gained in a few months in France, the start-up wants to have its place in one of the biggest markets for musical instruments: the United States of America. Dualo begin 2016 by attending the NAMM show in Anaheim, introducing for the first time in the U.S. the final version of its instrument. Dualo will also take the opportunity to unveil the major features of the du-touch planned for the next upgrade.
Dualo has a big year to come. The team is working on a new concept of gamification to learn music. In addition, a crowdfunding campaign will be launched in the second quarter 2016 to accelerate the development of a new instrument that will enrich the range. “The du-touch is a door open towards the future. We now have the support of the profession and of the du-touch player’s community. It motivates us every day to go further and write a piece of music history. “Bruno Verbrugghe, engineer and co-founder of Dualo.
« It is a very powerful notes layout. Very clever ! Bravo ! » Herbie Hancock, jazz pianist (Miles Davis…).
History
Dualo is a start-up founded by Jules Hortrique and Bruno Verbrugghe. The first is a former mathematics professor and inventor of the « dualo principle ». The second an engineer specializing in electronic instruments. Following the invention of Jules’ dualo principle (the new notes layout), the two founders will bind the goal of creating the instrument of the future. By meeting thousands of people, musicians and non-musicians, Dualo was able to listen and to raise public expectations for the twenty-first century instrument. Intuitive, spontaneous, mobile, battery powered, all-in-one, connected and not requiring knowledge of music theory… All those features that Dualo manage to combine into one instrument. To start the production of the device, Dualo launched in 2013 a crowdfunding campaign on the French platform KissKissBankBank.com. Crowned with success, the final version of the du-touch is now available since December 2014. The objective of Dualo? Make music more accessible.
Du-touch, what is it?
| INTUITIVE | ALL-IN-ONE | MOBILE & CONNECTED |
| The Dualo principle set up notes that sound good together next to each other. This new way of representing music:
• facilitates the learning of musical technique: a chord = a shape, two shapes are a scale,
• facilitates improvisation: the fingerings are the same in all keys, the keys are ringing alongside one another,
• accelerates learning music theory: scales and degrees become s easy to memorize and play shapes, • accelerates learning music theory: scales and degrees become s easy to memorize and play shapes, |
No computer needed, only plug headphones or a speaker
Controller : 116 pressure sensitive pads 3 touchable sliders and 3 touchable button 3-axis gyro movement sensor
Synthesizer : 116 editable sounds 4-preset memory per sound 1 Muti-effect for each track
Multitrack looper : 7 simultaneous tracks 58-song memory, 24 loops each Metronome, quantizer, score player |
– 11 inches wide for 1,2 kg
– 8-hour battery life
– Save and share your composition through our software
– Players’ community
– The du-touch is constantly improving thanks to regular upgrades integrating new features |
Info: du-touch, available on http://dualo.org/shop
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxUTrFc_qGzfxq00eDb5TlA
https://www.facebook.com/dualo-202003173203187/ https://twitter.com/dualoinstru
