Intuitive Instruments Exquis: Is it Now the Best Controller for Ableton Live?
Get Live with Exquis.
4,5 / 5,0 | 
Intuitive Instruments Exquis now optimized for Ableton Live · Source: Intuitive Instruments
Intuitive Instruments Exquis · Source: Intuitive Instruments
Intuitive Instruments Exquis · Source: Intuitive Instruments
Intuitive Instruments Exquis · Source: Intuitive Instruments
[30 April 2025] The latest update turns your Intuitive Instruments Exquis into an MPE-equipped Ableton Live controller.
Intuitive Instruments Exquis
Ableton Live Integration
There are lots of controllers out there but not all have MPE. Button-focused ones with MPE are even rarer. Exquis from manufacturer Intuitive Instruments is one such controller and with the latest update, it’s now optimized for Ableton Live.
If you haven’t heard of the controller before, you can read all about its unique design in the original article below. But we’re here today to talk about Live integration. A new Python‑based Remote Script integrates the controller “seamlessly into Live’s native controller family, delivering Launchpad‑style Session control and an instrument‑grade expressive touch – courtesy of its MPE twist – that makes playing melodies and chords feel effortlessly natural,” according to the developer. See it in action in the video below.
The new update v2.1 also adds poly-hold sustain for wild arpeggios and a developer mode.
Intuitive Instruments will be at Superbooth25 next week. Maybe it’ll have something else new to show off?
Intuitive Instruments Exquis is available at Thomann*.
Exquis: Hexangonally Expressive MPE and CV Controller
[18 October 2022] Exquis from Intuitive Instruments is a squishy MPE controller in hexagonal isomorphic form. It has 54 pads, 4 encoders, touch slider and buttons for MIDI and CV control.
Kickstarter Controller
Kickstarter is a popular destination for new, innovative and completely uniquely expressive controllers. The latest one to have a go is the larger-than-you-think Exquis from Intuitive Instruments. Intuitive Instruments were formally known as Dualo and were behind some fascinating button accordion-inspired electronic instruments and controllers. That’s where their pad layout is coming from.
Equis has 54 squishy pads that offer hit, pressure and bending opportunities for expressive play and MPE support. These combine with 4 rotary encoders and a touch strip to give you access to more than just notes. Out the side, next to the USB powering, we have MIDI In/Out and also three CV outputs for Pitch, Gate and Modulation. That’s a really nice touch which could make this a very versatile controller.
The patented layout is designed to offer an easily accessible path into music-making. It follows the fundamental logic of harmony, which puts notes that sound good together, next to each other vertically. Whereas semitones are arranged horizontally. Each type of chord always forms one particular shape, and then you can move that all over the place. You can choose scales which are then represented in green on the pads making it dead easy to stay in key while improvising.
On one hand, it’s a whole new system to learn, but on the other, it opens up the ease of use to a much wider range of musicians or potential musicians.
Exquis App
Exquis has a companion app which turns the controller into a sequencer, sound source and teacher about itself. The app is where all the MIDI looping occurs and how you set up the scales and controls. It comes with sounds, but obviously, you can use it to play any MIDI or CV sound source you like.
The app will display musical scores directly on the pads, showing you what to play and taking you through tutorials.
While the app has a lot of advantages, I can’t help but be a little disappointed that the Exquis itself doesn’t have the ability to sequence, loop or record music itself. You’re always going to need to have a phone or computer plugged in if you want to do more than just play. Having said that, Intuitive Instruments says that the two things, the Exquis and the app are completely independent and can be used with other software and other controllers.
Kickstarting
At the time of writing, Intuitive Instruments are a couple of days into the campaign and they are about to break to goal. That’s excellent for quite a niche controller. The current Early Bird pricing is €159, although there is a “Deluxe” version for €199, which I think adds a nicer case.
- Exquis Kickstarter page.
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2 responses to “Intuitive Instruments Exquis: Is it Now the Best Controller for Ableton Live?”
Thank you Robin, for this nice review!
About the all-in-one aspect of Exquis, we might add some features inside Exquis while being used as standalone MIDI controller, but as it’s the beginning of our development plan, we don’t want to promise.
Also, inside features will always be limited compared to what the app can provide. It’s also why we are working on a all-in-one version based on Raspberry Pi computers.
Interesting; thanks for the added clarity.