Expressive E Osmose CE: The Famous MPE Keybed, Now Without the Synth

The first time you press a key on an Osmose, something quietly weird happens. The note bends under deeper pressure. Vibrato follows your finger motion instead of a wheel. Tilt shifts the pitch. Three years after the original Osmose brought this gesture vocabulary inside a standalone synth, Expressive E now offers the keybed on its own.

The new Osmose CE — short for Composer Edition — retains the Augmented Keyboard Action while removing the onboard EaganMatrix engine. It functions as a pure MPE controller. The unit ships with a free software platform called Ctrl-e and a starter library of more than 900 expressive presets. The 49-key model costs $999, and the 61-key version lists for $1,199. Both began shipping on April 29, 2026, ahead of Superbooth.

Why this version exists

Players have repeated the same feedback since the first Osmose arrived. They love the keybed but do not need the synth. EaganMatrix offers a deep modular engine. Many producers left it unused while routing the keyboard to external plugins over MIDI. Removing it simplifies the product and cuts the price by roughly $800.

This change matters. Most MPE controllers in this range either add light polyphonic aftertouch to standard piano keys or force users onto entirely new playing surfaces. The CE takes a different path. It looks and feels like a familiar 49- or 61-key keyboard. Then it delivers far more expressive response under the fingers.

What the keybed actually does

Each note on the Osmose CE tracks seven gestures simultaneously. These include tap, press, pitch bend, vibrato, shake, strum, and an expressive note-off. Press Glide lets you slide between notes by leaning into adjacent keys. An MPE-aware arpeggiator keeps every note independent instead of collapsing the chord into one voice.

In real use, a held chord can behave like several acoustic instruments at once. One note swells while another bends a quarter tone and a third adds its own vibrato. The controller transmits all of this as proper MPE data. Those who have played it for extended sessions often call the action the closest a 5-octave controller has come to acoustic instrument feel.

Ctrl-e and the included sounds

Ctrl-e serves as the free companion plugin that makes the CE immediately usable. It hosts pre-mapped patches from six partner developers: GForce, AAS, Synapse Audio, Kilohearts, Dawesome, and Vital. The combined library exceeds 900 expressive presets. Each patch arrives with eight macros already assigned to the front-panel knobs.

This design solves a common MPE frustration. Generic patches often route pitch bend to a single channel and require deep manual editing. Ctrl-e eliminates that setup loop. Patches respond correctly the moment you play them.

The library draws from a focused selection of each partner's catalog, so full versions of the underlying instruments remain separate purchases if needed.

Hardware, connectivity, and DAW control

The keybed sits inside a solid chassis with a 4.3-inch color screen, seven encoders, nine buttons, and pitch and modulation sliders. Rear connections include DIN MIDI in and out/thru, two USB-C ports for power and data, and two assignable pedal inputs. There are no audio outputs, as this is a dedicated controller.

DAW integration works automatically with Live 12, Cubase 15, Bitwig 5, and Logic Pro 12. It handles transport, track navigation, mixer control, and macro access for Ctrl-e patches. The 49-key model weighs 10 kg while the 61-key weighs 11 kg. Both use a white aluminum top and black metal base, built in Poland. The construction feels more like studio furniture than a lightweight gigging piece.

Where it lands, and who it's for

Existing Osmose owners receive the new features through a free firmware update. Ctrl-e, the updated arpeggiator, Press Glide, and DAW control all appear on the original synth. The CE therefore acts as a complement rather than a replacement. Users who want the full EaganMatrix engine can still buy the original model starting at €1,799.

Some players point out a remaining gap. Those who already own deep MPE sound sources may prefer a purely hardware version without any bundled software. At $999 the CE includes Ctrl-e presets they might never use. For most producers who want one expressive controller that works cleanly with both plugins and hardware, however, this edition delivers the most straightforward experience Expressive E has offered yet.

In short, it is the keyboard many have requested since 2023. Full specifications and ordering details are available on the official Expressive E Osmose CE page.