Remembering Inventor & Composer Keith McMillen
In sad and unexpected news, Keith McMillen Instruments announced over the weekend that its pioneering founder, Keith McMillen, has died. He was 67.
Keith McMillen (1957-2024) was an electronic musician and composer that explored the cutting edge of electronic music performance, and over four decades created new instruments and tools for electronic music.
In 1979 McMillen began his professional career when he founded Zeta Music, where he developed an electric violin and created new guitar effects, the first programmable MIDI audio mixer, and modern violins for the likes of Jean-Luc Ponty and Laurie Anderson. He’s also founded BEAM, a non-profit dedicated to promoting music that explores new technologies.
Best known as the head of Keith McMillen Instruments, a company that’s created a wide variety of expressive MIDI controllers, like the K-Board, QuNeo pad controller and the QuNexus keyboard controller; and the unique K-Mix audio interface.
In 1992, he would go on to join Gibson Guitars, founding the company’s G-WIZ R&D Lab. This resulted in the creation of ZIPI, a new instrument control language that evolved into Open Sound Control (OSC) and laid the foundations for the MPE and MIDI 2.0 standards.
McMillen founded his eponymous company in 2005, and used patented Smart Fabric sensors to create a range of expressive electronic instruments. In 2014, he founded BeBop Sensors in a bid to bring Smart Fabric to the wearables market, and later went on to use it to create a ‘robotic skin’.
“Keith dedicated his life to revolutionising how live interactive music is played and experienced,” his instrument company wrote on its website. “[His] work exemplified a lifelong commitment to exploring how computer intelligence and user interface can enhance and expand musical performance.
“His passing is a great loss to the world of music and technology, but his innovations and achievements will continue to inspire and shape the future of both fields.”
Our condolences go to McMillen’s family, friends and colleagues.
