Scott’s Synth Stuff Unleashes a £100 Second Keyboard Hack for MODX & Montage

Scott kicks off with a bold claim: you can double your MODX or Montage keyboard action for about a hundred quid—no ESP, no wizardry, just a bit of MIDI magic. The inspiration? A Facebook group debate where the naysayers said “no chance” and Scott said “hold my synth.” The result is a budget-friendly hack that lets you expand your setup without selling a kidney.

Instead of splashing out on another flagship, Scott shows how a basic MIDI controller like the Novation Launchkey 37 can unlock a whole new layer of performance. This approach is aimed at anyone who’s run out of keys, parts, or hands mid-gig and wants more firepower without the flagship price tag. It’s the kind of trick that makes you wonder why you ever considered a second Montage in the first place.

Scott dives straight into the MODX/Montage’s part-splitting and layering, stacking pianos, strings, and synth brass across the keybed. He’s not just noodling—he’s showing how to wring every drop of sound out of your main board. The splits are mapped so each section of the keyboard triggers a different sound, letting you cover more ground than a festival headliner.

But what happens when you run out of keys or want a full piano across the board? Enter the second keyboard. Instead of buying another expensive synth, you just grab a cheap MIDI controller, plug it in, and keep the sonic chaos rolling. It’s a classic case of more keys, more sounds, less wallet pain.

Time for the nuts and bolts. Scott grabs the Novation Launchkey, connects it via USB to the MODX/Montage, and gets down to business. The Launchkey’s keys, chord pads, and drum pads are each assigned their own MIDI channels—Scott picks 8 for keys, 9 for chords, 10 for drums, because tradition matters (sometimes).

On the MODX/Montage, he sets up matching parts for each channel, making sure the main keyboard doesn’t double-trigger the new sounds. The trick is to disable the keyboard for the Launchkey’s assigned part, so only the external controller fires it off. This setup means you can play new sounds on the Launchkey without muddying up your main rig. It’s a quick, logical workflow that even the most impatient live player can appreciate.

Scott isn’t just showing off a tech hack—he’s making a point about creative flexibility. By using an external MIDI controller, you unlock parts 9–16 on the MODX/Montage, which can’t be played from the main keyboard. Suddenly, your cheap controller becomes a portal to a whole new set of sounds, pads, and drums. You can even use a battered Casio from the charity shop if it’s got MIDI.

For live musicians, this means more sounds, more hands-on control, and a rig that adapts to your setlist instead of boxing you in. Scott’s approach multiplies the value of your main synth, turning each extra controller into a sonic street weapon. The only real catch? You might lose seamless sound switching if you get greedy with polyphony, but that’s a small price for this much firepower.