Any advice here is very welcome. All in all, think hard about what you need before making these purchases. (Question of a million dollars ) Does anyone here have experience with these and logic 10.5? EmptyVesselband, It also helps that they cost less than half the price of the Kawai VPC1. As always, we recommend going into stores to test out your purchases beforehand whenever possible. However, you can still assign different knobs (that send MIDI CC signals) to different instrument parameters, its just a hassle. With regards to monitor speakers, I think that a decent pair of monitor speakers will certainly sound better than built-in speakers on most digital pianos. Are MIDI Keyboards a Valid Replacement to Digital Pianos? The Komplete Kontrol and Novation SL come to mind. Hi Shao, nice article! Imagine controlling a synthesizers filter cutoff point by moving your finger up and down the keys. Would a subwoofer help with realistic sound reproduction? You get a power button, USB MIDI and 5-pin connections, and the full-sized 88-key keyboard. Being able to play both piano and synth parts convincingly without changing your technique is quite useful, as you wont need to switch between controllers just to get your ideas out. What do you think about these? Mine should arrive this Friday, so Ill post an update on how it goes. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. I found the keys to be super heavy and noisy so sending it back. I just want a solid classy looking keyboard that might last me a while. This is perfect when you need a sturdy and responsive control over sustain. Best Memory Efficient Way To Run Logic Projects. Devices can communicate in both directions with each other without any additional MIDI interface. Others say the new Mk3 61 keystation would be the best light piano replacement because of the half weighted resistence it offers, allowing better expression playing piano. Encoders and faders I can upgrade(swap out for higher quality ones) if need be. I hope more people will support you as well. The pads section is ideal to trigger loops and samples, using your finger drum skills. Now I am thinking i need semi-weighted keys with a nice feel. I dont plan on moving it around, so heavier is just fine. Arturias focus on expanding its product line was what brought around the KeyStep. On paper, this seems less cool than the Seaboard, but it might be worth looking into if youre hitting a creative wall in your performances and want to spice things up. I tested the VPC with a few VSTs, and when combined with heavyweight libraries having multiple velocity layers, it definitely feels comparable to fully fledged digital pianos. Weve been skimping on excess controls so far, which seems counterintuitive to the design of MIDI controllers. Very helpful. With that said, you can still find a lot of cool apps to play around with different sounds and effects. Display as a link instead, Youre probably familiar enough with synth-action and weighted piano-style keys. Thanks for the great article. MIDI controllers are interesting if youre willing to dive deep, and I hope weve given you an idea of what to look for. I have a hammer 88, laptop with vst software and a fender tube amp. For a higher price, you can get the Novation SL MKIII-series keyboards, designed specifically with Ableton Live in mind, integrating its 82 pad matrix and multiple color-LCD screens with the workflow directly. The SL88 just felt a bit more premium. With that said, your point of comparison was the Yamaha CSP series, which is one of the better sounding digital pianos out there. The height represents the vertical dimension of the product. Novation SL mkiii VS Arturia Keylab mkii or does something else beat them? The device is set up and ready to be used with the included software. Near the end of the article, around the Kawai VPC1 alternatives, the Studiologic SL88 Grand was mentioned, with its Fatar TP40WOOD action. You even get to customize your own velocity curves using the VPC editor software. Would be interested in any other informative explanations of the studio world that you may have for me to read up on. The Roland A-49 is a slightly more expensive option thats a bit older, but it is well praised for offering good value for money. MIDI keyboards are valid practice tools for budding pianists and keyboardists. The Novation SL MkIII is a great keyboard, but its more heavily geared towards Ableton Live users. Thats a pro for a studio keyboard, and could be a con for taking it on the road. (KeyLab 61 MK2 - Black). For what its worth, I liked it. The midi controllers Ive tested so far are: Novation Launchkey 61 You mentioned outputting CV from the Mk3 to control modular. Something worth considering when purchasing pedals for MIDI controllers is whether you require half-pedaling. I like a heavier action for sure, and yes, I think the VPC1 would have a good advantage price wise, as well as the action being a bit heavier. Id say youll probably enjoy it, and its well worth the price. Thanks! Help us by suggesting a value. The device has an electronic display to present information to the user. Build quality is also best-in-class here. Bitwig had a script for it, so getting transport controls to work was automatic. In fact, the father of controllerism Moldover himself began by heavily modifying one of the earliest Novation SL keyboards to make his dreams of complete control a reality. We wont get detailed here, but you can make it work. If you really need hands-on control of say synth parameters, you can always invest in a cheap external MIDI controller, like the Korg NanoKontrol. fretnoise, 9 hours ago Id love to also hear the other co-auther, Lucas and his opinions, if possible. You get the same robust build quality with bonus wooden sides, a full-sized keybed, and actual controls beyond the transport buttons. In my opinion, this beats out other options in this price range by simply feeling the best. They then moved onto hardware with their highly successful Minibrute synthesizer, praised for its solid build quality and excellent sounds. Though, I will say that these faders are geared towards mixing and DJs, so they arent as good with performances. The MP11SE has a newer key action of a similar design (you can think of it as the successor to the VPC1s action). Thank you for your informative site! conanthewarrior, July 14 Since you have MIDI and CV/Gate connections, you can also use preset configurations with most hardware synthesizers, modern or otherwise. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. The StudioLogic SL88 Studio and Arturia Keylab 88 MKII share the same key action, the Fatar TP/100LR, which Im not a big fan of if realistic feel is important. No faders, no buttons, nothing at all. It is used to allow musicians the flexibility of playing at any desired tempo based on their musical input. However, Nektar also makes the Impact GX61, which is cheaper than the Keystation 61 while featuring an upgraded build quality over the SE49. Plus, its great that you were able to try out the PX-S1000. I have fatar keys as well, and its not a problem going between them. 8 KOMPLETE reasons why I dont need komplete 8 and you shouldnt either! Arturia Keylab 61 MK2 (black) If youve got MIDI modules in mind, you might want to consider the Keystation. Im new to this stuff and have done extensive research and have come down to these 2. I would encourage you to play a few other models in the same price range to see if theres something you like even better. Finger drumming is something many prefer, but I find keyboard-drumming more precise. Weighted MIDI keyboards exist (as well cover below), but theyre expensive and dont offer any sounds. I just received the Doepfer LMK4 88 midi keyboard. These arent long-term solutions due to their limitations, but they can help you learn the basics. Velocity sensitive keys are just spring loaded keys that sound out louder the harder you hit them. Oddly enough I started working in Bitwig recently too so youre basically rocking exactly the setup Id be using (even the Black one ). This is all possible with the Seaboard, and its something quite unique. I completely understand wanting to get as much bang for your buck. It is compatible with Mac OS X devices such as MacBooks and iMacs. MIDI-In Port allows data to be received by a MIDI-compliant device. If youd rather not spend extra on a USB audio interface, you could also work with your laptops headphone jack, but that tends to be a bit hit or miss, especially since youll need converters. It doesnt have as much weight as the CLP, so dont worry. Youre operating strictly on USB MIDI here. I would look into PGMusics Band-in-a-Box. The KeyStep is easily the best portable MIDI keyboard out there, and it doubles as a proficient MIDI controller. Workstations like the MODX and Rolands FA-series sound amazing, and are designed around you working within them, rather than using them as simple controllers. Despite my love of MIDI keyboards, I still enjoy the physical sensation of hearing and feeling the vibrations of a digital piano, which adds to the realism factor. Calling them semi-weighted seems a bit misleading based on raw feel, as they feel similar to the pseudo-waterfall keys on the Yamaha NP-12 and NP-32, which are just unweighted synth-action keys. The Keylabs faders might not feel like real drawbars, but there arent any real options that come close. With good monitor speakers (set up correctly in a good room), youll have a setup that rivals top tier digital pianos. I believe whats going on is something similar to arranger keyboards, where it tracks your lower register playing to guess or infer the current chord, and modifies the backing tracks to fit in. Transpose buttons are used for moving a collection of notes (pitches or pitch classes) up or down in pitch by a constant interval, usually in semitone increments. Arturia made a name for itself as one of the top developers for software emulations of classic synthesizers. I have now ordered and tried the Nektar GX61. Never been able to find if possible and what additional equipment, cables etc are need to do this, Id like to play Rhodes/Wurlitzer sounds amplified enough to keep up with a drummer? While the setup may turn some away, the cheaper price is a bargain. For the price it was certainly a great keyboard. Personally, Ill take good keys and build quality over all else. The latter comes with Fatars premium TP/40 Wood action, which feels superior to the SL88 Studio with a lighter and more basic action, the TP/100LR. The problem here is the price. Or are such digital pianos still ahead in sound reproduction? The biggest pro of the SE49 is its price. Some of the cheaper things like impulse or launch key (for example) just feel way too light and plasticky for me. This might give you an idea about how to work with a DAW if you want to follow along with something. While getting an affordable yet well-reviewed digital piano (such as the excellent FP-30) is a valid option, you need to pay top dollar for wooden keys and responsive sensors. We find that 49 keys are good enough for synthesizer-focused players, whereas 61 keys are a good amount for keyboardists who need organ-style keys. If youve ever used Korgs famous Kaoss pads, this feels like that, but in keyboard form. Few hrs researching, I find out that they took away MCU which was present in the Mk1 and it only works with like 2 DAWs. As youve probably noted throughout this article, controls take a back seat to good keys for us. Im wondering how well the M-Audio Hammer 88 stacks up against digital pianos in the same price range like the Roland FP-10, Yamaha P-45 or the Casio CDP-S100 in terms of feel and action of the keys. Thanks again! To streamline things and to ensure youre making informed decisions, well offer our personal favorites based on use cases, while also providing some alternatives that might be worth considering. Hi! MIDI Learn is a software protocol thats all about customizability, and its available in all major DAWs. No matter what DAW you use (apart from FL Studio, which feels like a weird omission considering its popularity), theres a default setup you can use and modify to taste. The magic with the LCD screen is that the KeyLab comes with preset configurations for well-known DAWs and hardware synthesizers. Strange behavior from cursor while comping. The keys here feel great and are a great fit for any playstyle once youve gotten used to them. I was then thinking of getting the Arturia Keylab 88 for the controllers but have read the weighted keybed feels heavy too. This is a non-issue with MIDI controllers, as every knob is MIDI CC assignable. And again, no pads yikes! Controllers generally talk to your Mac or PC using MIDI over a USB connection, but sometimes it is possible to connect other devices to your controller. While the Arturia KeyStep is great, its not something Ill use for playing complex parts like chords or piano pieces. David. Its a keeper regardless! The bank selector button is used to switch among the available banks. The Kawai VPC1 has the best keyboard of the bunch and is worth the price of admission. Considering that you dont need any internal sounds and the price difference between these two models is pretty significant, the VPC1 might actually be a better option in your case. I did use that in the past, but only ever as a last resort. The keybed is high quality. However, Ive heard good things about their DAW integration via its multi-mode. Would you prefere the GX61 over the Keystation 61 Mk3? As far as price to performance ratios go, this is tough to beat. Chances are if youre looking into MIDI controllers, you already own the related VSTs and DAWs. The MPK Mini and Launchkey Mini feel cheap and unresponsive, whereas the KeyStep legitimately feels like a real keyboard. But I do not really know what is on the market in this field. While you wont go wrong with the KeyStep, I would suggest testing out alternatives if given the chance. What do you think and how does it compare to the PHA-4 action? Theres a lot to consider when it comes to MIDI keyboards, especially since our prior knowledge about companies like Yamaha, Roland, and other prolific digital piano manufacturers dont apply. While the Akai Road 88 seems enticing due to costing 3/4 of the price, Id say the M-Audio Hammer or the Studiologic SL88 Grand is a better value-for-money option. Alternatively, if youre into electronic music, you dont necessarily need a weighted keyboard. Novation SL MK3 vs Keylab MK2 for Studio One, or Komplete Kontrol MK2. Many keyboard players, producers and students are buying these controllers to use on the road or take anywhere and play: you can use phones with smartphones or tablets, they are light and smaller and all you need is a good app with no latency / delay! Help us by suggesting a value. Even the controls, limited as they are, feel high-quality. So the new NI Maschine MikroMk3 (also the A-series keyboards) has a Chord Mode which i can use to play chord progressions. Maybe you could give some insight on this? I didnt spend too much time with the Keystation 61 Mk3, but I strangely didnt even notice that the keys were semi-weighted. Regarding knobs and extra controls, they arent as important, so dont factor them too much into your considerations. The knobs and buttons feel much better than the competition. Ive heard its key action is Fatar TP/100LR and its also used in the Studiologic 88 (not grand) and I think the komplete kontrol mk2. While this shows its possible to use USB MIDI controllers regardless, it does present added hassle. On my shortlist are: (Novation SL MkII 61). Volume is the quantity of three-dimensional space enclosed by the product's chassis or, in simpler terms, the space the product occupies. With automapping technology it is easier to set up your MIDI device and assign all different controls to your software (DAW). Thanks so much. Question though. Hi Adam, thanks for your question. I cant test it in person unfortunately. When pads respond to the amount of force applied after initial impact they are pressure-sensitive. All notes played will continue to sound until the pedal is released. Arturia KeyStep Best Portable MIDI Keyboard (25- to 32-key), Nektar SE49 Best Budget MIDI Keyboard (below $200), Novation Impulse Best Semi-Weighted MIDI Controller. Hi Lucas, Your reply is quite helpful. While Im a huge supporter of the PHA-4 Standard action, Id say thats still considered a beginner keyboard action, though its definitely one of the best ones. If youve gotten this far, I want to strongly recommend you consider your main purposes. on the MK3 alone. Hopefully I could find a place to test these out in the midst of the pandemic. I would love it if you have any suggestions. If you want a point of reference, Id say the KeyStep feels like a good unweighted arranger keyboard. The build quality is very high, and the metal chassis really makes it feel substantial. Since its been a while since I used Logic (pandemic means not much studio time), I might be wrong, but under the Control Surfaces menu, you should be able to assign different controls to different parameters. However, this is innovation the way we like it. I only found solutions where you set up the chord progressions beforehand or chose a song to play along, which is nice as well. When you use it with Bitwig, its very nice IMO. I also know that the external sequencer stuff wont get used much since I prefer the power of a DAW anyway. in Logic Pro, Copyright 2022 Logic Pro Help In the meantime I was reading about monitors and room acoustics. Weve tried our best to provide general recommendations that work well regardless of your DAW or hardware preferences, but certain other options might be preferable because of their close integration. Nektar Panorama and Impact series controllers are 100% premapped to Logic. They are semi-weighted and come in 25-61 key variations. What a fantastic introduction into the world of midi. Want to talk about music hardware or software that doesn't include Reason? The KeyLab 88 is the only exception, featuring an ungraded piano-style weighted keyboard. The pitch and mod wheels are physical and have a light response and quick return time that feels somewhat like the Nord-style keyboards many of us covet. Would any of these work well as a Midi controller? I read that the Roland FA-08 can work as an interface besides auto-mapping features. But as always, I recommend testing the instruments out personally whenever possible! It might be worth considering what styles of music you intend on working on. These options arent exactly excellent, but they offer a good amount of controls for the price. Their new Komplete Kontrol S series includes semi-weighted keyboards courtesy of Fatar. Ive played on them before, and they are quite fatiguing. Both Kurzweil have aftertouch, but they do not have auto-mapping and the interface features that Roland offers. I already have Komplete 12 regular and Ableton Live 10 Suite, so I have plenty of sounds. The keys, while small, feel a lot more premium, and have a decent amount of travel and springiness. Something like the Akai LPD8 or the Korgs Nanokontrol seem like toys, but can be used alongside a simple keyboard to give you all the control youd ever need. Could you say how that SL88 Grand action compares with the Roland PHA-4 Standard action found on the new A-88 mkII controller (or its siblings that also use that action like the RD-88, FP30, etc). When compared to the alternatives, there is no competition. I use a pair of KRK Rokit 5 G4s, and they go down pretty low. Fully weighted keys are designed to replicate the response and feel of acoustic piano keys. Pads are also included (44 matrix on the mainline, and 42 on the Essential). Thanks again for your efforts! The KeyStep is plastic, but feels sturdy and is well suited for rugged laptop bags. Velocity response and aftertouch are good, though aftertouch feels slightly uneven on the black keys. Casiotone CT-S300 (as Midi Controller during vacation and kids instrument at home), Feature wise the Keylab MKII is exactly what I want. Their earliest controllers focused on providing as much control as possible. Wanted this keyboard for awhile and the day I bought it, i get home, hook it up, and cant get the transports to work in Sonar. Over $1,000 seems like a lot until you realize youre getting the RM3II wooden key action. Unlike our usual lists, well be a bit more lenient with our choices. I saw there is arranger hardware (e.g. If you havent already purchased the software, you could also consider Keyscape from Spectrasonics, which is an industry standard key-based library that sounds incredible. The preamble out of the way, you now have an idea about how MIDI controllers work, so lets look at our top picks. Though it is quite a hassle compared to other DAWs like Reason or Live where a simple right click handles everything. If you do decide to go the software route, there really isnt a lot that does both real-time chord tracking and full arrangements. These include the ring-based MIDI controller from Enhancia that reacts to movement dynamically, sending CC changes as you move your hands. In the market for a 61 key thingamabob. Lucas here. In comparison, the VPC feels just as good and natural. If that name sounds familiar, its because theyre responsible for the keys on all Nord keyboards, as well as the new up and coming company Dexibell. Sadly, they dont come close. My guess is that a Kawai VPC1 with a powerful laptop plus Pianoteq 6 or Vienna Imperials Bsendorfer Imperial 290-755 and a DAW plus some learning apps would offer me at least the same realistic keyboard action and functionality as the Yamaha CSP series. Im currently looking for a 61 key master keyboard and this is probably the one I plan to go with. Tact switch buttons vs squishy silicon that will turn yellow years from now is also preferred. We consider a thinner chassis better because it makes the product more compact and portable. I use MainStage for my organ sounds and Id like a keyboard that would allow me to use the faders as drawbars.