88 key controllers

[mhschmieder]

Yes, the Nektar is the one I was thinking of; thanks for posting that!

Also, the Alesis fans will be happy to know they have one or two new digital pianos shown at NAMM this year. I wasn't interested so didn't dwell on them and thus can't find the links. Should be easy to find in a few days though as the dust from NAMM settles and more vendors and manufacturers get their sites up to date for forthcoming product.

[Rick Cornish]

Even though I'm not a great keyboard player, I always thought the Akai MPK88 had fantastic touch. It's still available on Sweetwater's site.

An Akai rep I spoke with at NAMM told me *confidentially* (wink, wink) that—with the intro of MPK-2 keyboards in other sizes, to look for a MPK-288 later this year.

[stubbsonic]

That Nektar 88-key is semi-weighted, has some onboard controls and velocity pads, only one switch pedal (I think).

It is $320, which is a pretty nice bargain if it has a good feel & response.

BTW, a few months ago, there was a demo of a new orchestral sample VI where a composer showed his work flow in scoring a scene. He played in all of his parts on a nektar keyboard and used some kind of fader bank for some kind of realtime expression.

[Prime Mover]

I require 3 pedals for my setup. Sustain, Expression (wah), and a third I use for patch changes. I really wish someone would come out with some kind of USB device with multiple 1/4" ins that you could simply assign to whatever, but NOPE! Until then, that's a dead requirement for me. Also, I'm an aftertouch ••••• and I require some kind of number buttons for patch changes.

I think so many keyboardists are multi-board players, and in some ways, that makes this stuff easier, you have a bunch of boards all with different features. I decided long ago that more than one board wasn't for me, therefor, I need one weighted 88 key with all the bells & whistles I need.

The one I don't need, curiously, is a bunch of sliders. If I'm not playing with two hands at almost all times, I feel like I'm slacking off, so I rarely use sliders. My mod wheel blew out a year ago, and though I probably could fix it, I really don't care. I use aftertouch for vibrato and expression pedal for wah/morphing. Once in a while I'll use one of the CC sliders, but I can't remember the last time I mapped the mod wheel to something.

[Michael Canavan]

Even though I'm not a great keyboard player, I always thought the Akai MPK88 had fantastic touch. It's still available on Sweetwater's site.

An Akai rep I spoke with at NAMM told me *confidentially* (wink, wink) that—with the intro of MPK-2 keyboards in other sizes, to look for a MPK-288 later this year.

Good to hear, GC reps were telling me it was discontinued, and a good friend lost his MPK88 to a flood of run off firehose water from a burning house next to his. He's waiting on a settlement from his insurance company, and getting a newer model would be cool.

[wheever]

I require 3 pedals for my setup. Sustain, Expression (wah), and a third I use for patch changes. [snip]

Although, arriving on this thread I've learned my beloved MPK88 has been discontinued, I still wanted to point out that, among its other considerable charms are THREE PEDAL INPUTS, which are programmable in pretty much any fashion you might like them to be. Grab one before they're all gone!

[Rick Cornish]

I just picked up a Roland A88. Great piano action. Three pedal inputs. Plus a couple knobs and a couple buttons which are each mappable to any MIDI controller you like. It also weighs far less than the MPK88 (a 65-lb tank) and is small enough to tuck under your arm. All in all, a very good option if you're looking for piano action and simple—but very capable—operation.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Good to know. Thanks.

[davedempsey]

I've been considering the Nektar. I still use my Yamaha S80 for live shows and love the action - but that case is an absolute punish
I use the Nektar P6 as second board and it's been fine. I just can't decide if the easier lug is sufficient justification for the downgrade in keyboard action. On the up side of the equation, of course, is that the Nektar LX88 offers DAW integration for DP [/url] http://www.nektartech.com/c.1289520/Dow ... former.pdf [/url]

[MIDI Life Crisis]

If we're talking 61 note controllers, I'm very fond of this puppy:

http://www.rolandus.com/products/pcr-800/

Not a piano action and won't replace my 88 key Kurzweils (PC88 and PC-2) but as a little desktop board for VI entry and notation work, it really is a fine piece of hardware.

[monkey man]

Yup, and apparently good for controlling the INTEGRA-7 and other SuperNatural™ devices, according to the Roland Clan forum.

Still got my 26+ year-old A-50. Only 76 unweighted keys, and poly AT sends data 3 octaves above the keys pressed, but it's still holdin' together... just.

Funny, I bought Alan Zavod's A-80 (I think that's what it was called), which was the 88-key version of my board. Got talked into swapping it for this one (almost a straight swap!) a day or two later. One of the dumbest things I've ever done. I spoke to the fella concerned recently after a decade and a half since seeing him, and he reckons the thing's on the floor in a corner of a room, guts hangin' out and out for the count. I know I wouldn't have allowed that to happen. To this day it's a highly desirable piece of kit.

They still don't make 'em like they used to, but I continue to live in hope.

[billf]

Still got my 26+ year-old A-50. Only 76 unweighted keys, and poly AT sends data 3 octaves above the keys pressed, but it's still holdin' together... just.

I still have (and use) my Yamaha DX-11. It only has 61 keys, but the thing is as tough as a tank. The only thing I've ever had to replace is the ram battery.

[monkey man]

Oh yeah, Billy.

The DX series was an order of magnitude tougher than my Roland, for sure.

That thing'll outlast even you, bro'.

[stubbsonic]

Though I won't have much of a basis for comparison, I will post a review of the new VAX keyboard when it ships next year. I expect the action will be pretty unique, offering some of the weight and throw of a hammer, but with a different key return and action. Oh, and Poly AT.

[billf]

Oh yeah, Billy.

The DX series was an order of magnitude tougher than my Roland, for sure.

That thing'll outlast even you, bro'.

Some of those 80's products have stood the test of time.