76-key MIDI Controller Keyboard recommendations?

[kestudi]

I'm shopping to replace an OLD Roland D-70 synth with a new MIDI controller (no need for sounds on the keyboard anymore... plus it's breaking down).

Google searches reveal surprisingly few options at the 76-key range. Seems like nearly everything is either 61 or 88 keys now.

We've got a pretty specifically sized slot in our studio where this keyboard needs to fit, so I kinda need 76 keys...

Ideally, the keyboard needn't be very deep, either..

Thanks!

[mhschmieder]

Please first define whether you want weighted, semi-weighted, or unweighted keys.

There are plenty of current options for 73 or 76 keys, and no two units are alike.

Due to the oddness of that size, each vendor makes a different choice about action, which keys to chop off (preferably an entire octave, but usually a half-octave at each end), etc.

I'll list some options once you clarify your needs.

Those needs should include what you need in terms of MIDI zones, splits, layers, etc. And also controllers (dedicated assignable knobs and/or sliders, mod wheel, pitch wheel, ribbon controller) and how many momentary and continuous controller (TS vs. TRS) jacks you need.

[kestudi]

For this situation, we don't need anything fancy...

* Mod wheel
* Pitch Bend
* "cutoff point" (mid octave v. whole octave) doesn't matter
* at least 1 slider for automating volumes, etc.
* Keyboard action should serve general purpose sequencing - "pianistic" stuff and also a fast enough rebound to play drum parts. I think semi-weighted would work. Drum pads are another option, but not necessary.
* no need for MIDI zones/splits/layers
* CC jacks: sustain. Exp. pedal and breath controllers if available, but not necessary.

I've been googling and finding very little... I'm seeing Korg and Kurzweil making 76-key workstations for $1300+, but I don't want to pay that much for a controller. I don't need any on-board sounds at all.

M-audio doesn't have one, Akai doesn't have one...

[mhschmieder]

Kurzweil announced controllers a while back; I knew about them years beforehand, but hear about a lot of products that never make it past R&D so was surprised when the controller announcement actually went public.

The strange thing is I don't see them listed. I'm guessing they intended to release them and then decided the market isn't big enough for keyboards without any sounds and decided instead to simultaneously upgrade and drop the price on their lower-priced digital keyboards.

In other words, like many Kurzweil announcements over the past few years, the actual released product is often not the one that was announced, but is ALWAYS better. So, I think the SP-series took the place of what would have been a standalone controller series, and gained more MIDI control features than had been available previously in lower-end Kurzweil keyboards.

My jazz bandleader recently bought the SP4-7 on my recommendation. It has a lovely custom semi-weighted action and is 76 keys. Well constructed and firmware and patch updates are frequent. The sounds come from the excellent PC3X series and are especially good for strings and some woodwinds and brass, as well as analog synths (it has a high-end VA engine) and e-pianos like the Rhodes. The Steinway piano patches are nice too even though limited in sample memory. Programming can compensate a lot for small sample sets!

You can often find this keyboard for under $1100. It would be a long-term purchase, so you probably wouldn't even think of upgrading later. This is the best bang-for-buck value on the market right now, by far.

I'll write separately about MIDI-only controllers, as I feel the Kurzweil SP4-7 deserves special attention. Although not the best price, here's one link for it:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SP4-7/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And here's the main product page:

http://www.kurzweil.com/Product.php?id=207" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You can download the manual in advance.

[mhschmieder]

CME has several series that include 76-key MIDI controllers that are very full-features, and a few of them have weighted action. The same with Studiologic (aka Fatar) and their VMK series. The 76-key versions are sometimes hard to find but I can point you to a "secret source" (they want to be word of mouth only) if you decide you want one of them. CME gear (I used to own some) has not proven reliable, unfortunately. The VMK series has splits but only one zone.

The best quality and most feature-rich controllers right now are the MPK series from Akai, but unfortunately they don't make a 76-key edition. Their 88-key board has pretty good action and is affordable. But that's probably too big and heavy for you.

Here's a cheap discontinued model from Roland that you might try to hunt down on eBay:

http://www.samash.com/p/Roland_A37%2076 ... _-49979048" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A lot of people really liked that model -- although not as much as their ones from the late 80's and early 90's (those are fairly rare by now).

Another used model to look for on eBay is Oberheim's late 90's MIDI controllers (I forget the model numbers, but a search for Oberheim MIDI controller on eBay will probably get you there, if anything is available for sale currently). They had good MIDI implementations.

If you can get past the limited MIDI functionality and arcane manual, the Studiologic VMK is about as nice as they come in terms of keybed action (I owned the VMK88+ for awhile):

http://www.MIDI-store.com/Fatar-Studiol ... 16754.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

CME has three or four current models that come in 76-key editions; most of them with weighted or semi-weighted keys. The Z-series is hard to find data on, though:

http://www.MIDI-store.com/CME-VX7-USB-A ... 16191.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.guitarcenter.com/CME-Zkey-76 ... 1934790.gc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UF70CL/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.MIDI-store.com/CME-UF70-76-K ... 16883.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As for Studiologic and Fatar, they recently came out with a new super-advanced Numa series that has fewer on-board controls but very advanced graded hammer action.

http://www.MIDI-store.com/Fatar-Studiol ... 19679.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.MIDI-store.com/Fatar-Studiol ... 18196.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.MIDI-store.com/Fatar-Studiol ... 17792.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

These are 88-key models but I'm listing them anyway in case you give up on 76-key models.

Yes, I said there are a lot of models to choose from, and there are, but they are limited to just a tiny handful of vendors, and ones that don't show up on many websites.

There's actually been some attrition lately amongst MIDI controller manufacturers -- there were more choices a few years ago. Thus, eBay might be your answer.

I think the market has dried up, except for more compact models specifically designed to be quick-sketchpad note-entry devices to always have by the computer so that you never lose an idea because of the ergonomics of turning around to use a larger keyboard or due to setting one up that wasn't ready to go.

In fact, I bought one of those myself a few weeks ago, and it is speeding up my composing and arranging as I no longer use notation editors for quick-and-dirty stuff anymore. I bought the Alesis Q25 and it has a really nice semi-weighted action. They don't make a 76-key edition though, nor does their sister company Akai.

[kestudi]

Thanks so much for the detailed recommendations! This will definitely help us make our decision. I'm leaning towards sacrificing some keys and moving down to the smaller, 61-key range... The Kurzweil looks best, but it's got way more on-board than what we need for studio-sequencing.

The 61-key Akai and M-audio keyboards might fit our needs better, and be way cheaper.

[mhschmieder]

I just re-read your posts and see that you didn't specifically mention that you want or need semi-weighted action.

Since you're down to 61-63 keys now as being sufficient, I cannot recommend the Akai series highly enough. Just make sure to download the manual first and check for any incompatibilities, as almost every piece of gear has its own set of "missing features" (e.g. aftertouch aka monopressure) or programs it doesn't work well with.

The Akai series is good value, excellent construction, has a nice firm action that responds well to all playing styles, doesn't wiggle from side to side like some brands, and has a full set of on-board controllers.

Some other brands are stepping up to the game due to the competition, but I feel Akai is still ahead of the pack. If I had a need to a controller, I'd buy one myself. I bought the tiny Alesis model though (same company for the past few years) because I needed something that can ALWAYS be at my desk without getting in the way, so that I never need worry about downtime while setting up a keyboard during project work (larger keyboards get broken down when not in use or are away from the computer and thus harder to work with for quick spontaneous OD's).

If you find the Akai has missing features or incompatibilities, my next vote goes to Novation, who also have good keybed action and construction and an interesting but not-always-compatible MIDI protocol layer (I forget what they call it). It's supposed to be easy for creating templates. Too bad the newer models aren't as full-featured or as well-made as the X-Station (which has a built-in soft synth), but it's risky to buy the older models as they could be orphaned in terms of software and driver support.

[daniel.sneed]

+1 on Novation SL (semi weighted) and Studiologic VMK (full weighted).

VMK161+ is may daily practice key now.
The most inspiring key I ever let my fingers on.

BTW, did you know Mozart never played keys over 61 ?
IIRC, 65 came 4 years after he died!

[mhschmieder]

Well, Mozart might have been better off with 49 keys since he had "too many notes".

[daniel.sneed]

Those musicians! Always lacking a few notes and a few gears.
Hum, hum ! What about practicing more ?

[cowtothesky]

Well, Mozart might have been better off with 49 keys since he had "too many notes".

And don't give him a sustain pedal, because he never used one!

Interesting true story about Mozart. He was hanging around with Haydn one day and brought in a piece of music. He asked Haydn to see if he could play the music. Haydn sat down and began to play. When he got to this one note, he paused and stopped playing. He looked to Mozart and said, "there is no human who can play this piece of music".

Mozart sat back with a smirk on his face and said, "I can". Haydn challenged him to play the music.

Mozart sat down and began playing effortlessly. When he got to the part in question, he lowered his head to the piano and played the note with his nose. He finished the piece and looked at Haydn. Haydn said, "Sure YOU can play it with a nose as long as yours".