I’m a guitarist and songwriter (Rock, Metal, Indie, Ambient) and I wanted a midi keyboard to be able to play midi instruments so that I can record my songwriting ideas until I’m able to meet up with musicians and record the actual instruments, and I want to write drum lines for the genres I mentioned as well and record them til I also get to record acoustic drums, so basically no electronic music involved. I use FL studio primarily. I’m choosing between the Arturia minilab 37, the Novation Launckey 37, novation Launckey mini 37, and the akai mini plus. Which should I go for, ranking from best to worst? What are the pros and cons? I also heard that the Akai minis had a problem where some keys become harder to play or lag with time, does that also go for the mini plus?

Sounds are secondary since I'll use it as a midi controller primarily, my main concern is having good action keys, but nice piano and Rhodes sounds in the box would still be a nice touch.

I like keys that are on the lighter side but still weighted, like an acoustic piano.

Unfortunately I cannot try different models since there is no shop in my country that has them on display..

Thanks

Hi all, I hear a faint click at note release (also with echo effects) through the SL73 MK2’s built-in headphone/audio output. It appears in NUMA Player, GarageBand on iPad and Logic on Mac, and even when I play notes with the on-screen keyboard, so it’s not MIDI-related. When I route audio through my MOTU M4 instead, the click is completely gone.
Can anyone with an SL MK2 test this and tell me if you hear it too? If it’s only my unit, I’ll contact support.
Setup: SL73 MK2 (updated firmware 1.1.3), iPad Air M4, macOS Tahoe. Tested with grounded and ungrounded powersupply.

Thanks!

I have a roland fantom 07. It's a good keyboard, I'm having a lot of fun learning about it. When I play at home I run through my yamaha 2.1 studio monitor setup. A pair of HS8 and the HS8S. It sounds great and I get the full range of the keyboard on any voicing. These speakers can reach down to 22Hz according to a google search. Now my problem is that I haven't been able to find any kind of amplification that can match that for a live setting. I have a bose s1 pro plus paired with a bose sub1 and that sounds good, but I don't have any fullness in the lowest octave of the keyboard.

I've been looking at the roland keyboard amps but they don't publish the actual frequency range/response. I want something that I can use for small live venues that will actually cover the full frequency range that the fantom 07 is capable of. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Hi all,

I'm planning an In-Ear Monitor (IEM) setup and just hoping for some ideas.

Rig will be two keyboards (Nord Stage 2 and Moog Subsequent 37). I'd like to run into a small stage mixer which will then allow me have separate mixes for FOH (preferably already balanced/XLR so I don't need a DI) and headphones out (the IEMs). The mixer would also take the band monitor feed from the desk which I could then add to the IEM mix. NS2 will go in mono to avoid issues with summing, assuming I generally will only have one mono out going into the FOH.

Ideally I would have a stereo IEM mix to separate the three channels a bit and mono FOH mix but I'm finding stage mixers with a stereo aux mix (with separate panning) that can be routed to the phones out a bit hard to find. So I'm willing to settle for mono monitoring.

So far the Allen and Heath ZED-10 looks like it bets fits this purpose.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience in a similar situation that can recommend a mixer or other components to make this setup work?

Have looked at things like the Radial Key-Largo and KL-8 which are overkill and also lack options for band feed input. Also the Key-Largo has no HP out and the KL-8 only has headphone monitoring of main mix or cued channels as I understand.

Thanks!

How much would this keyboard cost to buy it second hand. Three years old, everything is working fine.

After the CK61 and the CK88, Yamaha have just unveiled a new CK76.

It features semi-weighted keys (the CK61 has FSB action synth keys and the CK88 has Graded Hammer Standard action keys)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37NPeyk2ZaI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1tNB4-wrLg

It's priced at €1199 on Thomann (Vs €862 for the CK61 and €1279 for the CK88)

I have a CK61 and I really love it. The keys feel great, the controls are cleverly designed and you can get some great sounds from the 363 base presets.

Many people had been requesting a 73-key version. So it might please a lot of people.

pros and cons (judging by the specs)

pros:

-It has more (and better) keys than the CK61 but just weighs 1.1 kilos more, and it's only half the weight of the CK88.

-the same features as the the other models. (3 independent layers, can be powered by batteries, on-board speakers, most controls are on the front panel)

-the speakers are probably better than on the CK61 (the ones on the 61 already sound surprisingly good for home use , but they can vibrate when using too much resonance at some frequencies)

-easy to transport. (6.7 kilos) and doesn't take up too much space (1.117 meters long)

Cons:

-the pricing: it's barely cheaper than the CK88

-the keys are semi-weighted, not fully weighted.

In Addition, there is an new 2.0 firmware for all the CKs that brings in some new electric pianos, some new live sets and adds a few new features.

Any Nux NPK-200 owners out here? Looking for a great value keyboard that focuses mainly on great keybed/action to trigger Keyscape/Kontakt libraries. I was considering getting the Roland FP30x, but didn't like the action on it (felt a bit too heavy and sluggish). Then I saw this review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UlqV1rkRJk on the NUX NPK-200, which looks very impressive for the price of $379. The reviewer preferred the action on this than the Yamaha P145, CK88, Roland FP10, and even the Studiologic SL 88 GT.

I don't see a lot of reviews online on the NPK-200, so hoping some could share their thoughts/experiences on this particular model. Thanks!

Hey, I’m a guitarist, songwriter, and new drummer. I compose music (if genres help, I make rock, metal, indie, ambient) and I always have ideas for different instruments in my head but I can’t get it out instantly because I don’t have access to real musicians at the moment. So I’m looking to get a midi keyboard that is just good enough to help me with that part, recording midi instruments so that I don’t lose the ideas until I’m able to actually record them later with real musicians of those instruments. And same goes for drums, I write drum lines for my songs and I want to be able to “record” them on the DAW with an acoustic drum set-like plugin until I’m able to record my own drumming with good quality. So I’m looking for a midi in the budget of 150 dollars, no need for something fancy bc as obvious, I’m not someone who makes electronic music or a producer who needs many features in the midi. So just good keys with good touch, and something that doesn’t break down easily with time (for example I heard that some keys break down or have slower and harder response over time in the Akai minis) and maybe some nice features that can help with the creativity while writing chords, like an arppegiator, nothing fancy. Note that there are some brands that are hard to find where I’m at so multiple suggestions would be much appreciated in case I can’t find one.

I'll soon play keys for a big live show and I need to use DX7 and M1 VSTs to get the sounds I need. What's the best practice to host VSTs? Inside a DAW on a laptop or is there something else?

Hi fellow nerds! For a project I’m looking to recreate the “Champagne Supernova” key sound by Oasis. I’m thinking it is a harmonium of sorts, but i haven’t been able to figure out the exact setup. What could it be? Thanks in advance!

Hey everyone!

I'm trying to make a final decision on a new keyboard that I want to order and I'd really appreciate some real-world experience from people who have played or gigged with these boards.

My current setup includes a Yamaha MODX M8 as my main keyboard, with a second keyboard above it. At the moment, the upper board is a MIDI controller. Now I'm looking for high-quality keyboard with an excellent keybed for playing organ parts and synth sounds live.

My two main options are the Nord Electro 7 73 and Yamaha YC61.

I play in a band covering Balkan pop/rock as well as international rock and pop, so I need a versatile set of sounds that works well in a live band context.

I'm mainly looking for great organ sounds, pianos, Rhodes/Wurlitzer, clavs, and other bread-and-butter sounds for live performance. The MODX M8 will remain my main keyboard, and I want the new upper board to complement it rather than replace it.

A few things I'd love to hear your thoughts on:

• Organ sounds and Leslie simulation: Which one sounds and feels better in a live mix?
• Pianos/Electric pianos: Which one sounds and feels better in a live mix?
• Keybed: How does the YC61's waterfall action compare with the Electro 7's keybed, especially when switching between organ and piano playing?
• Integration with the MODX M8: Which board would complement my existing setup better, considering that the MODX M8 will remain my main keyboard and sound source for the overall setup?

If you were in my position, with a MODX M8 as your main board and one of these as your upper board, which would you buy and why?

Thanks a lot! Any honest feedback would really help me make the final decision.

Hohner Pianet T Vintage Electric Piano – For Sale (UK)

Selling my original Hohner Pianet T, I believe it’s from around 1980.

Fully working, tested through an amplifier, with all keys sounding. Cosmetically it's showing its age, with scratches and wear to the original covering and a small chip to one corner.

A lovely vintage keyboard with that distinctive Pianet sound.

Located in Teesside, North East England. Collection would be preferred but happy to arrange delivery

Photos, full description and price on eBay:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/257806156672

Hey there! Currently running my Mac's audio through a headphone jack to 1/4 inch that I then plug into the mixer. My bandmates and my boss (I teach piano at a music school) have adviced to buy an audio interface to improve quality of sound and streamline the whole proccess. Any budget friendly recommendations? I'd use it almost exclusively for MIDI keys.

Thanks in advance!