Semi-weighted or hammer-action keys... help me decide

[parke02]

I'm deciding on a new master keyboard and can't decide whether or not I should get a 76key semi-weighted keyboard or a 88key hammer-action.

I was previously using a Yamaha P70 keyboard which I thought had excellent feeling keys, but it lacked pitch/mod wheels and more importantly the velocity curve wasn't very great for midi synths.

I'm waiting on the new CME UFX0 keyboards. I liked having hammer weighted keys for playing piano, but they were sometimes hard to use for synth playing. Probably b/c my keyboard skills suck...

I hated the semi-weighted keys on my old evolution keyboard, but that was a $150 piece of crap. I've been using my Roland JX-8P keyboard as a midi controller for the last month, and I'm starting to appreciate having lighter keys. Its just seems to feel right sometimes, especially for synth playing.

So now I can't decide what to buy. # of keys isn't really an issue, 76 will be good enough 99% of the time. Anybody ever have a similar dilemma? [/quote]

[Nystul]

I had a Privia PX-310 digital piano and a very limited budget. I quickly realized that there was no chance of me getting a master controller that would have a better keybed than my digital piano (perhaps on your budget, this isn't true). But still I did want something with a bit lighter feel, aftertouch, and the control features lacking on DPs. So I got one, but I kept the Privia too. The Privia is hooked to the sound card, the controller hooked in by USB. I use whichever feels right for the instrument, and if I want to use the control features while playing on the Privia, that works (although I have to reach a little).

If you fancy yourself a piano player, having at least one hammer action keybed available is more mandatory than optional. If you mainly do synths and bases it may not be so. Whatever you get, make sure you try it out first and it has an acceptable feel to you.