I can't believe the poor quality of midi keyboards today

[vad.martyn]

Agree with the title. One would think that dedicated midi controllers would all have great feel. But the only some most expansive ones do. When most non-midi controller keyboards have great key feel.



Why are so many users in this thread banned ? Did novation, m-audio and akai complained to KVR admins

[vad.martyn]

Got money? Try this:
https://www.flkeys.at/Products.html

They mention Windows XP for their software

[vad.martyn]

It's because they aren't really meant to be played, they are for note input and programming. The ones that are meant to be played do have great build quality, like the Roli Seaboard.

Honestly, the mouse is the best synth controller there is when you are programming in a sequencer. And MIDI is a very old and not very dynamic protocol compared to DAW automation which has much finer grained resolution and control.

Are you being sarcastic or you don’t realize you contradicted yourself ?

[rod_zero]

I now noticed OP said the Impulse has the best keys of the bunch.

I hated those more than anything else, how it pretends to be weighted keys and are super shallow.

While I would agree they aren't good key action in controllers the Impulse will be near the bottom for me.

[Smasha]

Impulse refuses to work here.
New PC kaby lake i7 and Audient id 4 mk2 soundcard (not bad but aint a patch on my beloved E-Mu 1212m.

Impulse is non functional with this PC type and Sound card.

FFS

Going back to Reason and using the players.

Sick of glitchy hardware.

[Smasha]

All midi KBS are rubbish and have software issues as well.

WE are living in the Greed age of humanity after all.

[chk071]

Yes yes. We know that you have an issue with your keyboard now.

Try a different cable. The Impulse has already wrecked two cables here. Also try another USB port. And best keep your issue in a single thread, instead of doing half a dozen of posts for the same thing.

[Smasha]

chk071

YOU LEGEND!

I found another USB cablew and WALAH ,working againg.

My Novation is back.

I blamed the poor girl ,how can I repay her love.

What do KB's like?,a lava lamp!!!!

TY chk071 for saving my kb.

[krystophny]

Generally I am quite happy with the MPK249 which feels better than my Yamaha EX7 from back in the day. A problem I had was the loud noise of the keys when hitting the keybed. I got rid of it by replacing the stock felt in the keybed by a softer window seal. Aftertouch stopped working on the white keys afterwards, but aftertouch on the Akai was anyway a bad joke, since it's so hard to press and cannot be adjusted for sensitivity. Looking forward to the Behringer Polykey though - let's see ...

[ThatDudeThere]

I recently bought the Novation SL MKiii for my first controller, based on so many saying it's the best midi keybed. I don't really need the other features, but I thought I would use them. Turns out I don't really, and just want the best keybed. I like it ok, but I'm thinking it's way overpriced for just the keybed. The issue is right now all I care about are quality keys. Soon after getting the novation, I also bought my kids a $200 open box Yamaha EZ300. I was pushing to get them a Yamaha PSR-EW310 76-key, but they wanted the lights and teaching function. Turns out the lessons/lights are not good at all, and gimmiky. Putting the yamaha and novation side by side though, yes the keys on the yamaha are more thin and plasticy and move side to side more, BUT they play nearly the same! If anything, there are things I like about the Yamaha better. They both can play softly, medium, and hard/loud...but I am slamming the keys on the novation to get the full impact. Yes I assume I can change the sensitivity, but that may throw off the overall setting, and downgrade it in other areas. I tried turning up the volume, but it slams my ears when I do inevitably hit the max volume...especially in modo drums. I really would like better control over the loudness though, and would like a better quality keyboard than both the yamaha AND novation. For the price, I can't complain about the yamaha...but I can complain about the novation. I bought the SL MKiii because the consensus is that the SL MKiii is the best keybed as far as midi controllers. If this is the best, then something is wrong.

Another huge disappointment for me, which I'm not the only one...is the lack of tutorials for the SL MKiii. They go through the software setup with Ableton step by step and easy to follow...then they FLY through the pads showing how easy it is to use...without showing how to use it. The deep dive video was so over my head it was useless. Novation is lazy in my mind. If it was my company, I would put out plenty of tutorials with absolute beginners in mind. Not only that, but they are outdated since some updates. I will admit I gave up, and planned on digging into that more later, hoping something would click for me.

I just dropped off the SL MKiii for return, and I'll use this yamaha for about a month, then get the FP30x (or FP90X or something in that range?) when our finances bounce back. Also I want to prove to myself that I'll stick with this. I tend to go all in on stuff and spend money, and then not use it so much for months. I really think I want to stick with this, and start piano lessons. I tried the FP30X in the store. It's really good, but not perfect.

I just closed several internet tabs I had open that are SL MKii tutorials. I'm buried in tutorial tabs, and now that is a weight off my shoulders that only was wanting to learn to justify the money. Now I can focus on learning Ableton and plugins.

Also so many say that the Roland FP30X is not ideal for synth sounds and speed...that pushed me to the Novation. So only after trying my FIRST midi controller...I realize a fully weighted piano fits me better. For the weaknesses of the slower key action of the piano, I'll simply have the Yamaha as it's sidekick.

[ThatDudeThere]

Just ordered the Yamaha DGX-670!

[cryophonik]

I recently bought the Novation SL MKiii for my first controller, based on so many saying it's the best midi keybed…I bought the SL MKiii because the consensus is that the SL MKiii is the best keybed as far as midi controllers. If this is the best, then something is wrong.

Not sure where you saw that, but the MKiii is definitely NOT the best keybed. Novation put a high end Fatar keybed in the mk1 and mk2, but inexplicably skimped on the mk3 and put a cheap keybed in it. It’s one of the biggest complaints about the mk3 and the reason I passed on buying one.

[ThatDudeThere]

Every thread that I found that mentioned it said it was the best. That's ok it worked out.
Edit: going back through this thread I saw someone complain about it on the first page. I must have dismissed it after reading others rave about it so many times.

[emasters]

What I would be willing to pay (a lot) for: a small foot-print, light-weight, well built, high quality 88 note (or start with 61 note), synth-action (non or semi weighted) keyboard, with a top-of-the-line Fatar Polyphonic Aftertouch keybed (like Waldorf uses in the Iridium Keyboard and Quantum Mk2). No need for a display (can configure with keys mapped to functions). High-quality pitch and mod-wheels with two pedal inputs (sustain and expression). USB and Midi out. Ready to buy....

[Uncle E]

Every thread that I found that mentioned it said it was the best. That's ok it worked out.
Edit: going back through this thread I saw someone complain about it on the first page. I must have dismissed it after reading others rave about it so many times.

The Remote SL provides a ton of features that people love (the earlier Remote SL's are some of the best controllers for hardware synthesizers ever created). Their opinions are probably biased because of that.

If you want a fantastic piano feel for not a lot of money, find an old Kawai MP9000 or MP9500. You should be able to get one for less than $500. The Yamaha P-85 and P-95 are nice, as well. They don't feel as good as the Kawai but the built-in speakers make them vibrate like a piano, which is satisfying.