Excellent review and exactly what me and many others look for in a keyboard review. One correction I'd like to offer is that the M-Audio Hammer 88, while having a weighted hammer action, doesn't have a _graded/scaled_ hammer action; it's all the same weight across the entire range of the keys.
Good honest review. Finally a reviewer that didn’t complain about a 229.00$ kybd not feeling like a Steinway grand action and velocity sensitivity. You reviewed for what it is, not what it isn’t.
I've been gigging with this for about 5 years now and have it midi'd to my Korg Karma. I have the combi's split across two midi channels so I can instantly change sounds on both keyboard quickly without any fuss. This works well for instance. I can have a piano on midi ch2 which the M-Audio is set to and midi ch1 can have organ or brass either on the Karma keyboard. The keys are abit light and cheap feeling but at this budget you would expect this and as pointed out in the video they're slightly shorter so it takes some getting used to. Overall it's an 88 note controller that does the job.
Really well presented. Thank you. It looks remarkably like the Alesis Q88 including the same layout of the buttons and similar price. Maybe the same one but rebranded. The M-Audio one comes with more software.
Great review! So it’s good… but not great. I actually had the old version of this midi when it was grey/silver (before I sold it). It still made that clicky noise when you pressed the keys, but it was still a good keyboard
Don't no why he said it wasn't a gigging keyboard. I bought the 61 key version for stage use. It's light and so very portable. Yes it's a plastic case but it's well constructed and solid enough.
@@typingcatNo its not suitable to learn on . . The key action (how it feels under the fingers) is not great IMO. You need a good digital keyboard or an acoustic piano.
GettingM-AUDIO KEYSTATION 88 MK3 as a present. I know that the person I'm giving it to has a MIDI cable. What other cables do I need? Does it have to be connected to a laptop to play? Thank you.
Great review, many thanks for this. Don't mind spending a bit more to get better keys, but really need a thin keyboard sine i would like to mount it under my desk on sliders. Do you know of other thin keyboards that you would recommend that have a better key action? Many thanks, John
Hi, thank you for your review. Someone has just offered me this keyboard. I am going to use it to help me to write songs. It is the first time I get a midi keyboard. May I know if I need to install it into my PC before I could use it with Musescore under Windows 11?
Just incase anybody still sees these comments and has one, how long are the cables for this, because that is really the make or break for allot of these and reviews and product specifications never seem to deem it useful information to share
Don't get this. Sticky keys like the 61 mk3(Initial tick before pushing down) I thought mine was defect until I checked them out in a music store and found out even the displayed ones were sticky. Don't get it!
What would you say is the best lightweight 61 keys midi controller that has a good feel for piano but also synth playing? I was thinking about getting the Nektar GX 61.
"Mk." stands for "mark", which in the tech world is the same thing as "version". So this is the 3rd version of the keystation, with the main difference being that the keys are a lot less stiff.
are the keys on this one high quality? I got an Akai MINI MkII and the keys feel super cheap and terrible. Anyone know if this is like that or is it actually good?
I own one. I haven't tried the Akai to do a comparison, but the Keystation88 Mk.3 has decent keys for the price. The keys are very light, similarly to a synth action (so be aware of that if you want weighted keys), but not stiff like previous Keystations. Smooth, but hardly any weight. There's a little to where they're allowed to technically call it "semi-weighted", but still on the very light side. One thing is that the velocity is decent, but not the full 0-127; I've heard it's somewhere around 25 to 115, but it's still decently expressive and the sensitivity is pretty even across the entire range, though the light weight will still make it harder to control the dynamics in the first place. The keys are a bit noisy, but that's to be expected of a 230 U.S.D. controller. The noise isn't the worst thing ever, just pretty decently loud; it's not squeaky or anything, but a bit clunkity. One thing I like is that it's not super difficult to play further back into the keys; it's still a little harder, but not to where it bothers me much. The very, very far back where the keys are hinged isn't pleasant, but it's easy to avoid going that far and play a little lower. Do you know about the different types of keybeds keyboards can have?
I own a Keystation 61 Mk3. The key action is said to be semi-weighted but on a scale of 1 to 10, if 10 is a full hammer action similar to an acoustic, this one comes in at around 3-4 but not a feather weight like a "synth action" keyboard. They are not clicky, well, not much! Overall I have no regrets but I've gone ahead and just bought a full digital piano, a Kawai ES920. On it the keys are around 8 in the scale of 1 to 10 I mentioned! :) I still own the M-Audio and plan to keep it around. Have ordered this power supply and waiting for it, should come in 2 days. It is to try and connect to an iPad without the Apple Camera adapter. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015H0UPWU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Sadly, only good for MIDI instrument triggering surface. Perhaps only a singular sensor, with some hammer action. Not like a "Grand Hammer Action" of others. Others have rate, velocity, pressure and time for their multi level sensors.
Great for what you're getting? It's a shell to input midi! The fact there is clicking and comes across cheap is very bad. It's not a cheap price for such an item - a keystation. So that tapping sound should not be happening. If the keys feel very light, though advertised as semi-weighted, it defeats the object completely. The fact that the keys are shorter than that of a piano is another fail. All-in-all, that you have described, is an absolute peace of garbage for anyone above the level of beginners. The fact that it is light can also be another negative... it would be slippery, easily knocked over off the stand.. £180? I wouldn't pay £80!
thanks but why must reviewers always give us these pointless boring intros...nobody cares about "MAudio the company" - just get on with it - PS stop smacking your lips
Excellent review. After years of my idleness, it returned me to my music school years. Nostalgia and this review persuaded me to buy this one.
I really love this section ! 1:23 Thank you for your demo !
Excellent review and exactly what me and many others look for in a keyboard review.
One correction I'd like to offer is that the M-Audio Hammer 88, while having a weighted hammer action, doesn't have a _graded/scaled_ hammer action; it's all the same weight across the entire range of the keys.
Good honest review. Finally a reviewer that didn’t complain about a 229.00$ kybd not feeling like a Steinway grand action and velocity sensitivity. You reviewed for what it is, not what it isn’t.
I've been gigging with this for about 5 years now and have it midi'd to my Korg Karma. I have the combi's split across two midi channels so I can instantly change sounds on both keyboard quickly without any fuss. This works well for instance. I can have a piano on midi ch2 which the M-Audio is set to and midi ch1 can have organ or brass either on the Karma keyboard.
The keys are abit light and cheap feeling but at this budget you would expect this and as pointed out in the video they're slightly shorter so it takes some getting used to.
Overall it's an 88 note controller that does the job.
Good review, great playing!
Wow so much information in just few minutes this is cool!
Really well presented. Thank you. It looks remarkably like the Alesis Q88 including the same layout of the buttons and similar price. Maybe the same one but rebranded. The M-Audio one comes with more software.
Very good review .... concise, informative, professional etc. Thank you for posting as I am seriously considering one for my studio....
That piece you played in the beginning was humbling. :D
I hope i can play something like that one day!
Straight to the point!💐
GREAT VIDEO! I'm looking for something to just learn on and compose in my DAW.
Love your playing Bro!
Which midi controller would you recommend for piano players, 61 keys, with minimal function buttons like this one?
I'm very new to digital music and I'm wondering the same thing
Your Content Quality . Loved It 🔥
Great reviews. U also do keyboard reviews... Amazing already followed your channel and support
Thanks for this my friend. You helped me from wasting my money. For my needs I think the M-Audio Hammer 88 Pro would be better.
1:25 is that a song, or smth improvized? Sounds beaufitul
Great review! So it’s good… but not great. I actually had the old version of this midi when it was grey/silver (before I sold it). It still made that clicky noise when you pressed the keys, but it was still a good keyboard
Thank you very much for this review.
Is there any better keyboards with 88 keys and more functionality/better key velocity, at a similar price?
No, 88 keys are expensive, and the velocity of the Keystation is actually really decent. If you want better, you'll unfortunately need to pay up
A detailed review of the key range is missing. How many pressure levels do they have or are they just on off switches.
Don't no why he said it wasn't a gigging keyboard.
I bought the 61 key version for stage use.
It's light and so very portable. Yes it's a plastic case but it's well constructed and solid enough.
You think it's good for learning how to play the piano?
@@typingcatNo its not suitable to learn on . . The key action (how it feels under the fingers) is not great IMO.
You need a good digital keyboard or an acoustic piano.
GettingM-AUDIO KEYSTATION 88 MK3 as a present. I know that the person I'm giving it to has a MIDI cable. What other cables do I need? Does it have to be connected to a laptop to play? Thank you.
Hi, tnx. I'm looking for a stand for this keyboard. Which is more suitable for you? Tnx in advance
Very good review
Well explained..thanks for the review ❣️
Is this keyboard still functional?
Really a good one indeed
I would like to know the chord progression you did at the beginning of the video🙏
at 0:21 is that Luther Vandross - Never Too Much?
Great review, many thanks for this. Don't mind spending a bit more to get better keys, but really need a thin keyboard sine i would like to mount it under my desk on sliders. Do you know of other thin keyboards that you would recommend that have a better key action? Many thanks, John
Hi, thank you for your review. Someone has just offered me this keyboard. I am going to use it to help me to write songs. It is the first time I get a midi keyboard. May I know if I need to install it into my PC before I could use it with Musescore under Windows 11?
Do the keys feel better than Akai MPK2-61?
hello. how does this compare to Keystation 88 MkII ? thanks
Just incase anybody still sees these comments and has one, how long are the cables for this, because that is really the make or break for allot of these and reviews and product specifications never seem to deem it useful information to share
Honest review
Can i connect this to my quest 2? (PianoVision)
Don't get this. Sticky keys like the 61 mk3(Initial tick before pushing down)
I thought mine was defect until I checked them out in a music store and found out even the displayed ones were sticky. Don't get it!
WHATS THE 2D SONG YOURE PLAYING I NEED TO KNOWWW
on 1:26
Does it have aftertouch?
Thank you
What would you say is the best lightweight 61 keys midi controller that has a good feel for piano but also synth playing? I was thinking about getting the Nektar GX 61.
Arturia keylab or Studiologic might be interesting for you.
@@Bylov6812 Thanks, maybe the Numa Compact 2x, but I'd prefer something with 61 or maybe 73/76 keys.
Cheers Cire
Thanks
Do it has organ?
Does it have headphone jack
Please what the differace between Mk3 and m-audio keystation without Mk3 ??
"Mk." stands for "mark", which in the tech world is the same thing as "version". So this is the 3rd version of the keystation, with the main difference being that the keys are a lot less stiff.
@@Persun_McPersonson thanks
@@anchorluxury4573
No problem!
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
This good for Jazz music
are the keys on this one high quality? I got an Akai MINI MkII and the keys feel super cheap and terrible. Anyone know if this is like that or is it actually good?
I own one. I haven't tried the Akai to do a comparison, but the Keystation88 Mk.3 has decent keys for the price. The keys are very light, similarly to a synth action (so be aware of that if you want weighted keys), but not stiff like previous Keystations. Smooth, but hardly any weight. There's a little to where they're allowed to technically call it "semi-weighted", but still on the very light side.
One thing is that the velocity is decent, but not the full 0-127; I've heard it's somewhere around 25 to 115, but it's still decently expressive and the sensitivity is pretty even across the entire range, though the light weight will still make it harder to control the dynamics in the first place.
The keys are a bit noisy, but that's to be expected of a 230 U.S.D. controller. The noise isn't the worst thing ever, just pretty decently loud; it's not squeaky or anything, but a bit clunkity.
One thing I like is that it's not super difficult to play further back into the keys; it's still a little harder, but not to where it bothers me much. The very, very far back where the keys are hinged isn't pleasant, but it's easy to avoid going that far and play a little lower.
Do you know about the different types of keybeds keyboards can have?
I own a Keystation 61 Mk3. The key action is said to be semi-weighted but on a scale of 1 to 10, if 10 is a full hammer action similar to an acoustic, this one comes in at around 3-4 but not a feather weight like a "synth action" keyboard. They are not clicky, well, not much! Overall I have no regrets but I've gone ahead and just bought a full digital piano, a Kawai ES920. On it the keys are around 8 in the scale of 1 to 10 I mentioned! :) I still own the M-Audio and plan to keep it around. Have ordered this power supply and waiting for it, should come in 2 days. It is to try and connect to an iPad without the Apple Camera adapter. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015H0UPWU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
@@OnlineMD
Nice to see someone else giving valuable input aswell. Most Kawai digital pianos are very good, I hope you're satisfied with it!
John Carpenter gigs with one of these!
Sadly, only good for MIDI instrument triggering surface. Perhaps only a singular sensor, with some hammer action. Not like a "Grand Hammer Action" of others. Others have rate, velocity, pressure and time for their multi level sensors.
1:35 song name?
this piano works with windows 10?
Yes. Plug and play.
Note. You might have to set it up with the software you are using though.
FIRST!
OMG. You are sooooo handsome!
HACER EN ESPAÑOL
This thing is longer then my future
keys look tiny... :/
Great for what you're getting? It's a shell to input midi! The fact there is clicking and comes across cheap is very bad. It's not a cheap price for such an item - a keystation. So that tapping sound should not be happening. If the keys feel very light, though advertised as semi-weighted, it defeats the object completely. The fact that the keys are shorter than that of a piano is another fail. All-in-all, that you have described, is an absolute peace of garbage for anyone above the level of beginners. The fact that it is light can also be another negative... it would be slippery, easily knocked over off the stand.. £180? I wouldn't pay £80!
Biggest letdown: no aftertouch
Usefull listening to a sound when you review a mute keyboard...
thanks but why must reviewers always give us these pointless boring intros...nobody cares about "MAudio the company" - just get on with it - PS stop smacking your lips
OMG ... all of 18 seconds....... I can understand why you are sooooo distressed LOL!
Why must viewers always give these demeaning, ungrateful comments...nobody cares about criticisms of intros and lips.