Yamaha KX88 Master Midi Keyboard from 1984. One of the really iconic keyboards from the 80s. If you watch a music video from the 80s you can be sure it's there and every professional keyboardist back then used one. Support this channel on Patreon: www.patreon.com/espenkraft Find my music here: iTunes Apple music: apple.co/35ZTdfR Spotify: spoti.fi/38aoWMB Bandcamp: espenkraft.bandcamp.com/ Google Play: bit.ly/2NrgXD9 This KX88 was brought back to Norway all the way from Manny's Music in New York in 1994. I even have the flight case with Manny's logo on it. Got it from the previous owner who took it over here. The flight and the KX88 weighs a ton, I can assure you so no small feat. A very interesting thing is that in the KX88 manual Yamaha mentions Roland, another manufacturer of keyboards and synths, when showing how to use midi sysex data to control the filter cutoff. As an example. Very rare to find a mention of another brand in manuals like this, especially from the 80s. Of course I had to try this, hence the Juno-106 segment in the video. It works too. ;-) Find my patches and sample packs through these links: thepatchbay.co.uk/product/tal-sampler-the-digital-collection-vol-1-by-espen-kraft/ sound7.co.uk/products/italo-disco-synth-pop Please join me on social media: facebook.com/espenkraftmusic instagram.com/espenkraft/ twitter.com/EspenKraft I use DistroKid for all my releases onto streaming services. Try out Distrokid yourself and get a 7% discount off your first year by using this link: distrokid.com/vip/espenkraft
Oh, I think of that beforehand and upload a quick render to check, and I change things here and there to prevent that from ultimately happening. THEN I upload the final edit. That said, I have videos I know will be demonetized from the get go, but that's only a few. Nothing is done by chance here. ;-) BTW, cover versions are never fully demonetized if they're not carbon copies of the original.
This video sure brings back memories. Nearly 30 years ago I had a customer whose KX88 died. We ordered a Doepfer LMK3 for him. It arrived two days before he had a show. He was 2000 km away. The manual was only in German. I started translating the manual. At the time my German was rudimentary. It's non existant now. When the courier company called us to say they would be there within 2 hours I dropped the translation and started writing what I thought would be the most relevant cheats and tips. The only catch was that I had never used a doepfer controller before. Fatar, Peavey, Yamaha, Roland yes. When the courier arrived I drew a big heart on the book and boxed it. I think the customer liked it. I hooked it up to an X3R and an 0/1W to test the programs.
One of my piano student have this beast and I am surprised how well this machine mimic the real Grand Piano. Such a beauty from old time. When I connect it through Pianoteq, voila the sounds is there. It blows my mind.
I have three KX88’s that I haven’t used in years. If anyone in Southern California is interested in one - or two - or three - drop me a line. Cheap!! I got my first one in ’86, and yeah… the action is awesome. When I was doing a major road gig I picked up a couple more in the late ’90’s, early 2000’s to have as spares. Now they’re in storage and in need of a home. Hard to sell…they are archaic compared to today’s controllers. And they sure are heavy…just under 70lbs, without a case. Ray Charles had quite a few of them near the end of his life… that’s a pretty good endorsement, and I know that he loved their action. So…. funny story… About a year ago - 2022 - I did a session at a home studio. A very, very professional home studio…and the owner had a KX88. I commented about it and he told me how it’s his favorite controller. I proceeded to tell him about how I have 3 of them and maybe he might like a spare. He told me he found the one he has in a dumpster! Restored it, and he loves it. There you have it. It was a great keyboard for it’s time, and in some ways it still is. As long as you don’t have to move it…
When I was shopping for an 88 key digital piano around 1989, it ended up with me spending an hour in a music store doing a side-by-side comparison of the Yamaha KX88 versus the Roland RD300s. A friend of mine had the Roland so I was familiar with it but it was down to the Piano patches and the available patches built into the keyboards. I wasn’t doing a lot of MIDI controlling back then. In the end, the Roland won because of the juicy electric piano patch which I’ve come to find out is a coveted patch on the RD series as well as the rack mount MKS 20. But, I have mad respect for the KX88 still and your video has unlocked all sorts of potential that I never knew it even had.
I bought one of these in non-working condition in 2020 for $75 and repaired and restored it. It now sits alongside my one-owner KX76. What's remarkable is that in Yamaha's design, there are only two moving parts: the key and a steel strip acting as a leaf spring. That's all there is to it - and yet it's what Ray Charles chose to tour with, and he could have used anything he wanted.
Holy cow. I own one of these but don't have a high enough nerd quotient to go this deep into its usage. Love the feel of the keyboard - very piano-like.
The KX88 is my favorite keybed when it comes to weighted keys and MIDI. It almost plays itself. Got mine in a secondhand shop in London while touring (as a tech). From there I dragged it for1,5km to the Hammersmith Apollo to dump it on one of our trucks to get it home to Germany after the tour. That thing is heavy, but worth it. It will never leave my studio.
I still have my M-Audio, but it had an inconsistent feel over its key range. Noticeably stiffer in the bass but a very decent controller for the money. I use an RD-2000 now and i'd be surprised if there's anything better.
My memory of the kx88 is a funny one yet sad. I was watching Sting in concert and his keyboardist was using a Peavey C8 master keyboard . He started having problems with the one he had. Peavey C8 had all types of midi outs kind of my dream at the time. So since he had problems they brought out yet another C8 and same thing happened. They gave in finally and brought out the old KX88 and it worked. My guitarist at the time said "They brought out two Peaveys and they didn't work, but the yamaha did . But if you get any of them I am not helping you load!!!!" This happened on ten summoners tales in Houston Texas in the woodlands. I still want one
I bought mine used as the second owner in 1988 and have taken it from Seattle in America to Stockholm, in Sweden when I jumped continents and chose to leave America. As a classically trained pianist it is weighted perfectly for an earth shattering Scriabin prelude in 15/8 time or an ethereal Ondine by Ravel, yet I can still play any of the current genres. The hexadecimal control is arcane but that is easily fixed by adding a Nektar Panorama P1 for labeled slider, encoders, buttons, traction control with a nice informative color screen. I am never selling mine. Tried the Arturia and the Native Instruments and the Studio logic and they are all using different FATAR assemblies. Yamaha however has its own grand piano branch and uses it's own technology transfer and corporate knowhow. In Stockholm I have one next to my grand piano. They feel very similar.
Very interesting stuff. This is exactly what i was talking about. I thought about the Kx88 the other day. Wondered if someone could do a walkthru and here it was. 👍
Thanks Espen - really enjoyed this. Programming MIDI SysEx - nice work :) My dream was to own one of these and an Oberheim Xpander. I'd still love to have them, just so I could look at them :)
I have a Korg T1 as a master keyboard, as far as I know it has the same keybed as the KX88 - I love it because while feeling natural to play as a piano playing, it isn't a hammered action and feels OK even playing synths, apart from having aftertouch. The T1 is even more bulky than the KX88 but then has a very impressive synth engine which, considering its age, is still very useable!
I am both a pro musician and Computer engineer. When I tell people I got my start in tech/computers with computers and synths, people often look at me thinking "how does using a synth make you a techie?" Well, here you go. PS, I miss my Juno 106.
This was also how I got into computers. Got my first computer, Atari and learning to program my synth’s via sysex. When I actually began studying, assembler actually made sense to me, where lots of the other students really struggled understanding this cumbersome language, that is propably used by very few programmers today, but these low level ways of programming is a great way of getting to know how things work behind all the windows in todays tech.
I've wanted one of these since about 1998 when I saw Christine McVie playing one with Fleetwood Mac on The Dance (she'd been using it since 87 or 88 on the Tango in the Night Tour). Everything I read online for years said it had an amazing action and feel. I finally won one on eBay tonight, and I'm very much looking forward to trying it. I'll be using it with Apple MainStage, so the feature limitations are really a non-issue, as one midi output is all I need, and I don't really need to do much programming on the unit as MainStage can handle pretty much everything else.
Somehow, it’s not so earth shattering that Yamaha outlined how the KX88 could control the Juno 106. Yamaha and Roland were the two Japanese contributors to the specifications of MIDI, so it makes sense to me. I’m not sure that I know when first I became aware that this controller existed. I’ll tell you how fitting it was for me to find that three different performing acts that I liked utilized it on tour. One of the dubbed videotapes that we had included 1987 concerts by Billy Joel in the then Soviet Union and Cyndi Lauper in Paris. Each of their touring keyboard players included a KX88 in their arsenal Additionally, the 1987 Chicago tourbook that was given to me by my former sister-in-law featured photo spreads with both of their keyboard players in that year toting one KX88 apiece. For me, it did strike me as some kind of gold standard against which subsequent master keyboards and digital pianos were measured; the closest competitor of the day was the Kurzweil K250. In 2011 when I purchased my S 90 XS synthesizer, part of what drew me to it was the notion that it was almost like a distant successor to the KX-88 because of what it could do as a MIDI controller and a digital piano as well as a synthesizer.
Masterpiece Presentation the KX88 is still compatible with any new Synth with Midi the Action on the 88 is the best have ever played 1984 kx 88 is future proof they built to last YAMAHA Thank you.
I just came across your video, January 11, 2022. I am in the process of getting both my KX76 and 88 up and working properly. I had them out a couple of years ago and they were giving me all sorts of headaches. I recently dismantled my 76. Bathed and cleaned as much as possible all the tact switches. Hoping that clears of the issues. The 76 last time up it was displaying on two dots. I also bought this week a new main board for my 88. It appeared the boards had some tweaking over the time of production. The lights are in two different locations and some very minor changes in location of a few items. I kept the board that came with the 76 in it. I will dismantle the 88 soon and replace its main board. That board has been worked over and should pose no issues. I am also replacing the felts to cut down the clatter key noise on release. I will also fluff up the matted felt on the after touch strip. I will do that rather than replace them. I was able to obtain the KX99 service manual but not the 76. The "owners" manual serves for both 76/88, although there was a 76 published. About the only difference is the cover page. I also have a Kurzweil MIDIboard as well as a Rhodes 88 suitcase. I am setting quite well for controller keyboards. Thanks for your video.
Great video, thanks! I’ve had a KX88 for a while, but never figured out how if there is a way to hold/latch/toggle keys. Would be helpful using soft synths with an arp or sequence setting. That being said, is there an arp function on the KX88? Thanks!
In the days before the internet, I saw Cyndi Lauper's keyboard player using the KX88 to make all sorts of cool sounds. So, like a noob, I walked into my local music shop asking about it, and found out it made no sounds at all. What??? ;)
OMG I remember the keys were pretty heavy on the KX88. I used it as a controller when I performed 6 nights a week in Singapore, Bangkok, and Hong Kong back in the early 90's. Playing songs like "Respect" and Chains of Love" by Erasure were brutal using the KX88. LOL The thing never broke down though, and was built like a tank.
I used this behemoth to control my rack back in the 80's. It was the best of the best, and they were on EVERY stage. I had a rack with a few of those rack mounted DX7 modules (can't remember the model numbers offhand, but it was a rack with room for 8 plug in modules that was basically the equivalent of 8 DX7s if fully loaded, IIRC), and a super jupiter. Just amazing to remember how revolutionary those times were. I can also remember BEGGING for wireless midi, and thinking I would never live to see the day we had something like that...and now we do! It's just amazing how technology has improved, while, a LOT of music has gone downhill.
Those racks are called TX816. I mention that in this video. ;-) I have one. Wireless audio is not something I applaud though and I will never use that. That includes wireless MIDI which is even worse. ;-)
Hi Espen. Great stuff on the KX88. I agree with you it has one of the best keybeds of the early 80s. Having said that, despite all Yamahas I had and still have (MODX 8 is my current yamaha) I always hated, absolutely hated the cumbersomeness of all Yamahas programming. You almost need a degree in Yamahas to be able to unlock the full potential of these amazing instruments. So, because of that I always went for Rolands. I still have a RD600. My current master keyboards in the studio today is a Studiologic SL88 for piano patches and a Komplete Kontrol for organs and synths. Although all keys are connected to the master keys I don’t use the midi controllers when playing the vintage keys. I love the touch, the noises, the way the keys and the controllers feel.
I love the weighted keys too! I also enjoy that I can plug it into my M-audio interface and use it with garage band to get that beautiful rhodes sound :D
Thanks for another great video! I fell in love with the KX88 after seeing it in a prom scene in a John Hughes movie. When I got the chance to make a big purchase for my music, the first thing on the list was the KX88. By then it was only available second hand but I lucked out and got one from Howard Jones! I think the aftertouch strip needs to be replaced but I was wondering if you had any other maintenance tips?
I used a Roland A-80 and A-50 for a long time. They were also great 4- zone controllers (e.g. pach changes only were sent, after release of the keys), built in a quality, nobody does nowadays. The best contemprary masterkeyboard is the Studiologic SL 88 Grand in my opinion.
I've read in the 90s issue of Keyboard magazine in the interview of Gloria Estefan's keyboardist (I forgot his name), that he used two KX-88 for his live performance. But then he replaced with two Roland A-90EX soon after it's release.
Fantastic controller with a fantastic keybed. It's an 88 weighted action version of the Yamaha FS-1 keybed mechanism found on the DX7 and all the flagship Yamahas untill the Motif ES (6 and 7). Korg uses that 88 keybead also on the T1 and the 01/W ProX 😉
@@mootbooxle Yup. Korg used the yamaha keybeds on all their flagship worstations up until the Osays 76. The 88 weighted key was only used on the T1 and the 01/W ProX. The 61 and 76 semi weighted synth keybeds (first introduced on the Yamaha DX7) was used on the M1, T2, T3, 01W, 01Wfd, 01W Pro, Wavestation, Z1, i3, i2, i30, Trinity (plus, V3), Trinity Pro, Triton series (classic, studio, extreme both 61 and 76 key) and Oasys 76.
@@conan5885 Thank you for that info. I was aware of some of the synth action keys on Korgs (M1 and successors) being the same as those on the DX but I had no idea there were that many models that did!
@@EspenKraft I can't remember if he won the QX1, but i do remember the KX88, the TX816, and a drum machine that was Yamaha's top of the line back then. It was so long ago. Perhaps he did win the sequencer as well, because I do remember the value of everything being around $10 or $11k. Great video, and thanks for the reply.
Thanks! I'm planning to sell mine soon, so I'll be putting a link to this video. ;) I still have the breath controller, foot controller, and pedal that came with it, too.
I've never tried the KX88, but I know they were really popular. I have a Kurzweil Midiboard, which is great, but you have to like the heavy hammer grand piano-style feel.
The MIDIboard feels a bit “looser” than the KX88 from my experience…but in a way has a smoother action. The KX88 was a big adjustment for me coming from hammer-action keyboards, as it really has no hammer action, no haptic feedback at all really! Just a dull thud at the end of the very heavy key travel. Once I got used to that weird feel I fell in love with it. Very expressive, but feels like no other keyboard I’ve played!
@@mootbooxle That's interesting. I'm a sax player by training, not a keyboardist; in a funny way I almost prefer good, classic synth action to the weighted hammer feel except maybe unless I'm playing a great piano sound!
@@cortical1 I actually agree with you - for most applications in the studio I’m fine with synth action, or even prefer it! Gotta have the weighted thing for piano and stuff, though. I don’t think I could do with just one or the other, to be honest! Remember that weird Korg i-something workstation/arranger keyboard in the 90s that had the motorized key weights? you could move a slider and the key weights would drop out, making it into fast synth action. That thing had to be a mechanical nightmare! My college had one.
Awesome video!! I came across a CP33 for $600. I am shopping around for a master board with better action than the GHS. Have you played with the GHE keybed? I’m only second guessing picking it up since it’s a bit older. I came across a KX88, but missed my opportunity for that one. Lol
@@jaggass I mean it was literally a straight set of outdoor stairs and I couldn't even drag it up them. Wtf srsly. My RD 2k is better with the exquisite attention to the feel of the action, but there was no keyboard better than the KX88 for decades if you grew up as a pianist.
@@jaggass I have an RD-2000 now and it is perfect. I can't find anything to complain about. With my eyes closed I'd have trouble telling it from a nice upright or grand. I had a Kawai MP9000 for a number of years but the action wasn't fully debugged. I had to wrestle it into my car once for repairs when one or more keys started to bounce (double-note). I think the MP9500 fixed the issues but I had moved on at that point. Still, it was a great effort by Kawai.
Sold my KX88 because velocity only went from 0 to 100, not 127. I kinda solved that with a MIDI Solutions interface but then you had to link it to the computer in order to program it... too much hassle. Also the system exclusive was a pain in the arse to understand. The keys' touch was pretty nice though. You've done an excellent job on this, as usual. Cheers
@@EspenKraft around 2013; in the 80s I only had the brochure :D Anyway I've got a Kurzweil Midiboard now and am pretty happy with it in spite of system exclusive still being the same pain in the ass
Great overview. I have been using the Roland A-70 as my main controller, which has synth-style key action. How do think the A-90 would compare to the KX-88?
Thanks! I can't really tell. It's been ages since I played on the original A-90, but I remember I liked it. I did so much live music in the 90s and so many gigs, at different places, and I played on so many different master keyboards and pianos that it's a bit of a blur. ;-)
@@EspenKraft Understandable. The A-70 is pretty amazing and addresses the lack of MIDI ports with the KX-88. Since you are on the topic of controllers, how about a Kurzweil MIDIBoard overview? I don't think I have seen one of those in your studio yet.
My A90EX has nice weighted hammer action keys, but the dreaded hammers crack and the weight falls off. My advice is to make sure you get the later reinforced version. Never buy the earlier version, or you are bound to opening the keyboard and repairing the hammers with epoxy adhesive. 88 times.
The master of the breath controller and KX88 was David Sancious, many many many live and studio performances he made in the 80s and 90s [with Springsteen, Sting and tons of other great artists]
I find the lack of TX816, TX802, DX7II and TX16W in this video disturbing! Playing with the enemy too... oh dear! ;) But in all seriousness, sweet looking keyboard. Clean and sleek 80s look.
Those membrane buttons that 80s Japanese synth control panels used though... It's like someone sent them a Sinclair ZX81 and they thought 'that's a good idea'.
During Peter Garbriel's concert in Athens (1987), his keyboardist David Sancious played only one DX88 for the entire concert. I imagine that in this one he programmed all the sounds that he was going to use from some rack (to his right you can see a computer). Do you think one day you will be able to make a video connecting different racks (such as the TX7, TX802, TX81Z, etc.) so that you can see the KX88 working with various sounds at once while it is being played?
Fantastic keyboard, I used one for many years. I never bothered using the controls though, limited and complicated. Better to route everything through a patchbay and knob controller.
Amazing video! I know the great David Paich used KX88. One MIDI out is not enough? I would appreciate if every MIDI master keyboard had at least one :) I see USB only all the time. (well on the budget side of things)
I have a KX88 and would like to purchase a sound module with an emphasis on good piano sounds for home and live use. Which would be your current favorite module for this application? Thanks
I recently began using a master keyboard to control my synth rack. It's not nearly as nice as that Yamaha (it's an M-Audio 61es), but it's a great help for workflow when writing new songs. Those keys look so nice, though!
Used to see these at a lot at concerts or live music shows on the telly back in the 80's - Never really interested me, but I did lust after the Roland A-80 though - Still hoping to spot a good condition one :)
I have one that I no longer use. One note - the very bottom B - does not work, and the mod wheel has had to be glued back together. You can have it for nothing. The catch is, I live in New Zealand. If you'll pay the shipping from here, it's yours.
@@robgs Not a problem, and your reply was not unexpected. Ah well, the A-80 will continue to sit under my acoustic grand piano in the box of its replacement (RD-2000) where it has been since 2017.
Thanks for this as I am presently trying to find a Midi master controller. This KX88 is a bit old school for my taste but to be honest I can't stand the garbage out there now with all the do-dads on them. I had a Roland A90 but with its internal synth it's always a conflict problem. Im now using an RD88for its keybed, but I really think that it is junk. OMG- Help Help any suggestions?
I used to program my peavey PC1600 to change the parameters in Roland XP-50 with Sys ex using hexadecimal string..I let sequencer gerate the hexadecimal string .I could change most the parameters using the PC 1600
I have a KX88. I’m so lost when it comes to programming it. I wanted to control the tx816 from it but I couldn’t figure out how to. So instead I used a dx7 to change a parameter of a tx816. Where can I find out how to learn to program the kx88?
@@EspenKraftI’m using the kx88 to control a mki dx7. I have to play the kx88 very very light to get the same sound on the dx7. When I play the dx7 keybed it sounds softer. It’s like the velocity of the kx88 is too loud vs the dx7 mki
Yamaha KX88 Master Midi Keyboard from 1984.
One of the really iconic keyboards from the 80s. If you watch a music video from the 80s you can be sure it's there and every professional keyboardist back then used one.
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This KX88 was brought back to Norway all the way from Manny's Music in New York in 1994. I even have the flight case with Manny's logo on it. Got it from the previous owner who took it over here. The flight and the KX88 weighs a ton, I can assure you so no small feat.
A very interesting thing is that in the KX88 manual Yamaha mentions Roland, another manufacturer of keyboards and synths, when showing how to use midi sysex data to control the filter cutoff. As an example. Very rare to find a mention of another brand in manuals like this, especially from the 80s.
Of course I had to try this, hence the Juno-106 segment in the video. It works too. ;-)
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you do know that just for singing those few lines, there's a good chance this video is INSTANTLY demonetized. I hate those rules :/
Oh, I think of that beforehand and upload a quick render to check, and I change things here and there to prevent that from ultimately happening. THEN I upload the final edit. That said, I have videos I know will be demonetized from the get go, but that's only a few. Nothing is done by chance here. ;-)
BTW, cover versions are never fully demonetized if they're not carbon copies of the original.
I'm still wondering how the keys feel...similar to clavinovas from the same era?
@@obyte1world522 If you ever played a Korg T1 and the 01/W ProX the keybed is the same
@@conan5885 Hi Conan, I have not, what I have is a Korg Havian 30...does it come close at all? Thanks!
These are like video versions of Keyboard magazine from the 80s. Lovely.
I love the monolithic design of the 80'S , maybe it's just nostalgia .?
THe dx7 and the kx88 are bloody gorgeous to look at
This video sure brings back memories. Nearly 30 years ago I had a customer whose KX88 died. We ordered a Doepfer LMK3 for him. It arrived two days before he had a show. He was 2000 km away. The manual was only in German. I started translating the manual. At the time my German was rudimentary. It's non existant now. When the courier company called us to say they would be there within 2 hours I dropped the translation and started writing what I thought would be the most relevant cheats and tips. The only catch was that I had never used a doepfer controller before. Fatar, Peavey, Yamaha, Roland yes. When the courier arrived I drew a big heart on the book and boxed it. I think the customer liked it. I hooked it up to an X3R and an 0/1W to test the programs.
One of my piano student have this beast and I am surprised how well this machine mimic the real Grand Piano. Such a beauty from old time.
When I connect it through Pianoteq, voila the sounds is there.
It blows my mind.
I have three KX88’s that I haven’t used in years. If anyone in Southern California is interested in one - or two - or three - drop me a line. Cheap!!
I got my first one in ’86, and yeah… the action is awesome. When I was doing a major road gig I picked up a couple more in the late ’90’s, early 2000’s to have as spares. Now they’re in storage and in need of a home. Hard to sell…they are archaic compared to today’s controllers. And they sure are heavy…just under 70lbs, without a case.
Ray Charles had quite a few of them near the end of his life… that’s a pretty good endorsement, and I know that he loved their action. So…. funny story…
About a year ago - 2022 - I did a session at a home studio. A very, very professional home studio…and the owner had a KX88. I commented about it and he told me how it’s his favorite controller. I proceeded to tell him about how I have 3 of them and maybe he might like a spare.
He told me he found the one he has in a dumpster! Restored it, and he loves it.
There you have it. It was a great keyboard for it’s time, and in some ways it still is.
As long as you don’t have to move it…
By any chance do you still have these ?!!
@@cognitiveapathy I have one left.
@@skipeb3 ok could I have your email? would love to hear more
When I was shopping for an 88 key digital piano around 1989, it ended up with me spending an hour in a music store doing a side-by-side comparison of the Yamaha KX88 versus the Roland RD300s. A friend of mine had the Roland so I was familiar with it but it was down to the Piano patches and the available patches built into the keyboards. I wasn’t doing a lot of MIDI controlling back then. In the end, the Roland won because of the juicy electric piano patch which I’ve come to find out is a coveted patch on the RD series as well as the rack mount MKS 20. But, I have mad respect for the KX88 still and your video has unlocked all sorts of potential that I never knew it even had.
@espencraft Your voice sounds so great without autotune, my man. No worries there!
I bought one of these in non-working condition in 2020 for $75 and repaired and restored it. It now sits alongside my one-owner KX76. What's remarkable is that in Yamaha's design, there are only two moving parts: the key and a steel strip acting as a leaf spring. That's all there is to it - and yet it's what Ray Charles chose to tour with, and he could have used anything he wanted.
And let´s not forget that it´s one of the most good looking keys ever made! :)
Holy cow. I own one of these but don't have a high enough nerd quotient to go this deep into its usage. Love the feel of the keyboard - very piano-like.
The KX88 is my favorite keybed when it comes to weighted keys and MIDI. It almost plays itself. Got mine in a secondhand shop in London while touring (as a tech). From there I dragged it for1,5km to the Hammersmith Apollo to dump it on one of our trucks to get it home to Germany after the tour. That thing is heavy, but worth it. It will never leave my studio.
These days I use an M-Audio Keystation Pro 88. I used the KX88 back in the early 90's. The key bed is just amazing. I loved everything about it.
I still have my M-Audio, but it had an inconsistent feel over its key range. Noticeably stiffer in the bass but a very decent controller for the money. I use an RD-2000 now and i'd be surprised if there's anything better.
You’re simple the best brother, your musics bring back memories ! Hugs from Brazil
Owww Epsen, nice cover of a classic there buddy. 😀
My memory of the kx88 is a funny one yet sad. I was watching Sting in concert and his keyboardist was using a Peavey C8 master keyboard . He started having problems with the one he had. Peavey C8 had all types of midi outs kind of my dream at the time. So since he had problems they brought out yet another C8 and same thing happened. They gave in finally and brought out the old KX88 and it worked. My guitarist at the time said "They brought out two Peaveys and they didn't work, but the yamaha did . But if you get any of them I am not helping you load!!!!" This happened on ten summoners tales in Houston Texas in the woodlands. I still want one
great story!
I bought mine used as the second owner in 1988 and have taken it from Seattle in America to Stockholm, in Sweden when I jumped continents and chose to leave America. As a classically trained pianist it is weighted perfectly for an earth shattering Scriabin prelude in 15/8 time or an ethereal Ondine by Ravel, yet I can still play any of the current genres. The hexadecimal control is arcane but that is easily fixed by adding a Nektar Panorama P1 for labeled slider, encoders, buttons, traction control with a nice informative color screen. I am never selling mine. Tried the Arturia and the Native Instruments and the Studio logic and they are all using different FATAR assemblies. Yamaha however has its own grand piano branch and uses it's own technology transfer and corporate knowhow. In Stockholm I have one next to my grand piano. They feel very similar.
Excellent summary. I keep this one as my only full-range keyboard. It just feels good under my fingers and I haven't found anything I like better. ;-)
I bought it new in 1994. Still love it. And so beautifully build.
Interesting video, Espen. Thanks
Thanks for making this video! Love my KX88. I had the 76 also but sold it recently. Great controllers!
Picking mine up this Sunday. Thanks Espen ! Cheers
Very interesting stuff. This is exactly what i was talking about. I thought about the Kx88 the other day. Wondered if someone could do a walkthru and here it was. 👍
Legendary midi keyboard! Thanks, Espen!
Thanks Espen - really enjoyed this. Programming MIDI SysEx - nice work :) My dream was to own one of these and an Oberheim Xpander. I'd still love to have them, just so I could look at them :)
I had one. Nothing better until my RD-2000. I loved it loved it loved it. Classical pianist since age 4.
Very nearly bought one of these last year that a friend was selling!! Great vid as usual.
I have a Korg T1 as a master keyboard, as far as I know it has the same keybed as the KX88 - I love it because while feeling natural to play as a piano playing, it isn't a hammered action and feels OK even playing synths, apart from having aftertouch. The T1 is even more bulky than the KX88 but then has a very impressive synth engine which, considering its age, is still very useable!
Great voice Espen!
Thanks! :)
Yamaha and Roland are always the perfect pair for music. Love them both.
This video is so funky galactic
Really enjoyed the opening performance. Looks like a great keyboard controller too.
Thanks David! The iconic look of the KX88 is hard to beat. ;-)
I am both a pro musician and Computer engineer. When I tell people I got my start in tech/computers with computers and synths, people often look at me thinking "how does using a synth make you a techie?" Well, here you go. PS, I miss my Juno 106.
This was also how I got into computers. Got my first computer, Atari and learning to program my synth’s via sysex. When I actually began studying, assembler actually made sense to me, where lots of the other students really struggled understanding this cumbersome language, that is propably used by very few programmers today, but these low level ways of programming is a great way of getting to know how things work behind all the windows in todays tech.
same here =) arrived in IT-Tech
I have the KX8 and it's really good too, it feels between a rhodes and a piano. Nice video, thanks!
The same experience here, can't let it go. Wonder how close it might be to the keybed of the KX88. Anyone?
I've wanted one of these since about 1998 when I saw Christine McVie playing one with Fleetwood Mac on The Dance (she'd been using it since 87 or 88 on the Tango in the Night Tour). Everything I read online for years said it had an amazing action and feel. I finally won one on eBay tonight, and I'm very much looking forward to trying it. I'll be using it with Apple MainStage, so the feature limitations are really a non-issue, as one midi output is all I need, and I don't really need to do much programming on the unit as MainStage can handle pretty much everything else.
God I miss my KX88! Great video Espen.
I had the KX76 it was built like a TANK! I loved it, so simple to use.
Perfectly! Thanks for the video!
Somehow, it’s not so earth shattering that Yamaha outlined how the KX88 could control the Juno 106. Yamaha and Roland were the two Japanese contributors to the specifications of MIDI, so it makes sense to me.
I’m not sure that I know when first I became aware that this controller existed. I’ll tell you how fitting it was for me to find that three different performing acts that I liked utilized it on tour. One of the dubbed videotapes that we had included 1987 concerts by Billy Joel in the then Soviet Union and Cyndi Lauper in Paris. Each of their touring keyboard players included a KX88 in their arsenal Additionally, the 1987 Chicago tourbook that was given to me by my former sister-in-law featured photo spreads with both of their keyboard players in that year toting one KX88 apiece.
For me, it did strike me as some kind of gold standard against which subsequent master keyboards and digital pianos were measured; the closest competitor of the day was the Kurzweil K250. In 2011 when I purchased my S 90 XS synthesizer, part of what drew me to it was the notion that it was almost like a distant successor to the KX-88 because of what it could do as a MIDI controller and a digital piano as well as a synthesizer.
Gold standard video
Cheers!
I've managed to find KX-88 for 100 euros, still in transport, but should be next week with me. I've bought it for historical purpose .
Masterpiece Presentation the KX88 is still compatible with any new Synth with Midi the Action on the 88 is the best have ever played 1984 kx 88 is future proof they built to last YAMAHA Thank you.
Cheers!
It's amazing
I just came across your video, January 11, 2022. I am in the process of getting both my KX76 and 88 up and working properly. I had them out a couple of years ago and they were giving me all sorts of headaches. I recently dismantled my 76. Bathed and cleaned as much as possible all the tact switches. Hoping that clears of the issues. The 76 last time up it was displaying on two dots. I also bought this week a new main board for my 88. It appeared the boards had some tweaking over the time of production. The lights are in two different locations and some very minor changes in location of a few items. I kept the board that came with the 76 in it. I will dismantle the 88 soon and replace its main board. That board has been worked over and should pose no issues. I am also replacing the felts to cut down the clatter key noise on release. I will also fluff up the matted felt on the after touch strip. I will do that rather than replace them. I was able to obtain the KX99 service manual but not the 76. The "owners" manual serves for both 76/88, although there was a 76 published. About the only difference is the cover page. I also have a Kurzweil MIDIboard as well as a Rhodes 88 suitcase. I am setting quite well for controller keyboards. Thanks for your video.
Great video, thanks! I’ve had a KX88 for a while, but never figured out how if there is a way to hold/latch/toggle keys. Would be helpful using soft synths with an arp or sequence setting.
That being said, is there an arp function on the KX88?
Thanks!
In the days before the internet, I saw Cyndi Lauper's keyboard player using the KX88 to make all sorts of cool sounds. So, like a noob, I walked into my local music shop asking about it, and found out it made no sounds at all. What??? ;)
OMG I remember the keys were pretty heavy on the KX88. I used it as a controller when I performed 6 nights a week in Singapore, Bangkok, and Hong Kong back in the early 90's. Playing songs like "Respect" and Chains of Love" by Erasure were brutal using the KX88. LOL The thing never broke down though, and was built like a tank.
Built like a tank and also weighs as much as one. I used one of these in school and moving it around was not fun.
I grew up playing a grand piano with a relatively heavy action. Not a Steinway action. :) Loved the KX-88.
I watched David Sancious use one of these extensively with Sting in the early 90s. He perfectly utilized the breath controller also. 😎
that BC input on the front is pretty handy! Sancious is one of the few people I’ve seen use a BC on stage.
I used this behemoth to control my rack back in the 80's. It was the best of the best, and they were on EVERY stage. I had a rack with a few of those rack mounted DX7 modules (can't remember the model numbers offhand, but it was a rack with room for 8 plug in modules that was basically the equivalent of 8 DX7s if fully loaded, IIRC), and a super jupiter. Just amazing to remember how revolutionary those times were. I can also remember BEGGING for wireless midi, and thinking I would never live to see the day we had something like that...and now we do! It's just amazing how technology has improved, while, a LOT of music has gone downhill.
Those racks are called TX816. I mention that in this video. ;-) I have one. Wireless audio is not something I applaud though and I will never use that. That includes wireless MIDI which is even worse. ;-)
@@EspenKraft Yep those are them! Agreed that it's worse, but, it's just amazing that we even have it in any rendition! It can only get better!
Hi Espen. Great stuff on the KX88. I agree with you it has one of the best keybeds of the early 80s. Having said that, despite all Yamahas I had and still have (MODX 8 is my current yamaha) I always hated, absolutely hated the cumbersomeness of all Yamahas programming. You almost need a degree in Yamahas to be able to unlock the full potential of these amazing instruments.
So, because of that I always went for Rolands. I still have a RD600.
My current master keyboards in the studio today is a Studiologic SL88 for piano patches and a Komplete Kontrol for organs and synths.
Although all keys are connected to the master keys I don’t use the midi controllers when playing the vintage keys. I love the touch, the noises, the way the keys and the controllers feel.
I love the weighted keys too! I also enjoy that I can plug it into my M-audio interface and use it with garage band to get that beautiful rhodes sound :D
The KX88 has no internal sounds. ;-)
Thanks for another great video! I fell in love with the KX88 after seeing it in a prom scene in a John Hughes movie. When I got the chance to make a big purchase for my music, the first thing on the list was the KX88. By then it was only available second hand but I lucked out and got one from Howard Jones! I think the aftertouch strip needs to be replaced but I was wondering if you had any other maintenance tips?
I used a Roland A-80 and A-50 for a long time. They were also great 4- zone controllers (e.g. pach changes only were sent, after release of the keys), built in a quality, nobody does nowadays. The best contemprary masterkeyboard is the Studiologic SL 88 Grand in my opinion.
That was informative. Great. The KX88 was way out of reach for kids in the 80s. Had to deal with a PSS460 and DS8. I survived :)
Life is never dependent on gear. ;-) Unless it's life support gear I suppose.
I've read in the 90s issue of Keyboard magazine in the interview of Gloria Estefan's keyboardist (I forgot his name), that he used two KX-88 for his live performance. But then he replaced with two Roland A-90EX soon after it's release.
Fantastic controller with a fantastic keybed. It's an 88 weighted action version of the Yamaha FS-1 keybed mechanism found on the DX7 and all the flagship Yamahas untill the Motif ES (6 and 7).
Korg uses that 88 keybead also on the T1 and the 01/W ProX 😉
thank you for that info! I didn’t know Korg had used it as well!
@@mootbooxle Yup. Korg used the yamaha keybeds on all their flagship worstations up until the Osays 76.
The 88 weighted key was only used on the T1 and the 01/W ProX.
The 61 and 76 semi weighted synth keybeds (first introduced on the Yamaha DX7) was used on the M1, T2, T3, 01W, 01Wfd, 01W Pro, Wavestation, Z1, i3, i2, i30, Trinity (plus, V3), Trinity Pro, Triton series (classic, studio, extreme both 61 and 76 key) and Oasys 76.
@@conan5885 Thank you for that info. I was aware of some of the synth action keys on Korgs (M1 and successors) being the same as those on the DX but I had no idea there were that many models that did!
I have one of these beauties as well as a Roland MKB1000. Fantastic boards.
A friend of mine once won the KX88, an RX1 drum machine, and the rack mount synth with the 8 DX7 modules in a contest from Yamaha.
I assume you mean the QX1 sequencer as that was part of the KX88, TX816 and QX1 "bundle" back then. That cost well over $10K in the mid 80s. ;-)
@@EspenKraft I can't remember if he won the QX1, but i do remember the KX88, the TX816, and a drum machine that was Yamaha's top of the line back then. It was so long ago. Perhaps he did win the sequencer as well, because I do remember the value of everything being around $10 or $11k. Great video, and thanks for the reply.
There was no drum machine called RX1. RX11 was one. Cheers!
@@EspenKraft I looked up the drom machine on the internet. It was an RX5. Sorry for the confusion.
Thanks! I'm planning to sell mine soon, so I'll be putting a link to this video. ;) I still have the breath controller, foot controller, and pedal that came with it, too.
I've never tried the KX88, but I know they were really popular. I have a Kurzweil Midiboard, which is great, but you have to like the heavy hammer grand piano-style feel.
The MIDIboard feels a bit “looser” than the KX88 from my experience…but in a way has a smoother action. The KX88 was a big adjustment for me coming from hammer-action keyboards, as it really has no hammer action, no haptic feedback at all really! Just a dull thud at the end of the very heavy key travel. Once I got used to that weird feel I fell in love with it. Very expressive, but feels like no other keyboard I’ve played!
@@mootbooxle That's interesting. I'm a sax player by training, not a keyboardist; in a funny way I almost prefer good, classic synth action to the weighted hammer feel except maybe unless I'm playing a great piano sound!
@@cortical1 I actually agree with you - for most applications in the studio I’m fine with synth action, or even prefer it! Gotta have the weighted thing for piano and stuff, though. I don’t think I could do with just one or the other, to be honest! Remember that weird Korg i-something workstation/arranger keyboard in the 90s that had the motorized key weights? you could move a slider and the key weights would drop out, making it into fast synth action. That thing had to be a mechanical nightmare! My college had one.
I own a Roland A-80. Saw it once in a store, and that's when I bought it.
Those SYSEX assignable sliders are really nice!
Awesome video!! I came across a CP33 for $600. I am shopping around for a master board with better action than the GHS. Have you played with the GHE keybed? I’m only second guessing picking it up since it’s a bit older. I came across a KX88, but missed my opportunity for that one. Lol
Cheers!
I’ve been wondering where I could buy one online because Minoru Mukaiya from the Japanese band Casiopea used this keyboard a lot. I’m really jealous
Casiopea is dope!
perfect live concert 86.... asayake... epic
Yeah, Minoru used it a lot
He had like two of them. The KX88 and the KX78.
I would love to have one of those.
listening to Galactic Funk as I read this
I never used to like this song, but I do now. Good job! Alas I have the KX8 keyboard, but I don't think it's the same. 😐
That's right, the KX8 is a different much newer keyboard.
There's one thing i don't miss about the KX88 and that's carrying it around. It was good to play no matter what you midi'd it to.
Yeah I had to carry mine up the stairs to a new apartment once. I was young, healthy, and strong, and I had to take it out of the flight case.
@@Jayenh I have a Kurzweil K2500X that weighs nearly the same. I see it as a modern KX88.
@@jaggass I mean it was literally a straight set of outdoor stairs and I couldn't even drag it up them. Wtf srsly. My RD 2k is better with the exquisite attention to the feel of the action, but there was no keyboard better than the KX88 for decades if you grew up as a pianist.
@@Jayenh Probably the 1st ever fully weighted 88 key midi controller.
@@jaggass I have an RD-2000 now and it is perfect. I can't find anything to complain about. With my eyes closed I'd have trouble telling it from a nice upright or grand.
I had a Kawai MP9000 for a number of years but the action wasn't fully debugged. I had to wrestle it into my car once for repairs when one or more keys started to bounce (double-note). I think the MP9500 fixed the issues but I had moved on at that point. Still, it was a great effort by Kawai.
This was the keyboard Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac used in the late 80's and early 90's
Sold my KX88 because velocity only went from 0 to 100, not 127. I kinda solved that with a MIDI Solutions interface but then you had to link it to the computer in order to program it... too much hassle. Also the system exclusive was a pain in the arse to understand. The keys' touch was pretty nice though.
You've done an excellent job on this, as usual. Cheers
In the 80s? You were extremely unlucky then as only the very few first units had that trouble. The next 1 million units did 0-127. ;-)
@@EspenKraft around 2013; in the 80s I only had the brochure :D Anyway I've got a Kurzweil Midiboard now and am pretty happy with it in spite of system exclusive still being the same pain in the ass
Great overview. I have been using the Roland A-70 as my main controller, which has synth-style key action. How do think the A-90 would compare to the KX-88?
Thanks! I can't really tell. It's been ages since I played on the original A-90, but I remember I liked it. I did so much live music in the 90s and so many gigs, at different places, and I played on so many different master keyboards and pianos that it's a bit of a blur. ;-)
@@EspenKraft Understandable. The A-70 is pretty amazing and addresses the lack of MIDI ports with the KX-88. Since you are on the topic of controllers, how about a Kurzweil MIDIBoard overview? I don't think I have seen one of those in your studio yet.
My A90EX has nice weighted hammer action keys, but the dreaded hammers crack and the weight falls off.
My advice is to make sure you get the later reinforced version. Never buy the earlier version, or you are bound to opening the keyboard and repairing the hammers with epoxy adhesive. 88 times.
The master of the breath controller and KX88 was David Sancious, many many many live and studio performances he made in the 80s and 90s [with Springsteen, Sting and tons of other great artists]
I find the lack of TX816, TX802, DX7II and TX16W in this video disturbing! Playing with the enemy too... oh dear! ;)
But in all seriousness, sweet looking keyboard. Clean and sleek 80s look.
I would very much like to hook it up to the TX816 or DX7 and do some editing directly from the KX88, as it's highly capable for that task. ;-)
Those membrane buttons that 80s Japanese synth control panels used though... It's like someone sent them a Sinclair ZX81 and they thought 'that's a good idea'.
Looks heavy :)
It's VERY heavy.
Love the KX88..I have two. But how do get around the lack of velocity below 15? It bothers me much of the time, but the action keep me coming back.
Never bothered me. ;-)
in the Bad Tour one of the two kayboearder has 2 of them haha so cool
During Peter Garbriel's concert in Athens (1987), his keyboardist David Sancious played only one DX88 for the entire concert. I imagine that in this one he programmed all the sounds that he was going to use from some rack (to his right you can see a computer).
Do you think one day you will be able to make a video connecting different racks (such as the TX7, TX802, TX81Z, etc.) so that you can see the KX88 working with various sounds at once while it is being played?
I don't plan on making such a video no.
Wow that intro was confronting
Fantastic keyboard, I used one for many years.
I never bothered using the controls though, limited and complicated. Better to route everything through a patchbay and knob controller.
This keyboard was used on the Michael Jackson Bad tour. Along with the DX7.
Amazing video! I know the great David Paich used KX88. One MIDI out is not enough? I would appreciate if every MIDI master keyboard had at least one :) I see USB only all the time. (well on the budget side of things)
One MIDI Din is definitely much better than 5 USBs. :P
I saw Starship use this at a Florida beach concert.
Interesting MIDI CC configurations to the Juno 106 and Sixtrak!
There's no Midi CC on the Juno-106.
Is this the controller keyboard that was designed for the TX816? Or am I thinking about a different Yamaha controller?
Isn't that what I said in the video? ;-) This was made for the TX816 and DX7.
@@EspenKraft nice!
Correct
I have a KX88 and would like to purchase a sound module with an emphasis on good piano sounds for home and live use.
Which would be your current favorite module for this application?
Thanks
I have no idea what came after the 90s, but the EMU Proformance modules are great options.
I recently began using a master keyboard to control my synth rack. It's not nearly as nice as that Yamaha (it's an M-Audio 61es), but it's a great help for workflow when writing new songs. Those keys look so nice, though!
i never knew the kx88 could use hex-strings. I do know my elka mk76 can (just as the mk88 does) Have you ever used one of those?
I've never used neither the mk76 nor the mk88 as far as I can remember.
Hello, I have one of these controllers but I don't know which pedal to use as a sustain, which one do you use or which one do you recommend?
Any pedal with a polarity switch will work. Otherwise go for a Yamaha or Korg pedal.
Good keyboard
Used to see these at a lot at concerts or live music shows on the telly back in the 80's - Never really interested me, but I did lust after the Roland A-80 though - Still hoping to spot a good condition one :)
I have one that I no longer use. One note - the very bottom B - does not work, and the mod wheel has had to be glued back together. You can have it for nothing. The catch is, I live in New Zealand. If you'll pay the shipping from here, it's yours.
@@CraigRodmellMusic Thanks for the kind offer Craig, but I'll see if I can find one a bit more local ;-) Cheers though!!
@@robgs Not a problem, and your reply was not unexpected. Ah well, the A-80 will continue to sit under my acoustic grand piano in the box of its replacement (RD-2000) where it has been since 2017.
is very hard to find it today you are very lucky
Picked this up locally. The previous owner even drove it home to me. ;-)
No autotune. Praise da lord!
:P
One more time "Oldies But Goodies" :-)
😆You say you live in the middle of nowhere. HOW do you get your hands on all these awesome gear.
Good question. I ask myself the same thing.
is there a significance to the way YAMAHA printed KX on the keyboard branding?
Its the 80s venetian blinds font look. Back then, we even had venetian blind sunglasses that you couldn't see out of!
Thanks for this as I am presently trying to find a Midi master controller. This KX88 is a bit old school for my taste but to be honest I can't stand the garbage out there now with all the do-dads on them. I had a Roland A90 but with its internal synth it's always a conflict problem. Im now using an RD88for its keybed, but I really think that it is junk. OMG- Help Help any suggestions?
I used to program my peavey PC1600 to change the parameters in Roland XP-50 with Sys ex using hexadecimal string..I let sequencer gerate the hexadecimal string .I could change most the parameters using the PC 1600
I have a KX88. I’m so lost when it comes to programming it. I wanted to control the tx816 from it but I couldn’t figure out how to. So instead I used a dx7 to change a parameter of a tx816. Where can I find out how to learn to program the kx88?
It's all described in the manual to the KX88. I did it just yesterday, programmed my TX816 rack from the KX88.
@@EspenKraftI’m using the kx88 to control a mki dx7. I have to play the kx88 very very light to get the same sound on the dx7. When I play the dx7 keybed it sounds softer. It’s like the velocity of the kx88 is too loud vs the dx7 mki
what song are you playing at the beginning of the video?
"She's the one", Robbie Williams version.
The single midi out is easily solved by plugging it into a midi interface box to give you more outs - I'm sure you know that already though ;)
Not sure if your talking to ME, but if so, I can only refer to several different videos I have about MIDI patchbays. ;-)
I have lots of keyboards, what advantage would one get from having one master?
Nothing in particular. I just like the KX88 as a master keyboard because it has a great feel to it. And it's an 80s icon.
I love those things, it's like having a giant mk1 dx7 in the studio. ( anyone selling one in Holland?)