Keybeds

thegummy

If 2 different MIDI keyboards or digital pianos use the same keybed, does that mean they will feel very similar to play or is that just one part of the feel and action?

I ask because I am considering buying a Roland digital piano to use to control software but there is a Studiologic MIDI keyboard that is cheaper and has fewer keys (which is a bonus for me as it is still more than I ever use so would take up less room) but it's not available in any shops near me that I know of so I can't play it before I buy.

It does, however, have the same Fatar TP/100LR keybed as other controllers that I can try out. So will that allow me to sample how the Studiologic one feels?

Whistler

Roland uses its own keybed while Studiologic uses a Fatar keybed, as you mention. They both have a piano feel, as opposed to a synthersizer feel, and both are top notch so while they are not the same the differences will be minor. Whether minor enough that you do not prefer one over the other only you can answer.

You say you are wanting it to use as a MIDI controller. If you really have no use for the onboard sounds then paying for the Roland's sounds could be a waste of money, except that my wife, a piano teacher, has a Roland RD-800 and I can vouch that the onboard sounds are stunning, so you have a decision to make but the keyboard itself is unlikely to be the ultimate reason why you opt for Roland or Studiologic.

Regarding your last question: yes, any keyboard with the Fatar TP/100LR keybed will have the same feel and action.

thegummy

Thanks for replying.

Re: the "paying for the sounds" thing, the cheapest Studiologic MIDI controller is less than 100 quid cheaper than a Roland digital piano and every other piano-feel MIDI controller is more expensive so the onboard sounds don't seem to affect the pricing at all; i.e. if there was a Roland MIDI controller that had no sounds and was the price of the digital piano I'd consider paying the difference if I had enough preference for the feel.

Surprised to hear you say that the differences between different keyboards will be minimal as I've read so many people talk about huge differences. But now I think about it, I'm sure we've both read plenty of people online talking about barely noticeable differences as if they're night and day (on this forum even lol).

So I'm glad to hear your last sentence, I'll have a good play of the Roland and another controller that has the Fatar keybed and see if I feel a big difference.

paulmapp8306

huge is relative.

If your a good piano player you will notice little things a novice wouldn't notice at all.

No keyboards will be the same even using the keybed.  The bed can be tuned a little by the end manufacturer for one.  However for most users they will be very close. 

Regards use as a controller, do you just need to trigger notes, or control parameters aa well?  That's a must to consider.

Have you tried the roland keybed?  They have so many different ones.   Some are stunningly good, others only decent.  They don't make bad ones though.

Funkfingers

Key aftertouch comes in several flavours. The more sophisticated versions allow for greater expression … assuming that your soft synths receive it. 

Spectrasonics Omnisphere video demonstrations usually involve what looks like a Nektar MIDI controller keyboard. Assignable knobs and sliders are enormously useful for real time synth and organ performance.

thegummy

paulmapp8306 said:

huge is relative.

If your a good piano player you will notice little things a novice wouldn't notice at all.

No keyboards will be the same even using the keybed.  The bed can be tuned a little by the end manufacturer for one.  However for most users they will be very close. 

Regards use as a controller, do you just need to trigger notes, or control parameters aa well?  That's a must to consider.

Have you tried the roland keybed?  They have so many different ones.   Some are stunningly good, others only decent.  They don't make bad ones though.

I've tried a Roland with the same keybed model but it was quite a while ago, would defo need to try again.

It's purely for the keys, I already have a midi setup, I've just never had weighted keys so the lack of knobs etc. Isn't an issue, I have plenty of that stuff already.

To be honest though, last night I was reading quite a lot of comments from people saying that Roland piano's keys become very clicky in feel as well as sound after a very short time. Also read a lot of people saying the Studiologic has a very heavy action and bashing it in general. Kind of puts me off.

Might decide to just stick to my synth action keyboards I've always used which poses another question for another thread...

paulmapp8306

I love my roland keybed - not clicky at all BUT it is the PHA5 so ???

Trust me - once you have a weighted keybed, of any quality at all - youll never want to play piano parts on a synth action every again....

goldtop

paulmapp8306 said:

once you have a weighted keybed, of any quality at all - youll never want to play piano parts on a synth action every again....

+1 and more. Because the unexpected thing (for me) about a piano-weighted keyboard is that other non-piano sounds are often more rewarding to play.

Example from yesterday is a new-agey guitar+ambient tone buried somewhere in the FA-06. I've tried that patch before from the FA-06 keybed and it was 'meh'. Dull and uninspiring. Today, with an old 88-key Oberheim MIDI controller hooked up, it's something else. Having to work harder for the change of tone I get from different velocities makes it more expressive as an instrument.

So I'd turn this around: if I don't need the speed from a synth-action keybed, I prefer to play from the piano-weighted keybed, even for obviously synthesised sounds.

Maybe this is analagous to the difference between .008 and .012 gauge guitar strings?

thegummy

goldtop said:

paulmapp8306 said:

once you have a weighted keybed, of any quality at all - youll never want to play piano parts on a synth action every again....

+1 and more. Because the unexpected thing (for me) about a piano-weighted keyboard is that other non-piano sounds are often more rewarding to play.

Example from yesterday is a new-agey guitar+ambient tone buried somewhere in the FA-06. I've tried that patch before from the FA-06 keybed and it was 'meh'. Dull and uninspiring. Today, with an old 88-key Oberheim MIDI controller hooked up, it's something else. Having to work harder for the change of tone I get from different velocities makes it more expressive as an instrument.

So I'd turn this around: if I don't need the speed from a synth-action keybed, I prefer to play from the piano-weighted keybed, even for obviously synthesised sounds.

Maybe this is analagous to the difference between .008 and .012 gauge guitar strings?

The string gauge thing is an analogy I thought of so good to hear you say it and I get exactly what you mean.

As it happened, I talked myself out of getting a new keyboard cause of money restraints but the desire for one has definitely come back.