"Synth touch" controller

[timzydee]

Does anyone make a "synth touch" controller anymore? Preferably 88 keys.
Not weighted, not semi-weighted. My Roland W-30 that I've been using for about 15 years is just about to die. I'm hoping to find something with the same feel to the keys.

[Andrew Aversa]

Aren't most keyboards, such as the Edirol PCR and M-Audio series, synth action? Semi-weighted and weighted are the exception to the rule, I would think.

[timzydee]

The M-audio controllers are all either semi-weighted or weighted.
The Edirols aren't wieghted but they are less than 88 keys.

[Andrew Aversa]

Actually.. apparently, according to the M-Audio site, only a few of the controllers are semi-weighted or weighted. Unfortunately for the original poster, those are the 88 key versions. But the 61 key Radium61 (for example) is synth action.

http://m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.list&ID=midikeyboardcontrollers

[timzydee]

Apparantly when they decided to make 88 key controllers they thought it would be ridiculous not to feel like a piano, just because it has 88 keys.

[FredProgGH]

I use a Roland RS-9. It's considered "semiweighted" but really, it's pretty much a synth non-weighted feel. If it didn't have that ^%^#%$ Roland joy-stck it would be a perfect controller for all non-piano applications for me. I like non-weighted keys for programming strings, drums- like I said, almost anything but piano.

[Gamera]

I have the M-Audio Keystation 88es. It says it's semi-weighted, but it's really really light. Light enough for a non-keyboard playing guitar player like me to deal with it :rolleyes:

- G

[ed hamilton]

Tim -
I too want an 88 note NON weighted controller.
For me its a tendonitis issue. No sense killing my hands all day playing non piano sounds.

I like yamaha actions the best. The motif 7 being my fav.

Anyone out there able to compare either the M audio 88es or the fatar 88 non weighted to a yamaha synth action?

[Lunatique]

Oh man, don't get me started on the issue of MIDI keyboard controllers. I think most manufacturers are clueless as hell about what the public wants. Not having 88-key non-weighted is one of them. Not having aftertouch in most models is another one. How about having lots of knobs but no sliders? What kind of idiot came up with that configuration?

[FredProgGH]

Yep. The M-Audio Keystation 88 would be my perfect controller if it just came in an unweighted version instead of that mushy weighted version. Of course the unweighted controller has no knobs or sliders at all.

Luckily I think CME has put out what I'm wanting.

EDIT And it's still a d^#% lie- they DON'T have n 88-key unweighted. I thought they did. :(

[ed hamilton]

OK Fred,
you post that about RME and I am on their site in seconds!
Nothing.

What do you know!!!!

[FredProgGH]

My bad-- typo! I meant CME.

I'll change it.

Looks like I was wrong anyway.

[Gamera]

There's this one too that I just remembered:
http://www.studiologic.net/tmk-88.html

It also says semi-weighted, but if it's like the one I checked out a couple NAMMs ago, it's very light. I didn't go for it because it lacks two controllers (only pitch on the unit).

Yeah, nobody seems to get it that there are people who need 88 keys but don't want a weighted action at all.

- G

[thesoundsmith]

There's this one too that I just remembered:
http://www.studiologic.net/tmk-88.html

It also says semi-weighted, but if it's like the one I checked out a couple NAMMs ago, it's very light. I didn't go for it because it lacks two controllers (only pitch on the unit).

Yeah, nobody seems to get it that there are people who need 88 keys but don't want a weighted action at all.

- G
Watch out for this one, though. It's light, plays pretty well (feel) for a lightweight controller, but is incredibly slow responding - the TMK is probably adequate for basic pianistic control. but don't take it too far - check the latncy before you buy, or get it from somewhere you can return it.