61 key or 73 key keyboard with weighted or hammer action?

[les24preludes]

I'm looking for a home use keyboard, either 61 or 73 key, with weighted or hammer action. Weight not an issue. Based London UK.

A keyboard controller would be fine - it's for input to Garageband on a Mac.

I can see the Studiologic VMK-161+ has hammer action. What are the alternatives? Anything close in a weighted action? Used is fine, even older discontinued models.

 

[Biggles]

Yamaha P121, 73 weighted keys.

Semi weighted with aftertouch but with a heavyish feel is an M Audio Oxygen Pro 61

 

[les24preludes]

I looked at the M Audio Oxygen and I don't think it's the kind of thing I need - I don't need chords, arpeggiator or even drum pad. I would be inputting midi into Garageband and doing the arrangements myself. I would like a weighted keyboard.

I'm wondering if what I need is a poly synth with pitch bend and modulation for designing sounds and playing solo lines.

 

[Scradley1960]

Studiologic has some good 73/76 weighted action keyboards.

 

[Pete The Greek]

There are no hammer action 61 key keyboards (to my knowledge).

Keyboards with 73 weighted keys which can serve as a MIDI controller:

- Studiologic SL73 (controller only; no internal sounds). People have mixed opinions about the Fatar TP/100 keybed (some hate it). This is the least expensive option if you don't need a keyboard with its own internal sounds. I have not played on, but I used to own a Nord Electro 3HP which reported used the same keybed. I found it to be somewhat "mushy" (but I gigged with it for years because it was convenient to transport and sounded good).

- Yamaha P121 (home piano with 16 internal sounds). I used to own one. It does send USB midi. Only the original (P121) has a USB audio interface (P121B does not). No pitch bend or mod wheels, and no expression pedal input. The keybed is proprietary to Yamaha. I liked it a lot better than the Nord Electro 3HP (which had better internal sounds however).

- Studiologic Numa X Piano 73 (stage piano). I currently own one. Fatar TP/110 keybed is better than the TP/100. Via USB MIDI or 5-PIN MIDI you can simultaneously control 4 different MIDI channels simultaneously. Also has a USB audio interface. Can send pitch bend and modulation. 3 pedal inputs which are configurable.

 

[Pete The Greek]

At NAMM Studiologic has announced the SL73 mk2 (and 88) which has the newer TP/110 hammer action (same as on the Numa X Piano 73), and a built-in USB audio interface. So it sounds like it's essentially the Numa X Piano 73 but without any of its internal sounds (but USB-powered, not via 12 volt wall wart).

At least on paper, and if the price is reasonable, and if you don't need internal sounds, and you can wait until it's available, this looks like it would be a great option for a weighted 73 key controller.

 

[les24preludes]

For space reasons I'm now looking at a 49 or 61 key keyboard, so no hammer action but the next best thing for a pianist, whatever that is. It's for Garageband which is a very limited DAW so I just want all the integration possible. I don't use sequencer/arp/chord functions but want pitch/mod. Some extra software sounds that would integrate in midi could be useful. Andy

 

[Biggles]

Yamaha P121, 73 weighted keys.

Semi weighted with aftertouch but with a heavyish feel is an M Audio Oxygen Pro 61

The M Audio will fit your needs.

If you have an iPad or iPhone then add a Ravenscroft 275 from the App store for the best piano sound.

 

[Pete The Greek]

P121 doesn't have pitch bend or mod wheel.

If hammer action and 73 keys is desired, the Studiogic SL73 Mk2 (with the TP/110 action and built-in USB audio interface) is worth a look. It's not much wiser than a 61 key controller that has pitch/mod to the left of the keyboard. However it is a lot heavier (25 lb) than any synth action keyboard.