If you play keyboard or compose music, it’s probably a good idea to have a keyboard with a type of action that’s feels good to your hands. As you probably know, there’s different types of action in keyboards, but they typically fit into one of 3 categories:
– Synth Action: Springy. Keys with no resistance at all.
– Semi-Weighted Action: Similar to Synth Action keys, but with some degree of added resistance.
– Fully weighted/Piano Action: Keys made to emulate the feeling of a real piano. Good amount of resistance.
This is the account of my personal journey in order to find the keyboard with the type of keys that has felt the best for me, and for my hands.
First of all, I never had proper piano training, and learned to play the keyboard by myself. If I had, maybe I could have developed proper playing technique, and could get to play a fully weighted action keyboard without too much trouble, but the times I tried to do it, it hurt my hands a lot.
Anyway, I remember since I was a teen, I was almost exclusively into guitars, but always had laying around an old Yamaha keyboard. I don’t even remember the model. It was one of those entry level keyboards that had a bunch of different sounds. It also had one of the flimsiest and plastic-feeling synth actions I remember ever playing. To be fair that’s not something I thought about back then.
So, as I started to get more and more into the sounds and the potential of keyboard based instruments, I decided it was about time to get me a proper one. So after researching different workstations I ended up buying a Korg Triton Extreme 61, on eBay. The sounds were alright, if a bit dated. But what I wasn’t expecting is that I would hate the action that much. It was synth action, way better than the one on the old Yamaha, but still, it wasn’t what I was looking for. The keys had no resistance at all, and felt too light to my touch. I ended up selling it really fast.
So then I continued researching, and this time I even went to some music shops to try the keyboards in person, which was probably what I should have done in the first place. I ended up buying a Korg Kronos 73 this time around. This model included fully weighted Keys. RH3 is the official name Korg gives to this type of weighed action.
I miss this keyboard so much. It was so fun to play, and the RH3 keys had such a nice feeling, but I had to sell it because after weeks of banging at it, it was too much for my hands to take. They hurt like hell, and I feared I might even end up developing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, or something.
People say that you eventually adapt to the resistance of fully weighted keys, as playing it makes your hands stronger. Well, I sure didn’t adapt.
Anyway, as I enjoyed the Kronos so much, I decided to get the 61 keys version, the Korg Kronos 61 . This one included semi-weighted keys. I had this particular workstation for a good while. It was nice to be able to compose some music and not get my hands hurt, even if now I felt that the keys could have had a bit more resistance for my taste. They were semi-weighted, but they still felt a bit too light for me.
It was during those months using the Kronos 61 that I realized I didn’t really need a workstation as powerful as a Korg Kronos to compose music, as I was doing everything with midi instruments. At that point I wished I could go back in time to save me a lot of hassle, but anyway, I decided to sell the Kronos 61, as I was only really using it as a midi controller, so having it was a waste of an incredible machine, really.
By the way, I still don’t get why Korg doesn’t make the Kronos available as a keyboard-less module. They did it with the M3, which is one of the predecessors of the Kronos. I get that they like making money from selling it with keys, but really, I bet a lot of people would be interested in buying a Kronos module, and don’t get a regular Kronos because they don’t care about having (another) full sized keyboard. I would probably buy a module if I was playing live. Those things are amazing for live performances, really, and having the option to easily match it with any midi controller I liked would be really something. All keyboards, workstations, and synths should be readily available in a module version these days.
So, after I sold the Kronos 61, and decided to get a dedicated midi controller, I concluded there must exists one that had the resistance that would personally suit me. I went again to music shops, and ended up getting a Novation Impulse.
I remember liking it on the shop, but I think you really get the feel of and instrument after having spent a good time actually using it. The Impulse had semi-weighted keys, but they were way chunkier and harder than the ones on the Kronos 61. Again my hands were in pain. This was getting on my nerves. I only wanted to compose some music and that simple technical stuff kept getting in the way.
So, once again, I sold it, and went back to researching online and trying midi controllers at music shops. At least all my efforts were for something, because the next one I bought is the one I’m still using right now, and every time I play it it’s such a joy. I went again with Novation, but got the SL Mkii.
The keys are semi-weighed. They feel similar to the ones on the Korg Kronos 61, but with a bit more resistance, (which as I mentioned, I always felt the Kronos 61 was missing a bit of.) If you want to get into details, the SL Mkii has a TP/9S keyboard, made by the Italian company Fatar, which is also used in other high end synths like some Prophets and Moogs, so you know this is good stuff.
Also, for some reason, one day I thought it would be a good idea to try a weighted midi controller, (I’m stubborn like that,) and got the Studiologic VMK 161 Plus. It’s made by Fatar too, and has a very nice graded piano action, similar to Korg’s RH3, but maybe a bit lighter, and more like a real piano. I didn’t have much luck again, as my hands don’t seem to like weighted keys. It’s a shame, as fully weighted keyboards are so much fun to play, and offer way more control and expressiveness.
So there you have it. It might sound a bit picky, but having a keyboard that is comfortable to your hands, and feels good, is something that makes the experience of playing and composing music much nicer. I think it’s worth it to put the time into researching and trying different models, especially nowadays that many midi controllers are readily available in different sizes and price ranges. It can really make a big difference.
If you have any suggestions for a midi controller please let me know.
