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Arturia KeyStep Pro


Larry Shelby

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Btw, I did try the Arturia KeyLab 61 and I couldn't bag it back up fast enough. They keys, they sucked. Real flimsy and they actually bent down quite easily after they were fully depressed. There needs to be more high end 61 key controllers the the Novation SL line and the NI board, though the NI board is severely stripped in comparison to the Novation. 

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13 hours ago, Christian Jones said:

Btw, I did try the Arturia KeyLab 61 and I couldn't bag it back up fast enough. They keys, they sucked. Real flimsy and they actually bent down quite easily after they were fully depressed. There needs to be more high end 61 key controllers the the Novation SL line and the NI board, though the NI board is severely stripped in comparison to the Novation. 

Couldn't agree more. In the flesh they all feel like cheap toys to me. I was so disappointed with the MK2 Arturia in reality as the way it was pitched suggested something much more sturdy than it is.Then I thought that I'd wait for the 88 and see what that was like........and it's in white only.....ugh. Not happening however good it is. 88 is probably a bit too big for me really, so my ideal would be a high quality 76 with a Roland style pitch bender. I was also disappointed with the SL - the MK2 seemed like it had been out for a long, long time and prices were starting to drop so I figured that the new one was coming which then seemed to take forever and then it arrived with a price tag that it just didn't seem to do anything to justify.

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9 hours ago, paulo said:

I was also disappointed with the SL - the MK2 seemed like it had been out for a long, long time and prices were starting to drop so I figured that the new one was coming which then seemed to take forever and then it arrived with a price tag that it just didn't seem to do anything to justify.

Yeah the Novation SL61 Mkiii is expensive @ $700 (though I know where you can get a new one for 15% off, free shipping and no tax*). But other than the NI 61 key @ $730 it's about the best thing going at that level. And that's what I'm saying, the lack of high end 61 key choices for MIDI controllers. Actually, I would've kept the Akai Mpk261 except when it arrived I was totally shocked at how short the keys were, about a half inch shorter than even an M-Audio controller - and the keys were very stiff and just didn't feel good. Sucks, because that Mpk261 has the best drum pads in the business, straight up. Super sensitive, playable, and just straight up awesome. But keys broke the deal. I also loved the look of the Akai mpk261, it has that classic Akai beats look and reminded me a bit of a Juno. I'm *still* mad about the keys, I really wanted to like that controller. So I'll pay for the Novation SL 61 Mkiii cuz that's about the best there currently is. No, the NI 61 lacks sliders (8 knobs, big deal) and pads and the whole deal w/ that board is they want you using Komplete w/ it, and though I have Komplete I don't use it that way - and if you don't use Komplete the way NI wants you to w/ that NI 61 board then that board ain't much more than a slimmed down stupidly overpriced midi controller.

*Alto Music during just about any holiday, even little "holidays" like Saint Patty's Day, Cinco de Mayo, and that day they set up to honor that pos Columbus etc. 

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2 minutes ago, Christian Jones said:

Yeah the Novation SL61 Mkiii is expensive @ $700 (though I know where you can get a new one for 15% off, free shipping and no tax*). But other than the NI 61 key @ $730 it's about the best thing going at that level. And that's what I'm saying, the lack of high end 61 key choices for MIDI controllers. Actually, I would've kept the Akai Mpk261 except when it arrived I was totally shocked at how short the keys were, about a half inch shorter than even an M-Audio controller - and the keys were very stiff and just didn't feel good. Sucks, because that Mpk261 has the best drum pads in the business, straight up. Super sensitive, playable, and just straight up awesome. But keys broke the deal. I also loved the look of the Akai mpk261, it has that classic Akai beats look and reminded me a bit of a Juno. I'm *still* mad about the keys, I really wanted to like that controller. So I'll pay for the Novation SL 61 Mkiii cuz that's about the best there currently is. No, the NI 61 lacks sliders (8 knobs, big deal) and pads and the whole deal w/ that board is they want you using Komplete w/ it, and though I have Komplete I don't use it that way - and if you don't use Komplete the way NI wants you to w/ that NI 61 board then that board ain't much more than a slimmed down stupidly overpriced midi controller.

*Alto Music during just about any holiday, even little "holidays" like Saint Patty's Day, Cinco de Mayo, and that day they set up to honor that pos Columbus etc. 

I think the same as you re the NI one. SL3 prices have started to drop now, but even then it still seems overpriced to me. I've been waiting in the hope that something new will be announced at NAMM. 

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8 minutes ago, paulo said:

I think the same as you re the NI one. SL3 prices have started to drop now, but even then it still seems overpriced to me. I've been waiting in the hope that something new will be announced at NAMM. 

Yeah it looks like the Novation SL MkIII 61 is $600 till the end of this month I guess 

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3 minutes ago, Christian Jones said:

Yeah it looks like the Novation SL MkIII 61 is $600 till the end of this month I guess 

Still equivalent of $700 here (UK) - which is quite cheap compared to the price at launch. I don't mind paying higher prices for quality things that I really want and I can accept compromise if it's cheap, but I have trouble convincing myself to pay over the top for something that I'd still not be 100% happy with.

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50 minutes ago, paulo said:

Still equivalent of $700 here (UK) - which is quite cheap compared to the price at launch. I don't mind paying higher prices for quality things that I really want and I can accept compromise if it's cheap, but I have trouble convincing myself to pay over the top for something that I'd still not be 100% happy with.

Hmm I thought you were in Japan, don't know why I thought that.. I try to keep a file on everybody here (not really). Lol do you have anything that you're 100% happy with though? I don't. I'm probably not even 85% happy w/ anything lol. And the thing w/ that Novation too is that using it as a midi controller for your daw is about the least it can do, as it's big selling point is controlling/sequencing and syncing hardware w/ it, yet a daw controller will be about my only use for it. A hugely glorified and pricey daw controller. 

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32 minutes ago, Christian Jones said:

Hmm I thought you were in Japan, don't know why I thought that.. I try to keep a file on everybody here (not really). Lol do you have anything that you're 100% happy with though? I don't. I'm probably not even 85% happy w/ anything lol. And the thing w/ that Novation too is that using it as a midi controller for your daw is about the least it can do, as it's big selling point is controlling/sequencing and syncing hardware w/ it, yet a daw controller will be about my only use for it. A hugely glorified and pricey daw controller. 

Yeah, agree again re the SL - I don't really care about the sequencer at all. I do have things that are everything I expected them to be and things that as it turned out have disappointed in some way, but at least at point of purchase I thought it was what I wanted so that's all I can go on. What I can't do is spend a comparatively large amount on something that I already don't like in some way before I have it, especially when it's a want rather than a need.

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  • 3 months later...
On 1/15/2020 at 2:48 PM, Christian Jones said:

Yeah the Novation SL61 Mkiii is expensive @ $700 (though I know where you can get a new one for 15% off, free shipping and no tax*). But other than the NI 61 key @ $730 it's about the best thing going at that level. And that's what I'm saying, the lack of high end 61 key choices for MIDI controllers. Actually, I would've kept the Akai Mpk261 except when it arrived I was totally shocked at how short the keys were, about a half inch shorter than even an M-Audio controller - and the keys were very stiff and just didn't feel good. Sucks, because that Mpk261 has the best drum pads in the business, straight up. Super sensitive, playable, and just straight up awesome. But keys broke the deal. I also loved the look of the Akai mpk261, it has that classic Akai beats look and reminded me a bit of a Juno. I'm *still* mad about the keys, I really wanted to like that controller. So I'll pay for the Novation SL 61 Mkiii cuz that's about the best there currently is. No, the NI 61 lacks sliders (8 knobs, big deal) and pads and the whole deal w/ that board is they want you using Komplete w/ it, and though I have Komplete I don't use it that way - and if you don't use Komplete the way NI wants you to w/ that NI 61 board then that board ain't much more than a slimmed down stupidly overpriced midi controller.

*Alto Music during just about any holiday, even little "holidays" like Saint Patty's Day, Cinco de Mayo, and that day they set up to honor that pos Columbus etc. 

Hey Christian, When you say that the keys are short, what is short, 5 1/2" or shorter than that. I know our Roland LX17 is 6". I don't perform with keyboards. it's just a studio compositional tool. My current keyboard is 5 1/2" and it's never bothered me.

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44 minutes ago, QuestorCP said:

Hey Christian, When you say that the keys are short, what is short, 5 1/2" or shorter than that. I know our Roland LX17 is 6". I don't perform with keyboards. it's just a studio compositional tool. My current keyboard is 5 1/2" and it's never bothered me.

My Korg Z1 keys are 5 5/8" and this old M-Audio oxygen 61 I had was around that. The Akai keys are around 5". You can tell just by looking at it out of the box that the keys are short. They're also pretty stiff and the shortness adds to that. Maybe someone else wouldn't care. 

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On 1/15/2020 at 2:48 PM, Christian Jones said:

5" does seem small. thanks for the conformation. Since I can't get in to actually play one now I'm kind of going at this blind. My current keyboard is dying so I need to get something pretty soon ?
I remember reading you were going to get that Novation SL 61 Mkiii. did you ever get that? What are your thoughts on integrating to CbB

Hey Christian, When you say that the keys are short, what is short, 5 1/2" or shorter than that. I know our Roland LX17 is 6". I don't perform with keyboards. it's just a studio compositional tool. My current keyboard is 5 1/2" and it's never bothered me.

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I didn't get the Novation yet but I'm going to for sure after I get moved to my new place in a few days. I can't recommend that Akai, however it does have the best pads in the business. If you mostly make beats with your keyboard and don't play a ton of piano etc the Akai may work out after all as the pads are just dope. But the short stiff keys broke the deal for me pretty much as soon as I laid eyes on it. 

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