Modartt user forum - Yamaha KX88

Re: Yamaha KX88

2012-09-20T21:33:54Z

I am glad there was already a Yamaha KX-88 topic over here. We are becoming a rare species. Nevertheless it is an incredible keyboard that has bravely sustained so much praise through all these years.
It not perfect though. The biggest flaw is not being able to reproduce pianissimo note at < 15 MIDI Velocity. While it may work to start the curve with 15,1 it may not feel natural to press that hard a note for the pianissimo parts. It depends on which piano you are playing.
The feel of the keys is somewhat heavier than what we would expect from a piano. But what would normally be featured as a flaw, turns out to become very addictive. The fact of playing in a heavier keyboard makes you become used to it and like it. Several folks have expressed the same opinion.
For sake of curiosity, recently I went to a big music store with the sole purpose of trying out all the keyboards to compare with the KX88. All the new and expensive ones where there. I left the store somewhat disappointed that none of them impressed me to a point of saying: "Yeah, they are successors to my big ol' KX88". On the other side, I went home with a big smile on the face: "I am very happy with my KX88". Unfortunately the conclusion is that the market has never reacted to launch a good MIDI Controller anymore. Maybe the full blown higher-end electronic pianos are the closest you'll get from a good keyboard feel but with a price tag that would not justify even considering this piece of software.
Still tweaking on the curves of the Grand D9. As soon as I reach consensus, I'll post the curve over here.

Re: Yamaha KX88

2011-08-21T00:14:52Z

890zx wrote:

Do you know if the Yamaha PF-80 FM electronic piano has the same velocity curve response than the KX-88 controller?
It was manufactured arround 1985 and has oil damped action.

I don't know if it has the same velocity curve, but I strongly suspect it does. I had the Pf70 myself, which is identical to the Pf80, but with less keys.

The action on both the Pf70 and Pf80 is identical as far as I can tell to that of the KX88. In fact, I had to replace keys on my KX88, and Yamaha sent me Pf70 keys- there's no difference.

Re: Yamaha KX88

2011-08-20T23:55:17Z

Do you know if the Yamaha PF-80 FM electronic piano has the same velocity curve response than the KX-88 controller?

It was manufactured arround 1985 and has oil damped action.

Re: Yamaha KX88

2010-09-29T07:21:37Z

Hi,
I am having this piano.It is really good.Yamaha's finest digital pianos offer both form and function with cutting edge digital piano technologies. All from the world's leading acoustic piano manufacturer.
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Re: Yamaha KX88

2010-04-20T09:20:55Z

Thanks Michael.

aandrmusic: would you also like to provide a velocity curve for the KX88?

Re: Yamaha KX88

2010-04-19T22:57:43Z

Yeah, I totally agree about the KX-88. In the studio it's still my favorite (and would be live too, if it didn't weigh so much)

Re: Yamaha KX88

2010-04-19T22:42:48Z

another KX-88 owner here.

IMO there is STILL nothing out there worth "upgrading" to - within reasonable cost and as long as you don't need GM (I don't).

Yamaha KX88

2010-03-08T00:52:32Z

There is only one velocity curve on the Yamaha KX88 but the range is quite wide:

Velocity = [15, 122; 0, 127]

In terms of the keyboard action, this is by far the best keyboard I've ever played. It was produced in the 1980's, is extremely reliable, and is built like a tank, weighing 64 pounds.

You do have to pound unnaturally on the keys to get a velocity of 122, and I don't play like that, so I sometimes tweak the curve in Pianoteq to get a certain sound. But normally I use the unaltered KX88 velocity curve.

Michael