Kurzweil PC88 Controller & Midi

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headshrinker2
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2008/06/20 15:57:20 (permalink)

Kurzweil PC88 Controller & Midi

Greetings everyone,
Sorry for the OT post, but I wasn't sure where else I might post it around here and this forums has some very knowledgeable folks.

My current controller is a Kurzweil PC88 weighted keyboard that is several years old. In it's "prime", it was considered to have some of the best piano sounds available.

Is there any reason to think that an older keyboard would have any limitations regarding playing the full range of MIDI velocity? Or would this purely be an adjustment? I don't use the sounds of this board anymore (and I don't gig live), so I am considering selling it and purchasing a new MIDI controller.

Thanks for all input.

-- Rob



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    bitflipper
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    RE: Kurzweil PC88 Controller & Midi 2008/06/20 17:38:50 (permalink)
    Is there any reason to think that an older keyboard would have any limitations regarding playing the full range of MIDI velocity?

    As a MIDI controller, no. Even an aged keyboard should be able to transmit all 127 velocity levels.

    However, as a sound module it's probably more limited in the range of velocities it can respond to than a modern soft synth.
    That's true of current models as well as older ones. For example, my 4-year-old Yamaha MO8 has three velocity sample sets for piano, compared to a high-end software sampler such as Ivory Italian Grand, with 12 velocity samples. I love the piano sounds on the MO8, but if I were doing solo piano compositions I wouldn't use it. I'd invest in Ivory instead. Fortunately, my material doesn't require that level of realism on piano.

    But since you don't intend to use the Kurzweil's samples (I don't know why not, they're pretty good), the keyboard should serve just fine as a MIDI input device. If you like the keyboard action, stick with it. Most affordable MIDI controllers do not have great piano-like keyboard action.





    post edited by bitflipper - 2008/06/20 18:02:18


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    headshrinker2
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    RE: Kurzweil PC88 Controller & Midi 2008/06/20 21:41:10 (permalink)
    Thanks bitflipper. I appreciate the input.

    I've been having a great time auditioning the sounds in Garritan Personal Orchestra today. I noticed that it sounds better on the attack when I play the sounds using a virtual piano using my computer keyboard, relative to my PC-88. I will have to explore this further. Some of these GPO sounds, by the way, are just killer.

    -- Rob


    ORIGINAL: bitflipper

    Is there any reason to think that an older keyboard would have any limitations regarding playing the full range of MIDI velocity?

    As a MIDI controller, no. Even an aged keyboard should be able to transmit all 127 velocity levels.

    However, as a sound module it's probably more limited in the range of velocities it can respond to than a modern soft synth.
    That's true of current models as well as older ones. For example, my 4-year-old Yamaha MO8 has three velocity sample sets for piano, compared to a high-end software sampler such as Ivory Italian Grand, with 12 velocity samples. I love the piano sounds on the MO8, but if I were doing solo piano compositions I wouldn't use it. I'd invest in Ivory instead. Fortunately, my material doesn't require that level of realism on piano.

    But since you don't intend to use the Kurzweil's samples (I don't know why not, they're pretty good), the keyboard should serve just fine as a MIDI input device. If you like the keyboard action, stick with it. Most affordable MIDI controllers do not have great piano-like keyboard action.







    #3
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