Which keyboard is better?

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slashDash

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I wanted to ask, which midi keyboard is better. The M-Audio Oxygen 61/Oxygen 49 or M-Audio Keystation 61es

I know the pros and cons, but really I need help deciding. Which is should I buy?
Ps. They both cost the same in my country: about 2700 eek - 240 USD.
 
If they cost the same, I'd go for the Oxygen 61. It has more keys than the Oxygen 49, and more functions than the Keystation 61es. The only reason I might go for the Keystation is if you needed the MIDI Out port on the back (in addition to the USB port), as the Oxygens only have USB. If you're tight on space the Oxygen 49 might be a better fit for you, but the 61 is ideal.
 
guitarplayr82 said:
If they cost the same, I'd go for the Oxygen 61. It has more keys than the Oxygen 49, and more functions than the Keystation 61es. The only reason I might go for the Keystation is if you needed the MIDI Out port on the back (in addition to the USB port), as the Oxygens only have USB. If you're tight on space the Oxygen 49 might be a better fit for you, but the 61 is ideal.
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Hmm, you are right. But do semi-weighted keys have a big advantage over the regular synth ones? Keystation has these.

And no, I don't think I'll need the midi out.
 
Oh, I didn't notice they were semi-weighted. If you are going to be doing lots of drumming on them I'd say go for the non-weighted. Non-weighted will spring back at you faster so you can keep in time better. If you plan on playing piano on them, semi-weighted is probably better since it will feel more real. I'd recommend going to your local Guitar Center or any music store that has a few keyboards in it and trying out the different styles of keys. They really do make a difference.
 
guitarplayr82 said:
Oh, I didn't notice they were semi-weighted. If you are going to be doing lots of drumming on them I'd say go for the non-weighted. Non-weighted will spring back at you faster so you can keep in time better. If you plan on playing piano on them, semi-weighted is probably better since it will feel more real. I'd recommend going to your local Guitar Center or any music store that has a few keyboards in it and trying out the different styles of keys. They really do make a difference.
Click to expand...

I kinda thought to do both. But I think I'll go with the Oxygen 61 afterall. It has buttons and sliders on it.
 
The 61es, that's got no assignable controllers except the slider... :mad:

I don't like the way the wheels are above the keyboard on the Oxygen.

I'm using a Mk-461C and as far as newer ones I like the Axiom although I've never tried it to see how it feels.

About 5 years ago I bought an M-Audio keyboard similar to the 61es. Before that I had a DX7 which had 32 user locations. That M-Audio keyboard was crazy - to change voices was painful unless you did it entirely on the computer.

The MK-461C I have only has 10 user locations (you can actually program 20 but it's odd that way) and I was used to having 32 twenty years ago. But at least it's got a numbered keypad that you can punch in program changes.

Neither of those keyboards you mentioned had numbered keypads or any quick way of calling up voices, which would bother me 'cause I play live. Maybe that's not an issue in the studio.

Side note: although I use M-Audio I've had numerous breakdowns with them - broken maybe 5 keys! The company was not great to deal with and after about 3 years told me the keyboard was obsolete and could sell me no more keys. I ended up buying a spare one for parts off of eBay.

I still use their keyboards because they are light and I like the features. I actually like the crap feel of their unweighted keyboards (I think I'm the only one) because I find them very fast.

Before this I had an MK-361C which was good too. I like 61 note keyboards.
 
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I love the feel of my yamaha motif keys es7. I was told by a yamaha employee that the keybed is used on several of their other models.

I don't know how serious you are about playing keys or what your style is but I like water fall synth keys for everything except when using it to play piano. These type of keys rule. When playing piano I prefer hammer weighted. Semi weighted is the worst of both worlds for me.

Also if you plan on doing any of the following:

1) laying down lots of base lines using your board
2) live gigging with it as your primary axe
3) classical piano playing
4) beyond beginners two handed playing

You will find the minimum of 76 keys much more useful. If your doing the any of the above, 95% time you need those extra lower notes. The extra notes up top not so much. It seems most of today's music doesn't often have to go below the bottom E.

My prior AXE had fewer than 76, and I would curse every time I'd start playing some new sheet music and then run out of keys on the bottom end.

Racherik
 
To what purpose are you wanting to use it? The Oxygen looks like it would be nice to use as a mixer/transport control for DAW software. I could see that being it's primary purpose. That's because you have to sliders and start/stop rewind buttons.

As a live gigging rig I'd pass.
 
Thanks everyone, I decided to go with the Oxygen. (I don't know yet, how many keys: 49 or 61.) :D
 
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