Yamaha YPG-535 88-key Portable Grand Graded-Action USB Keyboard with Matching Stand and Sustain Pedal
- 88 piano-style keys with Graded Soft Touch
- USB To Device: connect USB storage devices (storage device optional)
- Large Wave ROM features extra high quality Live! Grand sample
- Backlit LCD (320 x 240) displays lyrics, chords & notation
- Performance Assistant Technology features Melody Mode in addition to Chord and Chord/Free Mode
88 Key Keyboard Controller
Article by Joao Smith
Most musicians that are serious piano players want to get the most out of their instrument so going for an 88 key midi controller is the obvious choice. That’s good because there are other things that will hike up the cost more than simply the number of keys. it’ll more likely be the feature-laden ones that will cost the most money.
Any size keyboard will give you the manipulation of faders, on-board MPC pads for velocity, pressure sensitive controls, pitch and mod wheels but unless you’re a real hot-shot pianist do you need a full-size keyboard? Yes, you can get almost as many features on a smaller keyboard but for the small price difference it’s not worth limiting yourself.
But really, any player would appreciate the hammer action keys that make an electric keyboard feel more like the real thing. The best made keys for getting that real piano feel are the fully-weighted ones, the next are called semi-weighted. Probably the most single feature that can turn off a piano player from a keyboard that’s not a real piano is the keys and how they are weighted and what they are made out of. When you’re used to playing a real piano there’s nothing worse than banging on cheap plastic keys. Another useful feature on any 88 key midi controller is an assignable foot switch input enabling you to attach an expression pedal or another controller. There’s several models that offer even more of their own unique features so check them out to make sure you get the one that’ll do the best job for your needs.
The other popular size keyboard controllers are the two octave which is 25 keys, the 4 octave range which is 49 keys, and the 5 octaves at 61 keys. Of course the 88 key is the biggest of all models. For some real rockin’ stuff one would tend to feel a bit constricted on anything less that an 88… possibly get by on the 61 keys as well.
Personally I can get a lot done on a 25 note keyboard, too play some bass parts and lay down some chords etc. Don’t forget that on most models you can split up the keyboard as well.
Today’s controllers are very different from the first ones on the market, with total programability. Todays controllers look more like a synth than a controller with all their knobs and sliders.
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