My only issue with the laptop “shelf” is its right side-only location right-handed players might prefer a laptop or tablet on the left so they won’t need to take their dominant hand off the keyboard. Both can be solidly attached to the rear panel via simple slip-in keyholes, and thoughtfully include rubber surfaces to prevent unwanted movement. Unique to the KeyLab 88 are two add-ons-an aluminum and plastic music stand, as well as a laptop (or tablet) shelf that effectively extends the empty area at the top right of the control panel by four inches. Like Arturia’s other controllers, the KeyLab 88 exudes quality with its all-aluminum case and lovely solid wood end cheeks. The keyboard itself is a fully weighted 88-key Fatar action with velocity and monophonic aftertouch. Finally, we see standard transport controls and 16 full-size illuminated MPC-style pads. Moving along, we have ten multifunction assignable buttons, ten assignable endless rotary knobs, and nine assignable sliders. Beginning at the top left are standard pitch and mod wheels, and an octave up/down selector followed by endless-rotary volume, parameter/category, value/preset knobs, mode buttons, and a Spartan (but super bright) 16x2 blue fluorescent display. KeyLab 88’s front panel and control layout are almost identical to its more compact KeyLab 49 and KeyLab 61 counterparts. The company also sweetens the pot with its 5,000-preset Analog Lab virtual instrument, and the first 3,000 units sold include high-end virtual piano instruments from UVI and Pianoteq. Until now, all have been of the unweighted 25-, 37-, and 61-key variety, but now Arturia jumps into the big leagues with the “kitchen sink edition,” the 88-key, fully weighted KeyLab 88. I still want to learn more about the fortepiano or pianoforte in the middle, where you have to use your knee to kick in its two features that got replaced by pedals (and not even the same functions!) later on.Arturia has released a steady stream of classy USB/MIDI controller keyboard/virtual instrument packages over the past few years. One of the best videos I've ever seen, in that it is well prepared and edited, well-played, and every moment of this 48 minute sequence is educational, interesting, and useful. I haven't tried it on an actual piece yet, but find it surprisingly similar sounding to the Steinway D, until pushing it into challenging territory, where its special attributes begin to shine and set it apart.Īs for my comments about the video on the history of pianos and their ancestors, here's the link: I'm also thinking this piano might work well for certain types of jazz playing - especially montunos.Īs Pianoteq always shows four pedals to assign, I should verify for those that are curious, that the "extra" pedal (sometimes assigned to "staccato") and the Sostenuto pedal give way for these Steingraeber-specific features. That may be just because I never got that advanced as a player. In my own writing, I am far more classically influenced and baroque indebted than romantically inspired, in spite of how much I love listening to music from the romantic era (after all, Sibelius - though modern, a romantic - and Rachmaninov - ditto - are my two favourite composers). I really began thinking a lot at that point about the differences in phrasing and even in writing styles, that the two approaches lend themselves towards. That sounds awfully like what Modartt are referring to as the Sordino pedal and the Mozart Rail! And I must say, I MUCH preferred the guy's renditions of Mozart on the "early" piano to the modern Steinway. Interesting timing, as just last night I found a video on the history of the piano and its ancestors, and for the first time (unless I forgot after hearing this earlier), learned that the early fortepianos (or maybe pianofortes?) didn't have pedals but instead you had to use your right knee for resonance and your left knee for a special "soft" feature unlike the Unacorda pedal. "It offers innovative features, such as the Sordino pedal and Mozart rail, bringing a singing resonance and softer intonation when called for." Yep, I got my email today too, and it either has more info or I was too focused on work to notice these important details earlier, so now it's a MUST-BUY:
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