I’ve been looking for an additional midi keyboard controller. Initially, I wanted to get the M-Audio Keystation 88 Pro but found many poor reviews on this keyboard. After searching around, I came across some keyboards that look very promising:
The CME UF8 and VMK-188 have monophonic aftertouch, yet the M-Audio Keystation has no aftertouch.
Aftertouch is a feature, which I’m just now learning about, which allows the player to push on the keys after striking and holding them down to manipulate the sound. Here are some good definitions of aftertouch:
Google Definitions of Aftertouch
I’ll let you know which, if either of these, I choose to get.
I’m looking for an 88 controler keyboard too. So far, the reviews on the uf8 look very promising. (Keyboard, April, 2005– but they usually shill for the products in their magazine.) My big worry is it does not seem to have been on the market long, it Chinese, and untested. Nevertheless, I may go for it.
Preston
I, too, found some glowing reviews of the UF8. But it seemed like the reviewer was given a free unit to evaluate. I’m not sure how unbiased these reviews are.
If you get the UF8, I’d love to hear your impressions of it. I have still not decided on one yet.
Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Joe
I just bought a CME UF8, and so far I love it. I spent about 2 hours at Chuck Levin’s playing the UF8 and several digital pianos and synths just to compare the actions. I played the MAudio keystation pro 88, but was turned off immediately by its terrible action and cheapo plastic construction. I was originally thinking about getting the MAudio unit because I really need the programmable controller knobs for soft synths. I ended up with the CME keyboard because it’s action is superb, it quality seems high (fader knobs are a little cheap). To make up for the abundance of knobs, I also picked up a Behringer BCR2000 B-Control unit. I’m still setting things up, but plan to use the preset sequencer/mixer settings on the UF8 to control my DAW (Ableton or Cubase) and use the BCR2000 (which I was able to sit directly on top of the UF8 with a little McGuyvering) to control the soft synths.
As I said, I only just purchased the UF8 a few days ago, but so far I’ve had no problems with it in either MIDI mode or with USB, and the action seems great to me.
Oh, for what it’s worth, CME’s website seems to be under construction, so give these guys a shot: http://www.arbitermt.co.uk/cme/cmehome.htm. BTW, the info I found online made it seem that the keyboard was fairly hardwired, and that you couldn’t really program each button/fader to a specific CC message and channel. Turns out you CAN fully customize each knob and fader. The instructions are buried in the poorly translated manual.
Other than that? Approx $550 gets you a cool-looking keyboard, nice action, USB cable, AC adapter (needed for aftertouch), and a sustain pedal. Not bad.