Korg Triton Extreme 88 Keybed ?

[Mathieu Fiset]

Hey, I'm planning to buy another Extreme, but 88 notes this time. But I was wondering about the keybed...

I have an old Roland HP-1000S digital piano, with a keybed that I LOVE, but it is too big and beaten up to be carried to gigs now, so I would love a 88 notes Extreme to replace it. But is the keybed comparable ?

Thanks !

Mathieu

[thkyle]

Just got back from the music store where I tried out several keyboards. I'm interested in the M3, but thought that I would just just maybe get the module and use the controllers that i already have.

In the store there's an M3 88 with a 61 key model above it, and a Fantom G8 to the left, and several Yamaha model on the right. I try them all, great fun!

Now these are display models, but I was very very disappointed with the feel of the Korg keyboard. It felt "spongy." Slow to return. It made it difficult to be consistent with dynamics of expression and after touch. It might be something that a person could get used to, but it was bad enough to convince me that I didn't want to spend an additional $1200 for a strange feeling keyboard.

The Roland was very nice and crisp. Felt like a real piano. Not a Steinway, but reminded me of a Baldwin grand. The Yamaha was very similar if not the same or a little better.

I love the features of the M3 workstation, but they can have the keyboard. I loved the keyboard on the Fantom G3, but the features of the workstation seemed to be lacking, although the mouse has potential.

Right now I'm closer to going for the M3-M, and fitting it for use with my Fatar controller. Another point perhaps off topic, about the M3 is that the touch screen is not all that "touch" sensitive. I had to tap choices a couple of time to initiate the change. Again that is something that a person could get used to. It also could be a good thing that it's not too sensitive that an accidental brush could change the parameters in the middle of a set. Especially during a gig.

In short, it's sad that such a fine workstation as the M3 has such a poor keyboard. I liked feel of the 61 key version better than the 88.

[TheaterOfThought]

Just got back from the music store where I tried out several keyboards. I'm interested in the M3, but thought that I would just just maybe get the module and use the controllers that i already have.

In the store there's an M3 88 with a 61 key model above it, and a Fantom G8 to the left, and several Yamaha model on the right. I try them all, great fun!

Now these are display models, but I was very very disappointed with the feel of the Korg keyboard. It felt "spongy." Slow to return. It made it difficult to be consistent with dynamics of expression and after touch. It might be something that a person could get used to, but it was bad enough to convince me that I didn't want to spend an additional $1200 for a strange feeling keyboard.

The Roland was very nice and crisp. Felt like a real piano. Not a Steinway, but reminded me of a Baldwin grand. The Yamaha was very similar if not the same or a little better.

I love the features of the M3 workstation, but they can have the keyboard. I loved the keyboard on the Fantom G3, but the features of the workstation seemed to be lacking, although the mouse has potential.

Right now I'm closer to going for the M3-M, and fitting it for use with my Fatar controller. Another point perhaps off topic, about the M3 is that the touch screen is not all that "touch" sensitive. I had to tap choices a couple of time to initiate the change. Again that is something that a person could get used to. It also could be a good thing that it's not too sensitive that an accidental brush could change the parameters in the middle of a set. Especially during a gig.

In short, it's sad that such a fine workstation as the M3 has such a poor keyboard. I liked feel of the 61 key version better than the 88.

Maybe changing the values of velocity curves in M3's Global Mode could improve the feel.

[thkyle]

Maybe changing the values of velocity curves in M3's Global Mode could improve the feel.

That would be a valid option to fine tune the signal response from the keys to the way I play.

I'm still not sure that I could learn to like the way the mechanics of the keys feel to the touch. It's noticeably different from other keyboards I have. It's that action that I have an issue with. They felt mushy, and slow. I'm just not used to that. I know that not all actions are equal, and that if you play one enough, it eventually will feel as if that is normal.

[Athox]

I agree with you that the M3 keys are very spongy. It's so weird that any company would make ANY element of such an expensive product that badly. Sure it's to save production cost, but honestly, what is a workstation really without a good keybed. It's what make the decisive difference, not the sound. If you can't play well, then it won't sound good.

If they were trying to be inventive with the keybed, then that's definately the wrong product to do it with.

[Bigs]

Maybe changing the values of velocity curves in M3's Global Mode could improve the feel.

That doesn't change the physical motion of the keybed. If I were to spend over $3000 on a keyboard it should feel great right out of the box. If Yamaha and Kurzweil can do it, why not Korg?

[stealth]

The keybeds on the M3's are a major step down from Korg's previous lines - the 61 and 76 feel like Casios, which sucks because the Trinity/Triton had the best feeling unweighted keybed out there IMO. Very disappointing.

[SerFox]

Korg have never paid the slightest bit of attention to their keybeds. Not too sure of Yamaha's, never been to keen on their principles when it comes to workstations, kinda like Casio in a way, just not very agreeable. Bert is jokes though.

Roland I'd say are up there when it comes to fantastic keybeds, as well as kurzwell, but both of these are way up there in the high end of workstations, quite pricy.

Personally though I'd rather go with whatever suits your needs. Doesn't matter if it's not absolutely perfect, if you want a perfect key resistance, key size and feel with correct velocity volume and feedback, spend a few grand on a steinway and deal with it. You want decent range of sounds and a playable keybed, choose the one that feels the most natural, not the most realistic. You hit a note a certan way and if it sounds the way you expect it to at that velocity, youre onto a winner.

[Mathieu Fiset]

Hum ok so the M3 keybed suck but...is the keybed from the Extreme 88 better ??

I really love the keybed of the 61 key version, so maybe I'll like the 88 version too ?

[Omega Monkey]

Are you getting the 88 as a replacement for the 61 or as an addition to it? If it's as an addition, I would suggest not getting a triton at all. You already have one, why not cover more bases and get an 88 key workstation from a different brand (ie Roland or Yamaha)?

You will get the most bang for your buck this way. For one thing, Roland and Yamaha keybeds are almost always really good. The Motif and Fantom series are certainly examples of this. Plus you will get all the extra sounds and features of having a completely different synth engine to use. And you can always run MIDI cables between the 2 and access the sounds with the opposite keybed.

If you just want the Triton sounds and nothing else and just want to have both weighted and unweighted controllers, just get an 88 key controller keyboard which will be about 1/4 the cost of a the Triton (or any other 88 key workstation).

[TheaterOfThought]

Hum ok so the M3 keybed suck but...is the keybed from the Extreme 88 better ??

I really love the keybed of the 61 key version, so maybe I'll like the 88 version too ?

The M3 comes with the new RH3 action, Extreme with the RH2 action.
LE, TR, Oasys and Extreme share the same action in their 88 keys version.
If you have already played one of the LE, TR or Oasys, you already know about the keybed.

[Mathieu Fiset]

Are you getting the 88 as a replacement for the 61 or as an addition to it? If it's as an addition, I would suggest not getting a triton at all. You already have one, why not cover more bases and get an 88 key workstation from a different brand (ie Roland or Yamaha)?

You will get the most bang for your buck this way. For one thing, Roland and Yamaha keybeds are almost always really good. The Motif and Fantom series are certainly examples of this. Plus you will get all the extra sounds and features of having a completely different synth engine to use. And you can always run MIDI cables between the 2 and access the sounds with the opposite keybed.

If you just want the Triton sounds and nothing else and just want to have both weighted and unweighted controllers, just get an 88 key controller keyboard which will be about 1/4 the cost of a the Triton (or any other 88 key workstation).

Well, the reason is that I want to be able to do more than one thing at a time (play more than one patch). But with the same sounds that I already have.

And to be able to have a 88 notes keyboards when needed, and a 61 when I don't want to carry the big one.

Maybe my midi knowledge are not good enough too...can I do :

Play with "patch1" on the Triton, and play with "patch2" of the triton, but on a midi controller ? I know I can assign different layers of a same patch, on different keyboards, but can I play with a totally different patch on both keyboards ?

[rifaa]

Just to give a differing opinion to those given here:

I owned a Triton Extreme 88, a 61 TEx (for a short time) and now the M3 88, and I completey experienced the opposite.
The M3´s action is IMO opinion way better than the TEx (and not worse than both the Motif´s and the Fantom´s), as it is much "more" weighted. This has been described as sloppy or slow in some of the other posts but having grown up on a heavy weigthed Bechstein Upright, this is about the first Hammer-action on a synth that has similar resistance to your finger pressure.
This is something you like or you don´t, but I find it a lot easier to play than the relative little resistance of the TEx (or the Motifs)


This might answer your question concerning the TEx 88´s keybed: it is IMO a reasonably well quality keybed that is just a bit on the lightweight side (as is the 61 model for synth-action). It was good for an all purpose workstation (probably what you are after), just a bit too light for Piano-playing (for my taste).


Just my 2 ct. !

[aibohphobia]

Bottom line: Keybed is a matter of opinion. Whether acoustic or electric, some people like one feel, some people like another. Try the instrument for yourself and go with your own opinion... no one else's is valid...

[Mathieu Fiset]

Bottom line: Keybed is a matter of opinion. Whether acoustic or electric, some people like one feel, some people like another. Try the instrument for yourself and go with your own opinion... no one else's is valid...

Yeah I agree, the probleme is that there's no Extreme left in any music stores here, and I don't know anybody who own a 88 notes Extreme. So I can't really try.

But anyway, I will buy one and take a guess on the keybed, must be at least OK. The worst that can happen is that I miss the keybed of my old Roland ^^

[thkyle]

Bottom line: Keybed is a matter of opinion. Whether acoustic or electric, some people like one feel, some people like another. Try the instrument for yourself and go with your own opinion... no one else's is valid...

"sound" advice.