For all that asked (sorry for keeping you in the dark) the mystery VST was the newly released official KORG TRITON! A few updates from your comments and further research! 1) Action is PHA-4 Standard (with Escapement and Ivory Feel) 2) Keyboard can be powered by USB, but only when it is connected to computer 3) PSU is not included 4) USB connection is new USB Type C 5) Stand is the KS-12, still in production! 6) No pedal or music rest included
I own this controller and the only issue I have with it is the build quality. The left side cannot support any weight because it was basically tacked on and is not part of the rest of the keyboard. My cat jumped on it and the back panel snapped right off and the keyboard no longer powered on. I got it replaced, but now I have to take it off the stand and lean it on a wall which is a pain because I like to just sit down and play.
That is the new USB type C. Some high speed transfer modes are only available over it, and USB4 is going to be USB-C only. It also plugs in both ways around. It is the future, so you might just as well get used to it :)
avwhite also needed for the next generation midi protocol. Because usb c can carry more signals. So it’s not a bad design choice by Roland at all. The problem I have with it is that it is just too expensive. Pha4 action is equivalent on a Juno ds88 and feels the same to play but you get so much more for your money. Also, if you a really a purest on key action the korg d1 is much cheaper. In terms of a digital piano action top dogs are Kawai mp11se or Kawai CA79’s/99
@@wilkopiano re: USB 3: Not really needed.. USB 2 is more than fast enough for MIDI 2.0, especially when you consider very few MIDI controllers like being attached to a USB hub (less controllers per USB device). I'm actually hoping Ethernet will become the new MIDI 2.0 preferred connection standard. It's already a thing, and it works well. It'll handle complex setups with near zero latency and you won't have to worry about cheap, flaky USB cables or hubs. Anyone can spend $50 and make their own custom length Ethernet cables, or at least be prepared to fix them on site. No so with USB cables. And 4-Port Ethernet Switches are almost as cheap as USB hubs, now. It could even handle several sound channels at the same time.
USB 3 comes in A, B, and C type connectors. For large instruments like this it's much better to use a B type or A type as bigger contacts has more resistant to dirt and easier to clean.
“To charge up his telephone!” Haven’t heard it called that for a long long time lol. This guy is an absolute superstar! Whenever I am down I will definitely watch woody!
You found a uni adjustable psu. What about the mega amps? I think that's important too. I think they have to be equal or greater than the original adapter as well as the voltage being correct.
What do you suggest to buy between M-Audio Hammer 88 and Roland A-88? Considering that there are other 88 key Midi-Controllers in the market as well. I am confused between M-Audio Hammer 88, Komplete Kontrol S88, Arturia Keylab 88 MKII, Novation SL88 and Roland A-88. Please help me out.
I have been recently using a MIDI controller (with Pianoteq) after returning (with some penalties) my FP-10. The idea was that since I had been mostly using Pianoteq sound, FP-10 served me as a MIDI controller anyway. There are unfortunately certain benefits of having a digital piano (Bluetooth connection, abilities to adjust keyboard parameters and, as you said, immediate access to sound if needed). I am therefore getting new Roland FP-30X when it comes out
The A88 Mk2 is intended to be powered over USB-C using USB-C bus power. Using a type A to type C cable and plugging it into a battery pack like you attempted will not supply USB-C bus power. Try plugging it into a laptop (i.e. your Macbook) that has a USB-C with bus power, and it should power up no problem.
People with a classical piano technique prefer 88 note keybeds even for synthesis because their technique can take advantage of their technique for expression. Casual keyboardists do not have the same skill set and would prefer semi weighted or synth action keys because they do not have years of muscle development. The supplementary dials, pads, inputs are useful for sound design which is a separate thing than performance.
I've had the A-88, and it's good to know that the MKII of this model gave some upgrades like the 8 knobs and 8 pads. By the time I commented on your video, I was using Nektar Impact LX 88+ and was getting really well as the centerpiece for my production tasks. Unfortunately, its life proved to be very, very short. Today I'm seriously thinking on investing on this controller. Not just for its functions, but also for its durability. I'm starting to dive more into its particularities, but I feel in the need of switching keyboards this time... Well, in fact I'll get back to Roland and probably configure the A-88 MK II to be very well integrated with REAPER, my DAW. And this plug-in is really amazing. What plug-in is that? Thanks again for such an incredible in-depth video about this machine.
Actually I want to run an A-88 as piano keyboard on channel 1, and an external organ keyboard on channel 2. Do I have reason to believe that transpose on the A-88 also will transpose incoming Midi from the organ keyboard? This is very important to make my setup work, and to make the decision to buy one. Thanks in advance.
Midi keyboards are in theory the ultimate setup. It follows the keep it simple principle. You buy the keyboard for it's feel and performance... not the sounds. You buy the sounds separately. You can use an old laptop or invest in proprietary computers to access heavily DRM'd instruments. It also allow you to buy simpler devices in theory; letting each concentrate on what they do well. Where it falls apart somewhat is in auto configuration. These Midi keyboard to meant to be more travel friendly. The Yamaha you have is meant to be a semi permanent install in the home; it's meant primarily to be an imitation piano. While the Yamaha may support Midi you have to compare the bit resolution of the velocity as well as well it performs in reality as far as it's response curve. It's possible the Yamaha could support velocity locally but not through Midi. And with large midi keyboards like this you can theoretically split the keyboard up into a few instruments.
Having the keyboard and synthesis separated is a double edged sword. In my experience with a Roland A49 MIDI controller, it takes a lot of tweaking to make the keyboard response match the VST's response. When I play hard, I want the sound to "bite". Sure I can adjust the velocity curves but now my pianissimo notes sound barely audible or still too loud and hard. Contrast this with my Yamaha P-125 and PSR-S775 where the sound naturally follows the keyboard response because the manufacturer already tuned it for you.
Hi have few queries? Is it really solid build? What is the option for after touch? Whats your experience after 2 years of use? Actually I am little bit confused for purchasing between Roland A 88 mk2 and Arturia keylab mk2, plz give your suggestions.
Merhaba, Adım Avni A-88MKII aldım. VST sesleri bilgisayardan değiştirdiğinizi görüyorum. Nereden çaldırıyorsunuz yardımcı olabilir misiniz? Rolandın seslerini arıyorum ve bulamadım... Bu videonun devamını bekliyorum.
If my budget was under $800 US, I would go with a midi controller because the piano sounds on low end digital pianos are SO dire that they hurt my poor ears. A $150 vst sounds better than a 600 dollar digital piano. With a good weighted action, and a laptop, and some "learn piano software" there's no real limits to what you could do.
Going from a Yamaha S90 to a Kawai MP11SE was to me a large improvement in the action, and what I didn't expect was that it me a huge boost in pleasure of playing with a more expressive instrument. This was 3+ years of weekly piano lessons.
If you can pick up a Roland A90.... or check one out... they are super solid construction, but weight 35kg! Can get one very cheap now. I have 2 of them. So nice to see your happy face with this A88 !!
I love your unboxing videos due to they are REAL and that is worthy of GOLD. That keybed is after all indeed very appealing. I have got more or less the same Yamaha as you and I like that one but the lenght of the keys of the Roland midiboard gets my attention because that is something I have reflected on!
7:30 Ah yes, the old fingernail tappity tap for structural assessment Edit : Thank you so much for this review Woody, it has been extremely informative for me.
I do that on almost everything I buy. A good heft and a nice thick resonance usually means a good quality product. I work in mechanical engineering and you'd be surprised how many of us do that. : )
@@WoodyPianoShack Yeh she's a beauty for sure, i'm also getting a Waldorf Quantum in a few weeks, im super excited to get that. I work as a professional loop library composer for all the major brands so this will really give me an edge on things! :) Great videos btw, im a huge fan!
Woody,I'm late to the party on this one,but I have a question for you. I currently use an Italian Studio Logic SL990 Midi controller that I absolutely love the action and feel of. I am buying the Spectrasonics Keyscape program, and they recommended the A-88 for a controller. The Studio Logic DOES NOT have a USB output,only Midi. I want a keyboard that has a USB output to alleviate latency problems when using a USB adapter. Would you get rid of the Studio Logic for the A-88?
that's a fantastic classic controller, very solid and built to last, obviously! I don't believe in the midi delay being worse than usb, connect your SL to PC with good quality usb midi interface or audio/midi and you'll be good.
Those USB micro connectors are a PAIN! As an engineer, I was taught that a connector, was there to mechanically been inserted and removed frequently and therefor had to be robust. In the amateur world of ICT, that engineering practice went out of the For cost, I guess. On my black magic camera I have them too and I worry to death to bump it and break it. The FPs are brilliant. I own two, an FP60 here in my bedroom (and yeah they are big! I am struggled with space too). And an FP30 in my (vfx) studio, to have a fiddle around. The action is great. Not too heavy but not too light either. I have an FA08 as well, and I control it with either the MX88 or the FP because that action is useless! So incredibly heavy, I wonder who thought that was a great idea.
I love the honesty of your reviews, Woody. I think it's great you don't research the product in advance too much. It takes out a lot of prejudices. The viewer now gets to discover it with you. I particularly liked the part where you discovered it comes without an adapter. Other reviewers may just quickly mention it with a replacement adapter in hand and the viewer would't remember. Imagine the disappointment of unboxing your brand new, almost €1000-controller and discovering you can't power it up right away. Many reviewers also emphasize on the functions of products, while you can just look those up on the internet. You more focus on the build quality, handling and feeling of the product which I really like. Because those are not on the manufacturer's website. Thank you for doing this! Best wishes to you and your family!
thanks for the comment Jasper, and happy to read your feedback. i'm treading a fine line with this style of presentation, but it's something different and their are other channels catering more to the specs and features. I try and share the journey and the information you won't get by reading the spec sheet and manual. glad it resonated with you :)
Thanks Woody for the review! I am considering an RD-88 myself because of the flexibility of having built-in sounds, effects knobs and pedal inputs, built-in speakers and a USB audio interface. I am yet to try one out myself but I am very excited about it because it is so portable compared to most stage pianos! I am also new to VSTs and I really appreciate your videos on those as well!
I use an Arturia Keylab 61 mk 2 with a Korg SP250 digital piano midied into my PC. Gives me the best of both when using Arturia Analog lab software or my Reaper DAW. I’ve got some organ pedals connected via midi to the keylab. The Arturia Hammond B3 is awesome through this set up as I get upper and lower manual and pedals with direct drawbar control of the upper and inverse key presets on the lower. Loving the Keylab 61😎
Why have octave buttons on an 88? To center the range you are currently playing, with your computer setup. Also, to offset shifted octaves in certain patches made for shorter keyboards.
I'm tempted to get this over a keylab 88 or the NI S88... seems more futureproof with 2.0 and better longterm investment, plus the fact it has the old midi too, much more backwards compatible.
13:35 (I was premature writing this, for largely later in the video Woody told most of it) The idea of a 'universal' power supply is in a way dangerous, because there's center-positive and center-negative. That's how I blew up my Arturia Keystep (with a 'universal' Roland power supply). I can't understand why they use the same plugs and only a tiny icon, often only embossed, so hard to see under most lighting conditions. I immediately noticed this keyboard even doesn't have the icon, nor the voltage indicated. The indicated PSU-1B is 'universal', but also center-negative, and in Europe is sold with a different type number, and some sellers call the polarity 'unspecified', which in combination with 'universal' might suggest it doesn't matter, it will handle polarity without problems . When you also have guitar pedals with equally called 'universal' power supply, you might blow up your gear. Color-coding with colored tape would be my advice. It's all rather confusing, and after some googling it seems this Roland is an exception, compared to my Arturia Keystep and Korg MS20 mini (both center-positive). Anyway, check very well before you connect, and again, color code your gear and supplies (or apply tape with the voltage and polarity). Some gear will be protected, but don't take that for granted.
MIDI 2.0 is bidirectional, that would explain why the controller has both MIDI in and out. I did read in the new MIDI spec that transport over 5 pin DIN plugs isn't supposed to be an option. It is designed around higher bandwidth transports such as USB but I guess it would work.
Most keyboards have both MIDI IN and OUT 5-pin jacks so you can send commands to the keyboard to change settings, etc. And most have a MIDI THRU setting (instead of a third jack) so another controller can use the IN jack to send to the same MIDI OUT.
One other reason some may choose an 88-key Midi controller over a digital piano is that few if any of the latter has aftertouch, which is important to some of us two-hand players, when adding expressive gestures to sounds layered with more static sounds like pianos. Interestingly, because the A-88 borrows the action from their piano line, it does not offer AT. That would be a deal-breaker for someone like me, no matter how good the action feels. Might as well get a digital piano instead. I use the Yamaha P255 piano, and find the action of that piano much more to my liking than that of my previous 88, which was their S90ES, which offered far more sounds, plus a lot of great control options. To add control to the 255 I use an old Yamaha MCS2 midi control station from the 80s, which adds pitch and mod wheels, as well as continuous controllers inputs and even a breath controller input to any midi chain. I'll never part with that Swiss army knife device!
So, I purchased it but I think I might return it. I needed something for pianoteq and this keyboard didnt do it for me. The action itself feels quite good but the sound you get on Pianoteq is not comparable to how it feels. I expected a lot more. It's either to harsh or to mushy. Depending on the velo curve I chose. When I use the curve for slow keyboard it's impossible to get a pianissimo, it is on default it's hard to get a forte. I saw a couple of videos here on UA-cam, but they weren't in a language I could understand and I don't know which virtual library they used but the sound wasn't that bad and I wondered what I do wrong. Is it the sound system I have or my lack of technic? I'm not a professional, but I have a strong feeling that a piano shouldn't be that hard to play from its action. Thoughts on that?
my first thought is not to return the controller if you're not happy with the piano sound. try some other libraries, or really dig in and experiment with the velocity curve settings in pianoteq.
@@WoodyPianoShack I spend a whole day playing with the curves, but the result wasn't satisfying. I read an article claiming that such "cheap" MIDI-Controller aren't made to play piano with really though the keyboard itself feels like it was made for it. They're aren't sensitive enough to use the whole velo range of an acoustic piano it seems. Only made for synths. Of course you can play piano libraries with it and for some it's enough, but for me it isn't. It is not possible for me to express my feelings with it.
I'm sure the piano-style action on this keyboard must be quite lovely....but holy hell...$1,150?? What could this Roland possible have that is worthwhile, over the M-Audio 88 Hammer Pro?? I actually had the M-Audio keyboard(which was fantastic)...but from top to bottom,the M-Audio was too thick,as it sat too high in relation to the height of my video game chair....so I ended up selling it. This Roland is even thicker and you'd have to have a workstation desk that is adjustable, just to accommodate this beast....no thanks! When I sold my M-Audio, I bought a Nektar Impact GXP88 and oh...what a wonderfully compact keyboard...with an exquisite semi-weighted action...just love it to death!
Because of you, my Korg Triton is on the way. :-D Anyway interesting, that this A88 can't be powered via USB, like in case of my AKAI MPK88, but perhaps it needs to be connected directly to computer, to get some "wake up" signal.
Please consider trying the Kawai MP11SE. It’s amazing. So close to a grand piano, and great sounds, and can still use it as a midi controller. Way better than any Roland; and I’m usually a Roland fangitl. It has real wooden keys, real hammers and you can even hear the damper working on the accompanying 3 pedals.
i played some furniture style kawai DPs with premium wooden key actions, and it was a wonderful experience. definitely hoping to get more time with them in future. thanks for the recommendation!
If u use vsts live you would understand why you need as many knobs faders etc as possible. Because you are not just controllibg the vst you are also controlling your host.
I just got one of these today and wondered where the power pack was, I tried it on a mains usb: it didn’t work. I then tried to connect it to my Akai Key37 via USB and it worked and all lit up.
A professor once showed us a single key from Stenway - it's a piece they use for teaching and demonstrations. It's the full key and hammer mechanism and it had repetition - an amazing ingenious trick. Do you think the Roland has it? Sometimes the hollowness is there so part of the hammer mechanism can fit inside.
I saw that you have the NI keyboard... from native instruments is it an 88 keys?? what is the difference between the Native one and the Roland thank you.
i don't have any other controllers with weighted keys, and there are a million differences between the NI and Roland controller, too many to describe in a comment.
Hello, because of your usual natural behaviour, I watched the whole video even though I'm not a pianist and for that am totally not interested in the differences between E-Pianos (that's how we call it here in Germany) and MIDI controllers. So I have two totally unrelated questions: How did you mount the Kallax to the wall? Or ist it an older Expedit? Hard to tell, for IKEA maintained the the ratio for most of the parts. Anyway, keep being you. I'm turning 40 in about half a year. I'm coming back to creating electronic music as a hobby after a hiatus of more than two decades, and I find it refreshing to find channels of people that are not YAY!! LOOK at ME! Im WAVING MY HANDS and STUFF. ALL. THE. TIME. And I'm BOBBING MY HEAD and I'm SO, SOOO, SOOOOOO EXCITED TO THE MAXXX … you know what I mean. People I can re-learn the basics from. So thank your for being grounded like you are. It's a pleasure to hear what you say. Regards -me
oh, i think i am that guy that always waves my hands and bobs my head ;) glad you liked the presentation. the shelves are just screwed into the particle board but I am nervous about it crashing down onto my synths. i don't load it up too much.
It's USBC - it's now standard on desktops / laptops etc. It actually clicks in quite solidly for me at least. Not sure how much better a USB B socket would fare if you tripped over it but it would certainly be an easier component to replace onto the board. Maybe it's got something to do with the MIDI 2.0 ready status of this controller. The base and back are wood btw, with metal reinforcement.. Do you ever find the odd, random loud note? Almost like a little buffer or midi processing glitch?
thanks for all the info! yeah, you are right, but that kind of thin cable does feel a bit flimsy for a large master keyboard on stage. fine for a small phone though! no no glitches, but only had it for a couple of weeks.
@@WoodyPianoShack Guess you could use something like the Roland Um-one 5 pin midi to usb cable for stage, and just keep the USBC for studio use. That's probably what I'd do if I were gigging which I'm not any more.
I think they should have made it less wide. It does not fit under my desk :(. I just like 88 keys with nothing on the side, I would rather have the controls on top.
It is USB Type-C. Not full sized usb but still way better than micro usb. But yeah, for that kind of money this things should be made sturdier. On the other hand i am very happy to see they put a lot of R&D to quiet down key action. Very little keyboard under 1000$ this days have done this right. I absolutely hate that feeling of cheapo thumping hollow sound, when you bottom out keys, which become very distracting.
hi lou, i dunno mate, it's not going to be much data with midi, compared with audio and video transmission that works perfectly well on the old USB connectors...
USB is such a weird specification with separate naming for the connectors (A, B, C mini and microUSB) and versions that tell you the speed 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, and 3.2. Complete with the recent renaming of 3.0 to 3.2 Gen 1, 3.1 to 3.2 Gen 2 etc. I can't wait for USB 3.2 & USB C to be the only option so fumbling around till you get the connector in the right way.
I have an A88mk2 for my production PC, and a Yamaha CP50 for actual piano playing. I massively prefer the Yamaha action of the two. If I need to upgrade, I'll likely investigate the Fatar midi controller. The other annoying thing about the A88mk2 is that you can't power it via USB unless it's attached to a computer that is powered on - if you just want to use it as a standalone midi controller, you have to shell out £20 for the mains power unit (as you discover at 14:00). My PC and DAW is to the right of my A88, so the knobs and pads are completely away from where I'd make use of them. I didn't know about the Midi 2.0, so at some point I'll look into that. On Roland's site it says (coming soon). So probably a firmware update. I wish the knobs were endless rotaries that could be configured as relative (that is, sends CC in the range 1..3F for #steps clockwise, and 0x41..7F for #steps anticlockwise as once you have that information, mapping to whatever can be done in software without needing to sync cc values to the knobs). ( Built in sounds don't matter to me: I mainly use Pianoteq, though it surprises me how nice the CP50's internal piano sounds when I do occasionally use it. If I wanted a digital piano with built-in sounds, I'd probably investigate the CP-88. ) Overall the A88mk2 is great as a full range keyboard for controlling synths. It is only for classical piano playing that I think its action falls a little short. Connector wise, USB is converging on USB C so that we don't have the mess of USB2 type A, USB3 type A, mini USB, micro USB2, micro USB3. There is a bit sticking out next to the usb socket that you wind the usb cable around so that, if you trip over the cable, the strain isn't passed to the socket.
Assign keyswitches to the bottom reg keys, and split in instruments across key ranges; but would need to change key action slope to play a sampled violin on a weighted keyboard' I do it, takes getting used to. Qould b e nice to have had a D Beam controller.
Hi Woody! Thank you for great video and amazing playing! Inspired! What can you say about PHA-4 Standard keybed after some time of usage? Has it become more noisy or may be there are other drawbacks? What do you think about Roland Escapement? How does it feel while playing?
gosh, I only had it loaned to me for a week, and that was a long time ago now, so not in any position to make further comments except I remember liking it at the time!
@@WoodyPianoShack ok. Are you planning to review RD-88? Absolutely no info anywhere about its usage with popular DAWs(In manual declared only Mainstage support)
That's strange, on the Roland website specs it says 'Class compliant USB-C provides bus power and single cable connectivity with macOS, Windows and compatibility with iOS.'
probably then it powers up only when connected to computer, and not when connected to USB powerbank or charger. same on the roland a49, and it's an annoyance when you want to use as controller for midi equipment.
3.5 mm TRS jacks are just a different way to connect the same three wires that the 5-pin DIN MIDI connector uses. MIDI 2.0 currently requires a USB connection. For the Power Supply, there should have been a diagram that showed the polarity of the barrel plug. From my research, most of Roland's stuff is center-pin negative.
apologies, I was sure it was in the description, now added a pinned comment "For all that asked (sorry for keeping you in the dark) the mystery VST was the newly released official KORG TRITON!"
So, this USB connection takes the place of having to connect Midi cables? Why does the A-88 MKll have a Midi in if there is no sounds in this keyboard?
My StudioLogic SL88 Studio controller doesn't need power suply. Just plug on the computer or smartphone's (hours of super-portable usage) USB. Power and DAW control on the same cable. And it even has a color LCD display lit all the time.
That USB connector is the new type C connector. It’s a very confusing standard as it’s also used for Thunderbolt and DisplayPort. It has different signal modes. USB is not so universal anymore as not all of those USB connectors since USB 3 aren’t made equal anymore. The USB power delivery standard is whole story of it’s own. The problem with DC power supplies is that you always need to know the voltage and the polarity, many devices use the same plug diameter but different polarity. Some devices don’t put this on the label. I feel every device with a DC connector should label the voltage and polarity just to be sure. It’s too easy to accidentally fry a device if you get it wrong. Then oops.....😥.
thanks for the comment dyko! you also need a PSU that delivers enough amps of course. annoyance with roland is they don't specify on the equipment what the voltage and polarity is, nor do they on the specs for the PSU model. They do their best to keep this data secret to force you to buy their expensive accessories I guess :)
Hello! I just recieved my a88 mk2 and was really happy the first few hours just playing the keybed. Things have taken a sour turn since I opened up the windows software to midi map the controllers for my setup (pads, knobs, banks). 1st off : Is there NO WAY to midi map the pads, knobs and keys to different midi channel among themselves (i.e : pads on channel 1, keys on channel 2, knobs on channel 3, etc ????? My 12 years Maschine mk2 does that. 125$ cheap MPK mini does that. Basically, all of the controllers that I've ever used had that feature. I know you can split the keybed, that's not what i'm after : lets say I want my drums on the pads, and piano sound on the keys. Of course they gotta be on seperate channel. What am I missing here? 2nd off : the software itself looks like a windows 98 program. For something adverstised as the FUTURE of midi (and a 2000$ CAD unit, i'm not impressed) Some of the font on the app is so small you actually gotta bring the laptop to your face to be able to see. any help would be much appreciated as nothing in the manuals relates to that.
I'm also on dual layout, digital weighted piano (Yamaha Clavinova) and MIDI controller with plastic light Keys on top (Roland A-300, with transport buttons..). After 20+ years, I was considering replacing my digital piano and I had seen this A88 Mk2 coming out this year, so I'm very glad of this review. Thanks! My old Yamaha keys sound like a typewriter (I mean, not connected), I understand from your video we can get a more silent action nowadays. Good news! I also noted your comment on a solid hardware: my digital piano has always been there, while I have changed my MIDI controllers 4 times in these years because they got broken somehow somewhere. I guess you miss a piano sound and speakers just because your piano is not in the studio. When it is in the studio, you can do without. I like my piano vst sound more than the original Yamaha piano sound, and I really like to hear the piano sound on my nearfield monitors rather than the Yamaha on board speakers!
@@aquaticborealis4877 I guess it depends on if you're using it as a midi-keyboard or standalone instrument? The keyboard-action is good on both A88 and RD88 (from what I've heard). The knobs and buttons on te A88 are designed for controlling a DAW, while the knobs and buttons on a RD88 are made for the in-built sounds. Anomalie only uses plugins (like Keyscape and Omnisphere) and sounds from Ableton. So for him I guess it makes sense to use the A88. There's a video on youtube by Reverb where he talks about his Live-set and how he uses the A88 controller for that. If you're into that stuff I recommend it!
@@zugrath16 Thanks for your reply. I'm not a professional composer, and I don't gig, but it would be nice to be able to move the keyboard around and still get a deep set of sounds and be able to manipulate it. However, I think it will be right next to my computer 95% of the time, so maybe it's not a requirement. I don't really want to buy multiple instruments. I'm also looking at stuff like the Yamaha ModX8.
Hi Woody ... thanks for all of the very helpful videos. Do you know of a software package that brings the features of an Arranger Keyboard to a midi controller? These features would include voices, rhythms, the ability to save presets (registrations), and a recording function. Thanks
@@WoodyPianoShack hi again ... I have come across a piece of software called giglad that advertises itself as arranger keyboard software... ua-cam.com/video/AETE7oBDHxg/v-deo.html
The Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S88 MK2 keyboard is a far better option at this price point IMO. Add to that the great software bundle you get with the S88mk2 and it's a no brainer. Sorry Roland, you need to drop the price on this by at least £200 for it to be competitive. I don't like where they put all the controls on the left end of the keys forcing the user to pretty much using just the left hand and it makes an already long keyboard even longer, 2 reasons for this being a bad design. And whats this shit about companies not supplying PSU's with their products all about? Don't we pay enough for these high end controllers already?
The SH-4D coupled with the A-88MKII and iPad for DAW are looking to be a versatile solution to synth workstations though more setup is required and easy portability for gigs needs to be a consideration. However, premium creativity would be worth it. A double keyboard stand with shelf and velcro on top and A-88MKII below as MIDI controller is ideal. Stand I have currently is Hercules Easy-Lock and some On-Stage parts for a tablet arm off the stand, but will need to reconfigure for this with keyboard. Having the tablet connected will be great!
Cheers Woody. I love my FP-30 and wouldn't change it for anything 😊 And it's white. I thought that the lack of midi sockets would be a setback but it does usb midi fine. I sometimes use it to play pianos on my modx and jupiter xm. I only bought it to learn piano and it's perfect. And about half the price of an A88 Mk2.
hi johny, just my point! i think i held off on the 30 because of the lack of line-outs which I need when recording piano lessons and performances. my little 121 has lines. hope they address that in any future products.
I think they have the midi knobs to control the virtual Pianos like the Arturia Piano V2 so you can adjust Mic settings,Room Reverb mic placement velocity etc on Virtual Piano s programs. So you set up your virtual Piano sound to your liking.which pretty amazing if you think of what you can do 🙂😎
For all that asked (sorry for keeping you in the dark) the mystery VST was the newly released official KORG TRITON!
A few updates from your comments and further research!
1) Action is PHA-4 Standard (with Escapement and Ivory Feel)
2) Keyboard can be powered by USB, but only when it is connected to computer
3) PSU is not included
4) USB connection is new USB Type C
5) Stand is the KS-12, still in production!
6) No pedal or music rest included
IT really is a quality built instrument and I'd be happy to build a VST studio on top of it.
The action the same like in Roland fp-30 ?
I own this controller and the only issue I have with it is the build quality. The left side cannot support any weight because it was basically tacked on and is not part of the rest of the keyboard. My cat jumped on it and the back panel snapped right off and the keyboard no longer powered on. I got it replaced, but now I have to take it off the stand and lean it on a wall which is a pain because I like to just sit down and play.
That is the new USB type C. Some high speed transfer modes are only available over it, and USB4 is going to be USB-C only. It also plugs in both ways around. It is the future, so you might just as well get used to it :)
avwhite also needed for the next generation midi protocol. Because usb c can carry more signals. So it’s not a bad design choice by Roland at all. The problem I have with it is that it is just too expensive. Pha4 action is equivalent on a Juno ds88 and feels the same to play but you get so much more for your money. Also, if you a really a purest on key action the korg d1 is much cheaper. In terms of a digital piano action top dogs are Kawai mp11se or Kawai CA79’s/99
@@wilkopiano re: USB 3: Not really needed.. USB 2 is more than fast enough for MIDI 2.0, especially when you consider very few MIDI controllers like being attached to a USB hub (less controllers per USB device). I'm actually hoping Ethernet will become the new MIDI 2.0 preferred connection standard. It's already a thing, and it works well. It'll handle complex setups with near zero latency and you won't have to worry about cheap, flaky USB cables or hubs. Anyone can spend $50 and make their own custom length Ethernet cables, or at least be prepared to fix them on site. No so with USB cables. And 4-Port Ethernet Switches are almost as cheap as USB hubs, now. It could even handle several sound channels at the same time.
USB 3 comes in A, B, and C type connectors. For large instruments like this it's much better to use a B type or A type as bigger contacts has more resistant to dirt and easier to clean.
@@chrisw1462 The MIDI 2.0 spec requires USB C (in other words, it's the official MIDI 2.0 port).
@@andesneko
USB C is the first spec made to work with 2.0 and so is the default, but others are planned including ethernet.
“To charge up his telephone!” Haven’t heard it called that for a long long time lol. This guy is an absolute superstar! Whenever I am down I will definitely watch woody!
You found a uni adjustable psu. What about the mega amps? I think that's important too. I think they have to be equal or greater than the original adapter as well as the voltage being correct.
What do you suggest to buy between M-Audio Hammer 88 and Roland A-88? Considering that there are other 88 key Midi-Controllers in the market as well. I am confused between M-Audio Hammer 88, Komplete Kontrol S88, Arturia Keylab 88 MKII, Novation SL88 and Roland A-88. Please help me out.
I have been recently using a MIDI controller (with Pianoteq) after returning (with some penalties) my FP-10. The idea was that since I had been mostly using Pianoteq sound, FP-10 served me as a MIDI controller anyway. There are unfortunately certain benefits of having a digital piano (Bluetooth connection, abilities to adjust keyboard parameters and, as you said, immediate access to sound if needed). I am therefore getting new Roland FP-30X when it comes out
The Roland FP-10 Digital Piano has the same action, has more solid build and is half the price. It doesn't have the pitch/mod stick of course.
The A88 Mk2 is intended to be powered over USB-C using USB-C bus power. Using a type A to type C cable and plugging it into a battery pack like you attempted will not supply USB-C bus power. Try plugging it into a laptop (i.e. your Macbook) that has a USB-C with bus power, and it should power up no problem.
i'll try that on the next video Scott, thanks!
MARK LEVINE, HE'S THE MAN, I'VE LOVED THAT BOOK FOR 30+ YEARS
And the Jazz Theory book as well
People with a classical piano technique prefer 88 note keybeds even for synthesis because their technique can take advantage of their technique for expression. Casual keyboardists do not have the same skill set and would prefer semi weighted or synth action keys because they do not have years of muscle development. The supplementary dials, pads, inputs are useful for sound design which is a separate thing than performance.
I've had the A-88, and it's good to know that the MKII of this model gave some upgrades like the 8 knobs and 8 pads.
By the time I commented on your video, I was using Nektar Impact LX 88+ and was getting really well as the centerpiece for my production tasks. Unfortunately, its life proved to be very, very short.
Today I'm seriously thinking on investing on this controller. Not just for its functions, but also for its durability.
I'm starting to dive more into its particularities, but I feel in the need of switching keyboards this time... Well, in fact I'll get back to Roland and probably configure the A-88 MK II to be very well integrated with REAPER, my DAW.
And this plug-in is really amazing. What plug-in is that?
Thanks again for such an incredible in-depth video about this machine.
Actually I want to run an A-88 as piano keyboard on channel 1, and an external organ keyboard on channel 2. Do I have reason to believe that transpose on the A-88
also will transpose incoming Midi from the organ keyboard? This is very important to make my setup work, and to make the decision to buy one. Thanks in advance.
Midi keyboards are in theory the ultimate setup. It follows the keep it simple principle. You buy the keyboard for it's feel and performance... not the sounds. You buy the sounds separately. You can use an old laptop or invest in proprietary computers to access heavily DRM'd instruments. It also allow you to buy simpler devices in theory; letting each concentrate on what they do well. Where it falls apart somewhat is in auto configuration.
These Midi keyboard to meant to be more travel friendly. The Yamaha you have is meant to be a semi permanent install in the home; it's meant primarily to be an imitation piano. While the Yamaha may support Midi you have to compare the bit resolution of the velocity as well as well it performs in reality as far as it's response curve. It's possible the Yamaha could support velocity locally but not through Midi.
And with large midi keyboards like this you can theoretically split the keyboard up into a few instruments.
Having the keyboard and synthesis separated is a double edged sword. In my experience with a Roland A49 MIDI controller, it takes a lot of tweaking to make the keyboard response match the VST's response. When I play hard, I want the sound to "bite". Sure I can adjust the velocity curves but now my pianissimo notes sound barely audible or still too loud and hard.
Contrast this with my Yamaha P-125 and PSR-S775 where the sound naturally follows the keyboard response because the manufacturer already tuned it for you.
This midi keyboard is twice as expensive as fp10 with pha4 keybed if it was a pha5 it would be interesting.
And value for money.
Hi have few queries? Is it really solid build? What is the option for after touch? Whats your experience after 2 years of use? Actually I am little bit confused for purchasing between Roland A 88 mk2 and Arturia keylab mk2, plz give your suggestions.
2 years of use, I wish! roland loaned it to me for 2 weeks.
I'm about to buy a keyboard... not sure to get this, NI Komplete Kontrol S88 MK2, or Arturia Keylab MK2.... any advice?
Ayyy it's a Korg Triton at the end 👀 One of my favorites too, such a powerful VST. Thanks for the long video, woody. Great content as always!
Merhaba, Adım Avni A-88MKII aldım. VST sesleri bilgisayardan değiştirdiğinizi görüyorum. Nereden çaldırıyorsunuz yardımcı olabilir misiniz? Rolandın seslerini arıyorum ve bulamadım... Bu videonun devamını bekliyorum.
If my budget was under $800 US, I would go with a midi controller because the piano sounds on low end digital pianos are SO dire that they hurt my poor ears. A $150 vst sounds better than a 600 dollar digital piano. With a good weighted action, and a laptop, and some "learn piano software" there's no real limits to what you could do.
Going from a Yamaha S90 to a Kawai MP11SE was to me a large improvement in the action, and what I didn't expect was that it me a huge boost in pleasure of playing with a more expressive instrument. This was 3+ years of weekly piano lessons.
any views of this vs the arturia keylab 88 mk ii?
Looking for that too
News?
If you can pick up a Roland A90.... or check one out... they are super solid construction, but weight 35kg! Can get one very cheap now. I have 2 of them. So nice to see your happy face with this A88 !!
i remember them from back in the day, awesome kit!
I love your unboxing videos due to they are REAL and that is worthy of GOLD. That keybed is after all indeed very appealing. I have got more or less the same Yamaha as you and I like that one but the lenght of the keys of the Roland midiboard gets my attention because that is something I have reflected on!
7:30
Ah yes, the old fingernail tappity tap for structural assessment
Edit : Thank you so much for this review Woody, it has been extremely informative for me.
"structural assessment" that's a nice way to describe it!
I do that on almost everything I buy. A good heft and a nice thick resonance usually means a good quality product. I work in mechanical engineering and you'd be surprised how many of us do that. : )
Sir, watching you playing was great! You really enjoyed the keyboard!!! And, as Zappa said: "music is the best!"
I was tempted by the A88 Mk2, but decided to spend extra money and got myself a Yahama MODX8
excellent choice, that keyboard does it all! i forgot to mention 88 note workstations.
@@WoodyPianoShack Yeh she's a beauty for sure, i'm also getting a Waldorf Quantum in a few weeks, im super excited to get that. I work as a professional loop library composer for all the major brands so this will really give me an edge on things! :) Great videos btw, im a huge fan!
What Keyboard stand is that and how is it setup?
This was really helpful, thank you so much for your in-depth review!
glad to hear that, you're welcome!
Woody,I'm late to the party on this one,but I have a question for you. I currently use an Italian Studio Logic SL990 Midi controller that I absolutely love the action and feel of. I am buying the Spectrasonics Keyscape program, and they recommended the A-88 for a controller. The Studio Logic DOES NOT have a USB output,only Midi. I want a keyboard that has a USB output to alleviate latency problems when using a USB adapter. Would you get rid of the Studio Logic for the A-88?
that's a fantastic classic controller, very solid and built to last, obviously! I don't believe in the midi delay being worse than usb, connect your SL to PC with good quality usb midi interface or audio/midi and you'll be good.
@@WoodyPianoShack Thank You!
Only a child of the 80s could start a groove like 37:20. Wonderful!
Those USB micro connectors are a PAIN! As an engineer, I was taught that a connector, was there to mechanically been inserted and removed frequently and therefor had to be robust. In the amateur world of ICT, that engineering practice went out of the For cost, I guess. On my black magic camera I have them too and I worry to death to bump it and break it.
The FPs are brilliant. I own two, an FP60 here in my bedroom (and yeah they are big! I am struggled with space too). And an FP30 in my (vfx) studio, to have a fiddle around. The action is great. Not too heavy but not too light either. I have an FA08 as well, and I control it with either the MX88 or the FP because that action is useless! So incredibly heavy, I wonder who thought that was a great idea.
I love the honesty of your reviews, Woody. I think it's great you don't research the product in advance too much. It takes out a lot of prejudices. The viewer now gets to discover it with you. I particularly liked the part where you discovered it comes without an adapter. Other reviewers may just quickly mention it with a replacement adapter in hand and the viewer would't remember. Imagine the disappointment of unboxing your brand new, almost €1000-controller and discovering you can't power it up right away. Many reviewers also emphasize on the functions of products, while you can just look those up on the internet. You more focus on the build quality, handling and feeling of the product which I really like. Because those are not on the manufacturer's website. Thank you for doing this! Best wishes to you and your family!
thanks for the comment Jasper, and happy to read your feedback. i'm treading a fine line with this style of presentation, but it's something different and their are other channels catering more to the specs and features. I try and share the journey and the information you won't get by reading the spec sheet and manual. glad it resonated with you :)
Thanks Woody for the review! I am considering an RD-88 myself because of the flexibility of having built-in sounds, effects knobs and pedal inputs, built-in speakers and a USB audio interface. I am yet to try one out myself but I am very excited about it because it is so portable compared to most stage pianos! I am also new to VSTs and I really appreciate your videos on those as well!
will probably try one soon Eric!
I use an Arturia Keylab 61 mk 2 with a Korg SP250 digital piano midied into my PC. Gives me the best of both when using Arturia Analog lab software or my Reaper DAW. I’ve got some organ pedals connected via midi to the keylab. The Arturia Hammond B3 is awesome through this set up as I get upper and lower manual and pedals with direct drawbar control of the upper and inverse key presets on the lower. Loving the Keylab 61😎
Why have octave buttons on an 88? To center the range you are currently playing, with your computer setup. Also, to offset shifted octaves in certain patches made for shorter keyboards.
good points! it probably is used to shift keyboard splits too
I'm tempted to get this over a keylab 88 or the NI S88... seems more futureproof with 2.0 and better longterm investment, plus the fact it has the old midi too, much more backwards compatible.
MIDI 2.0 is backwards compatible by design, so everything 2.0 will have 1.0.
13:35 (I was premature writing this, for largely later in the video Woody told most of it) The idea of a 'universal' power supply is in a way dangerous, because there's center-positive and center-negative. That's how I blew up my Arturia Keystep (with a 'universal' Roland power supply). I can't understand why they use the same plugs and only a tiny icon, often only embossed, so hard to see under most lighting conditions. I immediately noticed this keyboard even doesn't have the icon, nor the voltage indicated. The indicated PSU-1B is 'universal', but also center-negative, and in Europe is sold with a different type number, and some sellers call the polarity 'unspecified', which in combination with 'universal' might suggest it doesn't matter, it will handle polarity without problems . When you also have guitar pedals with equally called 'universal' power supply, you might blow up your gear. Color-coding with colored tape would be my advice. It's all rather confusing, and after some googling it seems this Roland is an exception, compared to my Arturia Keystep and Korg MS20 mini (both center-positive). Anyway, check very well before you connect, and again, color code your gear and supplies (or apply tape with the voltage and polarity). Some gear will be protected, but don't take that for granted.
the picture I google up showed center positive, so we were lucky to have a second chance! roland should print this info on the dc input, imho!
@@WoodyPianoShack Polarity labelling for DC inputs should be required by EU and US and Canadian laws.
MIDI 2.0 is bidirectional, that would explain why the controller has both MIDI in and out. I did read in the new MIDI spec that transport over 5 pin DIN plugs isn't supposed to be an option. It is designed around higher bandwidth transports such as USB but I guess it would work.
Most keyboards have both MIDI IN and OUT 5-pin jacks so you can send commands to the keyboard to change settings, etc. And most have a MIDI THRU setting (instead of a third jack) so another controller can use the IN jack to send to the same MIDI OUT.
I was thinking that you will be connecting the A88 to the XM. Can the A-88 and the MC-101 work as a minimal set?
i guess it would work but not sure why one would want an 88 for the primarily synth sounds on the MC. i didn't think about connecting the Xm tbh!
Hey Woody. Just wanted to say your the only one whose actually demoed the mkii that I’ve seen so far so cheers for that
yeah mostly NAMM demos out there I think!
One other reason some may choose an 88-key Midi controller over a digital piano is that few if any of the latter has aftertouch, which is important to some of us two-hand players, when adding expressive gestures to sounds layered with more static sounds like pianos. Interestingly, because the A-88 borrows the action from their piano line, it does not offer AT. That would be a deal-breaker for someone like me, no matter how good the action feels. Might as well get a digital piano instead.
I use the Yamaha P255 piano, and find the action of that piano much more to my liking than that of my previous 88, which was their S90ES, which offered far more sounds, plus a lot of great control options. To add control to the 255 I use an old Yamaha MCS2 midi control station from the 80s, which adds pitch and mod wheels, as well as continuous controllers inputs and even a breath controller input to any midi chain. I'll never part with that Swiss army knife device!
Excellent point, thanks! Its a shame the A88 doesn't have it.
Such a good point? Does this one have AT? Also is it channel AT or polyphonic? CS-80 like. :)
So, I purchased it but I think I might return it. I needed something for pianoteq and this keyboard didnt do it for me. The action itself feels quite good but the sound you get on Pianoteq is not comparable to how it feels. I expected a lot more. It's either to harsh or to mushy. Depending on the velo curve I chose. When I use the curve for slow keyboard it's impossible to get a pianissimo, it is on default it's hard to get a forte. I saw a couple of videos here on UA-cam, but they weren't in a language I could understand and I don't know which virtual library they used but the sound wasn't that bad and I wondered what I do wrong. Is it the sound system I have or my lack of technic? I'm not a professional, but I have a strong feeling that a piano shouldn't be that hard to play from its action. Thoughts on that?
my first thought is not to return the controller if you're not happy with the piano sound. try some other libraries, or really dig in and experiment with the velocity curve settings in pianoteq.
@@WoodyPianoShack I spend a whole day playing with the curves, but the result wasn't satisfying. I read an article claiming that such "cheap" MIDI-Controller aren't made to play piano with really though the keyboard itself feels like it was made for it. They're aren't sensitive enough to use the whole velo range of an acoustic piano it seems. Only made for synths. Of course you can play piano libraries with it and for some it's enough, but for me it isn't. It is not possible for me to express my feelings with it.
ooh I like that type-c connector. Looks like it supports screw-lock USB-C connectors, too!
Hi Woody, consider buying the Roland RD 88 it is wonderful, and it has over 3000 sounds.
wow, it has that many? cool, will try one out for sure!
I'm sure the piano-style action on this keyboard must be quite lovely....but holy hell...$1,150?? What could this Roland possible have that is worthwhile, over the M-Audio 88 Hammer Pro?? I actually had the M-Audio keyboard(which was fantastic)...but from top to bottom,the M-Audio was too thick,as it sat too high in relation to the height of my video game chair....so I ended up selling it. This Roland is even thicker and you'd have to have a workstation desk that is adjustable, just to accommodate this beast....no thanks! When I sold my M-Audio, I bought a Nektar Impact GXP88 and oh...what a wonderfully compact keyboard...with an exquisite semi-weighted action...just love it to death!
Will the left side bend like the MkI?
Because of you, my Korg Triton is on the way. :-D Anyway interesting, that this A88 can't be powered via USB, like in case of my AKAI MPK88, but perhaps it needs to be connected directly to computer, to get some "wake up" signal.
That VST sounds brilliant, great video Woody. Makes me wish I stuck with learning to play the keyboard when I was a kid.
never too late to start over!
Please consider trying the Kawai MP11SE. It’s amazing. So close to a grand piano, and great sounds, and can still use it as a midi controller. Way better than any Roland; and I’m usually a Roland fangitl. It has real wooden keys, real hammers and you can even hear the damper working on the accompanying 3 pedals.
i played some furniture style kawai DPs with premium wooden key actions, and it was a wonderful experience. definitely hoping to get more time with them in future. thanks for the recommendation!
The MP11SE is the best digital I've ever played and I love it.
yes but twice the price! Yet I heard Kawai has also a pure MIDI digital piano with wooden keys that might be in the $ range of the A88 Mk2
@@francescocarosone5943 That would be Kawai VPC1 which has the same action is the MP7 (or MP7SE, I don't recall if they tweaked it).
@@allanwind295 Hi, how much better is MP7 key action than this Roland A88MKII?.
Difference in feel from Mk I?
What is that stand/bench you’re putting it on?
ancient roland stand, model unknown.
Excellent review!!
Excellent review. Thank you.
Thanks for the fair and thorough review!
If u use vsts live you would understand why you need as many knobs faders etc as possible. Because you are not just controllibg the vst you are also controlling your host.
Hi Woody... please what is the Name of this piano VSTi plugin you used ?
i don't recall, was it not just the triton?
I just got one of these today and wondered where the power pack was, I tried it on a mains usb: it didn’t work. I then tried to connect it to my Akai Key37 via USB and it worked and all lit up.
A professor once showed us a single key from Stenway - it's a piece they use for teaching and demonstrations. It's the full key and hammer mechanism and it had repetition - an amazing ingenious trick. Do you think the Roland has it?
Sometimes the hollowness is there so part of the hammer mechanism can fit inside.
i don't think so, but i don't know what the internals look like.
Hi～ my a88 mk2 left side plastic panel is little bit wobble，it‘s not assemble tightly，is your mk2 have this issue？thank you very much
their were no issues on my unit, sorry to hear that.
@@WoodyPianoShack 😃thank you
I saw that you have the NI keyboard... from native instruments is it an 88 keys?? what is the difference between the Native one and the Roland thank you.
i don't have any other controllers with weighted keys, and there are a million differences between the NI and Roland controller, too many to describe in a comment.
Could you name the exact name of the Vst plugin you are using.... Sounds amazing sir.
Ya - was wondering the same!! what were they?
Hello,
because of your usual natural behaviour, I watched the whole video even though I'm not a pianist and for that am totally not interested in the differences between E-Pianos (that's how we call it here in Germany) and MIDI controllers. So I have two totally unrelated questions: How did you mount the Kallax to the wall? Or ist it an older Expedit? Hard to tell, for IKEA maintained the the ratio for most of the parts.
Anyway, keep being you. I'm turning 40 in about half a year. I'm coming back to creating electronic music as a hobby after a hiatus of more than two decades, and I find it refreshing to find channels of people that are not YAY!! LOOK at ME! Im WAVING MY HANDS and STUFF. ALL. THE. TIME. And I'm BOBBING MY HEAD and I'm SO, SOOO, SOOOOOO EXCITED TO THE MAXXX … you know what I mean. People I can re-learn the basics from. So thank your for being grounded like you are. It's a pleasure to hear what you say.
Regards
-me
oh, i think i am that guy that always waves my hands and bobs my head ;) glad you liked the presentation. the shelves are just screwed into the particle board but I am nervous about it crashing down onto my synths. i don't load it up too much.
"You don't need son many assignable controls"
*Anomalie has entered the chat*
Very very cool! Great video!
Thank you for the video. It's very useful
It's USBC - it's now standard on desktops / laptops etc. It actually clicks in quite solidly for me at least. Not sure how much better a USB B socket would fare if you tripped over it but it would certainly be an easier component to replace onto the board. Maybe it's got something to do with the MIDI 2.0 ready status of this controller. The base and back are wood btw, with metal reinforcement.. Do you ever find the odd, random loud note? Almost like a little buffer or midi processing glitch?
thanks for all the info! yeah, you are right, but that kind of thin cable does feel a bit flimsy for a large master keyboard on stage. fine for a small phone though! no no glitches, but only had it for a couple of weeks.
@@WoodyPianoShack Guess you could use something like the Roland Um-one 5 pin midi to usb cable for stage, and just keep the USBC for studio use. That's probably what I'd do if I were gigging which I'm not any more.
I think they should have made it less wide. It does not fit under my desk :(. I just like 88 keys with nothing on the side, I would rather have the controls on top.
same for me!
Watching you, feels like inventing a solution with my dad 😅❤😊
haha, that's cool son, taken as a compliment!
@@WoodyPianoShack oh yes, of course! ☺️❤️ I would prefer daughter. But i guess my dad would also call me son😅 (in my functions)
It is USB Type-C. Not full sized usb but still way better than micro usb. But yeah, for that kind of money this things should be made sturdier. On the other hand i am very happy to see they put a lot of R&D to quiet down key action. Very little keyboard under 1000$ this days have done this right. I absolutely hate that feeling of cheapo thumping hollow sound, when you bottom out keys, which become very distracting.
ah, thanks for clarifying that!
Np, thanks you for giving focus in your review on those important things most reviewers don't
Not really a strange choice. I do believe it had to be USBC to handle larger data stream that is provided with MIDI 2.0.
hi lou, i dunno mate, it's not going to be much data with midi, compared with audio and video transmission that works perfectly well on the old USB connectors...
USB is such a weird specification with separate naming for the connectors (A, B, C mini and microUSB) and versions that tell you the speed 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, and 3.2. Complete with the recent renaming of 3.0 to 3.2 Gen 1, 3.1 to 3.2 Gen 2 etc. I can't wait for USB 3.2 & USB C to be the only option so fumbling around till you get the connector in the right way.
I have an A88mk2 for my production PC, and a Yamaha CP50 for actual piano playing. I massively prefer the Yamaha action of the two. If I need to upgrade, I'll likely investigate the Fatar midi controller. The other annoying thing about the A88mk2 is that you can't power it via USB unless it's attached to a computer that is powered on - if you just want to use it as a standalone midi controller, you have to shell out £20 for the mains power unit (as you discover at 14:00).
My PC and DAW is to the right of my A88, so the knobs and pads are completely away from where I'd make use of them.
I didn't know about the Midi 2.0, so at some point I'll look into that. On Roland's site it says (coming soon). So probably a firmware update. I wish the knobs were endless rotaries that could be configured as relative (that is, sends CC in the range 1..3F for #steps clockwise, and 0x41..7F for #steps anticlockwise as once you have that information, mapping to whatever can be done in software without needing to sync cc values to the knobs).
( Built in sounds don't matter to me: I mainly use Pianoteq, though it surprises me how nice the CP50's internal piano sounds when I do occasionally use it. If I wanted a digital piano with built-in sounds, I'd probably investigate the CP-88. )
Overall the A88mk2 is great as a full range keyboard for controlling synths. It is only for classical piano playing that I think its action falls a little short.
Connector wise, USB is converging on USB C so that we don't have the mess of USB2 type A, USB3 type A, mini USB, micro USB2, micro USB3. There is a bit sticking out next to the usb socket that you wind the usb cable around so that, if you trip over the cable, the strain isn't passed to the socket.
Assign keyswitches to the bottom reg keys, and split in instruments across key ranges; but would need to change key action slope to play a sampled violin on a weighted keyboard' I do it, takes getting used to.
Qould b e nice to have had a D Beam controller.
Another piano Woody lol, Roland's
just sending the Good goods😂 enjoy your new toys💖💖
Hi Woody! Thank you for great video and amazing playing! Inspired! What can you say about PHA-4 Standard keybed after some time of usage? Has it become more noisy or may be there are other drawbacks? What do you think about Roland Escapement? How does it feel while playing?
gosh, I only had it loaned to me for a week, and that was a long time ago now, so not in any position to make further comments except I remember liking it at the time!
@@WoodyPianoShack ok. Are you planning to review RD-88? Absolutely no info anywhere about its usage with popular DAWs(In manual declared only Mainstage support)
@@koticmorskoj6409 no plans for that at the mo, sorry
@@WoodyPianoShack anyway thank you
It’s usb C - Same as on the new MacBook Pro and I pad pro , it’s fast 😊
thanks for correcting me, that explains why they put it on there then!
That's strange, on the Roland website specs it says 'Class compliant USB-C provides bus power and single cable connectivity with macOS, Windows and compatibility with iOS.'
probably then it powers up only when connected to computer, and not when connected to USB powerbank or charger. same on the roland a49, and it's an annoyance when you want to use as controller for midi equipment.
3.5 mm TRS jacks are just a different way to connect the same three wires that the 5-pin DIN MIDI connector uses. MIDI 2.0 currently requires a USB connection. For the Power Supply, there should have been a diagram that showed the polarity of the barrel plug. From my research, most of Roland's stuff is center-pin negative.
Hello Woody, would you perhaps share now with all of us what your amazing vst is? Much appreciated :-)
apologies, I was sure it was in the description, now added a pinned comment "For all that asked (sorry for keeping you in the dark) the mystery VST was the newly released official KORG TRITON!"
So, this USB connection takes the place of having to connect Midi cables? Why does the A-88 MKll have a Midi in if there is no sounds in this keyboard?
Pass through of additional controllers
My StudioLogic SL88 Studio controller doesn't need power suply. Just plug on the computer or smartphone's (hours of super-portable usage) USB. Power and DAW control on the same cable. And it even has a color LCD display lit all the time.
That USB connector is the new type C connector. It’s a very confusing standard as it’s also used for Thunderbolt and DisplayPort. It has different signal modes. USB is not so universal anymore as not all of those USB connectors since USB 3 aren’t made equal anymore. The USB power delivery standard is whole story of it’s own. The problem with DC power supplies is that you always need to know the voltage and the polarity, many devices use the same plug diameter but different polarity. Some devices don’t put this on the label. I feel every device with a DC connector should label the voltage and polarity just to be sure. It’s too easy to accidentally fry a device if you get it wrong. Then oops.....😥.
thanks for the comment dyko! you also need a PSU that delivers enough amps of course. annoyance with roland is they don't specify on the equipment what the voltage and polarity is, nor do they on the specs for the PSU model. They do their best to keep this data secret to force you to buy their expensive accessories I guess :)
is the roland A-88 MIDI keyboard controller compatible with FL Studio?
Hello! I just recieved my a88 mk2 and was really happy the first few hours just playing the keybed. Things have taken a sour turn since I opened up the windows software to midi map the controllers for my setup (pads, knobs, banks). 1st off : Is there NO WAY to midi map the pads, knobs and keys to different midi channel among themselves (i.e : pads on channel 1, keys on channel 2, knobs on channel 3, etc ????? My 12 years Maschine mk2 does that. 125$ cheap MPK mini does that. Basically, all of the controllers that I've ever used had that feature.
I know you can split the keybed, that's not what i'm after : lets say I want my drums on the pads, and piano sound on the keys. Of course they gotta be on seperate channel. What am I missing here?
2nd off : the software itself looks like a windows 98 program. For something adverstised as the FUTURE of midi (and a 2000$ CAD unit, i'm not impressed) Some of the font on the app is so small you actually gotta bring the laptop to your face to be able to see.
any help would be much appreciated as nothing in the manuals relates to that.
@@alexp2082 Hey! returned it, roland support confirmed it wasnt possible...
good save on the power adaptor...
I'm also on dual layout, digital weighted piano (Yamaha Clavinova) and MIDI controller with plastic light Keys on top (Roland A-300, with transport buttons..). After 20+ years, I was considering replacing my digital piano and I had seen this A88 Mk2 coming out this year, so I'm very glad of this review. Thanks!
My old Yamaha keys sound like a typewriter (I mean, not connected), I understand from your video we can get a more silent action nowadays. Good news! I also noted your comment on a solid hardware: my digital piano has always been there, while I have changed my MIDI controllers 4 times in these years because they got broken somehow somewhere.
I guess you miss a piano sound and speakers just because your piano is not in the studio. When it is in the studio, you can do without. I like my piano vst sound more than the original Yamaha piano sound, and I really like to hear the piano sound on my nearfield monitors rather than the Yamaha on board speakers!
Loved that you used a Jeff Wayne, War of the Worlds, tune as a demo! Thanks again for a great video Woody.
i used to perform that in a synth duo back in the 80s!
24:15 Check out the Canadian artist Anomalie, he used this the MK1 for live shows and his setup in his home studio.
+1
Do you know when you would use this over an RD-88, especially for live shows?
@@aquaticborealis4877 I guess it depends on if you're using it as a midi-keyboard or standalone instrument?
The keyboard-action is good on both A88 and RD88 (from what I've heard). The knobs and buttons on te A88 are designed for controlling a DAW, while the knobs and buttons on a RD88 are made for the in-built sounds.
Anomalie only uses plugins (like Keyscape and Omnisphere) and sounds from Ableton. So for him I guess it makes sense to use the A88.
There's a video on youtube by Reverb where he talks about his Live-set and how he uses the A88 controller for that. If you're into that stuff I recommend it!
@@zugrath16 Thanks for your reply. I'm not a professional composer, and I don't gig, but it would be nice to be able to move the keyboard around and still get a deep set of sounds and be able to manipulate it. However, I think it will be right next to my computer 95% of the time, so maybe it's not a requirement. I don't really want to buy multiple instruments. I'm also looking at stuff like the Yamaha ModX8.
Geneeraly, the Japanese DC plugs are center negative, while the rest of the world uses center pos. Hoping that will change someday.
Hi Woody ... thanks for all of the very helpful videos. Do you know of a software package that brings the features of an Arranger Keyboard to a midi controller? These features would include voices, rhythms, the ability to save presets (registrations), and a recording function. Thanks
there is nothing, which is very surprising, big opportunity here for somebody!
@@WoodyPianoShack hi again ... I have come across a piece of software called giglad that advertises itself as arranger keyboard software... ua-cam.com/video/AETE7oBDHxg/v-deo.html
The Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S88 MK2 keyboard is a far better option at this price point IMO. Add to that the great software bundle you get with the S88mk2 and it's a no brainer. Sorry Roland, you need to drop the price on this by at least £200 for it to be competitive. I don't like where they put all the controls on the left end of the keys forcing the user to pretty much using just the left hand and it makes an already long keyboard even longer, 2 reasons for this being a bad design. And whats this shit about companies not supplying PSU's with their products all about? Don't we pay enough for these high end controllers already?
Any controller needs Mod wheels.. Unacceptable Roland..
Stay cool Woody, anything will go easier
mystery vst = korg triton vst 🙈
Triton VST hardware v/s software video confirmed.
Probably after "the thing that demonetizes videos and make everybody stays in home".
What vat plugin it is? Could you name the exact name plz
@@ronelgogoi Korg Triton VSTi
What is the software?
Sorry for so many comments ... this is the last one, I promise! Could you recommend a good flute synthesizer plug-in? Thanks!
No worries! but no clue!
This vs Kawai VPC??
As a korg fanatic, this vst sounds great.
The SH-4D coupled with the A-88MKII and iPad for DAW are looking to be a versatile solution to synth workstations though more setup is required and easy portability for gigs needs to be a consideration. However, premium creativity would be worth it. A double keyboard stand with shelf and velcro on top and A-88MKII below as MIDI controller is ideal.
Stand I have currently is Hercules Easy-Lock and some On-Stage parts for a tablet arm off the stand, but will need to reconfigure for this with keyboard. Having the tablet connected will be great!
Best title... I'm just searching for this comparison
The Jazz Piano Book is simply the best! I'm glad you have this. What keyboard?
Cheers Woody. I love my FP-30 and wouldn't change it for anything 😊 And it's white. I thought that the lack of midi sockets would be a setback but it does usb midi fine. I sometimes use it to play pianos on my modx and jupiter xm. I only bought it to learn piano and it's perfect. And about half the price of an A88 Mk2.
hi johny, just my point! i think i held off on the 30 because of the lack of line-outs which I need when recording piano lessons and performances. my little 121 has lines. hope they address that in any future products.
I think they have the midi knobs to control the virtual Pianos like the Arturia Piano V2 so you can adjust Mic settings,Room Reverb mic placement velocity etc on Virtual Piano s programs. So you set up your virtual Piano sound to your liking.which pretty amazing if you think of what you can do 🙂😎
and VI orchestral sample libraries.
i wish this had sliders and aftertouch.
looks great otherwise.
Can you tell me which one is better arturia mkii or roland mkii ?
@@amanshrestha2147 I like the Arturia Keylab 88 MKII it is what I have