It might not have a weighted hammer-action, but if you’re looking for an affordable full-size MIDI keyboard to sit at the centre of your studio but is also lightweight enough to be carried under your arm to a gig, M-Audio’s new Keystation 88 MK3 looks like it might well fit the bill.
As the name implies, there are 88 keys - these are full-size, semi-weighted and velocity-sensitive. Additional controls include octave range buttons (though, given the size of this ‘board, you might not need them too much) pitchbend/mod wheels and a volume control. You also get transport controls and a sustain pedal input.
The KeyStation 88 MK3 is class-compliant and can be powered over USB, while USB-MIDI is also supported. There’s iOS compatibility and a dedicated 5-pin MIDI output, too. Bundled software includes Pro Tools First - M-Audio Edition, MPC Beats and Ableton Live Lite, and a range of virtual instruments and sound expansion packs is included as well.
The KeyStation 88 MK3 is available now for £175, which doesn’t seem much to pay for a keyboard of this size. Find out more on the M-Audio website.
