Happy New Year to all & I wish God's blessings to every reader!
I'm getting back into music production and have been acquiring some gear. Currently have Apple MBP M2 Max, Logic Pro 11, Komplete Ultimate 15, Apollo Twin X Duo Gen 2, DT 770 Pro X headphones, Maschine MK3.
I'm looking for a weighted keyboard and also would like to have the controls for the DAW and NI Software. I was initially looking to buy the M-Audio Hammer 88 Pro. Yet after reconnecting with an old friend who owns a S49 (think it's the mk3), he mentioned the value of having the NI KK series for the benefit of the software control. After a more research… LoL. Now I'm considering a combo of either New/Used gear in order to have the weighted feel and software control. As I don't know if the S88 is the best route, and it appears better to have a combo for the versatility in keybeds, features, and DAW/software control. I was thinking of a double tier setup with 88 key on the bottom and 49 key above. Some of the options I was considering were:
- Older Synth like Yamaha KX88 or Roland M50
- M-Audio Oxygen Pro 49, NI A49, NI KK S49 mk2 / mk3
- M-Audio Hammer 88 pro
- NI A49, KK S49 mk2 / mk3
Of course there's many options for a combo, but just sharing some ideas for clarification. I'm also looking to add a synthesizer rack for other sounds that I like.
Some of the things I was considering to determine my decision was the features included in the oxygen pro series that seem very handy, since I don't currently play the keys well or know music theory.
- Smart Chord mode enables playing of enharmonic or custom chord voicings
- Smart Scale mode eliminates wrong notes making it easy to craft a perfect song
- Arpeggiator with Type, Octave, Gate and Swing controls
According to what I could find online, both the a49 and s49 comes with all these features, not sure if that's only in the mk3 version. I've read some mixed reviews in NI discussions about the issues with the s49 mk3, it almost seems like the mk2 might be better. Though maybe all the issues will sort out with future updates.
Also, from all the research I've done, a main theme has been, "You really have to try the gear out to know if you like the feel"… So I'm trying to narrow down some options for a focused search. And cost is surely a factor, as I initially intended to keep things on the lower end, yet I'll be moving overseas in the summer to an island, so I decided I don't mind spending a little more, maybe $1200. Especially if it means I can get 2 keyboards (one likely used, if not both) that offer me a solid setup that'll last 7-10 years before I have to consider the extra cost of shipping abroad to an island.
I also considered that if the NI A49 or S49 mk2/mk3 can do all the same things as the M-Audio Hammer 88 Pro (in addition to NI software control), possibly it's better to chose one of them and go with a different option for the 88 keybed.
I appreciate your support and advice. Thanks for taking the time to read and hopefully the information shared helps many more.
