Paul Woodward

I have been watching AI closely within design and education and what I am (personally) realising is that the value of tradition, craft and skill is increasing as AI churns out sterile images, text and music. I'm sure it could crank out a banging techno track, but it will never have the heart of a human. This value of tradition and skill is what we need to embrace and support and just let AI do all the grind which is what it does best 🙂 Nothing AI produced will have genuine value. It's that failry talentless person most of us has met who has no original ideas, but copies bits from everyone else and tries to make them their own, but never quite gets it.

Are you pairing with a keyboard or just playing on screen? The CME Xkey is a nice 'visual' companion to iPad and it has poly AT 😉

What ‘workstation’ features are you specifically requiring? I too was after the same and decided on a Korg Kronos 88. I then realised I didn’t need many of the ‘workstation’ features, so I got the Grandstage and connected it to my DAW. Much happier and saved a lot of money.

I loved my CP4 and felt no love for the CP88 which is it's direct replacement. If I didn't have a Grandstage I might be in the lookout for another.

Reminded me that I owned a PX-5S while I was still honing my 3D modelling chops. Much Star Wars livery followed.

I have suggested the Liano to him given it's 7cm thickness and lightweight. I'm done at that, trying to help but he either wants the earth for pennies or every option just misses his criteria somehow. Unless there is some option I have missed...

As well as the full set of Logic AU units and Korg Gadgets, I have the Korg Collection, Pigments, Sylenth, Moog and a few more, as well as loads of IOS apps, I can’t see me getting any use from this given those comments.

Might give it a go if it really offers anything new. Any reviews of this yet?

He will be fine with the lack of controls, but stubbornly sticking to 61 keys.

It’s the only board he will use and he wants some piano work so I have suggested 61 is the minimum for that…

A friend of mine overseas is eyeing up my Keystage/iPad combo but is put off by the cost of the KS itself. It's understandable as he just wants to gig a light board with USB C iPad and won't need the midi 2.0.and poly AT. Question is, what are the options for a 61 key lightweight class compliant controller keyboard with usb audio interface that can also run off USB power? I know there have been a few threads on similar subjects but, as he eyed up the KS first, thought I would post it here as a point of reference.

Way off your ‘spec list’ but, in a pinch, Korg Module can trigger one hit samples as long as they are in an audio format i.e. MP3. I tried to replicate the wave trigger function of the Yamaha CK and it worked so I had the Sledgehammer and Queens one vision intros etc. Additionally, Gadget could be set to have gadgets that receive on all 16 channels and, with a controller that has pads, they could be set to trigger individual sounds or samples. Cheap and flexible option maybe.

Although it didn’t ‘bug’ me, it definitely baffled. I understand having Nautilus and Kronos, but why scrap the better of the two leaving the AT less Nautilus as the flagship? The Krome was another strange keyboard when put next to the Kross. It just had that touch screen making it look like a budget Kronos.

Ditto, I was looking for an all in one when a Fantom 7 came up cheap nearby…but it’s huge and I wanted a piano keybed so it was a no go for me (88 wouldn’t even fit under my desk, never mind trying to lug it anywhere). Certainly has a lot in there with the expansion though….and the back panel is just a dream for connectivity.

This is what niggles me…so many compromises on a brand new (and not exactly cheap) board. You should be seeing the best keybed, lots of flexibility and room for upgrades, controls, great visual interface etc. but instead it’s almost like a list of apologies from the R&D department for what they could manage and, for a board that is Arturia sounds only, you would expect fully editable software bundled in at that price (and even at a lower price). Still, if it appeals to you, then you will buy into it I guess.

On the flip side of being discontinued, look at how many boards are actually getting their life ‘extended’ when they probably should be retired for something new and improved….ahem, Roland RD08, Nautilus AT, Fantom EX…

Had to read the title again, I first assumed you meant what keyboard (that has been discontinued) bugs you the most…I had a long list. I see now you meant it bugged you because it had been discontinued. Still, nothing lasts for ever eh? In contrast, what keyboard had the best production run? Kronos is surely up there? Personally, the Korg Grandstage as it was very well specced and could have been updated, marketed better and sold for longer. This is evident by how little has actually changed (internally) on the soon to be released GS X some 7 years later. Luckily I have a mint one, but I wouldn’t trade up to the newer model if it were to stop working. It also needed a few quality of life features that will now never be implemented on the original.

Much of the worlds top tech is made in the East and it’s high quality stuff, even good old Apple get their gear made in China and they aren’t doing too bad…

As an example from Korg's website....those not up to date with the new tech might well think they are looking at the 'new' Grandstage there on the left, if they didnt see the X version. That was just a firmware update that added in new sample sets. Deceptive bit of photoshopping maybe?

Another point of view, from consumers aware of the previous model, is that they have just installed the software for you and screenprinted an EX on, which can feel equally disappointing after all these years. "Hey, we have had 5 years to improve our flagship workstation....so we have installed the EX software for you and added the cost to the retail price. You are welcome" Still, Korg adding a feature (AT) back into their flagship workstation and charging for a physical upgrade was a puzzling move. It was someone else who said about the voucher, but I get what they were implying. This does not 'rejunevate' an older model as there is absolutely no improvements in hardware at all. Feels a bit lazy given they could have made some other improvements in the 5+ years they have had. Aside from the actual size and scope of the software expansion (and the fact it costs), it's a bit like installing a major firmware update and rebranding it as a new model.

The K&M I posted earlier is meant to clamp onto round tube, but the way it works it grabs rectangular tube just as well and really isnt moving unless I whack it some.

Still available. £195 in the UK, havent checked to see if its discounted anywhere but, if it is, its certainly a way to get the 'EX' at a bargain price. For example, this would be an EX 88 for less than £1800...shame its so bloody big. I could even handle the 300 mile drive for that.

So a simple rebadge and the same keyboard with the EX already installed. Thought they might have taken the opportunity to bring Poly AT to compete with other brands. I do wonder if grabbing a used Fantom and adding the £199 EX yourself might work out to be more cost effective. As one site asked, why not just give a coupon for the upgrade with new boards rather than make this?

Well, I have played with numerous setups for iPad and I have settled on a Korg Keystage which connects to the iPad with just one cable (and the iPad can power the Keystage). Audio comes out of the Korg and essentially that’s it as you see in the picture. Has sustain and expression pedal as well as standard 5 pin midi in/out. Stand for the iPad is included with the board. You may not need the Poly AT or Midi 2.0 of the Keystage, but I thought why not get something a bit more future proof. Oh, and the software bundle included wasn’t bad.

I like what you did there 😉