KB Preference--What's Your Minimum Number of Keys?

[ProfD]

It goes without saying that a *real* KB player should be able to play any size and # of keys. 😁

 

The various KB configurations come in handy depending on the nature of the gig from studio to stage or traveling. 

 

While I've had a variety of KBs over the years including mini-keys, I have concluded that I need 61 *regular* sized keys at a bare minimum. 

 

Maybe I'm getting old but *hate* using the octave shift button especially on a KB with less than 61 keys. 

 

Don't get me wrong, octave shift is great for getting a desired KB range but it's still a compromise when it comes to fewer keys. 

 

I'm not a one-handed KB player.  If I didn't play LH bass and chords having to push the button probably wouldn't get on my f'n nerves as much.🤣

 

That's my KB true confession.  Let me know how you roll your program when it comes to minimum # of keys.😎

[Mighty Motif Max]

My bare minimum is 61 for anything other than, say, sketching a brass line into a DAW or something (for which I have a 37-key Novation controller). My comfortable gig minimum is 76; solo gigs or piano-focused sets I still like an 88, or when I have lots of splits.

[Adan]

Depends on context, but I feel in most situations I could get by with 49 keys if I really had to, which is just barely enough for 2-handed playing.  I've become quite comfortable with 61 keys even for solo piano.  If there were a hammer action 61, I'd buy it, just for situations where portability and compactness are important, but there is no such thing and I doubt there ever will.

[marino]

Mono: 37
Poly: 61

Piano:73

Obviously I always prefer more, but if we are talking the "minimum" number of Keys to get the work done, that's it.

An equally important factor is the feel of the keys, of course. I can play on any keybed, but a bad action can take away a good chunk of the enjoyment.

And please, be sure to keep those mini-keys out of sight!   

 

 

[AnotherScott]

My minimum for piano is 73. My preferred minimum for LH bass is 73, but I can deal with 61 if I have to, at least depending on the capabilities of the keyboard. If I'm not playing piano or LH bass, 61 is probably fine.

[Motif88]

73/76...

[Justin Havu]

It depends.

My minimum requirement for a single-board setup where I need to get the most out of it, would be 76.

Minimum for a polysynth would be 61, though I can get by with 49 in a pinch.

Minimum for a monosynth would probably be 37 at the very least.  Ideal would be 49.

[FatFingers]

My minimum would be 73-76, and my back complains if it's more.  So it is 76 by default.

[Sean M. H.]

I've always gigged with 73/76 and/or 88s...but I guess my minimum would be 61, especially if I'm playing with a bass player...after all, Hammonds have 61 keys (albeit two manuals).

 

For me, its really about the action moreso than the number of keys though...My current rig is 88 keys (PC4) and--if I take two boards--a 76 keys (Fantom 07)....If more companies offered a 61, 73 or 76 key option with a WEIGHTED action*, I'd be more than happy to downsize my PC4!

 

*weighted with the wheels above the keys that is...because otherwise, it's not saving much space...my 76-key Fantom-07 with the wheels beside the keys is only a couple of inches smaller than my 88-key PC4 with the wheels above the keys 🙄

[Tom Williams]

Minimum is 49.

 

I currently gig with 88 semi-weighted on bottom and 76 on top, but I've done a decent number of jams / worship gigs with just a keytar on an X stand.  4 Octaves lets me do a bass line and chord melodies.

 

[Adam Burgess]

Prefer an 88 for anything with splits or piano. Had to settle for a Kronos 73 a few years ago, as an 88 Kronos just wouldn't fit into a standard taxi around these parts 😆 But, I've played on a Deepmind 49 and gave the octave buttons some action, when I had to!

Being sensible - a 61 is doable. It's more about the weighted-ness than the amount of keys. But, again, my first Kronos was a 61, and honestly the best synth action I've ever played.

[Sean M. H.]

33 minutes ago, Adam Burgess said:

😆 

Being sensible - a 61 is doable. It's more about the weighted-ness than the amount of keys. 

 

Agree...like I said above, I'd love more options for 61 or 76 key weighted boards these days...Both Korg and Kurzweil had fully weighted 7x-key boards with their last generation (Kronos 73 and Forte 7)...but they both moved to semiweighted actions for their current 7x key offerings (Nautilus and PC4-7) 

 

...and then there's my Numa Compact 2X...I keep that at home for any synth/semiweighted controller duties I need in my recording setup.  It's pretty close to ideal for those duties: decent action, aftertouch, drawbars/sliders...but why they decided to put 88 keys on that thing is beyond me!  It'd make so much more sense in a 61 key package IMO.

 

Like you said, number of keys almost becomes a secondary consideration and takes a backseat to action, features etc a lot of times...

[Al Quinn]

My minimum for gigging is 61 standard size keys.

 

I think my minimum could be 61 with mini keys but I haven't tried it yet. For the past year or so I've incorporated the Korg microKEY Air 61 into my practice routine and find it easy, comfortable, and enjoyable to play. I'm pretty sure I could play many gigs well using this keyboard and an iPad. I also enjoy playing the Yamaha Reface CP but it doesn't have enough keys for gigging as a single keyboard. I've gigged with just a melodica but those were unusual gigs (i.e., unplugged kind of format) and had a blast.

[TWizzle]

Really depends on the song, or the gig I suppose. My Electro 61 gets me through most gigs with a funk band at a bar.

 

73 weighted keys is the "goldilocks" number for me. I can do almost any gig on 73 keys, fits well on cramped stages and across the backseat of my small car, and easy to carry. My P-121 and Nord Piano 5 73 are my favorite boards.

[brenner13]

So many cool boards that I did not get because only 25 keys…that’s just not enough for the way I like to phrase a melody.

32 is still slightly restrictive for me.

37 is just enough for solo leads, bass, and simple comping. Gotta have well placed, easy to use octave buttons.

49 is fine for fat poly synth. Love my Deepmind12, but use the octave buttons a lot.

61 is better to poly synth with and just enough for organ.

73: I’ve not had any experience with, but can imagine would be useful for organ presets on the lowest octave as long as it is C-C configuration.

76 is a fine compromise for size/weight to cover most any playing styles and instruments. Good enough for split, too. I often really miss a low D so still need handy octave buttons.

88 is obviously best for piano (unless playing a piece specifically for the 92 or 97 key Bosendorfer). Absolutely love stretching out on my Numa Compact 2X. 

[Doerfler]

Woody decided this thread needed a video 

 

 

[David R]

61 and 73 are my go-to sizes. When I'm playing synth bass I would still prefer to have it on a 61 key board just because the visual and physical geography of a B3 is helpful to me. I could play LH bass on a 49 key if I had to.

 

If I'm programming, sketching or producing, 49 is fine but anything less is really unusable for pads or string voicings I find.

[Baldwin Funster]

49 is OK as long as I'm not restricted from putting another 49 key controller on top. But then that's 98

 

I'm such a cheater.

[Outkaster]

61 except for piano .  88 keys is a must as I was trained on piano.

[ProfD]

88 weighted keys will always be my main KB preference.

 

Any other KB I use is a 2nd fiddle.😁 

 

Great responses. Keep them coming. 😎

[Al Coda]

[Baldwin Funster]

2 hours ago, Al Coda said:

No octave shift. Therefore unusable.

[CEB]

88 plus 122.    I get paid by the note.  I would starve with only 49 keys. 
 

 

[stoken6]

Depends on the gig. 

- Playalong in an Irish bar? 32-key melodica

- Solo piano accompanying a singer? 73 minimum, ideally 88

- Blues gig? 61 minimum (+49 keys minimum for organ)

- Function gig? I could probably live with 73+61, but I gig with 76+73

 

Cheers, Mike

[Al Coda]

12 hours ago, Jr. Deluxe said:

No octave shift. Therefore unusable.

 

 

Whadoyathink ?

It´s striktly for purists !

 

☺️

 

A.C.

[johnchop]

49 for synths and in a band situation I’m fine comping on 61. It’s not a limitation as much as a forced strategy for staying out of the bassist’s space.  

[synthizen2]

Always 88 weighted on the bottom for me. The top can be 61 synth-weighted (preferred). I just happen to have a 76-key as my upper board, it's nice, but I really don't need that many keys. Would like to trade my PC3 in for a PC3-61 at some point (for lighter weight).

 

Actually, I got by with a 49-key controller for a few months while my PC3 was in the shop. I used my Alesis Ion as an upper-board controller. Funny enough, I got by just fine with 49 keys on the top, and didn't find myself needing to use the octave switcher. But that may change depending on any new songs that get added to the setlists. Would rather have 61 (minimum) or 76 on top, for future expansion.

[JimboKeys]

Bare minimum for my one-man-band solo thing is 76 keys, though i'd miss the bass notes below E for left-hand bass.  Prefer a stack of two 61-key keyboards, which is the minimum for the tribute band.

[RABid]

While I can get by on 61, 76 is my comfort zone. If I can only have one keyboard make it a 76 key with good synth action.

[Iconoclast]

Coming at this from the wrong direction...88 for my purposes is too many. If playing multiple parts, I'd rather have my hands close together at different levels than reaching to the distant upper/lower octaves just to get that one sound you need for the song.

For piano piano, my Forte 7 does everything I need. I've only ran into 1 song where I needed to re-map the lowest note to get the lowest C note.

My 49 key poly's seem a little small but my 61's seem plenty big. I've never tried to use a 61 as my "piano" board.

I think my perfect rig would have 76 keys on the lower for pianos/eps, and 61 keys on top, but I could probably get away with 49 on top.