Which Keyboard Should I Buy? What to expect from professional musical keyboards.

It's been awhile great to see you creating videos again. As always very informative thanks for making this overview of the keyboard types and uses.

Impressive overview packed with information. Thanks for sharing.

God bless you sir. That was the video and the info I was really looking for some time and just couldn't get until I watched this. Keep us the good work!

Great explanation! I thought I know this topic, but learned a few new details. Thanks!

Great work,thanks for share,keep going

Excellent video explaining this stuff man.! I get asked this all the time, i will now start referring them to this video. Thank you!

Thanks Darrick. Great video and wonderful skills. I probably saved tons of time and money with this video, by understanding the differences between the various categories of keyboards as I try to put together my home studio kit. Cheers

There is no such review on YouTube. Everything is simple and clear! Thanks for the review!

Thank you for a very comprehensive and informative overview of the keyboard types.

Great breakdown Darrick! For the purpose of clarity, one thing that keyboard players who are looking to buy should be aware of when figuring out what keyboard is best suited for them, is that the Yamaha Montage (or MODX/MODX+) in the digital 'Synthesizer' category is essentially the same as a 'Workstation', except for how/where you do your sequencing & sampling. Yamaha decided to change from their Motif 'Workstation' classification when they released the next generation flagship keyboard to the Montage 'Synthesizer' because they noticed many musicians were either not using the onboard sequencer & utilizing their Motif as a stage synth instead of a workstation, or they were just utilizing a DAW for the sequencing & sampling in their favorite computer software (Logic Pro, Cubase, Pro Tools, Ableton Live), so they offloaded those "workflows" to the computer and changed the category. The Yamaha Montage (& MODX/MODX+) synths come with Cubase free, so if you have a computer with a USB port (which most people do), it is quite easy to do the sequencing on a big 20+" screen with much more detail, and more quickly than on the synthesizer or workstation. Also, you get SampleRobot sampling software for free. So aside from doing my sequencing & sampling on a computer DAW instead of on the synthesizer itself, I can do anything on the Montage 'Synthesizer' that can be done on a 'Workstation'. I sequencer all songs using Pro Tools and most times I use all 16 PARTs/voices. On average I sequence about 10 to 12 of the PARTs/voices while playing 4 to 8 PARTs/voices myself live on the keys (there is sometimes overlap where a PART/voice will be both played and sequenced for a song). I haven't even tried the new 'Pattern' sequencer that they added to the Montage in OS update 3.0 because DAW sequencing is too powerful, efficient & easy. And for sampling, the DAW based recording/editing and the SampleRobot software are perfect for my needs. I took my favorite VST piano (C7), sampled all notes in 8 different velocity layers, edited/adjusted them as needed, then saved as a library file and imported into the Montage user memory as a brand new piano. It sounds and plays exactly like the VST piano. The sound design options are also endless on the Montage like they would be on a Workstation. I also have an awesome Steinway grand piano library always loaded as well, and the Bosendorfer Imperial grand that comes for free on the Montage. So, if you prefer to do sequencing (& sampling) on the keyboard itself and not on a computer DAW, then the Montage (MODX/MODX+) might not be the fit for you, and you would be better off with a Workstation type synth. If you don't do much sequencing or prefer a DAW for it, then the Montage might be a better choice. That is really the only difference between the Montage Synthesizer and a Workstation. Five years ago when I was researching what new Workstation/Synth to buy, my two main criteria were (1) awesome pianos (2) lots of polyphony for playing + sequencing at the same time using multiple sound engines. My favorite pianos are rock so the CFX sounded & played perfectly awesome for that, so my decision came down to a Montage or a Kronos. While on the Kronos Forum, they were very helpful and suggested that the Montage was the better choice since it would likely have more polyphony since the Montage's 2 sound engines (AWM2 sample based & FM-X) each have 128 stereo 'additive' polyphony for a total of 256 stereo notes, whereas they told me that on the Kronos, when using more than one sound engine, it becomes the polyphony of lowest common denominator. Meaning that if you are using a sound engine that has 100 note polyphony (SGX-2 Piano) + another sound engine that has 40 note polyphony (AL-1 Analog Synth), your polyphony is then limited to 40 notes on those engines... That was my deciding factor in choosing the Montage over the Kronos, as there are times when all 16 PARTs/voices are playing at once (sequencing + playing the keyboard) using both sound engines and I am likely coming close to the 256 stereo note limit, but I have yet to hit that polyphony wall! Best thing is to list what you need and what you want from the new Synth/Workstation in order of importance, then do a lot of research on the various available options, such as videos like this one, Yamaha Forums, Korg Forums, Roland Forums, etc. Ask all the questions you have and most importantly, if you can demo the top options at a music store, definitely do so. Before it came down to just the Montage & Kronos, the Yamaha MODX was also an option...until I played the pianos on the MODX8 (I wanted an 88 key regardless) and it didn't trigger the piano velocity layers properly or evenly across the keybed (graded action). Now knowing more I could tweak all the pianos' dynamic velocity settings enough for live play, but not for home enjoyment or studio. (Note that the MODX6+ & MODX7+ don't have this issue)

I didn't know that about organ keys! Thanks for the new info, that's dope 👌 (like button smashed)

Loved this and learned alot .

Great video thanks for posting. I personally more or less know the differences by now (although the video was still helpful) but a video like this that goes into great detail was much needed. I was searching for something like this some time ago because most cover the subject very superficially. And some detail is needed since there starts to be more and more overlap as time passes (especially if you don't use each keyboard to their full extent and just play around with sounds and maybe tweak a little bit).

This was a good breakdown. I actually just bought the Nautilus. I don't know exactly why, but the format of sound design on this keyboard is so great to me. I don't know that I'll EVER use the sequencer/song format, so I wish they'd save space or money and just take that part out haha. I love the programs and the combination mode, though. And the pianos/Rhodes are the best I've personally had. I'm sure the sliders of the Kronos would be great, but I'm just gonna plug in a Nanokontrol. Also, I have the MODX7 and like 4 years in I still hate programming sounds from scratch on that keyboard haha.

Super helpful! Thanks so much!👌

Helpful comparison!

Very nice video Darrick, I saw the original Kronos at Namm went it was presented several years ago. I bought it about 6 months later & yes, it is totally awesome! My biggest concern was the weight. I took it out a few times & now it has a section where it has like a loud clanking noise when I play on those particular keys. Since then, I no longer take it out on the road worrying this will happen to other areas as well. This brings me up to this point- if you have the money, my suggestion it to add the Nautilus to your arsenal since that is compatible with the Kronos & is much more compatible. You can transfer the sounds between the 2 keyboards. I am currently doing that with both the Montage & the MODX. So, aside from the $$$$, you'll have the space to store the extra keyboard(s). This is just my 2 cents worth......

Thank you for your response.My setup will always have a weighted 88 key in the chain and a board to do other stuff.I was looking at the SL88 Grand,but hear too many quality control issues plus I rather have sounds to add with Keyscape.My keyboard of choice right now is the Yamaha Cp88.Should I consider adding the Arturia keyLab as I mentioned before instead of the Korg Nautilus?I was mainly looking at the versatility of the Nautilus .

Derrick, an excellent exposition on a subject that is both a bit tricky and also is generally not well known nor understood. Thank you!

Thanks for sharing. Great video.