Which workstation keyboard

The Roland FA is a portable and streamlined approach to workstation keyboard design, it has a note keybed and a compact profile while still having many of the expected functions of a workstation. This is expanded further via expansion slots or by loading more patches from Roland's Axial sound library. It also comes with an onboard sampler complete with 16 pads and 4 banks while further sound crafting is provided by its built-in 16 independent effects engine.

For crafting songs, it comes with a built-in track sequencer, rhythm pattern creator and arpeggiator. As expected, it is compatible with most Digital Audio Workstation software, and lets you control the software right on the instrument.

Balancing quality, features, portability, and cost is tough, but Roland seem to have done the impossible with the FA Reviews commend all these four traits, including the sound quality of its presets, the overall versatility of the unit, its compact size and the value that they get for the money. And even with its expansive feature set, most owners find it to be very easy to use.

Music Radar had good things to say, and concluded their reviews with this statement: "A ton of power and sonic flexibility packed into an affordable, easy to operate, lightweight instrument. Compared to its bigger sibling, the FA , this does not come with weighted keys. As expected, some patches are less appreciated. With big brand backing, impressive spec sheet and high ratings, the Roland FA is a portable workstation keyboard that will not disappoint. The only difference is it has 88 hammer-action weighted keys that are ideal for live performances.

Note that the this has been superseded by the newer MODX8 , but we still included it in this guide because it is still available from some US based retailers. Many professional musicians enjoy using this workstation's wide variety of presets and features. They appreciate that each voice can be customized and describe the step sequencer as well-thought out. Many of them are impressed with Its built in effects, especially its reverb.

Finally, even with its hammered action keys, many consider the MOXF8 as reasonably light, compact and travel friendly. Some users who are new to workstations found its interface not as straightforward as they expected. It takes a bit of time for them to learn the controls so they would tend to refer to the manual. This is a roadworthy choice for professional players to use for live performances or indoor productions.

Additionally, it has a built-in sampler based on SPSX with 16 backlit pads for direct recording and playback. Many users find this workstation to be very versatile, especially for stage use. The menu system and controls are laid out intuitively enough for many to mention this positively in reviews. In addition to that, its sequencer is very easy to use, especially with the assignable pads.

Another common sentiment is that the keys have great response and feel. Regarding sound quality, many love its realistic piano sounds, as well as exceptional organ and synth sounds. Some users mention that its pads are not velocity sensitive and eventually compensate by adjusting the velocity levels.

The MODX8 combines workstation functionality and synthesizer capabilities with Yamaha's note graded hammer action keybed. This means that you get digital piano like playing feel with all the bells and whistles that help with music production.

It also features Yamaha's Motion Control that lets you adjust multiple parameters in real time with a single knob. Finally, it has a pitchbend and modulation wheels, along with assignable faders, knobs and buttons. The feel of its graded hammer action keys gets a lot of thumbs up, to the point that some consider this as a versatile digital piano. And speaking of piano, the MODX8 carries some great piano sounds which work great with its expressive keybed, and this is reflected in reviews.

Users describe it as a high quality performance grade instrument in terms of sound, build and versatility. You should be warned that this is a massive instrument.

There are some who complain about limited sequencer features. If you're looking for a synthesizer workstation with key digital piano like playing feel, then definitely check out the Yamaha MODX8. It also provides real-time controllers, such as Korg's 4-way Vector joystick, a responsive ribbon controller, and a tap-and-drag color TouchView display for a more intuitive and hands-on control.

Its nine sound engines provide a huge collection of presets for a number of possibilities of combining different sounds. Many keyboardists are very pleased with their overall experience using this workstation.

The touchscreen is reported to be easy to use, allowing for quick sound selection for each layer. Controls and parameters, such as ones for transposing and effects, are also easily accessible via the touchscreen. In terms of sound quality, many report that its pianos, organ and synth are top notch and have a much richer sound. The pads also get many positive mentions. Several experienced keyboard players enjoy designing their own sounds with the use of its multiple sound engines.

Many were also pleased with how it allows the use of third party libraries when they needed to expand their collection. There are a few musicians who aren't too pleased with the limitation on creating custom patterns, but this is more of a preference and not really an issue. The Montage 7 is a powerful keyboard workstation that incorporates the latest DSP technology that Yamaha has in a reasonably sized unit.

At the forefront is a note keybed that is aftertouch enabled and semi-weighted, while at its core are powerful sound engines that allow for a wide variety of sounds and effects. Also worth noting is the interface, with a super knob that lets you tweak multiple parameters as you see fit, along with motion control that lets you tempo-synch control sequences to any parameter.

Finally, it has a track sequencer, with 64 songs, which you can utilize either to save new musical ideas, or to improve on existing ones. Magnificent, great and excellent are just a few of the many positive remarks that users use to describe the Montage 7's sound quality. Even professionals who own other keyboards are impressed with its sound and leave high ratings. Gordon Reid of Sound on Sound concludes his review positively saying: "The Montage is an excellent instrument that will keep sound designers and players interested for a very long time to come".

Playability and depth of control also get quite a lot of commendations. There are a few who are concerned with the price being a bit on the upside, especially when considering that this is not an key model.

If you're looking for a power synthesizer workstation keyboard that's still reasonably portable, then this is for you. The Korg Kronos key version has similar specifications and features as the key version only it has weighted hammer action keys. And its key format makes it slightly bigger than its sibling.

In addition to its weighted keys, it comes with Korg's 4-way Vector joystick controller that allows for more realtime control. These controllers utilize its nine sound engines, which lets you choose from a wide selection of presets, which you can then personalize to taste. Other noteworthy features include having a TouchView display, and having the ability to record up to 16 MIDI tracks and 16 audio tracks.

The keybed makes a great impression on many who describe it as having the same playing feel as an acoustic piano. A lot of professional musicians are amazed with its sound engines showcasing a lot of variation. Each sound engine for pianos, electronic pianos, organs, analog synth and even sample based sound engines reproduce authentic and quality sounding presets.

The "Set List" feature is one of the features that stood out since it allows direct access to a combination, program, or song in the sequencer to play next. Many owners also find its split, layering, velocity assignment and connectivity capabilities remarkable.

Its manual also provides in depth combinations and access to parameters for more advance features. A few users find the joystick controls to be a bit of a hassle to use and prefer a wheel-type controller.

The Montage 8 is Yamaha's flagship synthesizer workstation keyboard, which means that it comes with their best technology and quality control.

It features an note keybed with aftertouch and balanced hammer action, along with a number of assignable faders, buttons and knobs that give you control over the instrument and your DAW software. Speaking of knobs, it has a big Super Knob that lets you adjust multiple parameters in real-time, thanks to the company's Motion Control technology. It also comes with built-in DSP effects engine that lets you use a wide variety of reverbs, modulation and other effects. Magnificent and amazing nicely encapsulates market response towards the Montage 8, impressing users with its sounds and sensitive controls.

Even those who rate it lower have nothing but good words for its sound engine and keybed. It also gets a lot of thumbs up from stage performers who appreciate its versatility, Andy Jones of MusicTech agrees with this saying: "You will have to get your head around it to get the best from it, but it can take your efforts into sonic areas that will surprise and delight you, and areas you may not have considered.

Read more Imagine having a music studio in portable box. Read less. Sort by. Number of Keys. Keyboard Action. Number of Presets. What's Included? Price Range. View all filters. Powerful Synthesizer Workstation Bundle. Includes sounds from Juno-DI with new organ and pianos. More Than 1, Presets. Bundle includes a keyboard soft case for protecting a synth. Powerful piano synthesizer and workstation. Like previous models, the sounds are split between 3 engines — pianos, organs, and synths.

The Nord Sample library 3. Each sound engine has a dedicated control section with LED labeling for visual feedback. There are dedicated onboard effects for each section as well as master effects. The synth section has a dedicated OLED display to make things even more accessible. The organ section also has 9 drawbars to add realism to the organ tones. The sound engines are incredible, the layout is intuitive once you get the hang of it, and it looks great.

Try it out for yourself; our only complaint is the weight of the keys. Our list features some of the most powerful workstation keyboards we have ever seen.

These keyboards can be incredibly expensive, and generally, the most expensive ones are better because they have more to offer. However, a cheaper workstation might be better in a specialized area than a more expensive keyboard. Read more about author. Enhanced grand piano engine. Karma engine technology. Expandable sound library. TouchView display. V-Piano engine. Analog filter. TR-REC sequencer. Intuitive touch screen — DAW control. Too expensive.

Steeper learning curve than most. Very authentic feel. Extremely versatile in live use. Zero-latency processor. Not as practical for home use or general practice. Lighter than most workstation keyboards. Fantastic onboard audio recorder. Powerful EDS-i sound engine. Mic input. Easy to use sequencer. Incredibly powerful sound engines. A huge amount of voices. Built-in audio interface. Simple DAW integration. Great onboard effects. Incredibly expressive pianos. Super Knob control. Firmware updates improve performance.

Sound expansions available. Virtually limitless sound shaping potential. High price. Not graded hammer action. Motif sounds. In-depth control over effects. Realistic piano feel. High-quality audio interface.