I was really impressed with this element of the keyboard. You can have different responsiveness settings for each zone you set up, so if you’re using a zone for triggering samples for example, and you want very limited responsiveness so the samples trigger at the same velocity, except for one quieter sample note – you can set that ONE NOTE to trigger higher velocity. Brilliant!! Within the Organize tab, it was easy for us to organize sounds into collections. For some players, this is useful to organize set lists for live work. In the studio, you can create groups that arrange sounds based on the session work you do, such as organizing your orchestral collection of sounds separate from your jazz set from your pop set and so on. It may sport a fully weighted 88-note keyboard, but the Studiologic SL88 Studio is delightfully portable. Thanks to its lightweight Fatar TP/100LR action, it weighs in under 31 pounds – which is very much appreciated by Millionhead keyboardists. The SL88 Studio is also thoroughly professional caliber and built like a tank with a rugged all-metal casing and impact-resistant synthetic endcaps that protect the keybed and provide a sure grip when transporting. I would prefer to have the single knob NOT in the middle of the keyboard because I like to have my wireless MAC keyboard there for easy access. But I’m using it just to the left. It does cover the display but it really doesn’t matter since you can configure your controls thru the desktop app anyway. It’s also worth mentioning the fantastic layout, which ensures all controls are easy to reach during a performance.

The SL Studio features the Latest hammer action keybed technology from industry leaders FATAR.The result is a touch that's lighter than most which makes it really easy and fun to play. Setting the keyboard up is really easy with their PC/MAC software abit basic but good enough for my needs. Because all of these settings mirror the keyboard, once you’ve used the editor to set up your sounds, you can then leave the computer at home and have direct control over all of your programs and groups directly from the front panel of the SL88. Happily, though, the hardware is so well conceived that we could build sounds pretty easily from the controller itself. I was looking for an 88 keys midi masterkeyboard with a piano feel, that wouldn't make too much noise. I use it for my DAW (Reaper), to compose music with VST's. I'm not a well trained pianist, but took lessons for 3 years and I know how a piano feels. And if I could choose again, I would have made a different choise.

I bought this mainly as a weighted keyboard for piano/Rhodes etc. with my DAW. I prefer an un-weighted controller for most other sounds. I particularly like it for playing Rhodes/Wurli sounds. I think it is the way the keys bottom out. It just feels great. The velocity curves are useful as I found it difficult to get the harder velocities on the default setting. I'm not a great player though so YMMV. Above and below the high-res screens are eight assignable buttons and endless rotary knobs. The assignable controls are great, but we’d have loved to see some faders, especially when the unit isn’t short of free space. What happened was that I got this one instead so I tried it out and then of course I had to buy it instead of getting the Studio version. The piano-playing experience may surpass even the Kawai VPC-1. The Lachnit offers a modicum more real-time control, and its appeal reaches beyond piano purists in at least one case we know: It’s the controller of choice for Microsoft Director of Sensory and Sound Design Matthew Bennett, who works on Xbox and the HoloLens VR platform. “After working with this keyboard for at least a couple of months now, I can say it’s amazing,” he told us. “It has changed the way I work and will make a big difference to any pianist who really cares about touch.”

If that’s still not enough, there is a key balance setting, where you can adjust the responsiveness of EACH KEY up or down 30%. (I think this is just on the software editor, more on that in a bit). We tested the laptop stand, and it provided a very handy platform on which to place our MacBook Pro. Having the laptop directly on top of our keyboard made for a better overall experience using virtual instruments, having the controls in close proximity to the playing surface, whereas our typical laptop placement in a live keyboard rig has the computer display somewhat disconnected from the control surface. We also appreciated that the vast open space atop the SL88 makes it easy to locate a tabletop synthesizer product directly on top of the keyboard. Documentation and Product SupportIt features Korg’s RH3 (Real Hammer Action) keyboard, which is always one of the best in its class. The fact that the D1 is a stage piano first and controller second probably gives it an edge over most competition regarding the authentic piano feel. Feel of the keyboard suits us guys who are not entirely piano players but want a piano like action (I am a synth, and organ player primarily and piano alternately)

For the purposes I wanted the keyboard it is perfect - in fact way better than I expected for the price. The S88 features multiple smart modes that allow you to play arpeggios, complex chords, and progressions from a single key. You can also highlight specific scales and modes using the built-in light guide. The center console has an elegant 320x240px TFT color display, and the control knob is actually a multi-position selector and Enter key when depressed. The SL88 has memory for 250 Programs, and each program has four programmable zones for splits and layers of your instruments. As you can see from the image below of one zone, you can easily set bank select messages (along with program changes and MIDI channel) for each zone. Such a simple little detail that is overlooked in so many controller keyboards today, yet it is essential for sending program change messages to MIDI gear containing multiple banks of sounds.It may sport a fully weighted 88-note keyboard, but the Studiologic SL88 Studio is delightfully portable. Thanks to its lightweight Fatar TP/100LR action, it weighs in under 31 pounds - which is very much appreciated by gigging Sweetwater keyboardists. The SL88 Studio is also thoroughly professional caliber and built like a tank with a rugged all-metal casing and impact-resistant synthetic endcaps that protect the keybed and provide a sure grip when transporting. TFT color display for total access Beyond the knobs and buttons, you’ll also get nine assignable faders, which makes a huge difference. Faders offer a different feel when tweaking parameters and are perfect for orchestral expression or used as organ drawbars. First a big round of applause for anyone who can ship this amount of functional gear at this price point. There are other great keyboards out there when it comes to the feel but what really impressed me was the accuracy of the touch to midi velocity, it really feels like I'm playing a good piano(after I adjusted the touch curve to my liking). Another huge selling point for this controller is the more than ample connectivity. It offers CV in/out, which is rare for most MIDI controllers. If you want to create a hybrid setup with MIDI and analog gear, the KeyLab 88 Mk2 is perfect.

The SL88 Studio has a fully weighted keyboard as well, but the plastic keys give it a slightly softer feel, with a slightly faster playability. It’s not quite an organ-like keyboard response (and certainly not synth action), but it’s also not quite as naturally acoustic feeling as the wooden keys of the SL88 Grand. When hit hard, you can just notice the memory foam at the bottom of the key throw as the keys almost dig into the keyboard itself. That’s not a complaint—just an observation of the feel. It's such a pity I can't control my DAW with my 120 year old piano. The SL keys are much slower than my standing piano's, they feel plastic, you really need to hammer to get more then just a low volume, and they make much more noise when playing softly then the old piano, that has much and much more dynamic.The keys can be a bit loud if you play with higher velocity. The thudding sound will most definitely be an issue for a light sleeper in the same or even the next room during the quiet hours of the night There are two main reasons to go for an 88-key controller. One is that your playing focuses on piano; specifically, a premium software piano such as Synthogy Ivory, Modartt Pianoteq, or the Spitfire Hans Zimmer Piano (reviewed in our May 2016 issue). The other reason is, if you’re a composer and/or arranger, 88 keys give you more than enough spread to set up lots of zones for splits and layers, so you can lay out all the sounds you need to craft your counterpoint right in front of you. StudioLogic thoughtfully includes their VFP1/10 Sustain Pedal, which is a very solid, basic sustain pedal. It worked perfectly throughout testing, and was of sufficiently rugged quality to trust to our pro keyboard setup. It doesn’t provide Half-Damper functionality, but the optional SLP3-D pedal does. These controls all get smarter when the A-88 is connected to a Roland SuperNatural-based instrument such as the Integra-7 module or Jupiter-50/80 synthesizer, automatically mapping to key parameters on a per-sound basis as well as enabling sound selection directly from the unit. Since many unweighted Roland synths now offer a SuperNatural internal piano sound, the A-88 could be a great addition if you intend to use that sound much.