Quote:

I have spotted the Kurzweil SP2 and SP4-7 which have "semi weighted" keys. I don't know what that really means and haven't been able to find one near Tampa to try.





"Semi-weighted" refers to a method that uses electronics to make the organ-style keyboard respond much like it would with truly weighted keys. There are typically several to many settings available in the menus of the instrument to allow you to select different weighting curves, which basically change the Velocity curve of the struck note. This method does not change the keybed itself, but is remarkably good at changing the way it "feels" when played.

The Kurzweil system is pretty darn good at what it does, I still use a rather long in the tooth SP-88, whioh has the same keybed as the ones mentioned, which are newer. I kind of like that method, actually, as even when the Keyboard Touch menu item is set to respond as a rather "hard" piano, the keys themselves are still light in response (although you do have to strike them harder to get a note) and that method allows for much less hand and wrist fatigue on the long sessions.

I've never quite understood what the fascination for having the MIDI keyboard's keys be physically weighted and mushy like the acoustic piano. I have always found it quite easy to adapt to these electronically weighted keyboards, matter of fact, I generally find them *easier* to play, actually, and have no problems with them sounding like a Piano when they are set to play a piano patch. Besides that, there is the other side to that coin, which is when you play instrument patches other than Piano - playing an organ or strings patch on a physically weighted keyboard bed can turn it into a chore that is not desirable IMO.

The Kurzweil keyboards are really good value IMHO.


--Mac

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