I have an Expressive E Osmose that’s MIDI 2.0 MPE, and have the associated Phase Plant VST plug-ins for it that support MIDI 2.0. So I anticipate using the Studiologic 88 Mk2 on some of the Phase Plant VSTs.
Outside of GigPerformer, you have some nice patch controller messaging going on with Studiologic’s on-controller interface with other MIDI 2.0 controllers and plug-ins.
Other considerations are polyphonic aftertouch supported on the Studiologic 88 Mk2 and Native Instruments while Arturia’s Mk3 doesn’t support polyphonic aftertouch. Oberheim’s OBX8 and its desktop module support polyphonic aftertouch.with their recent firmware update
So if Studiologic’s Mk2 (Fatar) keybed in its $499 version at 30 pounds has the decent keybed I expect, that sure is a great choice since I already have other control surfaces for pads, sliders and knobs. I kinda see why some controllers are regressing as far as control surfaces when other more specific control surfaces are available.
My last bonus thought is if it’s going to get busted on stairs, I’d rather it be a 30 pound $499 controller than a 62 pound gig bag containing a $3500 Nautilus workstation. I have a 73 key Nautilus on my top tier so I don’t need to duplicate the workstation functionality for 88 weighted keys - just MIDI into the top Nautilus with the Studiologic 88 Mk2.
They make, or rather did make, one of the only 73-key controllers with a waterfall keybed, the Numa Organ (unfortunately without aftertouch). Unfortunately, I use it on a daily basis, with all its imperfections, which Studiologic has always refused to fix on the grounds that nobody complains. MIDI is only fully implemented via the DIN5 connectors, and only very partially via USB MIDI. MIDI Out behaves like MIDI Thru and lets incoming MIDI messages pass through MIDI In, and I have a list full of other inconsistencies. But when I contacted Studiologic, they had better things to do than correct all this. The paradox is that I use a Studiologic NO2 keyboard every day, but I hate their amateurism.
Oh I understand. I will ensure the quality is there within days after getting it or I will send it back. I’m expecting in 2025 that the SL88 Mk2 will fully support MIDI 2.0 via MIDI and 5 pin DIN. Arturia has done a similar thing to me on a confirmed firmware issue for the Keylab Mk2 and they have no interest in correcting it.
I do wish there were waterfall keyboards with drawbars available new these days. MIDI 2.0 would be nice on a waterfall keyboard. I have a Hammond M-Solo and its keybed has what I would call a pre-NoteDown event so the sound engine can calculate how to simulate the key crunching down through 9 switches. As you press the key down slowly it fires the higher pitch tonewheels then I guess it’s the velocity between that and the actual NoteDown event that lets it calculate how to emulate the physical tonewheel key switches. That seems a lot like a MIDI 2.0 behavior and it makes the M-Solo slappy/crunchy. I haven’t looked at in a MIDI Viewer to see what commands are firing there.
I would love a modern waterfall keyboard controller. I’ve needed to use a Dremel to polish edges of some existing synth keybeds that have sharp-enough edges to catch skin. Then some keybeds have glued or snapped-in key tops on the box key structure. That will catch your skin.
As you are an organist, you may be aware that the IK Multimedia B-3X is the only plug-in co-designed and endorsed by Hammond. It models 4 “curated” B3s from around the world for their uniquely perfect sounds. Anyhow, in the B-3X plug-in, they have controller mappings for the physical Hammond SKX Pro and the Hammond SK-4, etc. So you get the awesome perfection of the B-3X but also the perfect keybed to play it. I “think” the SKX Pro and the XK-4 have the keydown behavior I described on the M-Solo.
