Amazon.com.au:Customer reviews: M-Audio Keystation 49 MK3 - 49 Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller for Mac and PC with Assignable Controls and Software Production Suite included

Mariano Alda

Excelente producto para su precio incluso para un pianista

Reviewed in Spain on 6 April 2019

Para que se pueda evaluar mi opinión correctamente:

1) He recibido el teclado hace un par de horas, de modo que esta es mi primera impresión
2) Respecto al tacto: soy estudiante de los últimos cursos de piano y estoy acostumbrado a tocar en pianos acústicos y en un Yamaha Clavinova con Graded Hammer Action.
3) Tengo, además del Clavinova (que no se puede mover), un antiguo Korg M1 (sensible al tacto pero nada más) y un Thomann SP550 (contrapesado, pero de gama baja)
4) Respecto al sonido: dispongo de un módulo de sonido V3 Sound con un sonido excelente, por lo que solamente necesitaba un controlador MIDI.

He comprado este teclado para "llenar el hueco" de un teclado SP550 que es suficiente para tocar en directo porque tiene 88 teclas, teclado contrapesado y, con el módulo V3, un sonido excelente. Sin embargo, es pesado (~20 kg), voluminoso para transportar (sólo cabo en el asiendo delantero inclinado hacia atrás, y no en el maletero. Este teclado es suficiente para muchos ensayos con cantantes (donde no se requieren 7 octavas pero es deseable un transporte fácil), para ponerlo en el escritorio y conectarlo a mis DAW (Cubase, Ableton) e incluso para tocar en directo en algunos sitios en los que no se requieran 7 octavas.

Ventajas:

a) peso: es relativamente ligero (4,5 kg), pero no se mueve en la mesa al tocarlo con energía

b) volumen: muy recogido en las tres dimensiones

c) alimentación: se puede alimentar desde el PC (yo lo he conectado incluso a un hub USB) o desde el cargador del móvil (de un Xiaomi A1); ojo, que necesitarás un cargador al que se le pueda enchufar un cable USB (no de los que tienen el cable pegado al cargador)

d) para los pianistas: no incluye pedal sustain, pero se puede encontrar uno fácilmente por 5€ (de los que son todo/nada); estoy prácticamente seguro de que *no soporta* medio pedal, pero no me importa, porque, en mi caso, el módulo V3 sí lo soporta, y conectaré el pedal con soporte para medio pedal al módulo directamente (cuando lo compre)

e) el tacto no es contrapesado, pero *no está nada mal* para ser simplemente "semicontrapesado", porque ofrece algo de resistencia para un pianista, y se deja tocar incluso si estás acostumbrado al hammer action; repito: *no es* contrapesado, pero al ofrecer una resistencia decente tiene un tacto agradable y no se producen muchos errores por pulsaciones espurias

f) los cambios de programa del módulo de sonido externo funcionan perfectamente desde el teclado: Advanced > Program# > Número que sea > Enter

Inconvenientes:

Una vez se acepta que el teclado es lo que es, y *no es un piano* (aunque el tacto no desagrade demasiado a un pianista):

a) el deslizador de modulación se mueve un poco cuando se toca enérgicamente el instrumento; como no tiene resorte de vuelta al origen, se queda activada la modulación, lo que te obliga a hacer reset del instrumento para poder anularlo; una solución que he encontrado es encenderlo con el deslizador abajo del todo, o bien ponerlo abajo y hacer reset después;

b) hay que tener la precaución de activar el puerto MIDI OUT (DIN5) que no funciona al encenderlo, pero esta operación es simple: Advanced > MIDI OUT > Enter. Me ha parecido que hay que hacerlo un par de veces para que funcione, aunque no estoy seguro de haber hecho algo mal. Una vez activado, funciona perfecto.

50 people found this helpful

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Purple

Play it everyday

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 September 2019

Size Name: 49 KeysVerified Purchase

Bought this about a month ago and practiced every day since. It’s fairly portable and its a great overall starter device if you just want to learn piano and/or get your feet wet in ableton or any other DAW. One thing i did notice is that the dedicated buttons (for changing octaves, recording, etc) dont exactly work on ableton but its not the biggest issue and also i might be an idiot and have no idea how to install the software correctly.

One thing I’m disappointed by is that it wont connect to my iPad properly - again, might be that i dont have the right camera kit dongle but I’m happy with my purchase so ill stop going off on tangents.

edit after 6 months. product is excellent. all buttons work with ableton if set up properly. works with garageband as well if you get the original apple camera kit. i would buy another if something were to happen to my current one.

9 people found this helpful

G. R. Copnall

Perfect For a First Try

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 January 2019

Size Name: 49 KeysVerified Purchase

As a replacement for the one I originally ordered https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07GBNNF23/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 as the delivery date was put back 3 times, I've a feeling I may have dodged a bullet. The 49MK3 is a lot more suitable for my needs. The keys are velocity sensitive (the harder you press them, the louder the sound) and weighted for an authentic feel. The software has to be downloaded but is comprehensive enough to start off with. Ableton Live Lite in particular is very easy to get the hang of. ProTools First I just couldn't get my head round and the installation and download process was unnecessarily convoluted.

All in all, a superb package for someone who just wants to record some sounds/tunes from home.

9 people found this helpful

A. Gregory

Great midi keyboard

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 August 2019

Size Name: 49 KeysVerified Purchase

My son is learning to compose music and has bought this as an entry level keyboard. It works well and was easy to set up with his laptop.
No complaints about the product, but the only downside was the lack of packaging on the product box, which it does state this on the listing. So hopefully you have an honest delivery person, otherwise I could anticipate this product going missing as you clearly see it is a midi keyboard!

8 people found this helpful

ishins

付属音源も良いです。

Reviewed in Japan on 21 December 2019

Size Name: 61 KeysVerified Purchase

DTM初心者ですがこれ買って正解でした（物の詳細は他の方のレビューをご参考ください）

■手持ちのDAWで付属音源を鳴らすまで私がやったこと
・同梱の紙からm-auidoのサイトにアクセス＞新規アカウント登録＞製品登録（外箱に記載されてるシリアルを入力）
・音源（Xpand!2 、Mini Grand、 Velvet）をダウンロード（win or macが選べる）
・DLしたものを解凍、exeを実行しインストール（デスクトップにilokのショートカットが作成される）
・iLok License Managerを起動＞サインインをクリック＞新規アカウント作成
・右上検索ボックス横のボタンをクリック＞アクティべーション入力画面が表示される
・m-audioにログインしMyProductから三つの音源のAuthorization Codeをコピーし貼り付け
・アクティベーション先を選択（私はローカルPCを選びました）

これでDAWを起動しVSTを読み込ませれば、いけました
環境情報
　windows10 Home 1809
　Cubase AI 10 Version10.0.10 Build 100 Built on Dec 11 2018
Mini Grandがとても良い音でした。うまくいくといいですね。

80 people found this helpful

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Anonymous-

A good MIDI keyboard for beginners and Linux.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 August 2020

Size Name: 32 Mini KeysVerified Purchase

This is an excellent mini keyboard that with 32 keys, gives you a bit more flexibility than other minis. The sustain, edit, octave+/-, pitch bend and mod buttons are all soft silicone. The "volume" knob feels somewhat insubstantial but it smooth. The keys are quite short and as such somewhat resistive, but they are softer than others I have used.

The total width of the keyboard is roughly the same width as a full-size QWERTY computer keyboard.

Works flawlessly in Linux (Debian 10 "Buster"). The keyboard's various functions can be edited "on board" by pressing the edit and combinations of other buttons/keys: RTFM for details and guidance. For example, the volume knob can be asssigned to up to 10 parameters in Zyn Fusion (ZynAddSubFX).

3 people found this helpful

My Lovely Horse

Stopped working on ipad after a month

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 October 2021

Size Name: 32 Mini KeysVerified Purchase

This was a massive disappointment. At first it worked ok on ipad GarageBand but increasingly the keyboard seemed to play notes quietly compared to if I played them on screen. The volume dial was turned up. Tried all the trouble shooting. And then it stopped working altogether. I persevered and kept trying to play the keyboard, fiddling with the octaves and different instruments on GarageBand and eventually it started working again. The next time it stopped it seemed to properly die. I’m really disappointed. I will be returning it and have accepted I’m going to have to spend extra and get a better quality midi. It’s a cheaply made keyboard, I have no problem with this, what I have a problem with is that it just stopped working. I tried everything. I watched YouTube videos, read online, came to the conclusion it’s just rubbish. Avoid unless you like wasting your time trying to get it to work.

One person found this helpful

Katrina Stiff

Doesn't work and the software is awful.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 July 2021

Size Name: 32 Mini KeysVerified Purchase

This is a real shame as the keyboard itself is nice, the keys and buttons all feel good - I was really excited when it first arrived but it simply doesn't want to work on any DAW that I've been able to try it with, including the Pro Tools software it came with. Much of the other software it said was included (and only included in the sense of being free to download because none of it came on disc so you would need internet to be able to use it at all) wasn't free any more and all of it involved a lot of downloading, signing up online and giving out my email address which I didn't want to do and now regret as it was completely pointless.

The Melodics plug in is nice and actually works, but only some of it is free and at the end of the day that isn't what I wanted it for, although if it had all worked then Melodics would be a nice little bonus.

I couldn't get Ableton or Reaper to work with it either and I spent several hours trying to make it work but it won't. Having read other reviews I suspect that the usb lead may be at fault so the keyboard lights up but doesn't have enough power to function, but I'm not risking wasting more money, time or effort buying new leads to test this out.

There is also a suggestion in the manual that Windows users need an external sound card - only another £50 then - if this is the case then that should definitely be mentioned at the point of purchase, but the fact that it worked with Melodics and also a couple of very basic apps I downloaded (again after reading reviews here - Piano 10 and Piano Time) makes me think that this wasn't the issue here.

It doesn't do what I wanted it for and the whole process of trying has been extremely tedious and fruitless.

I am returning it, very disappointedly.

Such a shame as it's a nicely made little keyboard.

One person found this helpful

NB

Don't believe the misleading claims about included software - it's Just Another Keyboard

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 December 2021

Size Name: 61 KeysVerified Purchase

If the claimed included software were actually delivered, this would be a class-leading product. But the claims are not met, or are rendered meaningless by a string of programming, marketing and logistical errors. And for me those errors and omissions make this Just Another MIDI Keyboard.
1. Pro-Tools First: One of the main attractions for me was Pro-Tools First, the industry-standard DAW. In fact the inclusion of ProTools was the main reason I chose the Keystation over others. Supposedly included, but in reality no download link, nor even a mention of Pro-Tools was provided in the M-Audio 'My Products' page. So no Pro-Tools then.
2. Reason Lite, free copy: admittedly not advertised, but the link and serial number are given in 'My Products'. However, the link only goes to a page asking the visitor to take out a paid subscription, where Reason-lite is not mentioned. So no Reason Lite then.
3. Air Creative Collection: for this list of products, the given serial number apparently valid for them all can in fact only be used for the 'Creative Effects' item. So my attempts to use it for the DB33 were met with a 'not for this product' refusal. So yet another allegedly included software product that in fact is not included at all.
I spent more than three long hours uncovering all these mendacious claims and expressions of incompetence. No, not 'spent', but 'wasted'.
If they can get so much wrong with the included software, can I even trust the firmware of this device?
There are numerous alternatives at this price point. But all I know of the market is my experience with M-Audio. And that is one that seems, according to the evidence, to be a company lying about its included software - without which additions, this is Just Another Keyboard. Indeed for those who do not have a DAW, or like me have no interest in Ableton, it might even be a keyboard they cannot use.
I imagine that among M-Audio's provenly capable technical engineers, there may be rage and frustration at how marketing mendacity and/or commercial website errors have ruined such a potentially exceptional product.

Jamieson67

Poor service from M-Audio in response to technical enquiry

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 January 2022

Size Name: 49 KeysVerified Purchase

This midi controller does everything I need it to in tandem with my DAW and computer interface. I had a problem for a few weeks because the sustain was permanently 'on'. So when the keys were pressed and then released, the sound just didn’t stop! I went through the manual with a fine tooth comb and checked online. I found some guidance on common issues with the sustain pedal and how to fix it, but nothing on using the keyboard without a sustain pedal (which is not included). Amazon tried a couple of times to help me resolve this problem, so full marks to them for trying. M-Audio though had voicemail on their technical support line, and it was weeks before they responded to voice messages and emails. After a lot of perseverance I reset the keyboard setting to midi-controller instead of M-Audio and that did the trick and everything working great now.

5 star		67%
4 star		18%
3 star		7%
2 star		3%
1 star		5%

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