yeah im more interested in making music than obsessing over keys, literally just wanted to know if they were full size.
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You’re not harsh, you just fail to read the room dude. Not everyone wants to burn money on fatar keybeds. A few years ago I bought that sleek looking Casiotone for my sister as a uni graduation gift, she is perfectly happy till this day. She’s professionally trained but she plays it occasionally after work just to relax and enjoy some sounds that’s all.
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Yeah, the price is very intriguing…
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Have you actually tried the keybed on the new Go:Keys 3 & 5? I quite fancy picking one of these up to go in my bedroom so I’ve got something to practice playing on before going to bed. (Got my decent keyboards in an outside studio building so not easily accessible at bedtime). Not got any music stores near me where I could try one out in person.
Is the keybed comparable in quality to a Roland A-800 pro midi controller for example? That would probably be doable for me.
I’ve never heard about split function before. (I maybe a caveman yes) Wow!
I’m currently in the market for a sub-500 keyboard.
And, when looking at the budget friendly options, I keep coming back to this or the CT S500/1000v.
So I was wondering if anyone had any real life comparisons around here. Been watching reviews extensively so I’m starting to get an idea of what to expect. But still. Always worth the ask before splashing the cash around.
I’m a bit intrigued by the mic input on the Go Key 5 (couldn’t find many great reviews). And, of course, how it compares to the 1000v.
I’m a bit wary of keyboards with integrated apps too.
I may very well be getting old a bit. But I’m still cautious about lifespan when there’s a supported app.
And then, there’s the matter of build quality on the Roland series. Rattling cases, distortion on certain pads, etc. Dunno if anyone has any feedback on this.
Anyways.
Thanks for any inputs.
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Ok.
Ended up going for the Go:Keys 3. Cheaper. Didn’t really need the extra IO and the vocal facilities.
It’s a solid option in this price range.
The keys feel like in between a smooshy action and a semi-weighted one. Really cool to play.
The sounds are great, although the lack of an intuitive editing UI can sometimes be frustrating.
The screen is a nice touch but is cheap af.
The overall build quality is ok at best. It has a nice feel but needs some extra protection should you use it on the road.
The buttons and wheel are not the sturdiest but they do their job.
The speakers are not the best but they do their job. It’s a convenience, at this price point.
The boot-up time is a bit on the longer side of things, the volume fader is not a great idea, the main rotary knob is ok but satisfying enough, the menu diving is a special kind of Roland’s Hell Flavor. But it’s still usable as a daily keyboard.
And the styles, the on board recording options and expandable sounds are great touches.
All in all, it’s exactly what I was looking for in the budget I was aiming for.
A solid beginner’s option.
There are cons (limited IO and UI, overall build quality, etc) but it still is a great keyboard.
Hope this (maybe) helps other if need be
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Glad to hear that. I am still seriously considering GO:KEYS 3 just to practice and learn piano around the house. And if I have any ideas along the way, i can quickly turn it into something that I can then use as a starting point in my “studio” (upstairs room).
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I did not comment on the usb-c audio possibilities, but it’s quite convenient.
Learning the piano on the GO:KEYS is doable. Not optimal (61 semi weighted keys is the bare minimum to start learning properly) but solid at this price range.
The speakers do sound boxy. So you might consider headphones or some external speakers/monitors.
I’d strongly advise for you to factor in the cost of a sustain pedal. And, depending on your needs, the price of one or two sound packs.
The Styles (and, above all, the mute-part function) is a great songstarter option.
All in all, it’s a complete bundle for that price.
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I would like to use the Go Keys as a MIDI controller. Does anyone know it the Go keys 3 & 5 are USB port is a host?
The Casio CT S1 needs a USB to MiDI host box to send receive MIDI.
It can, indeed, serve as a MIDI controller.
At the very least, it worked for me on both macOS and iPadOS, with a USB-C to USB-C cable.
Keep in mind, tho, that it is both limited and overkill for MIDI control purposes.
Limited, because it has no mappable knobs. Overkill, because it can serve as an audio interface and might cause issues depending on your system. It can also be a convenient thing since you’ll be able to hear your DAW’s output through its speakers. Not exactly a great setup, but it can be nomad to some extent.
The audio out on the GoKeys3 is quiet, so you might want to factor that in too.
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Thanks sharing your experience. I think i read on the roland FAQ that it is limited to MIDI channel 4 for RX but TX is 1-16 in the. Menu.
I want to hook it up to a Circuit tracks for a keybed to enter notes into the circuits sequences and to possibly sequence the Go Keys.
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I guess it should work.
I’m interested in your findings, eventually
you will also need a midi host box for the go:keys 3 to connect to your circuit tracks. i have a ct-s1 that i was thinking of swapping for a go:keys 3 but they appear to be equally as annoying with MIDI.
im gonna try using my phone as the midi host, because it seems like that should be workable with the right adapters.
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Really enjoying your exploration with the Roland P6.
Thanks for the heads up and I thought it would be the same problem of the Keys Go. Crippling the MIDI is one of the ways the divide these models from the more expensive Juno D etc.
I did see the new Behringer Go MIDI host is imminent.
https://www.behringer.com/product.html?modelCode=0716-AAH
The CT S1 USB slot gives 5v power and i guess the Keys Go does as well to connect flash sticks. So could power it as neat and cheap option for MIDI.
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thank you! i appreciate the kind words.
thats a cool idea, would be nice and compact if it works! let us know if you give it a try
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