Fatar Studiologic SL880
Written: Aug 20 '02
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Feel, flexibility and features!!
Cons: Manual is slightly overbearing, and the keyboard is heavy!!
The Bottom Line: If you want a studio based keyboard, with a fantastic action and great flexibility, you would struggle to do better. The price is an added bonus......
|
|
|
| the_mutha's Full Review: Studiologic/Fatar Sl-880 |
I want to try and keep this simple for you folks.
I set out looking for a keyboard with 3 things. A realistic piano feel, midi compatibility and 88 notes. I was looking for a keyboard to connect to my computer in my home based studio, to compose and produce music (of all kinds). As soon as I started looking, I immediately saw that pretty much ANY digital piano with my three requirements was going to cost me at least $800....
This got me down, until I saw the possibility of a midi-controller (no internal sound samples). It became my perfect solution. Why pay for sounds incorporated into the keyboard if you already have a module/computer to generate the sounds for you??
When I spied the Fatar Studiologic range, I knew I had found what I was looking for. I settled for the SL880, and having had it for 3 months, I don't think I will ever need to look elsewhere again.
The feel is gorgeous. It has 88 full size and fully weighted keys and by fully weighted, I don't mean they are simply heavy keys. Fatar have simulated the hammer action feel of a piano by actually incorporating hammers into the working mechanism of the keyboard. This means that the SL880 has a beautifully chunky feel to it, whilst still giving you plenty of 'bounce' for quick passage playing.
The keyboard itself can be divided into 4 zones, with each zone assigned to a different voice (if you want). Using this function, you can layer different sounds on top of each other to create gloriously rich sounding patches. The scope is amazing....! On a basic level it means that the normal sample for a grand piano (1 sound sample which is scaled over the entire keyboard) can be replaced by four samples taken from the bottom, lower mid, upper mid, and top of the piano. When each sample is assigned to a seperate zone, it gives an audible authenticity far exceeding pre-programmed 'Grand Piano' sounds. Each zone can be individually chosen by you, in regards to range, velocity, shape, voicing, aftertouch. The list goes on...
Fully midi-compatible, this was a dream come true for me, and if you are looking for the same three things that I was in a keyboard, PLEASE GIVE THE SL880 A TRY.
But it's not all peaches and cream. If you are not familiar with midi-controllers, the manual may cause you to panic slightly (as it did me!). It doesn't give you an awful lot of info, and seems to assume that you already know quite a bit (it doesn't mention the possibility of connecting it to a computer once) It also seems complex at first glance but after a couple of reads, and some time sitting at the keyboard, everything will start to make sense.
Make no mistake also, that this keyboard is HEAVY. It is really not one for gigging unless you have a huge, bearded roadie to carry it for you. Sure, the occasional gig but if you're talking about 5 times a week.....better start building up those biceps!! That's why I use solely in the studio.
So, there we are. Hope this helps any of you undecided out there. Happy hunting (and playing).
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
the_mutha
|
|
Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.