How to repair a midi keyboard (Edirol PCR-80) 

I hadn't used my midi for a while and have found motivation to start writing again. I was disillusioned to find that 8 keys were not working. This worked an absolute treat. Thank you Eizodk. To Simple recording, stop being a critic and throwing out all the negativity. A solution has been provided and although you have some merit in replacing the contacts, it took me an hour to fix the problem. May it re occur? Absolutely... Back to working on my tune!!!!

Thanks, was planning on bringing mine to the dump, now it's shining like never before.

Scary operation, but amazing results!! Thank you very much!!

Thank you so much for this video. It worked perfectly on my Edirol PCR M30. Its working better than it ever did. I used an HB pencil at first but it wasn't that great, so i bought a 6b pencil which is softer & voila - job done. I researched pencils & learned that pencils with a harder core contain more clay & thereby less graphite, so the softer the better. The higher the number, the softer the pencil. So 8b is softer than 7b for example.

Dude! Thank you! My Korg Triton middle G key was broken for years & this fixed it! Awesome video!

thank you for this after 12 years!!

Thank you so much for that sharing. I tried your technic with no hopes (and my pcr48 is veryyyy old and veryyy worn) but it worked like a charm ! I'm not sure it''ll keep working for a long time, but it saved my life (as i leave in deep country far from anything). You are my hero !

just brought an Edirol PCR-30 back from the dead, thanks very much. needed lots of graphite and cleaning of the rubber strips in soapy water before I got the notes working.

Thanks for this guide. I also had to apply some carbon paint to the pads on the rubber membrane.

this helped me with my NEKTAR IMPACT LX 49.. opened it up (carefully) and then removed the keys.. after, the rubber attachments.. then used a led pencil to draw over the sensors.. BUALA! place the rubbers back on.. use the same led pencil to place back the rubber (tiny wholes help).. screw the keys back on.. double check before screwing backing if keys function better. and PRESTO we're done. They should work better thanks to this video :)

Oh my god you are my hero! I just bought a Yamaha DGX-250 for 25 bucks because it had dead keys and now it works flawlessly!!!!! YOU ARE AWESOME!!!!!!!!

Well, this technique worked for my EDIROL PCR M-30. I must note though, that I also washed the rubber bands with plain old soap, and dried before reinstalling them back on the circuit. All my keys work again, with reasonably accurate velocity sensitivity. Thanks a ton! -ds

What a guy! I am new to the midi world and after a long time hair pulling trying to get my pcr 80 to work with ableton i thought i was doing something wrong. However, your video and advice has worked a treat. I wasnt doing anything wrong, they were all dead keys, not any more, cheers pal. Took about 2 hours.

You are my hero! I thought I have to throw my keyboard away, but your tutorial saved me a lot of money 'cause every key is working again!! Thank you so much. TS

Thanks for the help, this worked on my PCR-30. A #2 pencil worked for me.

this is great! you are a savior of many musical nerds.

Grande, maestro! Me ayudo muchísimo con mi controlador MIDI. Ahora volvió a funcionar como siempre!

Its alive !!!!!!! did what you showed and my old M80 came back to life (used a simple pencil) thanks bro!

Awesome! Thanks so much for this fix! I haven't been able to use my PCR-30 for years, even after buying new rubber strips from Roland, which didn't fix the problem. It even caused me to give up on pc music, after virtually wasting $400! I just used graphite powder, bought at the auto store, as others suggested, and found for me it worked best if applied to only the contacts on the rubber. I first rubbed it into the board, but found that if applied messily, it'll "short out", and not work.

Nice one - i've had dodgy keys on my Roland PC-180 for years and after using the above method all the keys sound every time. Thanks

Thanks for this video I have an Edirol PCR-A30 and i found that this worked great! Now all my keys are working again and even though i bought an Akai MPK-49 when the Edirol started crapping out I now have 2 fully functional keyboard controllers instead of one. And i don't have to trash the Edirol. Thanks again!

Another Edirol PCR-30 saved. Half a dozen keys had either dropped completely or would only play intermittently. It took about 3-4 hours to get all they contacts cleaned and fixed to my satisfaction, but now it works like a charm. On the keys that didn't want to work right away, I switched from an HB to a 3H I have in a set of art pencils. That made a big difference. No more dead keys, and $300 back in my pocket!

Very good tip. Also found that when some of the keys did not work with this fix, using the eraser on the other end of the pencil to really give the contacts a clean (both the brass-looking contacts and the two black rubber contacts) solved the problem.

Brilliant video fixed my Roland PC300 using this as a basic guide

Thank you for this great video. I had my keyboard apart and couldn't figure out what was wrong with a group of keys not working. I will give this a try after getting a graphic pen and hope that is works!

Thank you so much. I bought a new Edirol PCR M30 from the salvation army and some of the keys are dead. I will use the info from this video. Thanks so much.

Thanks so much for this tip! I actually got better results by rubbing graphite onto the contacts on the rubber strips. I just used graphite powder from the auto store.

Many thanks haha, found a edirol pc-50 in the thrashcan and this worked, thanks!

+1, thank you. I was given a PCR-30 with about half the keys working, all seems fine now except for a consistent delay on one of the keys.

awesome - I have a few dead keys on my Edirol - I'll hopefully get it fixed later today :) thanks

worked for me and my m-audio oxygen aswell!! thank you

dude, THANK YOU! SASHA GREY BLESS YOU MAN, :D! I HAVE A SINN 7 DIPLOMAT 49 AND HAD THESE 4 DEAD KEYS SINCE 4 YEARS AGO , AND THIS WORKS! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! SALUDOS DESDE CHILE!

Honestly thank you! I'm going to try this out and see if it works. Possibly saved me 125$.

I was able to fix my PCR 30 with this! Thanks!

Ok.. took 2 hours, A hell lot of Work with an Edirol PC 50.. but works like a charme. You need really soft Pencil.. I crushed the Graphite and used a Q-Tip right on the Rubberband.. Thank you for the Tip!

Brilliant, worked on my Roland A33, I thought no way is this gonna happen but "hey presto" now working fine. Geezer I bought it from is sick as a sick person that's sick

After watching this video I just fixed my friends keyboard which he was about to break. :) thank u very very much.

Dude. This is excellent. Thanks so much - it totally worked!

Great Video I watched your video then attempted to fix a key on my Korg ms2000 it worked a treat. Thanks :)

Sweet vid, thanks for the heads up!! I'm gonna try this soon :)

Thank you! It worked for me.

excellent work.. we have control again

Worked great my PC1-R and PC-180 went from junk to funk!!!!!!!!!

Oh man. I sooooo have to do this! I really miss my keyboard working :( THANKS!

totally works! Thank you!

Thanks , it's work well for a edirol PC80, i've just used a pencil 6B for the contact, it's better than an HB pencil.

Some keys have come back to life and the velocity works better now on my Edirol PCR-1. HAIL, EIZODK, HAIL, 60c PENCIL. I feel like I should go around the neighbourhood on hard rubbish collections, looking out for old keyboards.

Thank you very much!!

Thank you so much! what a random fix but it worked. i used a 2H art pencil.

Brilliant!! Thank you!!

Thanks, works perfect for me

Thank you so much!!!

Very interesting!

thank you very much!

YOU ARE ALSO MY HERO!!!! THANK YOU

thanks a lot man!!! really thank you!!!

Brilliant!

Thanks a lot! it's works great!

I'm so exited to see that many have taken this method in use, to repair their keyboards, and I send my best regards to everyone who posted messages on this video. With regards to "simplerecordiing", if you have any information you would like to share, as to where it is possible to get these spareparts (rubbermembranes) it would be much appriciated! My keyboard was out of warranty. It took me about 2 hours and saved me $400, hence I would have bought a new, so the effort was worth it.

thanks for help

your my hero!

i had maudio keyrig 49 i use pencil it works thanks

it work for me in 2013. i just got back 4 of my keys. however i only had a reg pencil but it worked perfectly. i am going to try my mpc 2500 next lol.i have the same issue with it

I have a few keys on my Edirol PCR M1 that transmit full velocity. I opened it once and just cleaned the surface which didn't help :p I will give this a shot. Hope it helps! I really love that keyboard... Thanks in advance!

nice!

I hope this works on my E-MUs..Thanks

Go to an art supply store and get a 2H or 3H sketching pencil. It's the same graphite, except you have to sharpen it yourself. It worked just fine for me on my PCR 30.

I demolished my midi controller for the fun of it because I thought there was no hope, then I found this video... shit.

Mon clavier revit ! Merci! :)

thanks a lot for the video, BTW does dis method apply to a yamaha keyboard?

Thanks dude, i was just about to throw this old thing away. this particular topic is rare on the internet, have you considered building a mini website around it? anyway thanks again, i didn't know what to do next

Just for anyone with a roland a-30 you don't need to remove the keys, just unscrew the back of the internal board and the keys remain attached to their frame. Then clean and reattach

ok, i fixed mine, thnx again xD

Great video. Do you have any advice on fixing a circuit board under the piano keyboard keys on a Yamaha Ypg-235? Mine stopped working all of a sudden and I unscrewed the back, and cleaned the contact points where the rubber hits each spot on the circuit board. None of that cleaning the board worked. I don't think it's the rubber contacts. And there's a pattern, Most of the F keys and B keys from the center down don't work. Anything would help. Thank you in advance.

It worked on my Infrasonic M49!! Thank you! BTW do you have any idea how could I fix a knob that constantly sends random CC messages?? I temporarily fixed the problem by assigning a CC I never use to that knob, but I woudl love that it stopped doing it.

I spilled tea over my Arturia Keystep over an hour ago. I got out as much liquid as I could by shaking it, and just earlier I put it upside down to dry. Still works, but with much latency. And the lights flicker on and off

So this would apply to an M-Audio Axiom61 also? I have about 3 deadkeys on it and was considering buying a new one even. A reply on my inquiry would be great as I'm sure others have the same issue. My Axiom61 is probably about 5 years old by now.

yeah, i think you should consider changing this videos topic to something like how to repair key sound on your electric music keyboard or midi. so its more general because i followed your instructions for my Yamaha keyboard, i would have found this vid alot faster if it was more general on the topic. never the less thanks again

@OriammariO1 Sorry i take the previous comment back the problem was that i was using circular strokes instead of straight strokes.

I have a PCR-M1 but the contacts are gold rather than carbon type and some keys are not working and some, the velocity is hard. Any suggestions?

hello, I have two Casio keyboards wk-1800 & wk 1630. Both have the same issue, 8 keys in the upper register only play once. They only play if the touch sensitivity is turned off, but they only play once and then will not play again until the keyboard is turned off & on. On the screen, it shows that they these notes are still being played/ sustained, that is why you can not play them again. I have already opened up the keyboard, vacuumed up all dust & debris in and around keys & wiped down the circuit board. I have also tried switching the pads from other working keys to see if the pads need to be replaced, but unfortunately the problem still exists. I haven't been able to find someone who can fix the keyboard on the island where I live. If you can give me any direction toward fixing the problem, I would most appreciate it. thanks & kind regards. ps. the graphite idea didn't work for me.

i love you!

@modulay i think its what engineers and architects use for their drawings?

I tried to find a graphite PEN but could only find a package of 2 graphite PENCILS.... do you think those might work just as well, or should I really try to track down a stenciler's graphite pen?

hi thnx you so much, i first didnt want to believe but i tried and it worked. 1 question: for how long it works?

Hi, I have a Roland Edirol PCR 300 that acts weird, and here's what happens. : 1. When I used to turn it on, the midi display randomly kept on shuffling numbers, some of the knobs and faders wouldn't respond to the exact values I adjust. The midi keys, or the keyboard, worked perfectly. 2. Lately, upon connecting the USB cable, the connection is unstable, and PCR doesnt keep on. So I am unable to use it either as keyboard or a controller. Please help?

Hello, I have the same keyboard. PCR-50. All of the sliders and buttons are working except for any key at all. I would understand if there is a couple that won't sound but all keys and just the keys doesn't register on midiox. Any tips or idea to fix this? Is this a simple fix? I really like the keys because it is light weight and the keys are of high quality.

How many Keyboards use this technology? Is this just the Edirol MIDI Controllers? For example, do Roland Fantom series keyboards have this issue? Thank you for this, but I am frustrated that my keyboard has this issue as I very rarely use it.

It occurred to me that perhaps Anti-seize on the rubber tips would be better and last longer than a thin layer of graphite. What do you think?

Hi, I've a dropped key on my synth, any ideas how to fix it? Thanks The keyb is a JX-1

GReat video. Really worked on my PCR 300. But, I cant get the springs back on the keys !!

Does this apply to a yamaha p70 or just a midi keyboard?

Do you know where one can purchase those rubber strips?

How can I repair my keyboard if the carbon contact got damaged?

im just rubbing them clean and it seems to be working for all the contacts, instead of putting graphite, it's a Roland keyboard, so prior to edirol becoming japanese, roland was french, so its an olllld keyboard. but rubbing is working. the longer contact goes near the spring, in case, like me youforgot which way round.

Alan will the ordinary pencil work? i mean a student pencil?

Thanks allan, it's very usefull, but I got some problem here, I found one key with empty black dot.

i cant remove the keys on the axiom 25 after reomving the springs! any ideas, cheers - good video.

that's better than hurry potter stuff

I'll give it a try.. Let's see how long it takes and if it works..