Recommending 3 MIDI keyboards 

Who else thinks that we need a bit more pianos from Cuckoo?

That sequencer demonstration for the Keystep with plain piano sound, that was so cool.

I do not watch video reviews of keyboard controllers. This I watched the entire way through and enjoyed every minute. Your musical expressions were a joy to listen to... and as always, your personality and presentation style is so approachable and human... and thoughtful... and articulate... I’ll just stop now. 😉

Came for the gear, stayed for the music. 16:40 Mozart ❤️

I really wish Arturia would make a Keystep with full size keys, 37 keys, and aftertouch. No extra knobs or pads.

I need more vids like this than those super polished vids showing the fancyness of a keyboard without really showing me how it is in real life timing.

Nice to be in your company hearing your lovely playing! I use a weighted keyboard and now I will experiment more with the velocity curve settings thanks

Your got my whole hearted thumbs up somewhere about ten min in with your Arturia jam. I played along and was sad when it ended. Rock on my brother. What fun these minutes have been.

i enjoyed the video cuckoo, your playing is very expressive and from the heart. i vaguely remember that the doepfer has a velocity sensitivity setting, but awkward to configure. great job on this upload.

I wish more companies would include CV and physical MIDI in, out and thru into their keyboards! I think many companies miss out on the DAWless trend that I feel is going on

Sir, I was initially intrigued by the gear recommendation... however, your presentation and playing were incredible. I look forward to more. Keep up your great work!

It's a pleasure to watch you playing, dig the feel. Been playing guitar and bass for almost 10 years and keys only occasionally, ordered Korg Microkey 37 today as my first own keys. Hope to get some new music out of it

I totally agree Cookie Monster, he should release a set of creative piano music. That short stint with the Keystep sequencer was lovely! Play on . . .

Superb playing and this on mini keys keyboards! Finally someone who explains how and why the right velocity sensitivity is so important. Very good.

your review was the first-ever sensible review than those millions of reviews on the web. I being fussy about the keys was not able to get the right review before buying and have been hunting for the right midi keyboard for years still thank you Cuckoo !! you should do more reviews of gears in future :)

I've been watching video after video hoping to find someone who not only talks about the keyboards but also plays them. I finally found you. You're very talented pianist and your running commentary is down to earth and real. Appreciate you man. Thanks. I'm an old beginner who loves to dream about making some music. I fiddle with Garageband and want to get a midi keyboard of some sort. Leaning towards an Arturia Keylab Essential 49 or Keylab 49 MKII. Subbed you too.

Beautiful playing, could listen to you play for hours. i immediately ordered an Arturia keystep after watching your video :)

What ever this guy touches turns to gold, well done Cuckoo

This is a great tutorial and I'm planning to buy a midi controller sometime soon but unfortunately I can't yet. I'm going to bookmark this video and come back to it when I'm sure I can afford to buy one. You got my mouth watering with your presentation ... I definitely want a midi!

3:39 I was not expecting such beautiful playing in a keyboard review 🙏🏼🎶 Seriously talented player 👏🏼 the una corda felt piano is a stunning sound

Excellent video as always. And it was about time someone reviews keybeds only instead of all other functionalities. A keyboard can be as cool as they get but if the keybed sucks its gameover. My fav midi keybed is the roland a49, i think the NI kk is very close

There aren’t many RU-vid videos I’ve watched where I felt like I was “hanging out” with a friend. Great review, beautiful playing too. Subbed, liked, belled 👍🏻😊

Dude, your videos are so inspiring and instructional at the same time... thank you

your my boi Cuckoo :) One of the best keyboard reviews ive seen for a while. Thank you very much! Best regards, Hans

Great reviews and nice expressive playing, really held my attention cheers Cuckoo 👍😎

Thanks for the insight and thoughts on these. I was already mostly set on getting a Keylab88MKII since my digital piano from 1994 was deemed irreparable a couple years ago, and feel more confident now with you recommending the KeyStep

Digging your piano improvising, man! 😱🎹💖

Thanks for explaining the reason sustain pedals sometime appear to be always on. I got a patchbay last year and plugged my sustain pedal (the same Yamaha one you have there) into it so I could switch it between my reface CP and Keystep. The Keystep handles switching like a champ (I had to reverse the polarity in the MIDI Control Center to get it to work right initially) but the reface will always assume the pedal is on if I change it while it's powered up. Update: I just realised something when I wrote all that out. Because my Keystep is powered by the computer it's always on, while I always have to power up my reface. So I just tried patching the sustain pedal to the Keystep before turning on the computer and sure enough the polarity is reversed (because of how I set it in the MCC). So it's behaving like the reface after all. As you say, attaching the pedal while the unit is powered up confuses how the polarity is detected.

lots of nice tips and hints also about plugins and accessories, nice video, thanks

I've been there visiting Thomann...huge! Thanks for review, good advices!

Amazing how Cuckoo can make even a dry demo video on midi keyboards totally entertaining and informative 😊👍

Very nice video Cuckoo! A real review what is important in a key controller for musicians that likes to play keys and pianos.

Very nice reviews and even nicer playing!

Your playing is so delicate! Wonderful!

I could spend a whole day listening to you improv on piano. Much love

Love U man! Thnaks for this video and picking my new keyboard as your favorite! It will arrive on saturday and I cannot wait to play it.....

as someone who just recently has purchased a keystep, this puts a smile on my face

Great piano skills cuckoo... more of it please!

I wondered how the Keystep 37 was in comparison, now with more keys. Good demo.

I am a Thomann customer btw :) Bought a bunch of stuff from them already, so I know about that little town! Wonderful company. My rodecaster had an issue and they got me a new one during corona, they won my long-term respect! Also I didn't feel left out because they have a great customer service. The downside is they don't have availability of komplete kontrol s88 mk2 and this is the best controller according to youtubers. Wondering about the best FEEL midi keyboard. Cheers from the Netherlands! I was waiting to see such video!

Finally someone who plays actually piano where sensitivity can be heard! not synths only where it doesn’t matter that much.

This sort of thing is always helpful. Would be interested in a similar contemplation of weighted keyboards.

I got two of the keyboards and (Arturia Keystep, Korg Microkey) and I gotta say they are pretty nice little keyboards. Very nice video mate, been watching you for 4 years!

Your piano playing style somewhat reminds me of the earlier Keith Jarrett. So yeah, I could listen to your playing for hours with good headphones!

Dude this is exactly what I needed. I need a keyboard to be able to practice piano on since i’m going to be studying in Japan soon, but all the weighted ones were too big/expensive. Now I’m definitely considering the A49

Thank's man. Good chill style!

Great review👍 I really looking for a small keyboard. The new NI M32 I think is also interesting. But in your video the Arturia keyboard makes it for me.

I agree the Arturia Keystep is a splendid device, an amazing little keyboard with great functionality & at a very reasonable price.

I don't normally watch your tutorials although I feel your super talented i really enjoyed watching you play on this video

Thank you for making this. I was thinking of picking up the 37 of the arturia.

great work on the keys!

I finally got the keystep. I remember watching this video back around 2020 and knew I had to get it then. Thanks dude!

Amazing video, very helpful thankssss!!! ❤

Thx for this very informative and inspiring!!

Thx again dear cockoo. Now you are a business man 👍🏻✌🏻. Great Piano play!!!. I love my black Keystep alot

Always a pleasure to watch the genius of cuckoo.

Hey, would you consider doing a little tutorial on the KeyStep sequencer/arp? It's great as a midi keyboard but find it hard creating patterns on the sequencer, as it certainly doesn't work like a traditional sequencer. I understand the Rest/Tie button and the two different recording modes, but I guess I'm just interested in how to navigate it musically.

I love that 3-octave microkey. It's become my go-to board, and I have performed entire multi-track songs using it... and it DOES fit in my backpack! :^)

Such a joy to watch Cuckoo play piano!

Thank you for talking about velocity, and touch response. People don’t know how important this stuff is. I can’t play a keyboard if it doesn’t have velocity sensitivity.

Im a fan of Novation Impulse, they are old but they had all the right features at a good price.

Beautiful review. Keystep is my favorite 🔥🔥🔥

Great demo thanks

Thank you for the entire presentation it wa very informative for me especially the first part with the Arturia...see I am an accordion player and it is very difficult for me to find a keyboard similar to an real accordion keyboard so the velocity and the mini keys are a must for me when I pick a midi keyboard ....thank you again...by the way do you think Yamaha shs-200 would be a good choice for what I look for? Thank you and keep rocking....

Happy to see you are liking the keybed so much!

Thanks for the advices !

"maybe not so fun video". But dude - an incredibly well made video. And thank you so much for not just showing us the usual "guys plugs in to Ableton and fires up loops" schtick. This was informative, well played, sympatico :-)

Thanks! I am on the market for a midi keyboard. This was a help.

Wow, very good piano playing Cuckoo! Truly impressive, thinking on sampling some of it to create something with it if that's ok? :)

Always maestro chillz and pleasant guide 👑🎼🥁

The Arturia also has aftertouch. Enjoyed your video, and love your style!

Great review, thanks! Have you tried Novation Impulse? As for a piano player which full-sized keys would be better, Komplete Kontrol A or Impulse? Like!

The Korg also comes in Bluetooth (Microkey Air) and versions with up to 61 keys.

Dude you are awesome. This video help me a lot. 👍

Great Keystep piano jam!

great video! both informative and enjoyable just for your playing. Is it possible to use the Yamaha sustain pedal on the 2 other keyboards you played? Also, were you using your laptop's speakers or something else? if the former, those are just about the best laptop speakers I've ever heard. thanks.

Hi brother !!! I am busking in EUROPE with an old Yamaha psr 32 keyboard , and a Yamaha shs 200 ... If you ask me , I dont think I am a very good keyboard player . What do you aspect after only 3 years of piano lessons ?...but I think Im managing myself ... I was looking for a good mini keyboard , and I just find out from you of the KORG mikro keyboard . Thanks brother !!!! Sorin / Roumania

Hello Cookoo. You're great. Help me on this subject. I have a Korg volca FM. I saw this beautiful Akai mini Play. Question is: How can I connect both together? Give me a hint on how to use just this both, in minimum eqpments attached. Thanks a Lot. Keep the good working. Carlos, Brasil

Your playing reminds me of Nils Frahm! It's lovely.

Laughed out loud at the Doepfer "organ keyboard" instant conclusion... unplug this shit now hahahaha Great video, you reviewed the three most relevant brands to me and good information on each.

Excellent video Cuckoo you remain my favourite youtuber :)

I just picked the cheapest one I can find, I usually do the velocity editing after recording instead of getting it right first time. I am quite happy with my M-AUDIO Keystation 32.

You're a great pianist and composer.

I always reach the end of your videos wishing you made hour-long improvisation videos.

I prefer mini size keys and love the keystep and the ( microkorg xl+) keys. I have done all right. Have the 25 key air from korg too. Great to hear coockoo playing so nice. Thanks.

Loved the review...great job..🇺🇸

Thank you for sharing!

Arturia keystep is great however I had to return it as it hurt my hands when playing for extended periods of time. Korg has a great feel when playing.

Hey Cuckoo lovely review! I've got a question. Have you tried the KK S49? I've heard S series got the fatar keybed. Price is almost doubled with respect to the A49. Which one should I prefer?

Could someone help me out? I have a nektar impact lx25 and I got the feeling that I really have the keys (and pads) hard to get them to sound the loudest and the keys also feels kinda angular and really plastic. I never had the change to test out other keyboards to see if they are ones more easy and nicer to play. I am quit a beginner and I am still learning how to play, but after owning this nektar for like 1,5 years I wonder if there are maybe better options to learn and play.

I love the keystep, it was a big hit at Namm 2018 . Very rugged , worth the $.

Dude I've been researching what decent MIDI keyboard to buy as my first instrument to learn and practice with the Vital synth, for the last two weeks. And I've stumbled on the Arturia Keystep 32 by chance today, and realized that nobody talks about how it's the cheapest keyboard with aftertouch. And here, by chance, I find you say that it's one of the best too, hehe, nice. So I think I'll go with that, I had decided to buy the new Arturia Minilab 3, but even though it's a great controller with USB-C and Bitwig support that I plan to use in the future, I think 25 keys is just too little.

I haven’t tried the other ones, but I really like the A49 👌🏻 awesome jams! 👊🏻

Hi Cuckoo! did you tried the NI Kontrol M32? I would like to know your opinion about the keybed feel, quality and size compared to the Keystep. Thank you very much for your videos!

Wow, you play so great!

Nice video and review! This maybe a dumb question but will these keyboards, like Arturia Keystep 37 be allowed as checked in luggage for flights? The 37 key version is too long for me to put it in my backpack and carry on to the cabin, but it fits perfectly with my hard-case luggage that needs to be checked in. Any comments would be helpful, thanks a lot! :)

everything you play reminds me of the hollow knight soundtrack. Beautiful.

Hola que tal. Que opinas del controlador korg microkey 61 teclas que diferencia puede haber con un teclado electrico por ejemplo un casio cts300 ?

I would like to see you fiddle with the Kyra synth that keeps peaking in!

I am so glad I got Keyscape. The rhodes and wurli alone are just so, so, so good..