Workstation keyboards, with flexible feature sets and extensive sound libraries, bridge the gap between the studio and the stage as the ultimate all-in-one tool for music production, composition, and performance.
The Roland Fantom 8 EX is the best workstation keyboard on the market if money is no object.
The Kurzweil K2700 is my favorite workstation overall, thanks to a mix of high-end features and relative value for money.
If you want to take another step down the price range, the Akai MPC Key 61 delivers the classic MPC workflow in keyboard form at a reasonable price.
Contents
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Why you should trust me
My experience with workstation keyboards dates back to the early 2000s with the original Yamaha Motif and early Roland Fantom models.
I often reference the importance of choosing the right instrument for the job as one of the most valuable lessons I learned as a student and working musician. While my first significant keyboard purchase was an RD-700 stage piano, the workstations mentioned above were absolute workhorses for me as I ventured further into music production.
Like most young musicians at the time, I had to cover a lot of ground with a limited budget, and workstation keyboards provided the workflow and sound quality I needed to seamlessly transition between composition, production, and performance in a single instrument.
Nothing teaches us quite as firmly as experience, especially making the wrong decisions, and over the last 20+ years, I’ve learned enough harsh but valuable lessons to keep me on track today.
How I chose and tested
The appeal of a workstation keyboard is a mixture of exceptional sound quality, flexible features, and a sensible workflow. There isn’t any single defining element of a workstation keyboard, but there are some features I consider must-haves, and that’s where I started my search.
A great workstation keyboard must have:
- Flexible features and production tools. Things like built-in sequencers, arpeggiators, and pattern generators, as well as other production tools like RGB-backlit pads.
- High-quality sounds. Excellent sound quality goes without saying, but while performance may be secondary to composition and production, I expect a good workstation to offer excellent core sounds like acoustic and electric pianos. Workstations are known to have fantastic presets that are often genre-specific production-ready sounds.
- Versatile sound library. It’s not unusual for a workstation keyboard to have multiple powerful sound sources/engines. The best workstations offer an extensive selection of sounds covering a wide range of instrument groups, from acoustic and orchestral instruments to organs and synths.
- Intuitive workflow. In most cases, the best workstations have a hands-on workflow with lots of assignable controls, although there are one or two exceptions. A workstation keyboard should provide deep editing capabilities, whether adjusting synthesis parameters, advanced sequencing options, or creating complex custom patches; it should do so in the most user-friendly that doesn’t distract too much from the creative process.
I tested a selection of workstation keyboards that met and exceeded the above-mentioned requirements. I prioritized full-size 88-key workstations, but most models offer 76/61-key versions at a lower price. If you don’t need 88 weighted keys, it’s always worth checking out the smaller models.
Here are the best workstation keyboards available right now:
- Best overall: Kurzweil K2700
- Best high-end: Roland Fantom 8 EX
- Best for expressive performance: Korg Nautilus 88
- Best lightweight: Akai MPC Key 61
- Best under $2500: Yamaha MODX8+
- Best budget: Korg Kross 2-88
Check out the Honorable mentions for a few more workstations that didn’t make my top list this time but are still worth considering.
Best overall: Kurzweil K2700
- Keys: 88, fully-weighted
- Pads: 16 (4×4)
- Polyphony: 256 voices
- Presets: Over 1500 programs and 700 multis
- Aftertouch: Yes
- Weight: 52 lbs (23.6 kg)
- Tested price: $2,900
Kurzweil’s K2700 took me by surprise; I knew it was good when I first played it in 2021, but I didn’t realize how good it was straight away. It delivers incredible sounds from multiple sound engines with lightning-fast load times and an intuitive workflow.
One clear negative is that it’s big, bulky, and heavy but packed with creative features and worth putting up with the extra weight.
I can’t decide if the K2700 is big, bulky, and good-looking or big, bulky, and ugly; I go back and forth with that, but Kurzweil keyboards typically have a distinct image, and the K2700 follows the trend.
At a glance, it’s clear to see that this workstation has a lot going on. It starts with four sound sources: Dynamic VAST, a 6-operator FM synthesis engine, KB3 ToneReal, and VA1. Every sound is highly customizable with native VAST editing capabilities and extensive onboard effects; the K2700 features over 1500 factory presets, over 700 factory multi-sounds, and the possibility of over 4000 user multi-sounds.
The core sounds like acoustic and electric pianos are a joy to play with a max polyphony of 256 notes. The fully weighted, hammer-action keyboard takes a little getting used to, but it’s responsive and dynamic, and the polyphonic aftertouch is a great addition. It’s in the additional sounds, orchestral, cinematic, etc., that the K2700 outshines most of the competition.
The sound quality is enhanced by the hands-on workflow, including physical drawbars (faders) for the tonewheel organs. The nine faders, along with nine buttons, pitch/mod wheels, and a large ribbon controller, are fully assignable.
Kurzweil’s styling often looks a bit dated, and that’s true of some controls/buttons here, but dedicated buttons and a clever layout create a speedy workflow (performance is optimized with FlashPlay Technology).
There’s no shortage of music production tools with a 4×4 performance pad matrix, a powerful 16-track sequencer, 16 arpeggiators, and 16 riff generators.
The Kurzweil K2700 is a powerhouse in any setting with deep connectivity; I just wouldn’t like to be the person carrying it too often.
See current price at: SweetwaterAmazonBest high-end: Roland Fantom 8 EX
- Keys: 88, fully-weighted
- Pads: 16 (4×4)
- Polyphony: 256 notes (Zen-Core), unlimited (V-Piano)
- Presets: Over 7,000 sounds
- Aftertouch: Yes
- Weight: 61 lbs (27.7 kg)
- Tested price: $4,200
The Fantom 8 EX could easily sit atop this list, but I prefer the K2700 because it’s significantly cheaper. However, budget aside, Roland’s Fantom 8 is the best high-end workstation available.
You know exactly what to expect from a Fantom: the series continues to get better and better, and this flagship model is absolutely world-class.
Although even heavier than the Kurzweil K2700, Roland’s Fantom 8 EX looks sleek and stylish in typical Fantom fashion.
The iconic Fantom sound comes from several sound engines, including SuperNatural, V-Piano, Zen-Core, ACB, and Virtual Tonewheel. These sound engines are tried and tested, and with the hefty price tag comes proven reliability.
The sound engines provide a combined library of over 7000 onboard sounds with a max polyphony of 256 notes (full polyphony for V-Piano). The EX version includes the classic SH-101, Jupiter8, JX-3P synth expansions and the German Concert V-Piano expansion.
The Fantom 8 EX features a premium, fully-weighted, hammer-action keyboard with aftertouch. The feel of this keyboard is so good that many performers use it as a pure stage piano.
One of the Fantom’s secret weapons is the ACB technology (Analog Circuit Behavior that mimics the character and behavior of analog circuitry.
Once you get past the vast sound library and supreme tonal quality, there are plenty of features to get through. Standout features include a built-in sampler (24-bit/48kHz), a 16-track sequencer (eight patterns per track), an advanced arpeggiator, and an audio recorder with 2 GB of internal storage.
I’m fairly used to the Fantom workflow, but this particular model is more hands-on than ever, with nine assignable faders and buttons (with LED indicators), 16 performance pads, and dedicated DAW controls.
One of my favorite elements of the Roland Fantom 8 EX workflow is the dynamically adapting LCD screen; it’s a phenomenal workstation.
See current price at: SweetwaterAmazonBest for expressive performance: Korg Nautilus 88
- Keys: 88, fully-weighted
- Pads: None
- Polyphony: 180 notes (PolysixEX), 140 voices (HD-1)
- Presets: Over 2,800
- Aftertouch: Yes (for $500 extra)
- Weight: 51 lbs (23.1 kg)
- Tested price: $2,500
I’m a massive fan of the older Korg Kronos, and while the Nautilus isn’t a direct replacement, it’s certainly reminiscent of the one time workstation king. It features many familiar sounds and feels even better than the old Kronos, with Korg’s Natural Touch keyboard. I wish it had more assignable controls, but Korg fans will love it.
Korg’s Nautilus is a workstation keyboard that perhaps didn’t get the reception it deserves. I believe many musicians view it as a lesser version of the Kronos with a hefty price tag. While I don’t think it’s as good overall as the older Kronos, and it should be cheaper, the Nautilus is an incredible instrument in its own right.
My biggest issue is a lack of assignable controls and no faders, so let’s address that first. The Nautilus provides some assignable knobs and a joystick rather than pitch/mod wheels. Some players don’t like the joystick, but I like its intuitive control over multiple parameters. Adding faders would be a game changer for me because we need them in so many production and composition applications.
With my biggest complaint out of the way, here’s where the Nautilus shines: it boasts nine exceptional synth engines, including the PolysixEX. The Nautilus uses Dynamic Voice Allocation to allow the various sound engines to share the board seamlessly. Korg concert piano sounds are often an acquired taste, and that’s true of the Nautilus, but I think the acoustic piano voices and Natural Touch keyboard make a highly expressive combination.
Expression is king with this workstation: the sounds (over 2500 presets) are world-class, and the impressive collection of almost 200 onboard effects (up to 14 simultaneously) helps create unique patches. A dedicated dynamics knob allows you to make subtle tonal adjustments in real-time.
The level of expression makes the Nautilus one of the most enjoyable workstations to play. Korg’s Open Sampling System allows deeper and easier sampling than most workstations, making it a sound designer’s dream. Additional features like an advanced arpeggiator, 16-track recorder, and sequencer are brought together by the TouchView interface (one of the best touchscreen displays on any keyboard).
Korg invented the workstation keyboard; it’s no surprise they are still among the very best.
See current price at: SweetwaterAmazonBest lightweight: Akai MPC Key 61
- Keys: 61, semi-weighted
- Pads: 16 (4×4)
- Polyphony: 16 notes
- Presets: Over 6,000
- Aftertouch: Yes
- Weight: 17.9 lbs (8.1 kg)
- Tested price: $1,500
This verdict is simple: if you like the classic MPC workflow, you’ll love the MPC Key. It’s basically an MPC unit with a keyboard, a simple but powerful combination that MPC fans like me have dreamed of for years. The MPC Key 61 is perfect if you prioritize a speedy production workflow.
As a longtime MPC user, I was incredibly excited by the news of the MPC Key, and it didn’t disappoint.
The MPC Key 61 is the ultimate standalone music production center that supports up to eight audio tracks (128 audio tracks software MIDI). Although eight tracks may seem too few, it’s enough to work on ideas without needing a computer before moving to the computer to extend the project. The MPC Key is an ideal workstation/controller hybrid.
Thanks to the large 8.5-inch touchscreen display, the MPC Key 61 offers deep sampling and editing capabilities. Whether editing patterns, note lengths, or adjusting effect parameters, you can do it all quickly with the most efficient music production workflow available. With 16 GB of flash memory and a SATA slot for an external SSD/HDD drive, you can go wild with samples.
The 16 pressure-sensitive, RGB backlit pads are my favorite feature; Akai just does it better than anyone else. The pads have eight banks, allowing you to prepare for live performance or put together extended sequences.
Assignable controls include four Q-Link knobs and the same touch strip found on the MPC Studio. The touch strip is surprisingly useful, especially when adjusting effect parameters in real-time or switching hi-hat patterns/rhythms.
The legendary MPC workflow comes with 63 function buttons, which means virtually no menu-diving. The speedy workflow extends beyond the MPC Key unit with excellent connectivity, including eight CV/Gate outputs, making the MPC Key 61 the perfect centerpiece of any production setup.
See current price at: SweetwaterAmazonBest under $2500: Yamaha MODX8+
- Keys: 88, fully-weighted
- Pads: None
- Polyphony: 128 notes (AWM2), 128 note (FM-X)
- Presets: 2,227 sounds
- Aftertouch: None
- Weight: 30.4 lbs (13.8 kg)
- Tested price: $2,200
The Yamaha MODX8+ lacks some of the charm of the old Motif workstations, but it makes up for it with powerful sound engines and a modern workflow. It delivers some premium features from the flagship Montage series, and it’s an excellent buy at around half the price of the full-size Montage.
The MODX8+ features two powerful Yamaha sound engines: AWM2 and FM-X. Yamaha’s Motion Control Synthesis unifies and controls both engines.
AWM2 delivers some of Yamaha’s best-loved sounds, from acoustic piano to organs and strings. The 8-operator FM-X engine delivers powerful FM synthesis for complex sound design. Unlike FM synths of the past, like the Yamaha DX7, the MODX8+ is extremely easy to program.
Complimenting the powerful tone generation is an expressive GHS keyboard; the keyboard action is more authentic than many more expensive workstations. The MODX8+ has four assignable knobs and faders; I’d like to see more, but I love the Direct Control Assignment workflow.
The tactile and intuitive workflow is important because the MODX8+ has a lot of features and functions to get through, like 4-part seamless sound switching and Live Sets (which allows you to save entire performance setups). Yamaha’s Virtual Circuitry Modeling delivers authentic vintage effects, and there’s even a built-in vocoder if you feel like getting back to the 80s.
One of my favorite features is the Super Knob, which lets you adjust multiple parameters simultaneously. It’s an easy way to create and control massive evolving soundscapes that most workstations can’t match.
See current price at: SweetwaterAmazonBest budget: Korg Kross 2-88
- Keys: 88, fully-weighted
- Pads: 16 (2×8)
- Polyphony: 120 notes
- Presets: 1,075 sounds
- Aftertouch: None
- Weight: 27.1 lbs (12.3 kg)
- Tested price: $1,300
The Korg Kross 2-88 is a steal at close to $1200. It lacks the assignable controls and high-end features of flagship models, but it sounds fantastic, is easy to use, and has enough sampling and sequencing capabilities to please most people. It even revives some classic Korg hardware like the Electribe-based sequencer.
The Kross 2-88 is a relatively budget-friendly workstation keyboard with 88 fully-weighted keys. Korg’s Natural Weighted Hammer Action keyboard is among the best in its class.
Tone generation comes from Korg’s EDS-i sound engine; it’s not as impressive as the Nautilus, but it delivers over 1000 professional-quality sounds, including acoustic pianos, electric pianos, and all sorts of synth pads, leads, and basses. The max polyphony of 120 notes is a bit low but shouldn’t cause problems in most scenarios.
One of the great things about the Kross 2 is that it features genre-specific presets that are ready to go with little or no tweaking. If you want to tweak the sound a little, you can add up to seven effects simultaneously.
Alternatively, you can utilize the onboard sampling engine to create unique sounds that you can trigger via the keyboard or the 16 sample trigger pads. The pads have eight banks, which is more than enough to prepare an entire performance.
The real value for money comes from the 16-track Electribe-style sequencer, stereo audio recorder, and arpeggiator. These features match some more expensive workstations and let you compose, record, and produce music with ease. Korg’s Kross 2 is a versatile workstation that packs a big punch for the price.
See current price at: SweetwaterAmazonHonorable mentions
When it comes to workstation keyboards, a handful of manufacturers and models typically dominate most lists. But it’s always worth thinking outside the box and checking out some alternatives.
- Roland Juno-D8. Despite the legendary name, this modern Juno is a more versatile instrument than the vintage synths. It’s a legit synth workstation with classic Roland sounds.
- Yamaha Montage M8x. The Montage M8x is more likely to top synthesizer lists, but this expensive powerhouse does it all better than most stage pianos and workstations. It’s one of the best keyboard instruments in recent years.
Conclusion
Workstation keyboards are incredibly versatile, and many of them offer very similar features. When it’s hard to separate instruments on paper, think about how well the features and workflow match the work you do and the music you play. Prioritize the features you need most, and you’ll find an amazing workstation above.
