EXCLUSIVES

M-Audio KeyStation 49e: The Keyboard for the Rest of Us
Words by Ric Getter

August 2004

Without doubt, GarageBand™ made a hit at San Francisco's MacWorld and continues to be one of the most addictive apps ever to emerge from One Infinite Loop. But, what allowed it to show its best side to the masses was a keyboard that was not only remarkable for it's capabilities, but it's affordability. It was at center stage for the GarageBand's unveiling and plugged into numerous Macs® at the Apple® booth. Even if you just know a few three-finger chords and the basic scales, you'll soon discover that GarageBand takes on a new personality when you start tickling the KeyStation 49e's touch-sensitive keys.

Installing the KeyStation is simply a matter of plugging it into a USB port and turning it on. Your Mac has already taken care of the rest. GarageBand knows exactly where it is and how to talk to it. This should also be true of any other MIDI software you have running under OS X. The keyboard includes a CD with the drivers you'll need to add for OS 9. As you may have already discovered by playing with GarageBand, your Mac is actually doing the bulk of the work, generating the vast collection of sounds and the parameters that control them. What makes the KeyStation so cool is that it's a slick device that gives you all kinds of control, without getting in the way of your music.

To begin with, the 49, full-size keys are pressure-sensitive, allowing you to put a fair amount of expression into your playing. If you want to go a little further, the back panel has a standard 1/4" jack for a sustain/expression pedal. Even though it can accept a 9-volt AC adapter, the keyboard consumes very little power and is perfectly content running off a USB port. As with most other USB devices, it prefers a powered USB hub if you can't plug directly into your Mac. If your workstation is anything like ours, having one less power cable to worry about is always a welcome feature. Along with the USB port, the keyboard has a standard MIDI out jack, so it can work as a stand-alone MIDI interface if you want to add more equipment downstream.

This 49-key portable has a surprising number of pro-quality features that are accessible through a very simple and sleek design. Unlike many portable keyboards (both consumer and pro), the KeyStation has a refreshingly simple look. To the left, you'll find a volume slider, two comfortably wide control wheels and three, square buttons. The leftmost wheel is a spring-loaded pitch-bender with a modulation controller to its right. Most, but not all, of your software-based instruments will respond to these controls. With the buttons, you can quickly activate the octave-shift function. This lets you shift the keyboard up four or down three octaves. This is a little tricky to do in real time, but you accomplish some amazing things when you lay down multiple tracks. The blue LED's above the two buttons let you know whether your keyboard is shifted up or down, or centered. The more advanced features are available by using the third button in conjunction with the keyboard keys. With a code based on a note-octave combination, you can access virtually any MIDI function. Without any sort of display telling you what you've done, this can get a little tricky. Fortunately, it is fairly easy to reset. And, if your main interest is diddling with GarageBand, these are features you probably will never have to play with via the keyboard.

The KeyStation is a light but a very well built piece of hardware that feels like it will hold up even if you tend to get carried away with your playing. Even though they are a long way from the weighed keys you'll find on a high-end device, the keys have a nice, solid feel. At just under 32" wide, the KeyStation is not exactly a desktop device. But, at only eight inches deep, it's comfortably compact. (If space is a real constraint and full-sized keys don't matter, you may want to look at M-Audio's entry-level eKeys 37.)

Teamed with Apple's GarageBand, the KeyStation 49e is a truly remarkable music-making tool, even if your musical background is fairly limited. It won't turn the totally tone-deaf into a Mozart, but the combination will help a little talent and knowledge go a long way. And, if you're an experienced keyboardist who's been intimidated by the concept of MIDI sequencing, this is unquestionably the gateway you've been waiting for. Whichever is the case, after a session or two with this musical duo, you'll understand why they soared to the top of the charts at MacWorld.

M-Audio KeyStation 49e: requires OS 10.1.5 or later, or OS 9.2.2 with included drivers > MSRP $129 (Apple Store price: $99) > www.m-audio.com