M-Audio Keystation 88 II | 88-Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller with Pitch-Bend & Modulation Wheels

The M-Audio Keystation 88 II is a simple, powerful MIDI controller designed for sequencing music and playing virtual instruments on your Mac or PC.

It features 88 full-size, velocity-sensitive keys and a series of controls that broaden the range of playable notes, expand expressive capabilities, and enhance your recording workflow. Octave-range buttons; pitch-bend and modulation wheels; and transport and directional controls make it easy to play, perform, and record in your music software without using a mouse or track pad.

Keystation 88 II also includes a 1/4” sustain-pedal input that lets you use an external control pedal, such as M-Audio’s SP2, for genuine piano sustain.

To get you started composing, we bundled the Keystation 88 II with a premium virtual instrument from SONiVOX. SONiVOX’ s Eighty-Eight Ensemble is a world-class piano instrument that captures a 9-foot CD327 Steinway piano’s sound. Finally, we included Ableton Live Lite — one of the world’s most popular performance and production programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the M-Audio Keystation require a power supply?

No.  The M-Audio Keystation series controller is USB hub-powered, meaning that it is powered directly by the computer USB port when connected with a USB-A to USB-B cable.

Do I need to install any drivers to use my Keystation series controller?

No!  The M-Audio Keystation series controller is a class-compliant device, meaning that it is plug-and-play and does not require any drivers to be installed.  This also means that it will work with and is supported on the latest operating systems, including Windows 8 and Mac 10.9.

Will the Keystation work with my Windows 8 and Mac 10.9 Mavericks computer?

Yes!  The M-Audio Keystation series controller is a class-compliant device, meaning that it is plug-and-play and does not require any drivers to be installed.  This also means that it will work and is supported on the latest operating systems, including Windows 8 and Mac 10.9.

Will the Keystation work with my iPad?

Yes!  To use the M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 with your iPad, connect it to the iPad using the iPad Camera Connection kit (sold separately) which enabling you to perform and compose with audio apps on your iPad and other iOS devices. 

How do I reset the controller to the factory default settings?

To set the Keystation series controller to its factory default settings, follow the steps suggested below:

Power Off the Keystation. Hold down the buttons ADVANCED, OCT+, and OCT- simultaneously, until step 4. Power On the Keystation. Release the three buttons.

The Keystation is now set back to the factory default settings.

My sustain pedal is reversed and functioning backwards. What do I do?

The sustain pedal input on the rear of the Keystation series controller accepts any standard momentary, non-latching footswitch (sold separately).  When pressed, this pedal will sustain the sound you are playing without having to keep your fingers pressing down the keys.

The Polarity of the sustain pedal is determined by the keyboard upon startup.  When the Keystation is powering up, the sustain pedal is assumed to be in the Up (Off) position.  It is important that the sustain pedal is not pressed during startup, otherwise the pedal will reverse its operation, and notes will sustain when the pedal is not pressed.

To reverse the polarity, simply power off the Keystation series controller, ensure that the pedal is not depressed, and power the unit on.

My Keystation is not reading in my computer.  Why not?

Most likely this is not due to the actual Keystation itself and is more likely something to do with the connection, a conflict with something else in the computer, or software settings.  We recommend following the steps suggested below to determine the cause:

Try connecting to a different USB port. Try connecting with an alternate USB cable. Try connecting to a different computer to determine if the cause is hardware or computer-related.

If you continue to experience difficulty after walking through the steps suggested above, you may want to consider contacting M-Audio Technical Support for further technical assistance.

Further Product Support

Whether you are a customer or dealer, if you already own an M-Audio product, or if you just have pre-sales questions, the M-Audio technical support team is available to help!

Visit the link below to connect with any of the following support options: online community support, phone support, email support.

Technical Specs

Top Panel

88 full-size, velocity-sensitive keys Octave Buttons Volume Slider The Volume Slider Pitch Bend Wheel Modulation Wheel Advanced Functions Button Transport Buttons

Rear Panel

DC Power Adapter Input USB Port 5-pin MIDI Out Sustain Pedal Input Expression Pedal Input On/Off Switch

Power

Power via USB or 9V DC 200mA center-positive power supply (sold separately)

Size (width x depth x height):

9.8” x 3.6” x 53.9”

Weight

17 lbs

Box Contents

Keystation 88 USB Cable Ableton Live Lite User Guide Safety & Warranty Manual

Product Features

• MIDI keyboard controller for composing digital music and playing virtual instruments
• Powered by USB connection to computer with features to fully control music software without reaching for mouse
• 88 full-size, semi-weighted velocity-sensitive keys with 1/4-inch sustain-pedal input for expressive performance
• Octave range buttons; pitch bend and modulation wheels, transport controls. Macintosh- intel mac with mac OS X 10.5 or later; 2 GB RAM PC – PC with windows XP, windows vista, windows 7, windows 8 or windows 10, multicore processor, 2 GB RAM available USB port
• Now Includes Pro Tools | First and Eleven Lite for all new and existing customers, as well as SONiVOX Eighty-Eight Ensemble