E-mu Xboard Series of MIDI Keyboards

The E-mu Xboard series of MIDI keyboards was released in 1989.  If I was cynical about this MIDI controller keyboard I would say this was Creative Technologies (Labs) using the E-mu Systems name to sell a pure MIDI keyboard.  

This keyboard while being a general purpose MIDI controller would also support the MIDI functions that were present on the 'Blaster' range of cards Creative produced for the PC.  This neither had any sampler or synthesiser functionality which the E-mu brand was associated with.

The Xboard range of MIDI keyboards had three models:

• 25-key version which the MIDI controller that I own and I would say focused at the bedroom producers.

• 49-key version which I would also say was based at bedroom musicians with slightly more space.

• 61-key version which would have been aimed at both bedroom and gigging musicians.

Personally, I have always preferred MIDI keyboards with 5 octives, purely so you can play it with two hands like a keyboard player.