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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 is 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 octaves, purely so you can play it with two hands like a keyboard player.
While rummaging around in my storage unit I found this E-MU Xboard 25 MIDI controller in a box. This had been given to me by producer Gary Robinson (aka The Death Beats and Rareform Records).
I have bascially decided to get this controller working again. But it might need a little effort to get it cleaned up and operational again.
This is part 1 - Assessment of the video series to restore this MIDI controller to full operation.
Click anywhere on the image or title to see work undertaken on this synthesiser and workstation.