Kurzweil KP100 Review

We rated the Kurzweil KP100 a 6.5/10. While this instrument has excellent specs, the action could stand to be more realistic. That being said, some facets of the KP100 that we really liked include the 10-track MIDI recorder, hundreds upon hundreds of sounds, and the surprising addition of a pitch wheel!

Kurzweil KP100 Overview

In this Kurzweil KP100 review, we will look at an economical portable arranger keyboard. The KP100 first came out in July of 2018 and continues to be a popular entry-level arranger keyboard. The instrument is supplied with a Medeli casing, meaning that this instrument is, in some ways, comparable to some beginner-level Rolands and Medeli’s.

In my opinion, the instrument’s best selling points are its large number of sounds, auto accompaniment tracks, and touch sensitivity. 

Features 

Internal MIDI Song Recorder

You can record up to 10 songs with 1 track per song on the Kurzeil KP100. This keyboard is helpful for jotting down musical ideas- Plus, it’s portable so that you can record song tidbits anywhere. 

Custom Patches

Another feature I didn’t expect on the KP100 is the 32 slots for custom patches. Custom patches allow you to add your favorite sounds to a section of the keyboard, so they are more readily accessible.

(220) Auto Accompaniments

To use auto accompaniment on the instrument, simply play a few notes in the lower register with your left hand. As long as the KP100 is set to auto accompaniment, the smart technology will take care of the rest. The large variety of patterns will help you master the right-hand technique and note reading without growing bored of the same 10 tracks!

You can also change the sections (intro, main, fill) to better fit the transitions of your song, as well as add fade-ins and fade-outs.  

600+ Preset Voices

This model contains many voices from Kurzweil’s Triple Strike Piano. Some voices on the KP100 include strings, keyboards, reeds, synth leads, winds, and many more. 

Pitch Bend Wheel

One feature that can be very difficult to find in under-$500 keyboards is a pitch wheel. Pitch wheels allow keyboardists to emulate guitarists who alter their pitch by bending strings up or down.

Other Features

• Transpose 
• EQ
• Effects like reverb
• DSP
• Demo songs
• Split and dual modes

Specifications

• Weight: 11 pounds
• Dimensions: 
• Height 5.2″ 
• Width 37.6″ 
• Depth 14.2″ 
• Colors: White, grey, black

Who is the Kurzweil KP100 suitable for?

The Kurzweil KP100 is best suited for those looking for an entry-level arranger that they can take with them on the go. This would make for a fine backup instrument, as well as an introduction to full-featured 

The Kurzweil in Action

This video by Muzykujkropkacom will help give you a better idea of the sounds of the Kurzweil.

• The keyboard and synth sounds are very good as a whole
• The trumpets and other winds are a bit cheezy
• The drum kits aren’t bad

Pros and Cons

Pros

• The specs are impressive and well-rounded for the price
• There are over 500 sounds
• Includes basic features like split, dual, transpose
• It has an internal recorder
• It’s MIDI-recording-friendly
• It’s super portable
• The controls are intuitive and easy to use
• It’s very affordable

In some respects, the Kurzeil KP100 is very handy! Despite my initial dislike (due to the key feel) some of the specs are quite impressive for the cost. The onboard navigation is straightforward, even though the KP100 has so many different sections and categories. You can split the keyboard in 2 and play multiple sounds at once, or, two at the same time. I also love how moveable it is -At only 11 pounds, it weighs just a tiny bit more than my Yorkie! 

Cons

• The key feel isn’t the best
• The speakers aren’t very powerful
• The quality vs. quantity of sounds conundrum

The keys on this instrument are only semi-weighted rather than fully weighted and feel more than a bit unconvincing. If you come from a synth background, this will be no big deal. But if you’re a classical music person, you probably won’t enjoy the feel very much.

Kurzweil’s don’t usually come with speakers built in The fact that this one does is both a pro and a con. The ‘pro’ to it is that you won’t have to worry about setup. The con is that a 3-watt speaker is pretty small, so don’t expect much loudness or bassy ‘umph’. 

Lastly, the keyboard sounds are solid, but the other tones aren’t as consistently pleasing to the ear. I personally loved the honkeytonk piano tones (I usually don’t like these at all) but I didn’t care for the brass tones…at all. 

Comparable Instruments 

• Roland X-E20
• Medeli M341
• Upgrade: KP2000

The KP100 is supplied with Medeli parts/ casings, meaning that this instrument is very comparable to Rolands, such as the X-E20, as well as Medeli’s M361. Another option is the KP110, which has almost the exact same specs as this model (with a few updates) for $600ish. 

The X-E20 and M341 aren’t my favorite models, but they are comparable. 

And the KP100 is a good starting point, but I’d recommend getting something a notch better. More pro-grade arrangers like the KP2000 are pricey, but they can occasionally be found as B-grade/ used for about $750 on Guitarcenter or Sweetwater.

Other models I prefer you check out include: 

• Alesis models, such as the Prestige of Recital Pro
• The Casio CDPS110 

The Prestige and Recital Pro are both around the same price as the model we reviewed today, and the piano samples are quite good. 

The CDPS110 is much cheaper than this piano, and it has fully weighted scaled hammer action keys. 

Quick View 

Kurzweil KP100: Conclusion

In conclusion, the KP100 has great specs, but the action wasn’t the best. All in all, it’s not a bad portable arranger to get started on, but there are better options out there.

Music quote of the week: “I can’t live one day without hearing music, playing it, studying it, or thinking about it.” -Leonard Bernstein