We are digital piano & keyboard specialists, based in Banbury, Oxfordshire. Stay up to date with the latest news, reviews, tips, and offers by joining our FREE newsletter (unsubscribe at any time).
When people look at the Yamaha MODX M8, they usually already know one thing. It has weighted keys.
But that is not the real question pianists are asking.
What they really want to know is whether those keys actually feel like a piano, or just a keyboard with a bit of weight added.
That is exactly why I made the video and why I am writing this. Because “weighted” on a spec sheet and “realistic to play” under your fingers are two very different things.
Key feel is such a personal, physical thing that it is worth talking about properly. Specs do not tell you how an instrument responds when you lean into it, try to play quietly, or get carried away in a fast passage. That is what really matters.
The first thing that struck me when I sat down at the MODX M8 was this. I did not feel like I was playing a keyboard. I genuinely felt like I was playing a piano.
That might sound obvious for an 88 note instrument, but it really is not. Plenty of workstations have weighted keys that still feel more like large keyboards than proper piano style instruments. The MODX M8 does not fall into that trap.
As soon as you move from the smaller MODX models onto this one, the difference is obvious. Your hands immediately notice the extra weight and resistance. This is a proper piano style action.
Yamaha use their GHS, Graded Hammer Standard, action in the MODX M8. That means the keys are heavier in the bass and gradually get lighter as you move up the keyboard, just like an acoustic piano.
This is not some random action they have dropped in either. GHS is used across a number of Yamaha instruments pianists already know and trust. You will find it in the DGX670, in several Arius digital pianos, and in the Yamaha CK88.
I actually own a CK88 myself and have it set up in my studio at home, so I know that key feel really well. I am more than happy using it for proper piano playing, not just for pads and textures.
I even made a full video about the CK88 which ended up being less of a review and more of a love letter. You can literally see me falling for it as I play and explore what it can do.
Sitting down at the MODX M8 gave me that same familiar, comfortable feeling under the fingers. If you are used to a CK88, DGX or certain Arius models, you are going to feel right at home here.
For me, the action sits on the heavier, more realistic side, and that is a compliment.
There is a reassuring resistance under your fingers. I found I could really lean into the keys in that natural pianist way, letting a bit of arm weight come into the touch, and the keyboard gave me exactly the response I expected.
When I played gently, I did not feel like I had to fight to get soft notes out. There was just the right amount of resistance for quiet, controlled playing. When I dug in harder, the sound opened up and responded in a way that felt musical and familiar, not harsh or abrupt.
Paired with the Imperial piano sound, which has a wide dynamic range, the whole experience felt highly authentic. I could shape phrases, swell into notes, and back off again without it ever feeling like an on off switch.
It is not just about slow, expressive playing either. I tried faster passages, repeated notes and arpeggio style runs, and the action kept up easily.
The keys return quickly enough that nothing feels sluggish. I never had the sense that the mechanism was holding me back.
Something else I noticed, which many players will relate to, is that when your hands shift position and you end up playing further up the keys, the responsiveness is still there. Even when I was playing higher up on the key surface during chords and quicker passages, including on the black keys, it still felt consistent and reliable.
That kind of detail really matters when you stop analysing and just start playing music.
Featured in this article
Of course, the feel of the keys is only part of the story. What really surprised me was how quickly I stopped thinking about the keybed at all.
The acoustic piano sounds in the MODX M8 are genuinely inspiring. There is a wide choice of grand and upright pianos, and they are full of character. I found myself drifting into actual playing rather than just demonstrating.
Then you start bringing in everything else the instrument offers. Subtle layers, pads, electric pianos, textures that sit behind the piano and lift it into a bigger musical space.
This is where things like the Super Knob come into their own. I am not a deep programmer, but with one control I could add movement, atmosphere and extra colour that was already musically suited to the sound I was using. It is a very easy way to move from straight piano playing into something more cinematic and creative.
That, for me, is the real joy of an instrument like this. It starts with a keybed that satisfies the pianist in you, then gently leads you into sound design, composition and exploration.
On paper, the Yamaha MODX M8 simply says it has weighted keys.
But that is not what pianists are really asking.
What you actually want to know is whether it feels like a real piano when you sit down and play, whether you can lean into the keys, shape quiet notes, dig in for power, and forget you are on a synth.
For me, the answer is yes.
The keys have proper weight, resistance and responsiveness. They let you play with nuance when you want delicacy and give you strength when you need impact. Most importantly, they do not feel like a compromise just because the MODX M8 is also a powerful workstation.
So if you have been looking at the specs and thinking, “Yes, but what do they really feel like?” this is Yamaha’s piano style GHS action doing exactly what it is supposed to do.
You are not just pressing weighted keys.
You are playing an instrument that behaves like a piano, and then opens the door to far more than a piano once your hands are comfortable.
Enter your email address below to receive our free weekly newsletter containing the latest piano, keyboard and organ demonstration videos, breaking news, special offers, invitations to our live video events, technical support articles and much more.
These items are sold on behalf of Yamaha, and are sent to us on a per-order basis, typically within 5-7 working days, unless an ETA is otherwise stated.
We'll contact you the moment your purchase arrives with us to organise delivery, based on your selected option.
Example products: Yamaha DGX670, Yamaha P-525, Yamaha YDP-S55, Yamaha Clavinova.
These items must be sent with a heavy-goods courier (typically APC or FedEx). On occasion, depending on which is fastest, we will drop-ship directly from Yamaha to your address via Dachser.
Tracking will be provided by the haulier, with a typical arrival time of 1-2 working days.
*If you have included the optional £180 "Yamaha Premium Service" home delivery & setup option offered on selected products, we will contact you regarding arrangements after purchase.
**The Yamaha CSP Series, Yamaha CVP905 & CVP909, Yamaha CLP875, 885 & 895GP, and Yamaha NU1Xa are all sold on behalf of Yamaha and arrive with us on a per-order basis. As soon as your piano has arrived, we will contact you to organise the appropriate dispatch method. ETA for stock is shown on the product page for those items.
***If you have included the optional £99 home delivery & setup option offered on selected products, we will send your details direct to the installation team, who will contact you within 48 hours to make arrangements.
Depending on which option is most appropriate, we will either contact you to discuss a bespoke ePianos delivery surcharge for goods we can’t package for a 3rd party courier, or otherwise dispatch goods via FedEx or APC.
If a courier is used, tracking will be provided by them directly, with a typical arrival time of 1-2 working days.
Example products: Yamaha PSR-SX920, Yamaha P-225, Yamaha NP-15.
These items will be sent via courier (typically APC or FedEx). On occasion, depending on which is fastest, we will drop-ship directly from Yamaha to your address via UPS or Parcelforce.
Tracking will be provided by the courier, with a typical arrival time of 1-2 working days.
Smaller items, such as books, discs, etc, will be dispatched via Royal Mail second class.
After purchase, you can download the file either from the order confirmation page or the "Downloads" tab in "My Account".
If you have selected the option to receive a pre-loaded USB stick, then this will be dispatched via Royal Mail.
We will contact you regarding any pre-ordered items, and let you know when they arrive so as to arrange delivery with you at a convenient time.
Used items can also be purchased using either of the following options (minimum loan amount of £250 after deposit):
Total amount payable: £893.32
Available finance options are displayed at checkout. Alternatively, please get in touch and we’ll be happy to discuss the options, or email a finance application to you. Find out more by clicking here
Our seasonal opening hours are as follows:
We are closed on all bank holidays, therefore the processing of sales and deliveries will be delayed.
For orders of any stock displaying a 7-10 day lead time, we will contact you as soon as the item arrives with us to schedule a delivery with you.
Occasionally, there may be availability issues with our suppliers, in which case we'll get in touch with you to see if you're happy to wait, or if you'd like to cancel the order and receive a full refund.
This is a special order "agency" item, and comes to us directly from Yamaha on a per-order basis.
It typically takes 7-10 days for this item to arrive with us, whereupon we'll contact you to discuss the arrangement of delivery.
For any pre-orders, we will contact you as soon as the item arrives with us to schedule a delivery with you, and update you with an ETA.
Occasionally, there may be availability issues with our suppliers, in which case we'll get in touch with you to see if you're happy to wait, or if you'd like to cancel the order and receive a full refund.
*Cashback amount varies product to product, as indicated.
Comments:
Chris – I could not agree with you more. I consider myself to be an intermediate level keyboard player. More importantly, I have had a fair number of years of experience playing a variety of weighted and semi-weighted keyboards including the Yamaha Motif XF8, widely lauded for its weighted hammer action. I was on the verge of pulling the trigger on the Montage M8X whose key bed I felt offered a near ideal cross between both weighted and semi-weighted action. But then I recently tried out the MODX M8. Frankly I wasn’t expecting much but I was VERY surprised at just how good the action felt. So much so that I actually preferred it to the Montage for playing piano-focused pieces. I’m now torn between the two but likely will go with the MODX, both for its much lighter weight and portability but more importantly because I felt a little more inspired on it for the kind of music I like to play.
Thanks for such a thoughtful comment, it’s really interesting to hear your perspective, especially given your experience with instruments like the Motif XF8.
That sense of being unexpectedly inspired by the MODX M8 is something we’ve heard from quite a few players. On paper, many people assume the Montage M8X will be the obvious choice, but once you actually sit down and play, the lighter, more responsive feel of the MODX can make piano-focused playing feel more natural and enjoyable for certain styles. Add in the reduced weight and portability, and it becomes a very compelling option.
Both are excellent instruments, but as you’ve found, the one that inspires you most is usually the right choice.