How to modify the waterfall keyboard of STUDIOLOGIC VMK 161 organ plus midi controller from default low action to high action, similar to Hammond A/B organ keyboards.
A hardware DIY project, low budget, no harm to original keybed or keys, no soldering/cutting/drilling/milling, easily reversible into original state if wanted.
Note: This mod disables the use of velocity MIDI function, as its value will be almost at maximum every time a key is pressed.
Description:
This otherwise excellent waterfall Fatar keyboard uses standard 2-contact rubber bubbles, but unfortunately has a quite slow and limited controller - passable at best, but far from user friendly. One of the major drawbacks/issues is that user cannot set the "first-contact" to trigger the sound. So the key has to be struck down almost completely, till "second-contact" to actually trigger the sound. Time difference between the two contacts are then used for velocity - well it would make sense for being a MIDI controller, but on the other hand - being an ORGAN keyboard, velocity is useless.
I find this "need to press down the key completely" very annoying. Even without knowing anything about Hammonds, I would expect to hear the sound as soon as I press down the key even slightly. According to the info available on the net, Hammond A/B organ keyboards begin to trigger the sound in the first 3-4 mm of travel of the key tip. There are 9 contacts to close in a row and by roughly 6-7 mm of travel they are all closed.
The controller inside this VMK-161 is a stubborn type and I couldn't succeed to trick it by modifying electrically the diode matrix. It always triggered at second-contact or didn't trigger at all.
OK, so I thought of modifying the hardware instead. By minimizing the gap between bubble and the key, so it would trigger faster, with much less travel.
I used a 3M 9488A bi-adhesive tape (bought on Amazon), 8mm wide, a clear 7/5 mm PVC tube, pliers and scissors. That's it ! Easily removable if wanted.
With trial and error I found out that just tape (with liner on one side) has to be used on the prong that presses the "first-contact" (closer to fulcrum-away from organist), while on the second prong has to be used the tape + tube cut in half. Tube pieces have to be 8mm long, so they match the tape width.
Video explains it all, no words needed. There is a slight difference in force between free key travel and once it triggers the sound, but it can be felt only if pressing directly on the bubble. On tip there is almost no difference at all. On video I pressed intentionally two-step to see where it triggers. There is about 3-4 mm of travel at the tip, quite close to the spec mentioned before.
The keyboard feels very nice now and reacts naturally.
P.S. I never played a real Hammond A/B. Some people say their keyboards feel softer/lighter that this VMK. But I think it is a minor difference anyway. B-5 Organ V3 VST and this modified keyboard play nice enough for me. Hope you enjoyed the info. Cheers.
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5fMQmnuVP4o/maxresdefault.jpg)