Hey Guys. Well, as I progress through my musical life I am moving through different types of instruments. Started with guitar, moved to piano, to bass, to keyboard... Stayed in drifting with some instruments then longer.. learned more then others... but I have realized that no matter where my heart lies I will always NEED a piano/keyboard. However as Ive got myself into recording and other band like things Ive needed different sounds more then before. I have a small little 80$ yamaha keyboard that has some sample sounds on it which compare NOTHING to real workstations but its still fun to play around with. Being sort of my band's recordist & manager I like playing around with my options for different sounds/effects/anything that can be added or whatever to different tracks to make things sound fuller, and better.
Basically I need a workstation/synthesizer pretty soon here. The yamaha lacks too many keys, and its just too cheap. Do any of you guys have any solid options or reccomendations towards buying a intermediate/advanced synthesizer/workstation?
It probably wont ever leave my studio, except for maybe a gig or two.
My main expectations of this new toy:
Full Size 88 Key
Quality Keys Weighted Etc
Hundreds and Hundreds of Effects, Tones, Drum Kits, and different ways to tweak all the sounds and fun!!
User Friendly
Decent amount of memory to save & record keyboard runs or ideas
Solid Quality Build
I dont want to get bored with it. I want this future choice to be something worth every bill, and honestly provide excellent acoustic piano, electric solo keyboard to jazzy soft any type anywhere endless possibilites for my band & I.
Another thing is I dont exactly "play the piano." Im not really too good with reading music either. But I believe a large part of my procrastination on working on progressing in the keyboard/piano is the fact that I dont have a legitmate keyboard to USE.
Some Ideas of what I have taken a look at are the:
Korg TR-88 1600$
Yamaha something for 900$
Etc
I am in no way shape or forum a knowledge filled man of keyboard/synthesizers but I know good names, I know whats expensive, and I know you get what you pay for. So if anyone could shed some light on it, let me know a solid built, excellent keyboard for possibly under 1500.
Thanks everyone
Josh
Sing Me A Song Your a Singer, Do me a wrong, your a bringer of evil. - Dio
No ideas guys?
I guess this really is just a guitar forum lol
Sing Me A Song Your a Singer, Do me a wrong, your a bringer of evil. - Dio
Patient be you must, young musician! If I were you I'd first decide on what's important: piano or synth/samplers. A piano requires fully weighted keys, synths don't and might be easier to play with semi-weighted keys. For the rest I suggest you use your computer for sounds. For years of tweaking fun, get Absynth4: http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?id=absynth4 . ARP2600 re-issue is also great for the more 'conventional' analog synth sounds ( http://www.arturia.com/evolution/en/products/arp2600v/intro.html ). For piano sounds, either use the onboard ones if you get a quality digital piano or use of these samplers: Ivory, Garritan Steinway, East West/Quantum Leaps Pianos.
I use a CME UF-50 ( http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/CME-UF50-49key-Omnipotent-Master-Keyboard-MIDI-Controller?sku=702722 ) master controller for all my synths, for synths you don't need 88 keys, analog synths often have less then 49 keys. For my piano I use a Casio Privia series ( http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Casio-Privia-PX200-88-Key-Weighted-Slab-Piano?sku=700919 ). The onboard sound is decent but the keys are great, I usually use The Grand2 for my sounds.
I have three:
The Casio E403 that is really power packed and portable with sounds out the wazoo. Alas no weighted keys
The Casio PX-575R, weighted keys, lots of sounds, tons of features.
and Casio PS-20, most realistic touch of the bunch, limited to keyboard sounds.
I'd recommend all three of them, but then again I suck at playing the keyboards.
No suggestions other than to go to your local shop and start to test drive what they have in stock. Much like guitars, you'll have to find what you are comfortable with in terms of action on the keys, the sounds and effects that are part of the package.
I can relate to what you are going through, I have a cheap Yamaha keyboard and have quickly outgrown what it has to offer. The next step, for me at least, is going to be a pretty expensive proposition. So I'll have to start saving my change each day if I want to take that step. First, I need to buy a bass guitar!
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