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All things Keys.

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#55340 by brianpiano
Sun Feb 01, 2009 4:21 pm
Hoping someone might advise on a keyboard purchase. I can't seem to find one with these 4 qualities:

1. split keyboard function that allows me to play different organ and piano/rhodes parts at the same time
2. Transportable for gigs preferably 70+ keys (88 seems a bit long for some of the places I need to put it while going to gigs, but 61 is too few for what I need to play) and lightweight would be a bonus as well

3. Some sort of weighted action (I'd be happy with semi-weighted or similar)

4. Sounds include a good piano, organ, rhodes, string, and a horn sound (I don't really use any beyond that)

If anybody has any advice please let me know.

Thanks,
Brian
#58108 by LetsGetDown
Tue Feb 24, 2009 4:44 am
Try a Midi controller and a sound module, it's a little expensive but it's worth every pennie. Axiom 61 and motif rack xl. $ about $ 1,475.00 and you can get it used.

#73605 by Keynotes Duo
Sat Jul 04, 2009 12:05 am
The best keyboard i can recomend is the Roland E80
You can hear me play it on my profile

Go to instrument played in search and choose keyboard
Postcode RG4 you will see a picture of the Keyboard

#113063 by plasticships
Tue Jun 01, 2010 5:17 am
nord electro
#116222 by RockPianoman
Wed Jun 30, 2010 6:04 am
brianpiano wrote:Hoping someone might advise on a keyboard purchase. I can't seem to find one with these 4 qualities:

1. split keyboard function that allows me to play different organ and piano/rhodes parts at the same time
2. Transportable for gigs preferably 70+ keys (88 seems a bit long for some of the places I need to put it while going to gigs, but 61 is too few for what I need to play) and lightweight would be a bonus as well

3. Some sort of weighted action (I'd be happy with semi-weighted or similar)

4. Sounds include a good piano, organ, rhodes, string, and a horn sound (I don't really use any beyond that)

If anybody has any advice please let me know.

Thanks,
Brian


Hi Brian -
Don't go too cheap. Best bang for the buck is a Yamaha MO8.....same keyboard as a Motif ES8 but no sampler, 3 insertion effects instead of 8, no aftertouch

Yamaha Motif ES8 new was around $3000

Yamaha MO8 new today....about $1600.....oh yeah...also MO8 has 64 note polyphony where ES8 had 128....but remember....MO8 is NEW at that price....and not just similar sounds compared to ES8....the same sounds....has 1859 sampled sounds in it....some are multisampled

http://keyboards-midi.musiciansfriend.c ... sku=701599


MO8 has 88 fully weighted keys.....MO6 has 61 unweighted for $1000.....but same synth

DEMO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKBRNFECGi0

They are both fairly light but there is no 76 key version....but there are buttons that allow you to instantly transpose 1 octave up or down with each press.....makes a 61 key keyboard almost as good as having more keys
#116225 by RockPianoman
Wed Jun 30, 2010 11:22 am
brianpiano wrote:Hoping someone might advise on a keyboard purchase. I can't seem to find one with these 4 qualities:

1. split keyboard function that allows me to play different organ and piano/rhodes parts at the same time
2. Transportable for gigs preferably 70+ keys (88 seems a bit long for some of the places I need to put it while going to gigs, but 61 is too few for what I need to play) and lightweight would be a bonus as well

3. Some sort of weighted action (I'd be happy with semi-weighted or similar)

4. Sounds include a good piano, organ, rhodes, string, and a horn sound (I don't really use any beyond that)

If anybody has any advice please let me know.

Thanks,
Brian



I was reading the other posts and I agree that the Yamaha Motif rack XS is clearly going to give you the most sounds for the money but has 1 design flaw.....a HUGE flaw......no way to store sounds you make without extra gear....The Yamaha MO6 / MO8 take a thumbdrive in the USB jack....and the keys are included instead of additional....but I think the Motif rack XS gives you 2670 samples in it and you can stack up to 8 with 128 note polyphony, where the MO6 / MO8 give you 1859 sounds with the abilty to stack up to 4 with 64 note polyphony...and The XS rack has no sequencer .....MO6 / MO8 have a 226,000 note sequencer....the sequencer has two modes.....PATTERN for making loops and SONG which works more like a tape recorder.....but data in SONG can be moved to PATTERN and visa versa.....oh....by the way....none of those have breath controller jacks.....but all can receive breath controller & aftertouch data from sources that provide them....but the MO6 / MO8 can use a foot controller that never needs batteries to do the same thing as either aftertouch or a breath controller....and the XS rack & MO6 / MO8 all have quick edit knobs......you can grab a sample or stack samples and instantly add reverb with the quick edit knobs and you have a completed sound instantly.....no keyboards I've ever used with samples are as easy and quick to make new sounds from the sample library....and the Motif rack XS only has 2 MIDI jacks.....one can be either out or thru but not both at once.....kind of a pain in the ass.....but with no USB jack or card reader slot to store your own creations, Yamaha has made a huge mistake.....the two previous Motif rack versions had the same problem....don't mistake the USB jack in the back as a storage option....it is only to connect to a computer editor which can store....but who wants to take a computer to gigs? it also lets you use the rack with Cubase and other programs as well.....The Roland Fantom XR rack has a slot which can be adapted for memory card storage and also has a nice sampler....but once again, no sequencer.....I have been considering getting an MO8 for gigs so I can leave my Motif ES at home....it is much lighter than an ES8 but I would lose the sampler & aftertouch and get cut from 128 note polyphony to 64......on my Motif 8 (1st generation Motif) I notice notes cutting out when I stack 4 sounds.....I hear the MO6 / MO8 don't have this problem.....probably better note allocation.....another thing....I bought my Motif ES6 on ebay for $1000.....but even though I have never gotten stung on ebay, it is always possible.....ALWAYS pay with Visa.....they cover anything that would go wrong & re-emburse you.....and go with a seller with as may transactions as possible....the more, the better....this link gives you free owners manuals for any Yamaha keyboards....a nice way to compare....

http://www.yamaha.co.jp/manual/english/index.php

and go on youtube and listen to them....use headphones to really hear them

I forgot....when you go to download manuals, right click on the icon and select SAVE TARGET AS and select a folder where you want it to go....most manuals aren't named very well so if you rename them, you can keep track of them better

#123484 by Broken Keys
Thu Sep 09, 2010 11:58 am
Brian - All the other posts are very good options. I prefer the Yamaha CP300 (that's what I play). The only drawback I have with my keyboard is that it's a beast at 80 lbs. However it has the sound and the feel of a real grand piano. I love the Motif's and they have far more options, but I find the feel of the CP300 is closer to an acoustic piano.

The piano samples and electric piano samples are amazing. I use to play a Rhodes stage piano back in the day and the sound of the CP300 Rhodes is so realistic. You can edit the factory settings a bit and tweak all the presets to your liking. The organ and horn sounds are OK. The Nord has an amazing B3 sound but I prefer Yamaha's piano samples - - - there are always trade offs.

You can split and layer the sounds on the CP300 and you can set preformance presets to remember specific set ups for live shows. Yamaha just came out with some new stage pianos and are offering substantial discounts on the CP300 new. I've played the newer ones and still love my CP300. If true piano sound and feel are also important to you then I'd look into one of these. Good luck!

#139752 by Douglas Rawlings
Wed Feb 09, 2011 9:09 am
If you don't mind used, I suggest an Ensoniq. I'm a big fan.

#161406 by Kurt Gepke
Sat Dec 31, 2011 10:26 pm
I recently replaced my Korg SG-1D (after 25 years of trouble free use) with the Kawai MP6.
Check it out on at www.kawaius.com and listen to some of the audio samples. It's SO easy to use and weighs about 45 lbs. It's awesome for a "do it all" keyboard at the level you're seeking.
Motif, Triton, Phantom are all great but there is a significant learning curve and you may become frustrated.
Good luck.

KG
#163723 by Chris KC Anderson
Sat Jan 28, 2012 6:00 pm
I'd try the Casio Privia 330.

Good piano feel & sound variety, only about 25-30 lbs or so, under $700. Has 88 keys (I prefer 76 too) but for the weight and feel, I think it's a "bang for the buck" type of keyboard and am looking at it myself.

KC

brianpiano wrote:Hoping someone might advise on a keyboard purchase. I can't seem to find one with these 4 qualities:

1. split keyboard function that allows me to play different organ and piano/rhodes parts at the same time
2. Transportable for gigs preferably 70+ keys (88 seems a bit long for some of the places I need to put it while going to gigs, but 61 is too few for what I need to play) and lightweight would be a bonus as well

3. Some sort of weighted action (I'd be happy with semi-weighted or similar)

4. Sounds include a good piano, organ, rhodes, string, and a horn sound (I don't really use any beyond that)

If anybody has any advice please let me know.

Thanks,
Brian

#163724 by Lynard Dylan
Sat Jan 28, 2012 6:13 pm
I've got a Casio Privia PX 120, 88 weighted keys,
and I'm real happy with it, far as just a piano
sound. I use a Yamaha symtheziser 61 key and
it has been great. I push both through a Yamaha
pa system.
#164832 by Brad1954
Tue Feb 14, 2012 12:27 am
I agree that a midi controller and module(s) is the direction you want to go for all your needs. Look for used Roland A series controllers for a cheap controller. Newer modules have usb and can connect to a lap top or they can play any song on a usb. If you want weighted keys be prepaired to have back problems. CME makes a nice 76 key with 8 faders and 8 dials. You can always stack a 49 key controller like a Apro500 over top of a cheap 88 key like M-audio and have all sorts of control features. There is a cheap version of a Roland sonicCell for around 400 that has all the sonicCell's features, no expansion.

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