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One keyboard/synth to cover Pink Floyd?

pulse765

By pulse765
in Keys, Synths & Samplers

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pulse765 Newbie

pulse765

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What would be your recommendation for a keyboard (or midi controller / software combination) to cover Richard Wright's parts in Pink Floyd? I'm looking for a jack of all trades to cover such things as:

 

Farfisa Compact organ

Hammond organs

Hammond B3/C3

Minimoog type sounds

Rhodes electric piano

Etc.

Here's a list of keyboards he's used over the years - I wouldn't need to cover all of these

 

Any recommendations?

He used Kurzweil K2000's in the later part of his career. I think he switched to 2600's at the end. That line seems to have been discontinued. Is the PC3X the successor to the 2600 line?

 

I'm more of a guitar player but am looking to expand my coverage, particularly of my favorite band.

 

What do you all think?

 

-K

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evildragon Newbie

evildragon

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Yeah, Kurzweil is probably the way to go. If you don't need full 88-key keyboard, you might lift yourself a PC361! :thu:

 

PC series are not direct descendants of K series, simply because K series have sampler, and PC series do not. We're still waiting for K3000 :)

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Tomkeen Newbie

Tomkeen

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I think the PC3x is a great keyboard, but I don't think you can cover Floyd with just one board. The PC3x will get you very close though... Just check Sonikmatter, especially the download section. There are a few great Floyd sounds available there already, and the presets also offer some instantly useable Floyd-esque sounds.

 

If it were me, I would go PC3x and add a couple of modules, since the PC3x is also a great midi-controller.

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pulse765 Newbie

pulse765

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Yeah, Kurzweil is probably the way to go. If you don't need full 88-key keyboard, you might lift yourself a PC361!
:thu:

PC series are not direct descendants of K series, simply because K series have sampler, and PC series do not. We're still waiting for K3000
:)

 

 

I was wondering about that. Are they working on it? It seems odd to just stop a product line without introducing the replacement. The K2600 has such old tech like 25-pin external SCSI. I'm not sure where you'd get a cable let alone a drive for that these days.

 

-K

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evildragon Newbie

evildragon

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It will be here. It's just a matter of time. Remember, Kurzweil went through bankrupcy and they're still getting back on their feet. Next is PC3LE coming, that will probably sell a lot because of price/performance/sound quality ratio, and it will hopefully get them enough funds to R&D the real succesor to K2600.

 

Just keep fingers crossed :)

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pulse765 Newbie

pulse765

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It will be here. It's just a matter of time. Remember, Kurzweil went through bankrupcy and they're still getting back on their feet. Next is PC3LE coming, that will probably sell a lot because of price/performance/sound quality ratio, and it will hopefully get them enough funds to R&D the real succesor to K2600.


Just keep fingers crossed
:)

 

Ah, I didn't know they went through bankruptcy. Perhaps I should start with a used 2600 and see what that can get me.

 

-K

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The Pro Newbie

The Pro

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Used K2000's show up on eBay all the time, along with parts, accessories, sound libraries etc. And especially since you're not a fulltime keyboard player and prolly don't want to fork out the bux for a new PC3x, a used K2000 will get you where you want for relatively cheap. Buyer beware - you want one that didn't ride out Katrina in somebody's basement.

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pulse765 Newbie

pulse765

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Used K2000's show up on eBay all the time, along with parts, accessories, sound libraries etc. And especially since you're not a fulltime keyboard player and prolly don't want to fork out the bux for a new PC3x, a used K2000 will get you where you want for relatively cheap. Buyer beware - you want one that didn't ride out Katrina in somebody's basement.

 

 

 

Are hurricane flooded keyboards a common sight on eBay?

 

-K

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Dave Bryce Newbie

Dave Bryce

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PC series are not direct descendants of K series, simply because K series have sampler, and PC series do not.

Disagree. As far as I can tell, the PC3 uses the same VAST engine as the K series synths, but with more polyphony and more processing power (e.g. Cascade mode, better fx, etc).

 

By your logic, K series synths that do not have the sampling option are not K series synths. ;)

 

dB

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Dave Bryce Newbie

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PC series don't even have sampling as an
option.
:)

Yes, I understand that....but my point was that sampling, which you used as the benchmark of why the PC3 is not a direct descendant of the K series, is not an integral part of the VAST/K series engine - it's an option.

 

Some people (me, for example) don't like to sample, and have never had a K series synth with the sampling option.

 

dB

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TropicThink Newbie

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Yes, I understand that....but my point was that sampling, which you used as the benchmark of why the PC3 is not a direct descendant of the K series, is not an integral part of the VAST/K series engine - it's an option.


Some people (me, for example) don't like to sample, and have never had a K series synth with the sampling option.


dB

 

But can you even load samples into that thing? I love my K2600XS, but would not have bought it were it not for the ability to at least load sample data into it.

 

The PC series were always Kurzweil's 'affordable' line of synths / digital pianos. The PC3 sports some awesome specs, and it's a very nice and powerful synth, but that's just because it's 2009 and because there isn't a 'K' alternative at this point in time. Of course Kurzweil put the V.A.S.T and VA-1 stuff in there - it's not like it was going to cost them a fortune to do so. If there were a K3000 launched at the same time I'm sure we could all agree that it would of course be in a different league from the PC3 in more ways than just allowing you to sample stuff.

 

The old PC88 wasn't even a synth, IIRC - it was a digital piano. Didn't even have a filter cut off control. In other words, not comparable to the K2000 at the time. And as far as I remember, in it's review of the PC2, Keyboard Magazine described it as a "MIDI controller with built in sounds."

 

The PC3 is a nice instrument, but it's not what a K series instrument would have been had one been out today. It's a PC synth on a truckload of steroids and a bunch of "K" DNA stuffed into it. That it actually surpasses the K2600 in many respects is just due to the time that has passed since 1999. It's still a fairly cheap synth - for a Kurzweil, that is. ;)

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OFM Newbie

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But can you even load samples into that thing? I love my K2600XS, but would not have bought it were it not for the ability to at least load sample data into it.


The PC series were always Kurzweil's 'affordable' line of synths / digital pianos. The PC3 sports some awesome specs, and it's a very nice and powerful synth, but that's just because it's 2009 and because there isn't a 'K' alternative at this point in time. Of course Kurzweil put the V.A.S.T and VA-1 stuff in there - . If there were a K3000 launched at the same time I'm sure we could all agree that it would of course be in a different league from the PC3 in more ways than just allowing you to sample stuff. which is cheap for a Kurzweil instrument.


The old PC88 wasn't even a synth, IIRC - it was a digital piano. Didn't even have a filter cut off control. In other words, not comparable to the K2000 at the time. And as far as I remember, in it's review of the PC2, Keyboard Magazine described it as a "MIDI controller with built in sounds."


The PC3 is a nice instrument, but it's not what a K series instrument would have been had one been out today. It's a PC synth on a truckload of steroids and a bunch of "K" DNA stuffed into it. That it actually surpasses the K2600 in many respects is just due to the time that has passed since 1999. It's still a fairly cheap synth - for a Kurzweil, that is.
;)

 

 

I agree with TropicThink ... Im still waiting to see a new K series, hope its soon otherwise Ill go for something else ...

 

Cheers,

OFM

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TropicThink Newbie

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And I'm sure Kurzweil wishes to surprise everyone once again...

 

Now that good ole' Ray is back at the office I think you might very well be onto something. :thu:

 

As for me, I guess I'm going to have to wait until they roll out the K4000 before I actually get a 3000, since I'll only be able to afford one when everyone dumping it in favour of something fresh and new.

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OFM Newbie

OFM

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I guess it's nowhere near soon. R&D takes time. And I'm sure Kurzweil wishes to surprise everyone once again, so it's gonna be a wait, I guess.

 

 

 

I love Kurzweil ... as long as they come out with a real "upgrade" and not a retouched K2600 Ill be happy, when I mean upgrade I mean

 

a bigger LCD, USB, drum pads, assignable knobs, full PC/Mac Editor, upgraded RAM etc... etc...oh yeah and please include me that VA-1 that I already waited long enough for the real one who never appeared as a standalone unit other than the PC3X which I have no interest at all to purchase...

 

We'll see.

 

OFM.

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TropicThink Newbie

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You're gonna wait a looooooooong time then
:)

You might as well start living life like Ray does, special diet and all that stuff, just to be cybernetized or something
:D

 

Yes, I guess I'm going to have to wait a while..... bleh.... good thing time FLIES, eh? I can't believe we're well into 2009 already, it's scary.

 

Couldn't live like Ray. Life's too short. ;)

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Dave Bryce Newbie

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But can you even load samples into that thing? I love my K2600XS, but would not have bought it were it not for the ability to at least load sample data into it.

That option does not exist on the PC3...but once again putting SIMMs into the VAST synths is an option. They're still K series synths without it...and the PC3 is a direct descendant. The VAST engine has always been what defines a K series synth - regardless of what options it was outfitted with - and the PC3 certainly has that and then some. One of my K2000s has neither SIMMs nor the sampling option, and my PC3 is pretty much the same thing to me...just on mega steroids. :cool::D

 

I'm not an expert on all the PC models, but as far as I can tell, most of what the PC3/PC3X shares with the earlier PC models is the price point and the name.

 

dB

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