Members otherdimensions Posted September 18, 2009 Members Share Posted September 18, 2009 Hey all, I've got a question about which keyboard/synth to seek out. I've played piano for a long time (on a Baldwin upright), but I'm a guitar player first and foremost (I normally only post in the guitar effects forum), and I'm looking for some kind of synth/workstation/keyboard (I don't really know what's what) that'll help me get a pretty good amount of sounds all in one unit. The most important thing to me is a range of convincing string sounds... I'd like to start incorporating some strings into my stuff, and I'd like it to be versatile (for instance, not just a massive sounding orchestra all of the time, a range of big to small sounds). I've fooled around with the strings in GarageBand and really dug what I could use them for, so that's my first requirement. Some other sounds I'm looking for would be piano sounds (different types), a harmonium sound, synth/bass synth sounds, organ sounds (hammond and whatnot), and rhodes sounds. Obviously this is a hell of a lot of ground to cover, and I'm not even really sure if it's typical of hardware to perform so much, and halfway decently at that. I'm a complete layman in this area, so bear with me! Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tomkeen Posted September 18, 2009 Members Share Posted September 18, 2009 It depends on what you want to spend, but the Kurzweil PC3(x) sounds like it might be the board for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TropicThink Posted September 18, 2009 Members Share Posted September 18, 2009 I was thinking the same thing. Kurzweil PC3 is the first thing that comes to mind. Go to the store and try it out, and while you're there you might want to take a good look at other workstations as well - The Yamaha Motif XS and Korg M3 could be good alternatives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jpscoey Posted September 18, 2009 Members Share Posted September 18, 2009 I've played piano for a long time (on a Baldwin upright), I'm looking for some kind of synth/workstation/keyboard that'll help me get a pretty good amount of sounds all in one unit. Two things to know here - what is your budget? and, does the fact that you're used to an acoustic piano mean that an 88-key weighted keyboard is important, or would a 61/76-key 'synth-action' keyboard be ok for you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members otherdimensions Posted September 18, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 18, 2009 Two things to know here - what is your budget? and, does the fact that you're used to an acoustic piano mean that an 88-key weighted keyboard is important, or would a 61/76-key 'synth-action' keyboard be ok for you? I would definitely prefer more of an acoustic piano feel, but it's also not make or break. As far as the price, I was just checking out those that were recommended as well as some others, those ones are WAY out of my price range! Sorry I should have specified. 600 or 700 is probably as high as I'd want to go on this, so that obviously takes the selection way down. I guess what I'm looking for here is more versatility and ease of use more than anything. I'd like the option to be able to edit sounds and all of that when I'm ready, but I also want something that's just easy to switch between patches on the fly, because as far as sampling and sequencing and all that stuff, I can't even wrap my head around it, and it's probably not how I'm gonna use it. I'm just using it mainly as a replacement for a bunch of different instruments. Now, I can't really tell from the sites, but would either of these fit the description I put in the first post? One is the M Audio Axiom Pro 61: http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/AxiomPro61.html and the other is the Korg M50: http://www.korg.com/product.aspx?&pd=253 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members evildragon Posted September 18, 2009 Members Share Posted September 18, 2009 M50. But save up and get 88-key version. That keybed is absolutely brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jpscoey Posted September 18, 2009 Members Share Posted September 18, 2009 'The M-Audio keyboard you mention is a "controller" only - ie: it doesn't have any 'built-in' sounds/voices..... this type of keyboard is used to play VSTi's (virtual studio instruments) that you download from a computer - so you need to be hooked-up to a computer all the time. I have a Korg M50, and it's simply brilliant. If I were you I'd go for that. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members otherdimensions Posted September 18, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 18, 2009 And I haven't checked the prices on any of these, but there's this too: Looks real nice, the sounds are nice, I don't feel like I can tell if it's what I'm looking for though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members otherdimensions Posted September 18, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 18, 2009 ' The M-Audio keyboard you mention is a "controller" only - ie: it doesn't have any 'built-in' sounds/voices..... this type of keyboard is used to play VSTi's (virtual studio instruments) that you download from a computer - so you need to be hooked-up to a computer all the time. I have a Korg M50, and it's simply brilliant. If I were you I'd go for that. . Oh okay, M50's on my list now. I imagine my local music store will have one... this makes things easy! I'm used to the the never-ending abyss that is the guitar gear search. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jpscoey Posted September 18, 2009 Members Share Posted September 18, 2009 Oh okay, M50's on my list now. If there's a better keyboard on the maket at the mo for the money, I haven't heard about it! You won't be disappointed if you get one . Keep us informed how you go on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members evildragon Posted September 18, 2009 Members Share Posted September 18, 2009 SV-1 is priced around 2000 bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members otherdimensions Posted September 18, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 18, 2009 If there's a better keyboard on the maket at the mo for the money, I haven't heard about it! You won't be disappointed if you get one . Keep us informed how you go on? Thanks to you and the rest for all of the help! I gotta get myself down to the music store this weekend... and browse this forum more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members otherdimensions Posted September 18, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 18, 2009 SV-1 is priced around 2000 bucks. Yeah that one's not happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members otherdimensions Posted September 19, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 19, 2009 All right, just thought I'd pop back in to list a few more that are for sale on Craigslist in my area, to see if they fit the description I was talking about. There seem to be a ton of different types of keyboards (I don't really see repeats of the same model on Craigslist!). Yamaha YPG 635Yamaha DX711 FDKorg TR61Korg V3 TrinityRoland JP-8000Roland Juno-GRoland V-Synth They're all selling for well under a grand, so that's why I wanted to get an opinion on these as well. Like I said I'm looking for something with strings, pianos, harmonium, synths, organs, and Rhodes sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members otherdimensions Posted September 19, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 19, 2009 bump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fuzzball24 Posted September 19, 2009 Members Share Posted September 19, 2009 All right, just thought I'd pop back in to list a few more that are for sale on Craigslist in my area, to see if they fit the description I was talking about. There seem to be a ton of different types of keyboards (I don't really see repeats of the same model on Craigslist!).Yamaha YPG 635Yamaha DX711 FDKorg TR61Korg V3 TrinityRoland JP-8000Roland Juno-GRoland V-SynthThey're all selling for well under a grand, so that's why I wanted to get an opinion on these as well. Like I said I'm looking for something with strings, pianos, harmonium, synths, organs, and Rhodes sounds. Scratch out the JP-8000, that won't get you organ or Rhodes sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members otherdimensions Posted September 19, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 19, 2009 I've been researching the features, I think I'm eliminating the two Yamahas and the JP-8000 (if it can't do those sounds you mentioned). In that case, anyone have opinions on these? Korg TR61Korg V3 TrinityRoland Juno-GRoland V-Synth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members doppelbanger Posted September 20, 2009 Members Share Posted September 20, 2009 you can't go wrong with the korg triton 61 but i think it has synth action and only 61 keys, it will get you a ton of sounds though. i tried the juno g before and it sounded pretty good as well. it also is 61 key unweighted. try those style of keys first because if you dont need weighted keys you can get alot of bang for your buck and you wont have the hassle of lugging around something heavy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members evildragon Posted September 20, 2009 Members Share Posted September 20, 2009 Don't buy the TR. It's very limited in its effects section, which is important if you want to combine different types of sounds. Go for Triton Classic, it's also well under a grand, if you can't spare to get M50! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members otherdimensions Posted September 21, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 21, 2009 Don't buy the TR. It's very limited in its effects section, which is important if you want to combine different types of sounds.Go for Triton Classic, it's also well under a grand, if you can't spare to get M50! Is the Classic the same as the Korg v3 Trinity or is it another model? And how's the Korg X50 by the way? Just thought I'd throw that out there since it's in the same price range too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members otherdimensions Posted September 21, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 21, 2009 It looks like I'm keeping a dead thread alive, but hopefully I can get a little more input. I've found some more Korgs on CL, so at the moment these are my options (should I go the used route): Korg Triton Korg TR 61 Korg Triton Extreme Korg V3 Trinity all of those have 61-keys... and then there's the Juno-G and the V-Synth, as well. The V-Synth look much too complicated and not really aimed at what I'd do, and I don't really know much about the Juno-G. I did eliminate the X50 though, I thought the sounds sounded cheap and cheesy. Basically I'm just trying to find what the difference between those four Korgs is... the price goes from 700 to 800 on those, so I'm wondering if I should just spring for the 800 dollar Extreme or maybe be more thoughtful about the features. It's just damn hard finding this stuff inside of YouTube demos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members evildragon Posted September 21, 2009 Members Share Posted September 21, 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korg_Trinity Older board, lower polyphony (you can eat it up rather easily). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korg_Triton TR is not recommended. You should opt for Triton Classic, Studio or Extreme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jpscoey Posted September 21, 2009 Members Share Posted September 21, 2009 I've found some more Korgs on CL, so at the moment these are my options (should I go the used route):Korg TritonKorg TR 61Korg Triton ExtremeKorg V3 TrinityBasically I'm just trying to find what the difference between those four Korgs is... Judging from your initial post, & for your budget, I still stand by my original recommendation - Korg M50. I think it ticks all the boxes you were asking for, and will give you additional options in the future. Whilst any of the above 'boards would be a decent choice, they are out-dated by comparison - even the Extreme (which was Korgs 'flagship' keyboard for several years) pales sounds-wise in comparison to the M50. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tomkeen Posted September 21, 2009 Members Share Posted September 21, 2009 even the Extreme (which was Korgs 'flagship' keyboard for several years) pales sounds-wise in comparison to the M50.. BUT the extreme has the built-in tube, which is rather nice, ribbon controller and aftertouch. The extreme is also sturdier. I don't think that any of these boards have a harmonium sample, do they? But that should be fairly easy to synthesize.. Either way, the Triton Extreme and M50 are both very good boards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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