Members Damien Quinn Posted May 25, 2011 Members Share Posted May 25, 2011 Hi folksI am looking to buy a keyboard just to make backing tracks for myself for singing out on the gig scene with my accoustic guitar.I will just use the auto accompaniment on the keyboard by playing the chords and setting the tempo and record it into garage band via my audio interface and then transfer the finished file as an ACC file onto my ipod.I have did this with my friends keyboard and it sounded alright . It was a cheap Yamaha keyboard.Is there any particular keyboard for best sounds and accompaniment styles that I should go for that is a reasonably good price Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted May 26, 2011 Members Share Posted May 26, 2011 ACCOMPANIMENT STYLES: Tyros if you have $5K to spend. Otherwise, Yamaha PSR's, (7xx to 9xx series) have a good on-board sequencer and a lot of Tyros' accompaniment styles. If you get a PSR 9xx, you'll be set up well. Yamaha DGX series are really nice. I'd buy one. They're inexpensive but the new ones don't have a MIDI port. They do have an on-board MIDI sequencer & auto accompaniment though. And they're nice boards. The top-line Casios have similar features & are priced to sell. The sounds aren't bad for what you're looking for either. SOUNDS ONLY: Any synth w/a good General MIDI (GM/GM2/GS/XG) sound set will do. Look for the lower-priced keyboards by Korg (X5), Yamaha (S09) & Roland (XP, RS, Juno). You should be able to pick up some used synths like that pretty cheap. Roland XP's, Yamaha S-series, I always used Yamaha XG for that sort of thing. Stay away Korg M3. It's a fabulous synth. But its GM implementation is not very good for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJ RAZZ Posted May 26, 2011 Members Share Posted May 26, 2011 OK, most home keyboards will do this. But tone is another issue. Making Pre-recorded tracks will provide you with less expensive choices for a good portion of the money in arrangers is put into the bells and whistles that are useful during live play. Tone, however, is important, at least it is to me. So don't buy too cheap. Down the road SMF's (Standard Midi Files) could be a big help for quick work flow and more professional arrangements. Many new arrangers come with USB stick ports that can hold hundreds of SMF's to be available instantly for a show. Also arrangers just seem to sound better when playing SMF's , even over some more expensive pro boards. The secrete is in the the quality of the General midi sounds on said arrangers and the subtleties that are put into those sounds to help add acoustical realism. That is why Roalnd's GS technology and Yamaha's XG technology sound so good for SMF's, more designed for solo performance I guess. Also higher end arrangers sound better insofar as the accompaniments and the choices in styles of the backing parts that are provided. Let me know if any of this helps. Also I will give you some brand and model suggestions if you respond with more questions and/or specifics. Thanks, RAZZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Damien Quinn Posted May 26, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 26, 2011 Hi Razz thanks for that info. I actually play guitar and sing using tracks on my ipod, so i am not a keyboard player . A lot of my music is Irish folk and Ballads , where there are not too many pre recorded midi files of this type about. I actually got a lot of my tracks made live in a studio which is expensive, but I am able to use chord sequences on a keyboard using the auto arrangement and record that onto garageband on my mac and then save it onto my ipod for a cheaper option.So I want to know which model to go for and is there much difference in in quality of arrangements from keyboard to keyboard. I don't want to spend too much money on this because it will get very little use, and buying a used keyboard is probably better option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Damien Quinn Posted May 26, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 26, 2011 Wow I seen a demo video on the net here of the tyros 3 and it started off playing sounds of Irish Uilleann pipes. Amazing, I never knew keyboards could produce that sound and that is the sounds that i am looking for to make my backing tracks. But If i could afford that keyboard here in Ireland I might as well get the tracks made live in the recording studio and then add vocals and sell my cds the same as i did with all my other cds and then just use the tracks minus my vocals when i am gigging.Is there a cheaper option that can produce them sounds of Irish pipes using the auto accompaniment by playing chords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJ RAZZ Posted May 27, 2011 Members Share Posted May 27, 2011 Type in keyboard arrangers. But some options are the Roland GW8, Prelude, and the Korg PS50, unsure about the Yamaha models. There are some lower priced Rolands and Yamahas as well. Stay away from Casio. Good luck. The Tyros is the best period. You just need to decide if it will be your tool of the trade. If I had one I'd proudly bring it to the gig and play my songs through it. It would look cool, very musical, and pro. Keep the IPOD as a back up and for break music. RAZZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zzzxtreme Posted May 27, 2011 Members Share Posted May 27, 2011 Damien Quinn, i recommend the mid range yamaha PSR series (PSR3000 something). it sounds OK, has plenty styles/songs to buy from the internet tooI see plenty of Roland GWs and PSRs at hotels, it sounds acceptable Or you could just get Band in a box software. Very easy to use Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJ RAZZ Posted May 27, 2011 Members Share Posted May 27, 2011 Damien Quinn, i recommend the mid range yamaha PSR series (PSR3000 something). it sounds OK, has plenty styles/songs to buy from the internet tooI see plenty of Roland GWs and PSRs at hotels, it sounds acceptableOr you could just get Band in a box software. Very easy to use Second these ideas 100%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted May 27, 2011 Members Share Posted May 27, 2011 I forgot about BIAB. He'll still need a MIDI device to play it back though. Yamaha PSR & Band-in-a-Box. You'll be set for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Damien Quinn Posted May 27, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 27, 2011 There would be no point in bringing a keyboard along to the gig to play my tracks as I play accoustic guitar and some venues can be small, so i want to keep the gear to a minimum. I just want the easiest way to produce tracks that have good sounds for Irish type ballads without spending a fortune.I have a 2004 version of BIAB and its just ok, I prefer to use a keyboard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zzzxtreme Posted May 27, 2011 Members Share Posted May 27, 2011 PSR series then (model > 3000 above)make sure you have a backup mp3 player in case your ipod fxxd up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Pro Posted May 27, 2011 Members Share Posted May 27, 2011 Thread: BEST KEYBOARD FOR AUTO ACCOMPANIMENT FOR BACKING TRACKS Answer: Yamaha Tyros 4 Best way tp do your stage show is a whole different topic, but the answer is iPod. Record all your tracks to high-quality MP3 and leave your keyboards at home if you aren't going to play them live. As to "not spending a furtune" remember that keyboards are not cheap and the better they are the more they cost, especially in arrangers. Stretch the price over the years it'll provide you a living and you'll realize it's worth it to sound great today and tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ChristianRock Posted May 27, 2011 Members Share Posted May 27, 2011 If you can't afford the Yamaha Tyros 4, try a Yamaha MOX6 in a store. It won't be the same thing, but the arpeggiator has enough styles and it can do a lot of the things an arranger can do. You still need to push the buttons (1 through 6) to change from one style to another within the song, and you have the 8 sliders to control the volume. I quite like that design. Never played a Tyros but I have played the XF, which is exactly the same as the MOX and XS, but with more arpeggiator presets. You could use something like this to create your backing tracks, and then just record the backing tracks to an mp3 player and play that at the venue while you play your guitar and sing along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Damien Quinn Posted May 27, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 27, 2011 A friend of mine has a yamaha psr 1000 and he has told me to go for a used Psr 1500 or something like it where you can load plenty of tyros styles and sounds into it that u can buy on the net. Theres no way that i would buy a tyros 4 at that cost to make a few tracks cause i have already got loads of live tracks that i got made in a recording studio. So it will only be a few tracks now and again that i would be doing. There are a couple of used Psr 3000 back in Ireland for sale so don't know if there is much difference in this one and the psr 1500 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zzzxtreme Posted May 27, 2011 Members Share Posted May 27, 2011 it would take too much time to program the arps in MOX, there are plenty fill ins, but zero intro and codas/ending like a proper arranger unlike the simple, quick and productive PSR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJ RAZZ Posted May 28, 2011 Members Share Posted May 28, 2011 Agree... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Synthaholic Posted May 28, 2011 Members Share Posted May 28, 2011 I believe that BIAB 2004 was still MIDI, where the new versions have switched over to audio clips only. With all the talk about the Tyros, I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the Korg Pa2XPro. Is that unit not as good? I've been wanting to check them both out, and thought about purchasing one of them, but got the Kurzweil PC3 instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJ RAZZ Posted May 28, 2011 Members Share Posted May 28, 2011 Actually if one is paying those kinda prices the looks better, more pro. Is the PA2X the new arranger that is coming or the current one, either way they both look great. It is just the demos on the Tyros are sick!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chando Posted May 28, 2011 Members Share Posted May 28, 2011 It's funny.. I worked at a music store for about half year. I'm a total techno nerd. Analog gear, old samplers, etc.. The only new pieces I ever spent more than 5 mins on (the market was really bad, I had time on my hands) .. were the TYROS 2&3 and korg PA-800.... and the Roland SH-201 (sitting right under a Prophet 08 that I tried to like). arrangers are so fun!! btw - I saw Omar Souleyman when he played in Chicago.. his keyboard player used a PA-800 for beats and leads.. amazing!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Pro Posted May 28, 2011 Members Share Posted May 28, 2011 Korg and Roland arrangers are ok, they kinda rate on the same level as they Yamaha PSR's (all of which are stripped-dowb versions of the Tyros), but the flagship Yamaha Tyros series is in a class of it's own. I've never heard anything that directly competes with it for sound quality and versatility. Yamaha's Motif technology comes from the Tyros, but the Tyros still retains sounds and functions not found in any other keyboard. IMHO there's the Tyros and there's everything else. You can buy a cheaper arranger and then get bored with it and trade up every few years, or you can get a Tyros and spend the next few years learning how to get the most out of it... it's that deep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Conbrio Posted May 28, 2011 Members Share Posted May 28, 2011 it would take too much time to program the arps in MOX, there are plenty fill ins, but zero intro and codas/ending like a proper arranger unlike the simple, quick and productive PSR. Exactly. The Yamaha Motif and MO series are not designed to be arranger keyboards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Damien Quinn Posted May 29, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 29, 2011 When I heard the tyros 3 sample on Youtube it blew me away , I never heard that sound coming from a keyboard in my life.Would the tyros 2 give me the same sounds. What would the Yamaha Psr sound like with these tyros sounds imported in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted May 29, 2011 Members Share Posted May 29, 2011 I believe that BIAB 2004 was still MIDI, where the new versions have switched over to audio clips only.With all the talk about the Tyros, I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the Korg Pa2XPro. Is that unit not as good? I've been wanting to check them both out, and thought about purchasing one of them, but got the Kurzweil PC3 instead. No. It's not as good as Tyros. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Synthaholic Posted May 29, 2011 Members Share Posted May 29, 2011 No. It's not as good as Tyros. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Damien Quinn Posted May 29, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 29, 2011 Is there much difference between the PSR s910 and the Tyros 3. Has the s910 got the Irish pipe sounds that are played on the you tube video from yamaha on the Tyros 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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