roland vk series organs (plus a "what would you do")

review me on our thoughts about the "additional sounds" on these units. like the e.pianos a.pianos, strings, etc...

im looking for a portable and good sounding rig mostly centered around piano and organ sounds. right now i have a fender rhodes MKI 88 that is an absolute monster to move around. i would like to add organ sounds and maybe have some minor synthy string sounds too.

im thinking of getting a plastic key 73 rhodes instead of my wooden 88, or switching to a wurli for my e piano sounds. im looking at the roland VK's, or maybe a used nord electro 2.

i could probably live with just 1 piano sound and a good organ, sometimes i wonder if the nord 2 would really cut it. compared to say rhodes MKII and a roland vk.

My roland VK7:

Organ section: Great, especially considering it's age

Everything else: it sucks! All of the other sounds are lifeless and completely unuseable.

maybe teh electro 2 is teh best then?

PC3x

Electro for the wurly

The nord organ synth stuff is top notch. The electro offers a lot of other combo stuff, sample loading etc, which is quite sweet, so although it's a little spendy, its an investment that should have legs. And I mean long legs like a stripper, but good for more than a few years of hard use.

I tried a VK-77 and ended up going for nord c2.

The OP is used to a weighted keybed. The organ on the Nord Electro is a very good clone. But it has a waterfall keybed, which would be, at the least, unnatural feeling for a Rhodes player playing piano sounds. I use two boards when I gig, one weighted and the other a waterfall, and the techniques are different. I recommended the PC3x because it has good piano sounds, good EP sounds, fantastic orchestral and string sounds, and OK organ sounds, and it has nine sliders that emulate the drawbars on a Hammond.

I am under the impression that the OP wants a single board, and while the E3 does have multiple sounds, it still has that waterfall keybed, and you can't pound on that keybed very long before things will start to break. The PC3x has a weighted keybed and the best Organ of all of the all-in-one romplers, bar none. No other Roland, Yamaha, Korg, etc. (with the exception of the Oaisys) has an organ that is comparable with the PC3x.

Am I correct in the assumption that one board is required, or can Stella Joop live with two? It makes a difference on which product(s) to consider.

Good luck,

Rick

You seem to be screaming for an Electro 2.

EOT

thanx for teh response. i should have clarified. one option im considering is switching my big 88 wooden key for a plastic key 73 rhodes (lighter weight) and adding a hammond clone (that would be two boards)

right now i usually play with a roland fantom s on top of my rhodes to get organ, piano, string, whatever sounds in addition to teh real rhodes. so im use to playing those flimsy-ish plastic keys but i hate big menus, flashing lights and all that {censored} with over processed sounds. (BTW, i dont actually own the roland but it is on extended vacation from its owner in my rig without a retunr date booked)

just saying,

thanks

PS

the more organic the better, two boards is cool for overlap of playing situations, i like having an array of sounds and i play out (move my gear) regularily. but between some kind of EP and organ i can get about 90% of the sounds i need and can mock up some kind of sonic equivalent to the other 10%

a used nord 2 is high on my list but man, after owning a real old rhodes its hard to stomach even the nord's (as good as it is) rhodes sounds sometimes. but hey, im the only one that would notice/care. im torn.

Yes, I understand precisely what you mean.

I would have to play both of your electric pianos before making a valuable judgement. But I think that any Rhodes 73 would work for you; plastic or wood. The Nord will go with your 73 just fine. Used or new it might be worth it. I have been playing the "real" version of the Electro (B3, CP-70, Rhodes, Wurli, Clav) since I was in high school (many moons past) and I understand the difference, but for the money, the nord seems to me to be the best bet. I am using one with a MS Pro-145...It is not the same as the real {censored}, but it is definitely gig worthy.

Two trips, and fits in the trunk. sounds real enough, plays real enough. I still track in the studio with my arsenal of monsters and it gives me peace. But traveling light is bliss.

cheers.

well i could throw teh nord 73 in that gig bag thing of their that you wear on your back with a stand in my hand fer crissakes.

for around the same price though i could have a korg sp-100 (acoustic and rhodes piano sounds) a hammond xk-2 , both in ata styled hard cases ( with wheels and custom colored ), with a 2 tiered z stand.

are you now talking $3000???

don't forget the motion sound...

are you now talking $3000??? don't forget the motion sound...

With SUB!

While it isn't ideal for playing piano on, you certainly can pound on it. I have an original Electro that has taken a beating for years now and I've never had anything break on it.

Are people incapable of adapting anymore? Why is it impossible for some people to play a Rhodes on an unweighted board? The Rhodes I owned had a decent action but it beat the crap out of you on a 3 hour gig. I don't know why people insist that is how a keyboard should respond.

are you now talking $3000??? don't forget the motion sound...

no. around 1200.

sp-100 = $300

xk-2 = $500

cases = $300

stand - $120

nord electro 2 =$1050

bag = $70

i think my answer is clear.

i need an electro. but goddamn it i love those dedicated organs with teh wood and {censored}.

allright, i spent a good while in GC today. i played the electro 2, and some casio, yamaha, and koorg digital stage pianos.

there was a casio stage piano there that sounded really damn good that could do the 4 things i would need it to: ac piano, e piano, strings, and vibes. the e.piano sounded really good actually which i am very hard on but where they got it right is they didnt put too much cheesy bell in it like most products do. it sounded dark and wooly, like my 74. not to mention the keybed felt great. weighted hammer action. i was really surprised, not to mention this was all coming through some small onboard speakers. loved the simple interface too.

now the nord after playing those casios, etc:

on the electro 2, the acoustic piano sounded...not too good. the epiano sounded...alright. the keys felt very...toy-like, kinda liek a microkorg but bigger :poke: i could hear the plastic creaking. distortion sounded...not so hot.

i may be hallucinating, but i could swear i just confirmed that this morning i played a 400 dollar casio that pwned a 1400 dollar nord.

Sssshhhh... this is a well-guarded secret !!!

Actually, I've been doing some gigs with a Casio PX-320 and a Motif XS6 and blowing away rigs that cost far more.

Sssshhhh... this is a well-guarded secret !!!

i mean, damn...

how does this happen?

I think it's overdue. That's all most of us want in a bottom-tier keyboard: 88-note hammer action with solid basic sounds like piano, ep's, strings. Under $1k and under 28lbs are bonuses. Add a 61 note unweighted second-tier keyboard with your better sounds like organs, synths, VA's, polys etc. and you're there. I chose the Motif XS6 because of it's above-average organs but it does a great job on classic EP's too. By combining these keys I can get about any sound combination I need.

that would be great. privia on bottom, hammond xk-2 on top.

i cant believe though that i would be replacing a vintage rhodes with a casio...

my, how times change. adapt or be surpassed i guess.

I'm not sure what model Casio you were playing but I highly recommened that you try the Privia PX-330 if you haven't. The acoustic piano has been recently improved in that model. Besides sounding great out of the box it has an option where you can set your fav eq, effects, touch, acoustic resonance settings and then have the keyboard power up that way. Looks pretty good too in all-black.

BTW: I use a Hammond XK3c with the Privia now and then too.... pretty close to what you're considering. It works.

If you get a chance, try the Kawai MP5. It's incredible for the price.

while acoustic sounds are important i also like as good a rhodes sound as possible, with some strings and vibes.

thanx for the recco's im scoping them right now. i may go back by GC this affernoon

ok, i just figured it out. it WAS the px-330 that i was playing in the store.

Are you referring to the Kawai here? If so, have you heard the Rhodes, vibes, and strings sounds on it in person? Are you familiar with the sound editing features?