What does everyone think of this musical keyboard I am going to buy?

[manlymatt83]

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/...ted-Portable-Grand-Keyboard?sku=707462

 

[jhayx7]

Lets see how many people think "computer" keyboard. I did.

 

[shelaby]

Originally posted by: jhayx7
Lets see how many people think "computer" keyboard. I did.

thats what i thought

 

[Bacstar]

Hi,

I'm new to the boards but here are my thoughts...

I've been playing keyboards and piano most of my life and there are a few things I've discovered that may help you decide. 88 keys is the absolute minimum if you're a piano player. There is nothing more irritating when playing classical music and running out of keys. Also the spec for Polyphony (amount of notes that can be played at one time) is pretty important. I didn't see it in the ad for the yamaha, but I would recommend at least 64 note. The more the better especially if you are going to be using multi-layered sounds, sustain, etc. The graded hammer action keys are a definite plus. It's a poor substitute to a real piano, but it does really help if you do get the chance to play a real piano. Finally, how does it sound? If it sounds like crap, you won't be playing it for very long. Best thing is to go and try it out. Spend some time playing it in the store and I mean really play it. Currently, I own a Roland RD-700 with the Concert Piano upgrade and I wish I would have bought it before buying the casios and the yamahas

 

[Harvey]

Bacstar -- Welcome to the forums and GOOD POST (but I'd recommend putting some spaces between your thoughts for easier reading).

I'm also a piano player. The spec sheet for this keyboard says it's 32 part polyphonic with 16 part multi-tambral MIDI control.

The two most important things to me when evaluating keyboards is the fell of the keyboard and the quality of the voices. No spec sheet can tell you that, and it's a very personal choice.

In general, I like what I've heard from Yamaha's better products. I've never been that impressed with the feel they get for weighted keyboards. They seem to model after their own acoustic pianos, which I think sound good, but as a player, they feel like driving a truck, instead of the lighter, more responsive hand dancing feel I get on a really well tricked out Steinway grand.

I've got an Alesis weighted keyboard that uses a Fatar that feels great. I use it with external voices which separates the issues of the keyboard mechanism and the voices. :music: :music:

 

[Bacstar]

Harvey-Thanks for the welcome. I'll definitely take your suggestion to heart.

Ahhh to have a Grand Piano would be nice...but having the room and the muscle to keep and move that thing around....

I just started playing a real grand piano again at a bar I play on Wednesday nights, and I can certainly feel the difference when playing my keyboard and the grand. One thing I definitely like about my keyboard...i can move it easily and when i do move it, I don't have to get it retuned.

Once I got the Roland, I definitely have no regrets. It feels great, it sounds great and if i ever get the urge, I wouldn't mind taking it on gigs.

I've tried the Kurzweils, the Korgs, the Casios, and the Yamahas, and out of all of them...the Roland was the one for me... almost like choosing a good woman ...

 

[everman]

What kind of experience do you have with pianos and keyboards? How much space do you have in your home?

 

[Spacehead]

Some good advice so far. I'm not really a musician, just noodle around a bit, but i've alway gotten good advice from the SynthZone Forums if you want more opinions.

 

[crumpet19]

I <3 Korg

-Korg trinity
-Korg triton

 

[Harvey]

Originally posted by: Bacstar
... almost like choosing a good woman ...

What you mean, almost???

I know what you mean about a real piano vs. an electronic keyboard, but there's those nagging issues of gravity and inertia. We don't get paid for playing. We'd do that, anyhow. We actually get paid for setting up, tearing down and moving all that mass. ;cool;

I also had a Hammond A-100, which is the same as a C3, except it also has built in speakers and a power amp. A C3 is the same as a B3 with sold sides instead of the spindle legs.

I never got the one acceessory I really needed -- Roadies.

BTW -- Here's the kewlest keyboard amp in existence. There's an explanation of how it works, here. The site belongs to a friend of mine who's the co-inventor of the system.

I own one, and I wouldn't use anything else for live performances.

It's essentially the inverse of M-S miking, if you know what is. When recording, you use a cardioid mic for your center channel information (L + R) and a figure eight mic pointed side to side across the sound field to get "difference" information (L - R). Then, you sum and difference them in an electronic matrix to derive L and R channel information.

The advantages are that you always get a good center channel and you get a lot of extra cue information that presents a beautiful, spacious sonic image.

This speaker system does the inverse. It uses a front firing center channel speaker and another speaker aimed sideways and open on both sides to produce difference information. The system takes your stereo keyboard signal, runs it through the same kind of electronic matrix to derive sum and difference signals and feed them to the appropriate speakers.

This box won't produce hard left - right images, but it creates a beautifully spacious image that works anywhere in the listening room, instead of a "sweet spot" in a limited listening area. It's the perfect setup for a good stereo Lesile emulation. :music: :music:

 

[Bacstar]

Nice amp...

I just ended up getting a single Roland KC 150 to go with a pair of Roland MA8's. I was missing some bass with just the MA8's. Now.... I have a full rich sound filling my house.

One thing to consider too for the OP. Will those speakers be enough for your intended use?

Ever since I moved up to Alaska, I've been more interested in learning how to play in a band, so I'm re-learning my music theory and maybe looking into getting lessons on improvisation, playing by ear, etc... Something to do in the cold winter months. I can read music better than i can read english and play just about anything right away but that only gets you so far...

And ever since I've been playing in front of a live audience....I'm even more driven to get better, after a couple shots of tequila to settle the nerves, of course.

 

[Audiotherapy]

get something like this instead

http://www.synthesizers.com/studio110s.jpg

 

[eakers]

excellent pick!

(I don't know anything about keyboards)